Ecobirder

Bumble Bee Macro

2012-01-29T18:44:00.001-06:00

If you ever get close enough to a bee you might notice that they look kind of fuzzy. Their bodies are covered with many small hairs. These are actually called setae. The setae are very important to bees. They are like little sensors that aid the bee in things like determining wind speed. The setae are also important for pollination of plants. When the bee is in a flower feeding on nectar or collecting pollen to take back to the hive pollen often gets trapped on the setae. At the next flower it might come free as the bee wiggles in to take a drink and the plant gets pollinated.

Star of Zanzibar

2012-01-28T22:23:00.002-06:00

This tropical water lily is named the Star of Zanzibar. I photographed it at the Como Zoo water gardens this past summer.

Golden Eagle Survey

2012-01-27T21:39:00.004-06:00

Last weeks golden eagle survey was a great success. The weather cooperated for most of the day with blue cloudless skies until we were finishing up. I was partnered with Jim, who volunteers with me at The Raptor Center, and Bill, who I just met at the survey.
Is was still pretty cold in the morning around 9:30 am when we began. We did not see many birds early on, but as the day went on and the temps began to rise suddenly the eagles came out to hunt. In our area in western Wisconsin we counted 5 golden eagles. The first one that we spotted was perched and did not give me an opportunity to get any descent pics but the other birds where both in pairs that flew right over our heads. This was the most birds that any of us had ever seen on the survey and it was a lifer for Jim. This year in total there were 140 people who helped in the survey and 125 golden eagles were counted.

Roads We Travel by Marilyn Lott

2012-01-26T03:58:00.001-06:00

There are many roads we travel

And probably most we leave behind

We continue to walk ahead of us

New fresh roads we want to find

And sometimes we wonder

If we took the best road we could

If we could erase them and start over

We often think perhaps we would

Some roads we travel often though

Off and on throughout the years

They get worn and sad and weary

And we shed so many tears

But we try to put them behind us

And trudge bravely on ahead

Trying very heard to not look back

But find great new roads instead

So no matter where we’ve been

As our lives we continue to unravel

We all just try to do our best

With the many roads we travel!

Pied-billed Grebe

2012-01-25T00:03:00.000-06:00

Do you know what type of bird this is? Many non-birders that I have asked have guessed that it was some type of a duck. However contrary to popular belief not all small waterfowl are ducks. This is in fact a pied-billed grebe, the most widely distributed species of grebes in North America. Grebes differ from ducks in a number of ways but probably the most obvious is their feet. Ducks have webbed feet where grebes have lobed toes that aid them in swimming. Grebes are somewhat similar to loons and in fact they were once part of the same family. However with modern testing there was enough difference between loons and grebes that grebes were given a family of their own, Podicipedidae. There are 22 different species of grebes that are separated into 6 genus. The pied-billed grebe is the only living member of the genus Podilymbus.

Buteo

2012-01-24T04:32:00.001-06:00

Last week we talked about Accipiters, one of the two genus' that make up the hawk family. This week it is time to explore the rest of the hawks which reside in the Buteo genus. Buteos have long wings and relatively short tail which are perfect for soaring. Most Buteos hunt by ambushing their prey, preferring not to waste their energy in a chase. They mainly eat small mammals but they are usually generalists and opportunists and they will also eat reptiles, amphibians, birds, and carrion.
The largest of the Buteos that we see here in Minnesota, as well as the most common, is the red-tailed hawk. Every day on my way to and from work I can count on spotting several red-tails perched on the light poles on the side of the freeway. Red-tails are a border species meaning they often live on the edges of wooded areas and open fields. They will nest in the safety of the woods as well as roosting there at night but they need the open fields to hunt in. Roadsides are good hunting habitat since there are not many large trees in the way, there are usually a good number of rodents around, and the grass is typically cut shorter making it easier to find their prey. The bird in the first pic is a young red-tailed hawk.
Some of the other Buteos that we see here in Minnesota are broad-winged hawks, second photo, and the red-shouldered hawks, above. The broad-winged hawk is the smallest of the Buteos in this area. Their smaller size allows them to live and hunt in wooded areas that the bigger Buteos have a more difficult time navigating. Each year these birds migrate down to South America for the winter. They migrate over Minnesota in groups called kettles that sometimes consists of thousands of birds. The red-shouldered hawk is slightly smaller then the red-tail with a forty inch wingspan. They are found in the south eastern part of the state, usually near a wetland, and are much less common then the red-tail or broad-winged hawks. We also see Swainson's hawks, mostly in the south western part of the state, and rough legged hawks, that migrate into the area for the winter.

Tuesday Tweets

2012-01-23T04:30:00.000-06:00

The chestnut-sided warbler is a wood warbler that breeds in the eastern half of Canada and north eastern portions of the United States. We do have a breeding population here in Minnesota in the north eastern part of the state. I photographed this bird last may as it was migrating north from its wintering grounds in Central or northern South America. During the winter they often mix in with flocks of tropical warblers.

Welcome to the second edition of Tuesday Tweets. We got off to a slow start last week but that means that it should not be too hard to find more people to participate this week. To join in the fun, just post a photo of a bird on your blog then come here and enter your information in the inlinz tool down below. Don't forget to put a link back to here on your blog and the pretty little banner photo. Then visit all of the sites that participate to see a lot of cool bird pics.

Olympia Marble

2012-01-22T13:42:00.000-06:00

The olympia marble is an early spring butterfly that is found in the central United States. Its range extends east from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes. In the north the range extends into southern Canada and runs down into northern Texas. The butterflies are most often found in shale grasslands, lakeshore dunes, open woodlands, prairie and meadow habitat.
These pictures were taken at Crex Meadows in Wisconsin. Wisconsin has the largest population of olympia marble out of any state in the United States.
Female olympia marble lay one egg on a larval host plant, typically rock cresses. The larva will eat the plant and then will form a chrysalis which is how it will spend the winter. There is typically only one brood per year and they are usually on the wing from mid April through June. I took these pictures in May of 2010.

Harebell

2012-01-21T20:38:00.005-06:00

The harebell is a native perennial that is often found on rocky slopes, open forests and under conifers. The flowers bloom June through August. It is a member of the Bellflower family and is often referred to as the Bluebells of Scotland.

Golden Eagle

2012-01-20T20:34:00.005-06:00

Tomorrow I will be participating in the 8th Annual Wintering Golden Eagle Survey. Golden eagles do not nest here in Minnesota. Even though for many years a hundred or more golden eagles have been counted as the migrated over Hawk Ridge in northern Minnesota it was believed that a golden eagle was a rare sighting except for special locations such as White Water State Park.
Eight years ago the staff at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, MN began a survey to count golden eagles. The survey began small but each year more people join the survey. Last year over one hundred people counted 80 golden eagles in south eastern Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and northern Iowa. This year there are enough counters to fill 50 different routes. The route that I will be on is in western Wisconsin. It is part of an area that I have been photographing golden eagles in over the past month. So far I have spotted about a dozen eagles in nine separate territories. The eagles above where photographed in my route so it is likely that I will be able to count them tomorrow.

The Sand-Hill Crane by Mary Austin

2012-01-19T04:29:00.003-06:00

WHENEVER the days are cool and clear,

The sand-hill crane goes walking

Across the field by the flashing weir,

Slowly, solemnly stalking.

The little frogs in the tules hear,

And jump for their lives if he comes near;

The fishes scuttle away in fear

When the sand-hill crane goes walking.

The field folk know if he comes that way,

Slowly, solemnly stalking,

There is danger and death in the least delay,

When the sand-hill crane goes walking.

The chipmunks stop in the midst of play;

The gophers hide in their holes away;

And 'Hush, oh, hush!' the field-mice say,

When the sand-hill crane goes walking.

Eastern Bluebird

2012-01-18T03:51:00.006-06:00

Ring-Necked Duck

2012-01-18T03:42:00.005-06:00

The ringed-neck duck is one of the birds that reminds me that many species were originally named by hunters. Looking at them I would have been more likely to call them ring-billed ducks because of the unique markings on their beaks. So why ring-necked.
Its not something that you see often out in the wild while they are swimming. Often they have their heads sort of tucked into their bodies so you can not see their necks, like in the first photo. However once in a while they stretch out their necks and then you can see the lighting band on the neck, as in the photo above. The neck ring is much more obvious when you have a dead duck laying at your feet, or so I am told. So as hunters killed these ducks they named them ring-necked because to them it was an obvious field marking.

Accipiters

2012-01-17T04:06:00.001-06:00

Hawks are divided into two separate genus, Buteo and Accipiter. The difference in the two genus is in their anatomy. Buteos posses an opening in the front of their coracoid shoulder bone. This opening is called a procoracoid foramen. Accipiters lack this opening. However this difference is not something that you can use to distinguish between the genus' when you are out in the field watching birds.
So here are some tips to help you identify Accipiters when you are out bird watching. Accipiters generally prey on other birds so they have several adaptations that help them to catch their food. First off they have short wings and a long tail which helps them to be more maneuverable. They also have long legs, which are good for sticking into bushes to catch a hiding bird, and long toes, similar to those of falcons, so that they can wrap them around a bird in mid flight. Another thing that can sometimes help ID an Accipiter is the color of their eyes. Accipiters have brightly colored eyes. They start out bright yellow when it is a first year bird, turn orange in the second year and red by the third year. This is a good way to tell the age of some of the younger birds. Here in Minnesota we can see three different species of Accipiters. The smallest is the sharp-shinned hawk, first picture. Sharpies are forest hunters that often ambush their prey from a hidden perch. This sharpie was photographed migrating over Hawk Ridge. The second photo is of a Cooper's hawk. Coop's are mid sized Accipiters whose population seems to be on the rise in cities where they like to hunt at bird feeders. The largest of the Accipiters that we see in Minnesota is the northern goshawk. These birds migrate down from Canada, where they breed, and spend the winter in the southern part of the state. Out of the three Accipiter species that we see this is the only one with a diet that includes a substantial amount of mammal included with birds as prey. The northern goshawk is circumpolar so they are also found in northern Europe and Asia. This one was banded and photographed at Hawk Ridge.

Tuesday Tweets

2012-01-16T08:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Tuesday Tweets. The rules are very simple. Just post a photo or drawing of any type of bird on your blog then come here and enter your info in the inlinkz tool below. Make sure to include a link back here from your post. Feel free to copy the jpg above and use it with your post or any where else on your site. Then please visit other sites that link up to see their great bird posts.

Dusky Clubtail

2012-01-15T19:09:00.006-06:00

The dusky clubtail is an unusual clubtail dragonfly that is found in the north eastern half of the United States and up into eastern Canada. It is one of a handful of clubtail dragonflies that does not have any widening at the end of the abdomen. The widened, or club shaped abdomen, which is what clubtail dragonfly are named for is not defining feature which identifies a member of the Gomphidae, clubtail, family. Separated eyes are what make a dragonfly a Gomphid.
The dusky clubtail also prefers a different type of habitat than most Gomphids. Most clubtails are found around fast moving clean water, typically rivers. The dusky clubtail prefers a more stagnant habitat. Habitat like bogs, Lakes and slow moving streams with a sandy bottom are preferred.

Wood Lily

2012-01-14T21:17:00.006-06:00

The wood lily is probably the most common lily that is native to North America. They prefer lots of sunlight and sandy soil, which is why the sand prairies of Crex Meadows is a good place to find them. I photographed this one at Crex. The bright orange color and cup shape help to attract insects such as butterflies and bees as well as hummingbirds.

Savannah Sparrow

2012-01-13T20:38:00.004-06:00

The savannah sparrow is a small passerine found in open spaces through out North America. They breed through most of Canada and the northern half of the United States. Some savanahh sparrows at the southern edge of the breeding range are year round residents while those in most of the range migrate to the southern United States, Mexico and Central America during the winter when food is not as available.
There are seventeen recognized subspecies of savannah sparrows. The subspecies vary mostly in their coloration. Several subspecies, like the ipswich subspecies were once considered their own species. The ipswich savannah sparrows are larger then most the other subspecies. They breed on the coastal islands of Nova Scotia and winter on the Atlantic coast.

The Frozen Lakes by Edwina Reizer

2012-01-12T04:32:00.002-06:00

The lakes are frozen again.

They look like silver glass.

The cold winds from the north do blow

and another winter must pass.

The life that's under this wintry scene

conserves its energy.

It awaits the warmer approach of spring

to lift this canopy.

And when it feels the crackling ice

and the warmth of the sun

it will rise to the surface in its annual search

for food to overcome

the stillness it's known in the deepest water

that now seems to be done.

Life returns to the lakes again

as the ice does disappear.

The water comes alive again

and once again we hear

its life.

American Kestrel

2012-01-11T03:54:00.001-06:00

Painted Turtle

2012-01-10T14:04:00.001-06:00

The painted turtle is the most common turtle found in North America. One of the main reasons is because of their ability to live in areas that have been disturbed by people. Turtle eggs and young are very vulnerable to predation but adult turtles, with their hard shell, have very few predators to worry about. In the wild turtles can live over 50 years but unfortunately many do not make it to that age because of cars.
Although they breath air through their lungs, like we do, they are mostly aquatic creatures. Painted turtles spend most of their life in the water. With their webbed feet turtles are excellent swimmers and spend much of their time hunting aquatic insects, fish, frogs and crustaceans. Since they are omnivores they also eat algae and other aquatic vegetation. The smaller males usually only leave the water to sun. Since they can not regulate their own body temperature they need to sit out in the sun to warm themselves up. Usually their sunning spot is close to the water in case a quick escape is necessary. The larger females also sun but will also leave the water around the beginning of summer to dig a nest and lay their eggs. These are usually the turtles that are hit by cars, especially on dirt roads where they may be digging the nest.

Zonotrichia albicollis

2012-01-10T04:26:00.002-06:00

Zonotrichia albicollis, or the white-throated sparrow, is an emberizine sparrow that can be found in the eastern half of North America. White crowned sparrows breed in eastern Canada and the north central and north eastern United States. They winter in the eastern United States as well as parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and northern Mexico.
There are two different color morphs of the white-throated sparrow,the tan crowned white-throated sparrow and the white crowned white-throated sparrow. Unlike birds such as cardinals the color of the white-crowned sparrow does not identify whether it is male or female. There are males and females of both color phase. The reason why both color phases continue to exist is because all males tend to prefer white crowned females and all females tend to prefer tan crowned males.

Tuesday Tweets

2012-01-09T06:44:00.005-06:00

Next week I hope to premiere the new meme Tuesday tweets. It will be a meme on birds so if you have a cool picture or drawing of a bird post it on Monday or Tuesday next week and come here and link up. Hopefully this meme will give us birders a place that we can share or awesome shots. I just have to take care of the linking details and then we will be up and running. So I hope to see you all next week.

Bee

2012-01-08T20:48:00.003-06:00

Bees typically make good subjects for macro photography. They are usually pretty ambivalent to people and cameras so they are not often scared off like butterflies and dragonflies. You just have to be careful not to bother them too much otherwise you may be the one running.

Clyde Ikins Hardy Water Lily

2012-01-07T21:06:00.005-06:00

The Clyde Ikins water lily was created by Dr Kirk Strawn one of the premier pioneers in hybridizing water lilies. It was named after Dr Clyde Ikins, a charter member of the International Water Lily Society.
The blossoms of this hardy water lily bloom from a stalk several inches above the surface of the water. The flowers begin with a yellow tone and then as the season progresses become more of peach color. These photos where taken at the water garden at the Como Zoo over the summer.

Harley's Passing

2012-01-06T19:13:00.005-06:00

I received some sad news yesterday. Harley, a special bald eagle that was rehabilitated at The Raptor Center has passed away. Many bald eagles are treated and released from The Raptor Center but because of the special circumstances of his rescue Harley had gained some local notoriety. Harley was found by the side of the road by Brian Baladez up in North western Wisconsin. Even though Brian was riding his motorcycle at the time he did not want to leave the injured eagle to die. So he wrapped up the bird in his leather jacket, strapped it to his bike and drove it to the Duluth Zoo.
The eagle was transferred to The Raptor Center where he was treated for a wing injury and lead poisoning. The local Duluth newspapers heard about the incident and printed the story making Brian and the eagle local celebrities. The eagle was named Harley and about six months later he was ready for release. Brian traveled down to the Twin Cities and had the privilege of releasing Harley Back into the wild in front of a couple hundred people at the Carpenter Nature Center. When Harley was released he was fitted with a satellite transmitter so that his fans could monitor his movements at The Raptor Center's website. In September Harley's transmitter went silence in northern Minnesota near Evelyth. We were all hoping that it was a possible problem with the transmitter but unfortunately Harley's body, along with the transmitter was located by the Minnesota DNR and returned to The Raptor Center. Even though it is sad that Harley has passed on it is important to remember that because of Brian and many other people who helped him out Harley had a second chance at life. He lived free in the wild for two more years then he would have if Brian had not cared enough to stop. He also helped to give many people a small glimpse into the life of a wild bald eagle.

By The Lake by Leonard Dabydeen

2012-01-05T04:13:00.000-06:00

Now

can sit

here again

and feel the warm sun

and watch fishes swim in the lake.

Cool breeze lingers over my face

caressing me as

I trace the

contour

lake

land.

Clouded Sulphur

2012-01-04T04:32:00.001-06:00

Frozen Minnehaha Falls

2012-01-03T16:31:00.001-06:00

I decided to get an early start to taking photographs this year so I headed over to the Minnehaha falls over the holidays. Usually the falls are completely frozen over by this time of the year but since the weather has been so warm this winter there was quite a bit of open water. Minnehaha Falls is a 53-foot waterfall located in South Minneapolis. It is located on the Minnehaha Creek not far from where it empties into the Mississippi River. The creek begins at Lake Minnetonka west of the Twin Cities and winds 22 miles through Minneapolis and several south western suburbs before ending at the Mississippi.
The falls is the centerpiece of the 193 acre Minnehaha Park. Typically access to the bottom of the falls is closed during the winter because the stairs leading down become filled with snow. However since we have had very little snow fall so far this winter, and most of what did fall has melted, I was able to make it down to get down to the bottom of the falls to take some of these shots.

Yellow Garden Argiope

2012-01-03T04:25:00.000-06:00

The yellow garden argiope, Argiope aurantia, is a large orb weaver spider. The body of the female argiope ranges from 19 to 28 mm long. As with many spiders the male is much smaller with a body length of only 5 to 8 mm. The yellow garden argiope is a diurnal spider, which means that they are active during the day. Each morning they construct a large web, often with a zig zag pattern, called a stabilimentum, down the middle, you can see a small example below the spider in the photo above. No one is sure what the purpose of the stabilimentum is but there are several theories including; camouflage for the spider sitting in the middle of the web, attracting insect prey by reflecting ultraviolet light, and a warning to larger creatures so that they do not accidentally destroy the web. Each night the spider will consume most of the web, digesting any tiny insects that might be stuck on the web and possibly recycling the silk so that she can rebuild the web the next morning.

Coming Soon

2012-01-02T15:56:00.005-06:00

Attention nature bloggers. I am working on starting up a new photo meme called the Tuesday Tweets. The theme of the meme will be birds. To participate bloggers will just need to post a photo of a bird and then link back to here. Since Tuesday begins at different times around the world the meme will go live at a TBD time CST on Mondays. The banner below should be included with the post. There will be more details coming up so stay tuned.

Pine Grosbeak

2012-01-02T10:33:00.005-06:00

The pine grosbeak is a large northern finch. They live mainly in the Boreal forests in Canada, Europe and Asia. During the winter when food is not as plentiful in their northern home they will migrate south. In North America they will come down into southern Canada and the northern United States. I took these pictures in the Sax Zim bog in northern Minnesota. Usually we only see small numbers of pine grosbeak during the winter but occasionally, during severe winters up north, we will see an eruption with a large number of birds in the northern part of the state.
Pine grosbeak are primarily vegetarians. About 99% of their diet is made up of fruit buds and seeds. During the winter they are often food around fruit trees that still have hanging fruit. Since a growing grosbeak needs more protein then an adult they usually feed their young insects, that they carry in a pouch in the bottom of their mouth, along with vegetation. They also drink water or during the winter eat snow to get their needed moisture.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

2012-01-01T18:38:00.004-06:00

The eastern tiger swallowtail is a large swallowtail butterfly that is found in the eastern half of the United States. Males are yellow in color with four stripes on their forewings which is how they got the name tiger swallowtail. Most females look similar to the males however some females are mostly black and often confused for a black swallowtail. At one time the eastern tiger swallowtails range extended up into Canada but in 1991 the Canada subspecies was divided out and became its own species.
This tiger swallowtail has just recently emerged from its chrysalis. You can tell because its wings are in pristine shape. The butterfly in these pictures is drinking salt and amino acids from the wet sand. This is behavior that they typically only do right after emerging. Often groups of newly emerged males will congregate together to drink from the sand so that they have the necessary nutrients for mating. This behavior is called pooling.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T00:01:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year to all!

May your new year by touched by the beauty of Nature

Asters

2011-12-31T21:52:00.001-06:00

We have eight different types of asters growing out in the wild here in Minnesota. They include the silky, sky-blue, smooth blue, heath, Lindley's, aromatic, purple-stemmed and New England.
All eight are native to the state. I believe that this one is the New England. I took this photo at the Carpenter Nature Center.

American Toad.

2011-12-30T20:18:00.005-06:00

The American toad is a common amphibian found in the eastern half of the United States and Canada. They have lungs which they use to breathe but like other amphibians they need to keep their skin moist. They are found in a variety of moist habitats where they hunt mostly insects, snails and slugs. To help them avoid predators they can produce a toxic chemical from special glands called paratoid glands.
In the spring male American toads begin to look for an eligible female with which to mate. They will sing to the females by expanding the pouch in their throat, called a dewlap, and making a call that sounds similar to that of crickets. Willing females will swim out to the male and they will mate. The female will then lay her eggs which will attack to aquatic vegetation. About a week later the tadpoles will begin to hatch. I took these photographs in April as the mating season began.

To Fly

2011-12-29T04:23:00.001-06:00

Have you ever wondered how birds fly? This is a subject that has fascinated mankind for ages. In many ancient cultures they viewed a birds ability to fly as something magical or associated it with the supernatural. The truth is that through many many centuries birds have evolved several adaptations which have assist in their ability to fly.
In order to fly birds need to be light weight. Instead of having heavy bones and teeth like we do most birds have hollow bones and a light weight beak. They also have a much more efficient cardiovascular system then we do. Their lungs process oxygen more quickly efficiently and their heart beats much faster. This is necessary because it takes a lot of energy to fly.
Perhaps the coolest adaptation for flight though are their feathers. Birds have between 1,000 to 25,000 feather. Feathers are made of a substance called keratin. Even though they are strong and durable they are also very light. The spine of the feather is called a shaft. The shaft runs the length of the feather and it is hollow inside. Connected to the shaft are branches called barbs. The barbs connect to each other giving the feather a solid appearance however there is space between them which helps to keep the feather light. Each bird has several different type of feathers each serving a different purpose. It is important for the bird to keep their feathers in good shape so they spend a significant part of each day preening. Once or twice a year, depending on the type of bird, they will lose their feathers and new replacements will grow in. This is called molting. Most birds only molt a couple of feathers at a time so that they can continue to fly while their feathers are being replaced. However some waterfowl molt all their feathers at once leaving them flightless for a week or two.

Clouded Sulphur on Butterfly Weed

2011-12-28T03:48:00.001-06:00

Wetlands

2011-12-27T14:04:00.001-06:00

What is a wetland? In general terms a wetland is habitat where the soil is saturated with water on or just below the surface and is covered with vegetation that is adapted to the wet conditions. Here in Minnesota we have several different types of wetlands, including bogs, marshes, swamps, potholes, wet meadows and seasonal wetlands.
Unfortunately wetlands have typically been thought of as wasted land and have been drained or filled for development. Here in Minnesota over fifty percent of our wetlands have been lost. This is not only unfortunate it is also stupid and potentially disastrous. Wetland are vital to the health of our planet and to the continued existence of many species including our own. Wetlands help to prevent erosion and can help minimise flooding. Wetlands can filter out pollutants from the water and help to recharge the ground water that we use for drinking and growing crops. Wetlands also provide vital habitat for fish and other wildlife, including 43% of the endangered or threatened species in The United States. Fortunately many people have released the importance of wetlands and are working to protect or even restore them. You can help by finding out which politicians support environmental issues in your area then support them and vote for them. After all a tax cut is not so great if there is no planet left for you to enjoy it on.

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

2011-12-27T04:19:00.002-06:00

In all of the alphabet there are only a few letters that are difficult for me to find a picture to represent. X is one of those letters. Fortunately it is a bit easier to find a scientific name that begins with an X. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus is the scientific name for the yellow-headed blackbird. The yellow-headed blackbird is more closely related to meadowlarks then it is other blackbirds that is why it is in its own genus Xanthocephalus instead of Agelaius or Euphagus like most other blackbirds.
The yellow-headed blackbird breeds in the western United States and up into Canada. They inhabit prairie wetlands and cat-tail marshes. The nest is cup shaped and usually attached to the vegetation. Yellow-headed blackbirds nest communally. They typically also nest with in the same habitat as red-winged blackbirds. Since the yellow-headed black birds are larger then the red-winged blackbirds they usually get the better nesting spots. Yellow-headed blackbirds migrate down to the south western United States and Mexico for the winter.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

2011-12-26T10:46:00.005-06:00

In Minnesota we typically see two different species of nuthatch, the white-breasted and red-breasted. The white-breasted nuthatch is common though out the state while the smaller red-breasted nuthatch typically lives in the north eastern part of the state. Some of the northern most red-breasted nuthatch population will migrate south out of Canada in the winter in search of food, so it is possible to see them in other parts of the state during the fall and winter.
Nuthatches are woodland birds. They are often seen climbing down the trunks of trees upside down. They eat mainly insects during the warm months, many of which the glean from the bark of the trees. During the winter they switch to a diet of mainly seeds. They will even cache some during the summer and fall in preparation for winter. They are a cavity nester and will aggressively defend their nesting cavity from other birds. They will often line the whole of the cavity with tree sap which helps to prevent larger predators from entering the nest.

Dot-tailed Whiteface

2011-12-26T07:45:00.002-06:00

There is still quite a while before I will begin to see dragonflies here again in Minnesota. May is when I usually begin to see the first of them. The first ones that I will see, often showing up early in May, are the couple of types that migrate like the green darner and the variegated meadowhawk. The first non-migrating species that we see usually emerge at the end of May.One of those that emerge fairly early is the dot-tailed whiteface.
The dot-tailed whiteface is a member of the skimmer family. It is usually found in wetlands with standing or slow moving water. Ponds and slow moving streams with a lot of vegetation are usually were I see them. Often times they will perch on floating algae mats.

A Visit from Santa Claws

2011-12-25T09:35:00.002-06:00

I looks like we had a visit last night from Santa Claws.
Santa Magic, top, and Santa Peanut, below, would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to All

2011-12-24T20:49:00.003-06:00

and to all a good night!

Happy Holidays

2011-12-24T20:01:00.002-06:00

Happy
Holidays

Bald Eagle

2011-12-23T20:05:00.005-06:00

Minnesota in winter time is probably not the best place to go bird watching. In most of the Christmas Bird Counts that I participate in, we feel lucky if our group spots 20 different species. However winter does provide some more unique birding possibilities. Minnesota does have a large population of nesting bald eagles, second in the United States, but during the winter many of the eagles from Minnesota and surrounding states and Canada congregate in the south eastern part of the state.
Bald eagles have over 7000 feathers so they are not migrating south because of the cold. The reason that they head south is because of food. Even though bald eagles are opportunistic feeders that will eat whatever food is the easiest to obtain, including roadkill, as a sea/fish eagle they are designed to catch fish. So in the winter when all of the lakes and rivers freeze up they head to open spots on the Mississippi River in south east Minnesota. The eagle in the photo above is enjoying its morning catch.

I Love to Gaze at Sunsets by Juan Olivarez

2011-12-22T04:41:00.004-06:00

I love to gaze at sunsets,
At the fading of each day.
As the clouds on the horizon,
For the evening pave the way.

And all the glorious colors,
All around the setting sun,
Announce the passing of the day,
And that the night has just begun.

Merlin Falcon

2011-12-21T03:06:00.001-06:00

Wilson's Phalarope

2011-12-20T03:47:00.004-06:00

The Wilson's phalarope is a shorebird that breeds in the Northern Prairie Pothole Region of North America. It is a migratory species that migrates down to South America for the winter. In breeding they are found in clear shallow wetlands. It is the female phalarope which is larger and more brightly colored. She is the one in charge. She will choose her mate and territory and will defend that territory. Shortly after she lays her eggs she will begin to migrate south leaving the male to incubate the eggs and care for the young. While migrating back to South America they will often stop at bodies of salt water where they will forage for food by swimming in a tight circle. This forms a small whirlpool which helps to bring aquatic insects and crustaceans to the surface.

Wapiti

2011-12-20T01:24:00.000-06:00

Wapiti is a Native American name for elk. It was derived from the Shawnee and Cree word waapiti which means white rump. When the Europeans came to North America there was an estimated population of over ten million wapiti. Even though there were relatives of the wapiti in Europe called red deer, the settlers called them elk, which is a common name for moose in Europe, because of their large size. As with many other large ungulates hunting and habitat loss created a large decline in their population. Wapiti were eliminated from the Eastern half of the continent, the eastern subspecies was declared extinct in 1880. The Merriam's subspecies, which live in the southwestern United States, was declared extinct in 1906. Fortunately with new hunting laws, the reintroduction of Rocky Mountain elk into areas that were the wapiti had been extirpated, and the creation of National Parks and other wildlife areas, the over all elk population in the U.S. is estimated at over one million today.
The Wapiti is one of the largest members of the deer family, only the moose is larger in North America. It is believed that wapiti originated in an area called Beringia that once connected North America and Asia. These ancestral elk migrated down into North America and Asia. There descendants spread across Asia and North America and became one of the primary food sources for many of the larger predators, including grizzly bear, wolves and Native Americans. During most of the year males travel in small groups and are typically found at higher elevations. Females usually form larger herds which help protect and care for the young. In the fall, during the mating season which is called the rut, male wapiti split from their bachelors groups and begin to gather a group of females. The bulls are very protective of their harem and will let make an eerie sound called a bugle to warn away other males. If another male does not head the warning it will often lead to a battle. The female wapiti have a very short estrus cycle. She is in the mood for only a day or two so the male has to take advantage when the opportunity presents itself. Males will mate with as many willing females in the harem as possible. The gestation period of the elk is about 8 to 9 months. Typically wapiti in Yellowstone, where the photos above were taken, begin to start calving around Memorial Day. The female will leave the herd and try to find and isolated spot to have the calf. Calves are able to stand on the day that they are born however it takes about two weeks before they are strong enough to be able to run from a predator at which time mother and calf will rejoin the herd. Until the it is strong enough the calf will curl up and hide in vegetation if any danger is near while mother tries to lure the predator away. This calf was born in Mammoth Springs in Yellowstone National Park, which is a good place to avoid predators.

Red Squirrel

2011-12-19T04:04:00.001-06:00

Red squirrels are a member of the rodent family that are found around the world. They are a tree squirrel, typically nesting in trees, so they prefer woodland habitats. They are smaller then grey squirrels and fox squirrels, the other tree squirrels that we typically see here in Minnesota, but they are noisier and more aggressive when it comes to defending their territory. They are usually found scurrying across the forest floors looking for food. They are omnivores, eating a wide variety including seeds, pine cones, acorns, fruit, bark, flower buds, insects, eggs, nestlings, and mice. They do not hibernate during the winter. Instead they survive the colder months by hording excess food during the summer into hidden caches for times when food is scarce.

Summer Time Bee

2011-12-18T18:49:00.005-06:00

I photographed this macro of a bumble bee collecting nectar and pollen from butterfly weed at Crex Meadows in the summer. No bees around Minnesota now, but it looks like we are on our way to a brown Christmas for the first time that I can remember. You never know though, the weather people have been known to get it wrong on an occasion or two.

Cinquefoil

2011-12-17T20:12:00.000-06:00

Cinquefoils are a group of flowering plants in the genus Potentilla and the family Rosacdeaa, rose. There are many different cinquefoils found in different places around the world. Many cinquefoils have five petal flowers. Many resemble strawberry plants but the cinquefoil have inedible fruit.
Here in Minnesota we see about five different types of cinquefoil. Some, like shrubby, common and rough cinquefoil are native to the area. Other species, like sulphur and silver cinquefoil are invasive species. I believe that these photos are of the invasive sulphur cinquefaoil and they were taken at the Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Great Kiskadee

2011-12-16T22:29:00.005-06:00

The great kiskadee is a large colorful flycatcher that is found from southern Texas down into Central and South America. Even though they are a flycatcher they are omnivores, catching insects in flight but also eating berries, seeds, mice, and even minnows and small fish. They live in wooded forest most often near the water. They get their name from their loud gregarious call . I photographed this bird in south Texas.

Foggy Morning by Brenda Finch

2011-12-15T04:33:00.003-06:00

Surreal morning
wafts of mist
as if
a cloud
had
kissed
the earth
in a
moment
of ethereal
bliss.

Sky Ballet

2011-12-14T04:29:00.000-06:00

Bald Eagles

2011-12-13T14:07:00.001-06:00

Bald eagles are opportunistic feeders. They will eat whatever is the easiest. A lot of what they eat is carrion, since it is pretty easy to catch dead stuff, but their primary food source is fish. Eagles are divided into several different groups. Bald eagles belong to the Sea or Fish Eagle group. These are eagles that have special adaptions that help them to fish These include featherless scaled legs that they can dip into the water thus keeping their feathers relatively dry, and a large hooked beak designed to rip through tough fish scales.

Viceroy

2011-12-13T03:47:00.004-06:00

At first glance this may appear to be a photo of a monarch butterfly, however if you look closely you may notice a subtle difference. This is a viceroy butterfly. It is believed that they look like the monarch is a form of a defense mechanism. Because they eat the toxic milkweed plant as a caterpillar monarchs are either distasteful, at the least, or toxic to most predators. By looking similar to a monarch the viceroy may avoid encounters with predators that are wary of monarchs. The main way to tell the difference in the field is by size, the viceroy is noticeably smaller then the monarch, and the postmedian band that runs across the hindwing of the viceroy

Red Tailed Hawk

2011-12-12T04:27:00.001-06:00

Probably one of the most common raptors seen through out North America is the Buteo jamaicensis, or red-tailed hawk. The red-tailed hawk is a large stocky hawk which is a member of the Buteo genus, which encompasses the soaring hawks. The typical wingspan of a red-tail is just over four feet long and average weight is about two and a half pounds. They are found through out all of North America except for extreme northern Canada and Alaska.
Red-tails have been able to adapt quite well to a variety of different habitats. This may be due in part to the fact that they hunt and eat a wide variety of prey. They are an ambush hunter. They can typically be seen perched in a favorite spot waiting for prey. When they spot something that looks like it would make a good meal they drop down and ambush the prey. Where I live we typically see many of them on light poles on the sides of highways and freeways. This is great hunting habitat for red-tails. The lack of large trees by the side of these roads enable the red-tails to fly unencumbered. The light poles make an excellent hunting perch and garbage thrown from cars attract a good supply of rodents to eat. While people have negatively impacted many different species of wildlife it is good to see that some species, like the red-tails, have not only adapted to survive in harmony with people they actually have seemed to thrive.

Eat or Be Eaten

2011-12-11T18:28:00.005-06:00

WARNING: There are parts of this post that are quite graphical. Since nature isn't always pretty I have decided to include a photo that may gross out some people. I am giving you this warning so that if you are squeamish you can decide whether or not you would like to continue.
Dragonflies are predators. They hunt, kill and eat other insects. Unfortunately when you are an insect sometimes the predator can become the prey. All sorts of other creatures often snack on dragonflies. This includes birds, frogs, spiders, wasps and more.
Dragonflies, also often attack and eat other dragonflies. Typically it is the largest dragons that eat the smaller ones. One day while I was out photographing dragonflies at Wild River State Park during the summer I had the opportunity to photograph the life and death struggle between two dragons.
In this case the larger yellow dragon appeared to be a midland clubtail while the smaller one looked like a rapids clubtail. The midland grabbed the rapids by the thorax, most likely coming at it from above, wrapping its legs around the smaller dragon in a death grip. Then its used its jaws to eat out the thorax of the rapids. The rapids club put up a fight. Its attempt to break free flipped the pair over on their backs but it could not break the grip of the larger dragon. I don't think that the midland was quite finished with its meal but it decided to use caution around the large predator that was taking photos. As you can see from the last photo there was not much left of the rapids clubs thorax. Perhaps the midland returned later after I left to finish its meal otherwise I am sure that scavengers like ants, bees, or spiders finished the job.

Birdfoot Violet

2011-12-10T22:15:00.004-06:00

Birdfoot violet is a native perennial here in Minnesota. It provides quite a bit of sustenance to many different species of insects. The flower is very popular with many small butterflies and skippers. It is also one of the host plants for the larva of several different species of fritillary. Even ants are attracted to the sugary coating that covers the seeds. In return for the food the butterflies and bees help to pollinate the flowers and the ants help to disperse the seeds.

Blanding's Turtle

2011-12-09T18:27:00.005-06:00

The Blanding's is a rare turtle that can be found in the Great Lakes region of the United States. While these turtles were once more common through out much of the eastern U.S. they are now limited to several Midwestern states and southeastern Canada. Even in most of these areas the Blanding's turtle is listed as an endangered or threatened species, even though it is not nationally listed in the U.S. In Minnesota they are found in the eastern part of the state and they are listed as a threatened species.
A big part of the problem that Blanding's turtles are facing comes from the fact that it takes them about 12 to 14 years to mature. This makes it difficult for the turtles to make up for any population losses. They make up for this by living up to about 80 years. Unfortunately because much of their habitat has been fragmented, because of people developing the land, their mortality rate has been increasing. Both eggs and young have been affected by increased predation, approximately 93% mortality rate. While adults are frequently hit and killed by cars, especially females who travel away from their wetland homes to look for a sandy location to dig their nest.

Sky by Frances May

2011-12-08T04:32:00.002-06:00

Lie underneath the azure sky
and watch the clouds float on by
the little boats bob in the sea
the rose red apples in the tree

Lie underneath the azure sky
and watch the birds as they fly
the old fishermen in the sea
turn right around and look at me

Bee

2011-12-07T04:30:00.001-06:00

Fishing Hawk

2011-12-06T13:46:00.003-06:00

The osprey is a large raptor that is found through out the world. They are commonly referred to as fishing hawks because the majority of their diet consists almost exclusively of fish. Unlike most sea or fishing eagles the osprey often dives down into the water, submerging itself up to two feet deep in search of prey. Eagles usually only get their feet wet which is why osprey are much better at catching fish then a sea eagle such as a bald eagle. Unfortunately most eagles are larger then osprey and they are not against bullying or stealing an easy meal.

Ungulate

2011-12-06T04:26:00.000-06:00

The term ungulate means being hoofed and refers to any hoofed animal. The hoof is a modified toenail that evolved over time in many prey species that needed to be able to run from fast-running predators. Because the hoof can support the entire weight of the undulate it is the only part of the foot that touches the ground. The rest of the foot has evolved and become a part of the leg allowing the undulates to have a longer stride.
Ungulates were at one time a part of the order Ungulata, however since many ungulates are not very closely related Ungulata was broken down into six separate orders. Since the order Ungulata no longer exists the term ungulate usually now just refers to the hoofed mammals, most of which are members of the Perissodactyla, odd-toed, order or the Artiodactyla, even-toed, order. Members of these orders include horses, cows, bison, rhinos, camels, giraffe, moose, elk, deer, sheep and more.

Water Lily

2011-12-05T04:24:00.002-06:00

Did you know that that water lilies are not really lilies? Other then the fact that they are both plants there is no relation at all. Most water lilies belong to the family Nymphaeaceae in the order Nymphaeales where lilies belong to the Liliaceae family in the order Lilales. Water lilies are not the only non-lily lilies, day lilies and spider lilies are also not really lilies. I photographed this tropical water lily at the water gardens at the Como Zoo and Conservatory this summer.

Canada Darner

2011-12-04T18:47:00.002-06:00

It is pretty easy to tell if a dragonfly is a member of the darner family. Darner dragonflies have large eyes that come together in a long line. They are often described as looking as though they are wearing a helmet. Unfortunately when it comes to distinguishing one darner species from another it is not usually so easy. Several species are very distinct, however those that are what are often referred to as blue or mosaic darners can be very difficult to identify.
One of the most difficult is the Canada darner. It is very similar to the green striped and lake darner. The way to identify the species is to look at the two stripes on the side of the thorax, called side stripes. In the photos above you can clearly see a notch in the front side stripe of each dragonfly. If this notch is greater then 90 degrees then it is probably a green striped darner, If it is less then 90 degrees then it is probably a lake darner, if it is 90 degrees then it is probably a Canada darner. There are other things such as size, and the existence and thickness of a rearward flag at the top of the front side stripe. In the bottom photo the pair of Canada darners are mating.

Symbiotic Relationship

2011-12-03T21:14:00.005-06:00

Bees and flowers have a symbiotic relationship. Flowers provide the bee with pollen, which they typically feed to their larvae, and food in the form of nectar. In return the bee will typically carry excess pollen which is stuck to the tiny hairs on their feet and body, which will often fall into the next flower that they are feeding on thus pollinating the plant so that it can produce seeds. This type of symbiosis, between two different species for the benefit of both, is called mutualism.

White-crowned Sparrow

2011-12-02T20:19:00.002-06:00

I don't know about you but sparrows are right behind gulls when it comes distinguishing between the different species. There is a class on sparrow identification that is held in South Dakota each summer. Perhaps I will attend it one year so that I can improve my ID skills. Fortunately the white-crowned sparrow is one species that is not so hard.
Most white-crowned sparrows breed in northern and western Canada as well as Alaska. They winter in the lower two thirds of the US and into Mexico. This was by far the most common sparrow that we saw when we were in New Mexico last month. In Minnesota we usually only see them during migration. Often they will stop and forage on the ground for seeds and insects to help them as they continue their migration. They are often considered a sign of fall and when we see them up at Hawk Ridge in Duluth where I took these photos.

It Looks Like Winter Has Finally Arrived.

2011-12-01T04:35:00.001-06:00

Today is the first day of December and here in Minnesota we woke up to fresh snow on the ground. This is not the first snow that we have see so far this year. We did have one small snow storm in November but then it warmed up and all of the snow melted. I don't think that we are going to get that lucky this time. According to the latest weather forecast the temps for the next week will be lucky to get above freezing for the high. We are also supposed to get more snow today and possibly some on Saturday. Oh well, I did not really expect winter to hold off for too long, after all it is December in Minnesota, but one can dream can't they? This photo was taken on the North Shore of Lake Superior last winter.

Osprey

2011-11-30T17:21:00.003-06:00

Baltimore Checkerspot

2011-11-29T20:31:00.000-06:00

All in the Family

2011-11-29T14:03:00.001-06:00

When most ducks and other waterfowl hatch the chicks are precocial. Precocial birds are birds that are born with their eyes open, covered in down feathers and able to leave the nest soon after they hatch. Some precocial birds, such as ducks, follow their parents for protection after leaving the nest but are able to find their own food. Other precocial birds, like grebes, need to rely on their parents for food and protection. Birds that are born blind and with out feathers, such as song birds, raptors and many others, are classified as altricial.

Titmouse

2011-11-29T04:07:00.001-06:00

The black-crested titmouse is a passerine that is found in parts of Texas, Mexico, and Central America. They were once considered a part of the tufted titmouse species but DNA testing as well as vocal differences have recently led to classification as their own species. The two species will hybridize in southeastern Texas where there ranges over lap. Both the black-crested and tufted titmouse are cavity nesters that scavenge for seeds and insects on the ground.

Roseate Spoonbill

2011-11-28T04:38:00.001-06:00

Perhaps the most unusual looking bird in North America is the roseate spoonbill. These large pink wading bird get their common name from their unique shaped beak. They use their "spoon bill" to sift for food, swinging it from side to side as they wade through the shallow water. They eat small fish, crustaceans, aquatic insects, amphibians, and some aquatic vegetation. The bulk of the roseate spoonbill population is found in Central and South America. In North America they are pretty much limited to the Gulf Coast.
In the United States they are found mainly in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. In the early parts of the 20th century the roseate spoonbill was hunted for its beautiful pink feathers which were used primarily for women's hats and fans. At one point the Florida population, which is the largest in the US, fell to less then 50 nesting pairs. With the protection of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and other legislation the population has rebounded and there is now estimated to be over 1000 nesting pair in Florida. In Texas and Louisiana the roseate spoonbills nest on the ground on small coastal islands, in Florida they nest on mangrove trees. These islands nest are endangered by coastal development, oil and other contaminant spills, as well as ground based predators that can reach the islands. Leaving the Texas and Louisiana populations at risk.

