Trip back to Wisconsin

Fire Wheel or Indian Blanket

We traveled through the Oklahoma Panhandle to the Cimarron Grasslands in Southwestern Kansas.  We were mainly looking for the Lesser Prairies Chickens which are difficult to find.  We heard them in the distance and got a glimpse of them but nothing close enough to photograph.  The wildflowers were blooming and the grasslands green as they have had plenty of rain.

Yes it's another Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake

Red-headed Woodpecker

Eastern Wood-pewee

Lark Sparrow

Prairie Dog

We traveled across Kansas into Nebraska, avoiding severe weather as much as possible.  We arrived at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge on the Nebraska/Iowa border and spent two days enjoying the sights.  This pair of eagles came in and out of the nest several times bringing fish for the eaglets.

Harris's Sparrow

Magnolia Warbler

We arrived in Wisconsin on May 15th and camped at Wyalusing State Park for three days.  We were at the end of warbler migration but were able to find 23 species of warblers out of the 104 species of birds here before we headed to the Madison area.

Bell's Vireo

Henslow's Sparrow

Scarlet Tanager

Kentucky Warbler

Indigo Bunting

Prothonotary Warbler

Eastern Towhee

Trumpeter Swan nest on the Mississippi River

We stopped at Arena boat landing and found this Black-capped Chickadee nest down in the post.  The bird was turning green from rubbing against the algae in the post each time they brought food into the nest.

We spent a day at Horicon Marsh NWR to see what birds we could add to our Wisconsin and year list.   These Bobolinks were very numerous this year - a pleasant surprise.

American Bittern tries to hide

Short-billed Dowitcher

Wild Geranium 

It's great to be back in Wisconsin.  We look forward to seeing our son Troy and his wife Carmen and friends and relatives.

Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann

Adios to Texas

Moonrise over Bentsen Palm

We just finished our 8 month long adventure in the state of Texas.  This is the longest period of time we have spent in any one state since we retired 5 years ago.  But Texas is so big, we didn't even get to every part of the state.  Next time!!

Elf Owl finds his old woodpecker hole

Scorpion zeros in on a beetle

Scorpion in Black Light

We finished off our time at Bentsen RGV State Park with a Ranger led night adventure.  The Elf owls arrived on April 16th and the warm night brought out scorpions, spiders, bats, pauraques, and even a skunk.

Tomato Hornworm Moth

Bronzed Cowbird tries to impress

Altamira Oriole completes his nest (over 24" long)

Black Phoebe

We totaled 360 species of birds in our time in Texas this winter.  It took us 40 years to find that many in Wisconsin.

Cave Swallows take a short rest

Ox Beetle

14 Mississippi Kites spend the night at Bentsen

Mississippi Kite

We enjoyed our 2 months of Spring raptor migration with record numbers.  We had 115,699 raptors cross the sky observing them from the "Hawk Tower" at Bentsen.  That included 45,439 Broad-winged Hawks, 14,214 Mississippi Kites, 46,189 Turkey Vultures,  3,650 Swainson's Hawks and 19 other species of raptors.  Amazing sights!!

Lesser Nighthawk leucistic plumage 

Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake

Cane Toad

On May 1st we left Mission and stopped at San Ygnacio and found the rare White-collared Seedeaters.  We had this gray fox right in our RV Park.

Turkey Vulture on the grill

Black-throated Sparrow

Lake Casa Blanca 

Then there were stops at Lake Casa Blanca in Laredo, Garner S.P. and Lost Maples Natural Area in the Hill Country and Kerr Management area and a stay along the Cypress-lined Guadalupe River.

Prickly Pear Blossom

Carolina Wren

Garner State Park

Golden-cheeked Warbler

Tom Turkeys try to impress

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Lost Maples State Park

Guadalupe River

Yellow-crowned Night-heron

Mayfly hatch

We are headed north through the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma into Kansas carefully watching the weather radar and avoiding the severe weather as much as possible.

May God bless us with sunshine and birds all the way into Wisconsin.
Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann