Joy Out East

Unexpected Fabulousness: the bird I've been most hoping to see for the first time this Spring, the Black-Necked Stilt:

These little guys were hanging out with the stilts:

Other highlights today:

Brad's Pheasant photo

Excitable Yellow Headed Blackbirds..

(probably just excited to have a break from the rain!)

My first Yellow-Rumped Warbler of the year...

And at Lower Latham, a Marsh Wren's nest.

Need a little help?

:)

Finished the day with some White-Faced Ibises at Drake Lake.

The rest of today's photos:

Really Feeling like Spring

A WBU Walk with Connie today started off wonderfully with an Osprey flying over the parking lot.

Quiet Great Horned Owl observes the group...

An incredible amount of Turkey Vultures...flying overhead...

hanging out in trees (next to an immature Bald Eagle!)

Song Sparrow puts on a show...

Downey Woodpeckers acting Funny...

 and Goose on nest.

 

This afternoon, a quick stop at Running Deer 

provided a FOS Snowy Egret!

Spring Weekend

Friday afternoon, a visit to Running Deer, and a chance to practice a little of this "exposure adjustment" Robert Palmer talked about Thursday night. Clearly much practice will be required but surprisingly, a few successes!

A low-flying harrier gives me much opportunity for practice...

and then a semi-cooperative pair of wood ducks

(okay, not so in focus...but check out that hairdo!)

Saturday, out to Lower Latham for a few first of seasons:

Blue Winged Teal

Uggh. Time to put the cage on the feeder...

Marsh wren

I didn't catch the crossbills at Grandview on Sunday, but I did find some deer, a fox, and a sharp shinned hawk:

The rest of Friday, Saturday and Sunday's photos: