– Jay Woodman
Partridge Pea
It was sweltering this morning along the creek corridor of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, but I hiked the trail for four hours. I found a Tennessee Warbler and Blue-winged Warbler near the second bridge going east from Park Street. The Tennessee is definitely a fall migrant, but Blue-winged nest at Indian Lake Park just a few miles to the north. There were also a few American Redstarts, but they're probably conservancy nesters. Insect-wise there wasn't an abundance of subjects to photograph. Interestingly, there doesn't seem to be as many hoppers around this summer compared to the past couple of years; the only one I found today was a Red-banded Leafhopper. Butterflies included Tiger Swallowtail, Red-spotted Purple, and Silver-spotted Skipper.
Red-banded Leafhopper
It's still very green along the creek corridor despite the abnormally dry conditions. Green seemed to be kind of a theme today. I found a cool green orb-weaver spider, but haven't taken the time to identify the species just yet.
Orb-weaver Mangora spiculata
And then there were the motionless Green Frogs...
Green Frog
While Green Herons look sort of gawky, they're one of the most graceful birds along the creek corridor. Their stealth movements and fancy footwork are worthy of admiration and respect. Fortunately for the frogs I was photographing, this heron was hunting at the opposite end of the creek near the first confluence pond.
Green Heron
Perhaps there's something over here to eat...
Wait a second ... what's that over there?
Actually, this approach is not unlike how I move when sneaking up on tiger beetles.
Getting ready...
Captured and down the hatch in the blink of an eye! Its meal was a small fish.
Time to preen...
The Green Heron!
Pheasant Branch, Dane, Wisconsin, US
Aug 15, 2015 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
50 species
Wood Duck
Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
American Redstart
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
All images © 2015 Mike McDowell