Wild Wild Woods

    Green Heron stood on the log, soaking up the sun and looking for lunch in the water beneath.  Suddenly, he stuck out his neck and grabbe...

 Mullein blooms over a long time in the summer. Some of the flower stalks have produced seeds.        Birds molt old feathers and grow new o...

The nest is nearby. When the young American Robins fledged, this one flew only a little distance.   It sat a long time waiting for someone t...

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus is a shorebird that is part of the plover family. About the size of a American Robin, it has very long legs a...

  Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia   live up their binomial nomenclature 'melodia' by singing a delightful song, enthusiatically, and ...

 This clutch of Mallard ducklings came to the pond a few days ago, led by their mother.

Blue-winged Teal Spatula discors have a bold powder-blue patch on their upperwing coverts, only seen in flight or when they are preening.  ...

We see many Sandpipers on the pond each Spring and Autumn.  They are hard to tell apart! I think this is a Solitary Sandpiper, because it ha...

 Yellow-rumped Warblers Setophaga coronata arrived here on the pond today on migration to the northern part of Minnesota and Canada, where ...

Northern Shovelers visited the pond today.  They eat tiny crustaceans, other aquatic invertebrates, and seeds in and around the pond.  To fi...

We have three types of Mergansers in North America.  The smallest of the group is the Hooded Merganser.  These are diving ducks; their long ...

The wetland around the pond  is a stopping place where ducks in migration can rest and get a meal.   A pair of Blue-winged Teal stopped toda...

American Tree Sparrows come to the feeders often in winter.  Spizelloides arborea  Tree Sparrows often fluff out their feathers.  A rusty ca...

  Mourning doves are often seen in winter, especially under bird feeders.

Crows gather in massive groups to roost together at night so they can share warmth and safety from predators. It is believed they even excha...

This young male Red-winged Blackbird was begging his mom to give him food from the seed feeder. I can tell he is a male because he's alr...

Female Mallard came out of the grasses with her 3 young ducks (upper right).  Then, another Mallard appeared with her 8 younger ducklings. T...

On 5/20/2022 we peeked into the nest box, and found several eggs. Not countable, because of the feathers in the box meant to hide the eggs f...

My new favorite bird!  I just discovered the Sora  Porzana carolina  (a very secretive wetland bird) this Spring.  I watch a pair every day,...