When I got out of my car at the DCU parking lot of Pheasant Branch Conservancy this morning, someone was very helpful letting me know that a school field trip of 130 children would be arriving within minutes. Luckily for me there are several decent alternative birding spots near Middleton where I might do a little digiscoping. I decided to try the Saint Benedict Center, a place I've led birding field trips in the spring but seldom check during fall migration.
I once heard a story that the Sisters of Saint Benedict were offered a lot of money to sell the property some time ago, but to their credit they refused. They've done an excellent job with various restoration projects on their 130 acres, which include a 10,000-year-old glacial lake, wooded nature trails, restored prairie, gardens and a newly-created wetland.
This morning I found BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, HOUSE FINCHES, NORTHERN CARDINALS, AMERICAN CROWS, BLUE JAYS, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, PALM WARBLER, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, FOX SPARROWS, EASTERN TOWHEE, HERMIT THRUSH and more, but the most cooperative birds for photography were these EASTERN BLUEBIRDS:
(click on images for larger versions)
Eastern Bluebird images © 2005 Michael McDowell