Going "Up North" Wisconsin

 

After a few days of bird watching at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary, we headed north.  First to the Nicolet Forest east of Three Lakes and then north to Ashland and Superior, where we spent two weeks on Wisconsin Point watching for Jaegers and other Arctic birds migrating south.

Northern Parula

American Redstart 

Chestnut-sided Warbler  Fall plumage

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Philadelphia Vireo

Green Heron

Black-throated Green Warbler

White-tailed Fawns with Mom wandering around

the parking lot at the Wildlife Sanctuary

Augochlora Sweat Bee

Fairy Butter - jelly fungi on log

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Red Squirrel scurries away with cone in Ashland

Virginia Creeper

Bald Eagle comes in for a landing

Ruffed Grouse on sand roads of Bayfield County

Amnicon Falls State Park

Tanic Acid Water stream foam

Fall arrives at Wisconsin Point

Driftwood litters the beach on Wisconsin Point

Baby Snapping Turtles - Half Dollar size

Common Mergansers

American Pipit

Thousands of Ring-billed and Herring Gulls on Lake Superior

Chumming gulls in close to attract

the migrating Jaegers

Franklin's Gull joins in the flock

The days varied so much.  One day it was calm and blue and the next the wind would switch to the north and the waves rolled in, churning the lake to muddy red clay.

The birds we were watching for and found almost every day were the Jaegers, mostly Parasitic but also two Long-tailed showed up.  They fly in, look for a gull with a full crop and attack until the gulls up-chuck the food.  Then the Jaeger catches it in the air and goes to land on the water to "enjoy" his catch.

Parasitic Jaeger

Just spotted a target

Parasitic barrel roll upside down to press the attack

That gull just dropped a prize!

Adult Parasitic Jaeger

Yellow-billed Cuckoo - rare visitor this far north

Harris's Sparrow - a special treat

Someone stayed for everyone to get a photo

Clay-colored Sparrow in an aster

Juvennile Merlin

Highbush Cranberry

Sunrise on the Point and a great way to end our visit to Wisconsin Point in Superior.

Love & Prayers,

Ty & Ida Baumann

Madison to Iowa and back to Green Bay

 

Madison Sunrise - we stayed at Lake Farm Park for a week.  We had a chance to visit with our son Troy one afternoon, we walked to Nine Springs and to Lake Waubesa.  Also a stop at Mercedes Benz garage for RV maintenance.  

Eastern Kingbird

Red-eyed Vireo

Black & White Warbler

White-breasted Nuthatch

Philadelphia Vireo

Eastern Wood-Pewee singing everywhere in the deep woods.

Sandhill Crane soaring over Nine Springs

Smooth Soloman's Seal

Arum seedpod at Blue Mounds State Park

Young Eastern Bluebird

Wild Turkey Brood

Illegal parking by this Red-tailed Hawk

Taking off before he got a fine.

Sandhill Cranes

Wisconsin River flows into the Mississippi River at Wyalusing State Park

Yellow Jewel Weed

Yellow-throated Vireo

Bald-faced Hornet feeding on Wild Cucumber blossom

Young male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Silver-spotted Skipper

White-tailed fawns

Paper Wasp Nest

Fog on the Mississippi River from the Wyalusing Boat Landing

The fog lifts and the birds begin to stir

Prothonotary Warbler looks for insects and spiders on the dock

Still looking

Can you help me find breakfast?

We spent 4 days at Winnebago Industries in Forest City, Iowa while getting some RV repairs.  It also turned out to be a great place to watch Common Nighthawk migration.

On the way back, we stopped at Spring Green Prairie Natural Area.  Wrong time of day for birds but the flowers and butterflies were beautiful.

Clouded Sulphur on Dotted Gayfeather

Regal Fritillary

Female American Redstart

Trumpeter Swan family on the way north to Green Bay.

We will enjoy the next few days back in Green Bay to see more friends.

Then it's "up north" to Superior for a couple weeks.

Always looking for more of God's creation.

Love & Prayers,

Ty & Ida Baumann