Pileated Woodpecker at Chimney Rock Hawk Watch

We did see some hawks high in the sky at Chimney Rock Hawk Watch but the highlight was a pileated woodpecker.



The sequence below shows the woodpecker cleaning. It spent 5 minutes gathering leaves and throwing them from the nest.

Cormorants on Lake Nelson

Egret flying over Lake Nelson

Egret

Cormorants on Lake Nelson

Cormorants

Migrating Baltimore Oriole at the Jelly Feeder

Baltimore OrioleChris was ecstatic.

After Irene: Cormorants on Lake Nelson

After Irene: Cormorants on Lake NelsonOur cormorant population has increased after the hurricane. We hope they'll stay.

Northern Flicker: After the Hurricane

Northern Flicker

Cormorant

CormorantThe cormorants are returning to Lake Nelson.

Black Crowned Night Heron grooming

Black Crowned Night Heron


We've taken enough photos of this night heron standing, waiting for fish. We are moving on to his morning grooming. We have seen but not photographed a juvenile in the area and will be looking out for him.

Black Crowned Night Heron

Black Crowned Night Heron

Belted Kingfisher: Finally

KingfisherWe worried that when the lake was drained this fall and winter, the birds that eat the fish from the lake would go away. The lake was filled in the late spring, and these birds are returning. There are fewer cormorants, herons and kingfishers this year, but at least one and possibly two kingfishers have returned. The kingfisher is the hardest to photograph because he rarely sits still.

Red bellied woodpecker in jelly feeder

Red bellied woodpecker in jelly feeder

We have wren babies!!!

House Wren at Wren HouseThe woodpecker babies are almost grown and occasionally visit the feeders by themselves. The baby ducks are the same size as their mother. At this time of the summer, the baby wrens get all our attention.

Duck eating a Fish

Duck eating a FishWe live on a small lake and have watched a mother mallard raise a family of five ducklings this summer. Today, one of the ducklings brought a fish into the yard and tried to eat it. Who knew that ducks ate fish?

Baby Turkeys: Was it Worth It?

Baby Turkeys


Mike and Chris go for a walk around the block almost every morning. Yesterday, when walking past the park, there were several adult turkeys with some baby turkeys barely visible in the distance. Mike coerced Chris into changing their walk, going back home for the camera and binoculars, but by the time they returned, the turkeys were gone.

So this morning about 6:15, Mike nudged Chris in bed to get up early and see if the turkeys had returned. Chris reluctantly agreed, but when they reached the park, there was a lady walking a dog and no turkeys. After one lap around the block, Mike and Chris returned to the park and the dog was gone but still no turkeys. It was about the same time they saw the turkeys the previous day, so Mike suggested waiting, hiding in the penalty box of the skating rink in case the turkeys returned. About 5 minutes later, the turkeys appeared and Mike got some photos and Chris got some good views in the binoculars.

Great Blue Heron Sticking His Tongue Out

Great Blue Heron

Cliff Swallow Nests

Cliff Swallow





We took the boat out this morning and found two cliff swallow nests.

Barn Swallow Nest

Barn Swallow Nest

Kingbirds

Kingbirds



We often see a solitary kingbird in our yard, but we've never observed a family group until today. When we took the boat out this morning, there were 2 adults feeding a juvenile kingbird. Here are some photos of these birds.

Tufted Titmouse

Tufted Titmouse