Dragonhunter

2011-11-27T18:21:00.003-06:00

The Largest dragonfly that we see here in Minnesota is the dragonhunter. This large clubtail dragon averages around 3.3 inches long. They are so big that they are often seen with the back of their abdomen curling down making them appear like a flying letter "J".
Dragonhunters are the only dragon in the genus Hagenius. To many dragon hunters around the world they are a must see. They are ferocious, attacking and eating other dragons that are almost as big as them, including other dragonhunters. They are also one of the few insects that are not affected by the toxin that monarch butterflies carry in their system from the milkweed that they eat as caterpillar. In the photo above this dragonhunter is dining on a river jewelwing damselfly.

Hoary Vervain

2011-11-26T22:16:00.003-06:00

It might look like a weed but hoary vervain is a native wild flower that grows here in Minnesota. It can be confused with blue vervain, which is also native in this area but hoary vervain has leaves that are more oval shaped compared the the thin leaves of the blue vervain.

Fox Sparrow

2011-11-25T20:46:00.005-06:00

The fox sparrow is a large North American sparrow. They breed mostly along the West Coast, as well as northern Canada and Alaska. They winter down in the south eastern United States so the only time we typically see them here in Minnesota is during the spring and fall migration.
There are 4 different color varieties of fox sparrow. The one in the pictures above is an eastern variety. The eastern fox sparrow breeds up in the boreal forests of Canada. They often stop in Minnesota during migration to feed. They eat insects which the scavenge from the ground. You can often hear them rustling around in dried leaves, looking for food, before you see them.

A Thanksgiving by Lucy Larcom

2011-11-24T06:08:00.001-06:00

A Thanksgiving

FOR the wealth of pathless forests,

Whereon no axe may fall;

For the winds that haunt the branches;

The young bird's timid call;

For the red leaves dropped like rubies

Upon the dark green sod;

For the waving of the forests,

I thank thee, O my God!

For the sound of waters gushing

In bubbling beads of light;

For the fleets of snow-white lilies

Firm-anchored out of sight;

For the reeds among the eddies;

The crystal on the clod;

For the flowing of the rivers,

I thank Thee, O my God!

For the rosebud's break of beauty

Along the toiler's way;

For the violet's eye that opens

To bless the new-born day;

For the bare twigs that in summer

Bloom like the prophet's rod;

For the blossoming of flowers,

I thank Thee, O my God!

For the lifting up of mountains

In brightness and in dread;

For the peaks where snow and sunshine

Alone have dared to tread;

For the dark of silent gorges,

Whence mighty cedars nod;

For the majesty of mountains,

I thank Thee, O my God!

For the splendor of the sunsets

Vast mirrored on the sea;

For the gold-fringed clouds, that curtain

Heaven's inner mystery;

For the molten bars of twilight,

Where thought leans, glad, yet awed;

For the glory of the sunsets,

I thank thee, O my God!

For the earth, and all its beauty;

The sky, and all its light;

For the dim and soothing shadows

That rest the dazzled sight;

For unfading fields and prairies,

Where sense in vain has trod;

For the world's exhaustless beauty,

I thank Thee, O my God!

For an eye of inward seeing;

A soul to know and love;

For these common aspirations,

That our high heirship prove;

For the hearts that bless each other

Beneath Thy smile, Thy rod;

For the amaranth saved from Eden,

I thank Thee, O my God!

For the hidden scroll, o'erwritten

With one dear Name adored;

For the Heavenly in the human;

The Spirit in the Word;

For the tokens of Thy presence

Within, above, abroad;

For Thine own great gift of Being,

I thank Thee, O my God!

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

2011-11-23T03:54:00.000-06:00

Double-crested Cormorant

2011-11-22T04:14:00.000-06:00

I photographed this double-crested cormorant near the Ford Damn along the Mississippi River this summer. Cormorants are considered sea birds but the double-crested cormorant is widely distributed across much of the central portion of North America during the breeding season. Cormorants are often seen perched near water facing the sun with their wings spread open. This is because cormorants do not have the waterproof oils that most waterfowl use to waterproof their feathers. Instead the cormorant must leave the water and air dry their feathers.

Spotted Sandpiper

2011-11-22T03:59:00.001-06:00

The spotted sandpiper is one of the most common sandpipers in North America. They breed through out most of the northern two thirds of North America and winter in the southern United States, Mexico, Central and South America. They are solitary birds except during the mating season.
What is interesting about the spotted sandpiper is the apparent role reversal between the male and female during breeding. During the breeding season the testosterone levels in females increases by approximately seven times. She is the first to arrive on the breeding grounds and will select and defend a territory. Sometimes females will mate and lay clutches with more then one male. It is primarily the males job to incubate the eggs and care for the young once they have hatched.

Red-bellied Snake

2011-11-21T04:27:00.002-06:00

One of the smaller snakes in Minnesota is the red-bellied snake, Storeria occipitomaculata. These harmless snakes only get to be from 8-10 inches long, compare the size to my hand in the photo below. They are a wood snake that is often prey for birds, mammals, and larger snakes. They eat worms, snails, slugs and insects.
Even though they are pretty plain looking and similar looking to the brown snake the scales on their under side are, as their name would suggest red or orange in color.

Banded Argiope

2011-11-20T17:05:00.008-06:00

The banded argiope spider, Argiope trifascianta, is a large spider that is found through out North America, as well as many other places around the world. As a member of the orb weaver family of spiders, Araneidae, their eye site is not as good so they spin large orb shaped webs in the tall grass.
I took these pictures in September of 2010 at the Minnesota Valley Refuge. I was looking for dragonflies and spotted the bright yellow color in the grass. Due to their bright yellow color they are often called the yellow garden argiope. Usually you do not see these spiders until the fall. Up to 10,000 spider hatch from the egg sack during the summer but they stay hidden until fall when they are large enough to protect themselves and mate.

Canna Bengal Tiger

2011-11-19T22:39:00.004-06:00

I photographed this canna at the water garden at the Como Zoo this summer.

Which is the Beast?

2011-11-18T19:34:00.004-06:00

I am not a big sports fan but I do like to watch a little bit of football. So the other day when I was on my way home from The Raptor Center I flipped my radio over to one of the local sports station to see what was happening in the NFL. Even though I live in Minnesota I am not at all a fan of the Minnesota Vikings. Having lived in Mankato, MN, home of the Vikings training camp, for a couple of years while I was going to school I got to see first hand how many of the Vikings players where complete assholes. Now the players may have changed since the many years ago that I went to school but sex boat cruises, drunk driving arrests and guys who beat their wives over the years have done little to change my mind about the home team. On this particular evening one of the Vikings leading defensive players, Jared Allen, was being interviewed by a local radio host. Since Mr Allen did not want to talk about their last game, they lost 45 to 7, the conversation instead turned to the hunting trip that several players had taken over their bye week. The host then asked about the most unusual prey that Mr Allen had ever hunted in his life. The jerk went on to tell the host that he had hunted coyotes using hand guns from the back of a snow mobile. He explained how groups of his friends had joined him hunting coyotes by his farm. They would run over the coyotes with their snowmobiles first then they would come back and shoot them. He laughed and said that it was really cool. The live audience, I think they were broadcasting from a Twin Cities sports bar, gave him a cool response and he did not seem to appreciate that what he had done was completely despicable. Michael Vick went to jail, lost his contract and most of his endorsements because of his cruelty to dogs. I think that what this #@#@#@#@!!! did is just as bad. Maybe one of the animal rights organizations will protest against the Vikings until they get rid of this worthless jerk.

