From Northern Wisconsin to Kentucky

 

First day and night was at Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area. Pairs of Trumpeter Swans were in almost every pond in the vast acreage, many with cygnets.

We also found lots of sparrows migrating, Harris's, Nelson's, and LeConte's were the rare ones and the latter two were found when it was too dark for photos.

Lapland Longspurs, gathering weed seeds

Thousands of Sandhill Cranes flew in for the night.

And then flew back out to the fields in the morning.

Two young Trumperter Swans - Cygnets

Adult Trumpeter Swan

Swamp Sparrow

Harris's Sparrow

We stopped at the Manitowoc Impoundment and this 

mink put on a show for us.

We had spent a few days in Green Bay where Ty helped a volunteer crew reroof part of the church.

We decided it was time to head south as we were using our funace way too much.

So we started migrating with the birds.

The mink is wondering who is following him all over the dike.

We traveled a few hundred miles to Wolf Creek State Park south of Decatur, Illinois.

Nice place to camp with plenty of birds to see.

Summer Tanager

Tufted Titmouse

Eastern Box Turtle

The next day we drove south to Cave In Rock, Il on the Ohio River and stayed at the State Park.

Many cliffs along the Ohio River

Huge Cave where the town and park got it's name.

Cliff Swallowsfind a perfect place to nest

Brown Snake loves the rock cliffs

Woodchuck is finding many acorns to eat and stash

There were many fanilies of Eastern Bluebirds in the park

We took the ferry across the Ohio River into Kentucky.  We then traveled to Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area and camped three nights.  We were holding up north of where Hurricane Delta was to travel and pour down rain.  While there we explored the many side roads off the main Trace.

There were Great Egrets fishing along the inlets of Lake Kentucky.

Young Red-headed Woodpecker

Adult Red-headed Woodpecker

New addition to our year bird list - Carolina Chickadee

Pine Warbler

Pine Warbler checks under each leaf for insects

Wild Turkeys blend into the field

Drake Wood Ducks reflect all their handsome plumage

The Land Between the Lakes has reintroduced Elk and Bison into the wildlife area.

We only found a small herd of cows and young Bison

Sulphur Polypore - Autumn forest fungi

Many-colored Polypore

Golden Clavaria

Female or juvenile Blue Grosbeak

Young Male Indigo Bunting

We were blessed with Beautiful colors in every state.

Love & Prayers,

Ty & Ida Baumann

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