Thursday, June 23, 2011

Goodbye to Spring

This past spring, I had very few opportunities to visit my favorite birding spots due to wedding planning and poor weather conditions. When I was able to venture out, I was thrilled to see a variety of beautiful birds. Featured below are many of the lovely birds I saw during the spring months.

A gorgeous Blackburnian Warbler feeds in the grass


Busy little Wood ducklings enjoy a pleasant day at the pond with mom

 
A stunning Prothonotary Warbler seeks tasty tidbits on a fallen tree


A windblown Sora looks lovely against the reflective pond waters


The handsome profile of a Canada Warbler


A lone Pied-billed Grebe floats lazily in North Pond


A bright breathtaking sight on our country property ~ Scarlet Tanager


A pretty Palm Warbler stands out against the dense fog


Seeking sustenance in the trees ~ Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 
Last week we arrived at our country property to find this male Eastern Bluebird in the process of ousting a House Wren who had previously claimed this nestbox.  Surprisingly, the next day the bluebird pair were still at the house. We have never seen bluebirds steal a house from a wren before, it's usually the other way around.
~ During spring, a bluebird pair had success at one of our nestboxes. Lately we have spotted their 4 youngsters hunting on our property. Currently, 3 bluebird houses are occupied with couples. Looking forward to seeing lots of spotted bluebird babies in the near future!


Beautiful Yellow-rumped Warblers were a common sight this spring


Bruce kindly pulled the car over on the side of the road so I could capture a photo of these two long-legged young Sandhill Cranes accompanied by their parents

We watched from quite a distance as the Sandhill Cranes made their way across a vast cornfield to a small pond surrounded by lush vegetation. We were thrilled to catch sight of this wonderful family!

43 comments:

JRandSue said...

Julie,these are magnificent.
Can't pick a favourite,your Wild Life photography is out of this World.
More,please.
John.

Unknown said...

Wow, super collection of photos!

Scott said...

Stunning photos Julie! Thanks for sharing.

Cynthia White said...

So beautiful - I enjoy every lovely photo:)

TexWisGirl said...

every single one of these photos is a standout on its own. when you put them together in one post, we're just awestruck...

the pied-billed grebe is one of my favorites. we have one (or two) that winter with us each year and I so adore them!

all of your images are just spectacular!!! (p.s. thanks to the hubby for being a great 'stop! i must take a photo' driver!)

Unknown said...

Absolutely beautiful photos!!!

John
relaxedrush.blogspot.com
connectedtothevinephotography.blogspot.com

PoetessWug said...

WOW! You have some wonderful scenery on your property! The scenery is not too bad along the road either! :-)) Your photos...as usual...are exquisite!

de schoonheid van de natuur said...

Wow, super collection of photos.
Herman,

Tammy said...

Oh, Wow! Love the wood ducks. I have been looking, but have yet to spot one. That wind blown bird, though, is the best. love that shot.

Debbie said...

julie....these photo's honestly take my breath away...they are just superb. i always gasp when in anticapation when i see you have updated!!!

thanks for all the kind comments you leave on my blog, i really appreciate it!!!

Warren Buss said...

Absolutely beautiful photos Julie!

Unknown said...

Absolutely beautiful photos, as usual. It's always a treat to see a new post on your blog!

Hilke Breder said...

Absolutely amazing shots, Julie, and such a variety! Lovely!

BirdGalAlcatraz said...

So beautiful, Julie. Your photos always leave me breathless. I love each of these treasures you've captured, none more so than the wonderful Sandhill Cranes. I saw my first ones just this spring, so I have a special place in my heart for them. And congrats on your nuptials! May you and Bruce have nothing but happy days ahead.

MaineBirder said...

Makes me feel as if Spring should last forever. Awesome captures Julie!

Pat Ulrich said...

So many wonderful images! I really love that windblown sora, and the young cranes are really cute.

Dan Huber said...

fantastic photos as usual.

dan

FAB said...

Hi Julie. As usual I am blown away by the clarity of your wonderful wildlife photography. Superb selection and I don't ever recall seeing young Cranes in the wild ... what a delightful encounter for you to witness.

Congrats to you and hubby on your recent marriage and best wishes for a glorious future together. FAB.

Jann said...

Exciting sightings and beautiful photos Julie! Several birds I've never seen...yet. So many birds, so little time!

Marco Luijken said...

Hello Julie,
Really wonderful shots of all these lovely birds. The first one is my favorite. These birds have amazing colors and I have never seen them before here in Holland. So I can learn about your pictures. Very nice!!

Greetings, Marco

Larry Ostby said...

It is such a treat to visit your site. There is no favorite photo, they are all so incredible. Hope your bluebirds didn't chase the wrens to far away. The Sandhill Cranes were a nice addition, we don't see them around here. Thank you so much for sharing.

Whimbrel Nature said...

Another great post Julie! You have a way with the songbirds!

SLH said...

Beautiful photos, as always! It's hard to pick a favourite...but I do love the wood ducklings!!

Cathy Ross said...

Julie, these are gorgeous!! You have a magical eye for framing your images...and while I love them all, I'm absolutely enamored with the windblown Sora against the reflective pond waters!! Always a total JOY to view your posts!!

Art said...

Wonderful photo!!!

Larry said...

Absolutely gorgeous photographs Julie! Each and every one exceptional in its own way. The Sandhill Crane chicks are just delightful but that windswept Sora is stunning!
I don't know if you and your readers are aware of the proposal to hunt Sandhill Cranes in Kentucky but I urge you to write the governor and legislators of that state, opposing such madness. You can get all the info at the Kentucky Coalition for Sandhill Cranes.

eileeninmd said...

Great birds and photos, Julie! My favorites are the Sora and the Crane chicks.

Patricia/Trisketta said...

Another beautiful post, Julie. The Sand Hill Cranes are ADORABLE and that windblown Sora is a master painting. Gorgeous :)

TheGomezGirls said...

Julie, photo blogs are one of my favorites and yours is so professional done that I most recommend it to friends!

forgetmenot said...

Julie, You are definitely in contention for the "Nicest Person In The World" award. Thank you for your lovely comments on my posts. I REALLY appreciate them, especially coming from you, because I so admire, respect, and enjoy your work. As always, this set of photos is outstanding. The variety of birds you take photos of, the clarity, composition, and beauty of your photos are amazing. Such a joy to visit your blog. Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend. Mickie :)

Kerri Farley said...

Your posts always leave me speechless!!
Superb!!

Chasing Tao said...

Absolutely lovely Julie! Thanks for following so I could discover your blog! Your birds are magnificent...and are still my main challenge in photography! Nice to find your work! Thanks again! Roger ☺

Berto Garcia said...

that most spectacular series of beautiful photos super

John's Island said...

Hi Julie, I recently had a chance to get together with a friend I hadn't seen for a while. He had followed my blog and looked at my blogroll and could not resist commenting on a couple of people who post the "awesome birding photos." One of those was you! :-) Yes, you have many who admire your photography and are not even signed up as followers. As always, thank you for sharing your excellent work and also for your kind comments on my blog! Hope you have a great summer and I look forward to your next post. John

Anonymous said...

Just love the Eastern Bluebird photo. I see them flitting around our property too and should probably put up a house for them next spring. Thank you for sharing these wonderful nature photos.

Di

Leontien said...

Hi Julie
I love the pics and i wanted to let you know that i'm moving my blog "Little missbookwurm" into my main blog www.fourleafcloverdairy.blogspot.com

I hope you come nad have a look there!

Thanks!
Leontien

Unknown said...

Your photography is wonderful! As someone else said - I can't pick a favorite. They are all so sharp, clear, and colorful.

Anonymous said...

Come leave a comment on my blog for the Fairy Hobmother! I did and won a $50 Amazon Gift Cert. Seriously.. come comment and leave your wish.

Di

Linda said...

Hi Julie, I love your bird photography very much!! The wood duck and her chicks are so lovely with the ripples in the water you always capture well. Warblers are fun little ones and very curious to onlookers.....love their colors and markings...sharp and well composed, excellent..thanks so much for sharing! Cheers, Linda :)

Unknown said...

Each image is more breath taking than the one before! Glad I wandered over this way.

Weekend Cowgirl said...

Love the little ducklings! So precious...

Kathie Brown said...

Wow! What a treasure trove of birds you saw! Jealous!!!!!!

Kalenhpbp said...

So beautiful - I enjoy every lovely photo:)