Another day with hawks

The day started with so much promise. But clouds came in and there was intermittent rain. But that didn’t stop us from finding birds. Brown Creepers moved into the area with numbers last night. We had out first American Woodcocks and Winter Wrens this morning. I guess that it’s spring. Between periods of cloudiness, rainContinue reading “Another day with hawks”

Migration and an eclipse

This morning was our first day with clouds since arriving at Whitefish Point. While it made for a beautiful sunrise, the prospects of being able to detect the solar eclipse seemed dimmed. The day started unusually. The first two migrants were adult Golden Eagles. Was that a good omen? Perhaps. Migrants started sailing by. TheContinue reading “Migration and an eclipse”

Day-32: Stone Mountain, Georgia

We’re staying with David, Susan’s brother in Woodstock, Georgia and went to walk the trail to the top of Stone Mountain. The view from near the top of the mountain. According to our phones we climbed 17 stories to get here, although Susan went a bit higher. Way off in the distance on the leftContinue reading “Day-32: Stone Mountain, Georgia”

Day-31: Dauphin Island birds

Typically our days start at one of the many bird sanctuaries and preserves on the island. We’ve started at Audubon Sanctuary, Goart Tree Preserve and Shell Mound Preserve. Who knows where we’ll start next. Where ever it is there will be interesting things to see. Nothing like starting the day with a cotton mouth (waterContinue reading “Day-31: Dauphin Island birds”

Day-26: Audubon Sanctuary, Dauphin Island, Alabama

Yesterday we spent the morning at the Audubon Sanctuary Preserve on Dauphin Island. It was warm and still. It was so still that the reflections on the lake were perfect images of what they were reflecting. Periodically on the lake you could see a nose and the eyes of a turtle appear. The real treatContinue reading “Day-26: Audubon Sanctuary, Dauphin Island, Alabama”

Day-26: Getting to Dauphin Island, Alabama

We got to Fort Morgan, Alabama in time for the 10:15 AM CDT ferry to Dauphin Island. The cost ($27 for two people in a car) was well worth avoiding the two and a half hour drive around Mobile Bay. So many times places advertise snakes, but they never deliver. Close to the ferry dockContinue reading “Day-26: Getting to Dauphin Island, Alabama”

Day-24: Pensacola Florida nature

We started the day with two Common Loons. There were Black-bellied Plovers along the beaches at the state park. As with all winter beaches in Florida Sanderlings were the most abundant shorebirds. Going from the beach to a trail through dune scrub we found an array of songbirds – Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warblers were common. TheContinue reading “Day-24: Pensacola Florida nature”

Day-22: Diverse plants and animals

Our day started with another luna moth as the sun was rising. Then we headed over towards Sopchoppy, Florida in search of plants and animals. An eastern fence lizard was a great start to a warm day in the field. While we were watching the lizard a Red-headed Woodpecker crossed an opening near by. WalkingContinue reading “Day-22: Diverse plants and animals”

Day-20: Butterflies in Citrus County, Florida

Our friend Tom took us on a nice road in Citrus County, Florida to search for unusual butterflies. This Carolina Satyr, while neither rare nor unusual was a nice find for me. It wasn’t long before Susan found this Echo Moth in a small pine. One of our targets was this Juniper Hairstreak, it wasContinue reading “Day-20: Butterflies in Citrus County, Florida”

Day-15: Smyrna Dunes

Managed to great great photos of an Abbot’s bagworm moth coccoon. on a palm frond. It’s hard for me to pass up the opportunity at getting a great photo of a Turkey Vulture. Somehow, I thought that this Loggerhead Shrike was going to be the highlight of the day for me. We were close toContinue reading “Day-15: Smyrna Dunes”