Wild Bird Wednesday

Our spring migration has been scant this year.  The lake opened up so late that most of the birds that usually come here found other places to go.  That said, we are still getting an occasional small group of late comers which I am very grateful for.

 A group of Juvenile Eagles came to check things out.  There were five all together, but I could only spot four in the trees once they landed.  

A small band of Lesser Scaups ... they stayed around for several days.  Our weather is so unpredicable now that when it turns cold it is hard to catch an updraft to get high enough to ride the thermals.

And we did finally get a few Cormorants and Pelicans ... late comers.  Nothing like the big flocks that have come in years past.  But, I am happy do get even one ...

Thank you to all of you who identified my female Red-Winged Blackbird last week.  And for those who didn't know, that's okay.  We can't be expected to know every bird.  As for me ... You were all witness to a major Brain Fart!  I have Red-Winged Blackbirds in my yard Spring, Summer and Fall and even sometimes in the winter.  I have even featured the female Red-Winged Blackbird on my blog ... Duh and Double Duh!  Now you all know what you have to look forward to in your "Golden Years"!

Wild Bird Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday 25
http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com/2013/01/wild-bird-wednesday-25-waders-and-one.html


Our Eagles are back ... some live in the area but don't come around our lake until other water sources have frozen.  Our lake is spring fed so we usually has some open water for them to fish.  This year I have seen an adult, our third year juvenile which we have been following since she was a first year and a pair of first years that were sparring in the trees.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the sparring because my camera wouldn't focus on them behind all of the branches.  Maybe next time ...

This is our third year.  You can see how her white head and tail feathers are almost fully developed and you can also see she still has mottled color on her wings and body. 

The quality of these pictures is poor both because of the distance ( I had to digitally zoom) and because I was shooting into the sun, but I wanted to show the progression of her development.  Isn't she awesome :)

This is a new year ... and, as always, a new beginning.  I look forward to sharing pictures as well as learning from and enjoying your pictures of our wonderful world of wild birds ... Happy New Year!