Snow Geese at Dawn

2011-11-17T04:34:00.000-06:00

The Bosque del Apache is the wintering home of approximately 30,000 plus snow geese. Snow geese breed up in the arctic tundra of Alaska and Canada. Most snow geese migrate to coastal wetlands along the Atlantic, Pacific or Gulf Coasts however habitat like that which is found at the Bosque also attracts pockets of the snow goose population. Like the sand hill cranes, that also winter at the Bosque in large numbers, the snow geese spend their days out feeding in the fields and the nights on the relative safety of the shallow pools and wetlands. Watching the spectacle of the geese and cranes fly out in the dawn light or fly in at dusk attracts people from all over the world.

Harlequin Duck

2011-11-16T04:55:00.003-06:00

For a few years we were lucky enough to have a harlequin duck winter in the Mississippi river not far from home. These interesting looking ducks usually spend their summers breeding in fast moving mountain streams and rivers along the eastern coastal areas of Canada and western coastal areas of Alaska, Canada and down into Washington State. They typically winter in the northern Atlantic and Pacific coastal waters of the U.S. and Canada. That is why it was so strange to have one wintering here in the middle of the continent. It was first spotted in the winter of 2007 -2008 and it returned to the area for two more winters, this photo was taken in January of 2010. Unfortunately no one reported seeing it last winter so perhaps it decided to follow others of its kind to the coast. I am sure that I will head over to Prescott Wisconsin some time this winter when the temps are below zero just to take a look and make sure.

Yellow Warbler

2011-11-15T16:58:00.000-06:00

Raptor Release

2011-11-15T04:32:00.001-06:00

The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota takes in between 600 to 800 injured raptors every year. The clinic is world renown and they work hard to heal and rehabilitate every bird that is admitted. The highlight of being involved with The Raptor Center is when we get to release a recovered bird back into the wild. Birds are released all the time but twice a year we invite the public to come and join with us and celebrate as we have a big public release. This photo was taken at the fall 2010 release at the Carpenter Nature Center. It is also the featured photo on the 2012 Raptor Center calendar. If you would like to help out the great work that The Raptor Center does you can purchase a fund raising calendar by going to their online store.

Red-shafted Northern Flicker

2011-11-14T04:34:00.000-06:00

The northern flicker is a member of the woodpecker family that is found in North and Central America. The northern flicker has two subspecies that were once considered separate species. The red-shafted subspecies, Colaptes auratus cafer, is found in the western portions of North America. As its name suggests the feather shafts of the primary feathers are red. The red under the tail and the red moustache markings also help to distinguish it from the yellow-shafted subspecies, which is found in the eastern portion of North America. I photographed this red-shafted flicker in the Bosque del Apache NWR on our recent trip to New Mexico.

Pearl Crescent

2011-11-13T20:24:00.003-06:00

The pearl crescent, Phyciodes Tharos, is a common butterfly found in the eastern two thirds of North America. It ranges from southern Ontario in the north down through Mexico in the south. Adults lay eggs on plants in the aster family, which is the larval host plant. They over winter in their larval, or caterpillar, form.

Noxious Purple Loosestrife

2011-11-12T21:09:00.006-06:00

Purple loosestrife is one of the worst invasive species in around here. Currently on the noxious weed list in Minnesota purple loosestrife was introduced to North America by the nursery industry from Europe and Asia. It spreads quickly and is very aggressive and has crowded out many native plants in wetlands all over the state.

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

2011-11-11T23:11:00.000-06:00

We just got back from our trip to Colorado and New Mexico last weekend but I have already begun to look into our next trip. In 2010 we went to south Texas at the beginning of March and it looks as though we may be returning their again next year. This time we are going to go about a month later so that perhaps we can catch some of the spring migration as it goes through Texas.
One of the birds that we enjoy photographing in Texas is the golden-fronted woodpecker. These colorful woodpeckers are native to Texas, Oklahoma, Mexico, and Central America. There are four different subspecies that can be differentiated by the color of the patch on the forehead as well as their location. These woodpeckers are omnivores eating fruit, nuts, seeds and insects. These photos were taken in Bentsen State Park in Texas.

Great Sand Dunes

2011-11-10T04:23:00.001-06:00

The Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado is home to the tallest dunefield in North America. The dunes rise to about 750 feet tall and cover approximately 30 square miles. In geological terms the dunefield is not very old, it is estimated that the dunes started forming less then 450,000 years ago. The dunes were formed by strong winds blowing across the San Luis Valley that picked up sand that was deposited by the Rio Grande River. When the winds reached the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range they would loss power and drop the sand. Over time the sand built up into dunes and eventually created the dunefield. This process still continues to happen today and thus the dunefield is still growing.

Northern Pintail

2011-11-09T04:28:00.003-06:00

One of the birds that we had the opportunity to photograph down at the Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico was the northern pintail duck. The northern pintail is one of my favorite species of ducks but we do not get the chance to see them too often in the eastern parts of Minnesota.
They are a circumpolar species breeding in parts of northern Europe, Asia and North America. In the U.S. They typically breed as far east as the western half of Minnesota. Pintails often nest in prairie pothole habitats, prairies near to small often temporary wetlands. Unfortunately the prairie pothole habitats in North America have been shrinking, due to increased farming in the area, which has led to a sharp decline in the number of pintails found in North America. Habitat loss has also forced the pintails, as well as many other waterfowl, to gather with a higher concentration of birds with in a smaller area. This increases the potential of a large numbers of birds dying from an epidemic. This was the case in 1997 when two outbreaks of avian botulism, one in Canada and the other in Utah, killed over 1.5 million waterfowl. Fortunately the world population of pintails is stable and so it is considered at Least Concern status.

Killdeer Nest

2011-11-08T16:55:00.000-06:00

Quail

2011-11-08T04:10:00.001-06:00

Approaching the end of the year Michelle and I both had some vacation time that we had accrued that we had to use otherwise we would lose it. Since we had never taken a vacation at the beginning of November we were not quite sure where to go. We decided to fly down to Colorado. Michelle has some family down there that we planned to stop and visit and then we were going to go to the Great Sand Dunes National Park in CO. and Arches National Park in Utah. Unfortunately a early fall snow storm decided to hit the mountains on one of the days that we were supposed to be traveling to Utah so we changed our plans and skipped Arches and headed down to the Bosque del Apache in Utah instead. I have been to the Bosque on two other occasions but this was the first time that I had been there in November and there was plenty there to see and photograph including several new species to add to my photographic life list.One of the new species was the Gambel's quail. We spotted one on the first day we arrived at the Bosque but unfortunately it flushed before I could get any decent pictures. It wasn't until the morning of the day that we were driving back to Denver to fly home that I had another opportunity and this time I got a few shots. A small flock of the birds were at the feeders by the visitors center when I stopped to pick up some souvenirs for family and friends back home. Most of the flock were down in the brush making it difficult to photograph them but one was in a tree looking like he was standing guard for the rest. The light was not great because I was shooting east into the rising sun but I did take a few shots like the first photo above. I then attempted to move around them so that I would be in a better position in respect to the light. Unfortunately they were quite wary and they flushed but I was able to get one shot with better light before the watch quail took off into the brush, photo two. These birds are common in the southwest United States, especially Arizona and New Mexico, but these were my first photos of these species so I was kind of excited.

Red Saddlebags Dragonfly

2011-11-07T04:23:00.001-06:00

The red saddlebags dragonfly is uncommon here in Minnesota. Typically we only see the black saddlebags but from time to time red saddlebags do show up, typically in the southern part of the state. They are a member of the skimmer family that is found through out the eastern portions of North America as well as parts of southern California. Saddlebags get their name from the large patches on the inner wing that some what resemble saddlebags. They are very easy to identify. I photographed this saddlebag at Bentsen State Park in South Texas.