Why Spring is my favorite season...

Because the Goldfinches turn yellow...

Molting American Goldfinch male

And some of my favorite species return...

Blue-winged Teal



Caspian Terns



Forster's Tern

Meadowlarks are everywhere proclaiming "It's the Spring of the year!"...

Eastern Meadowlark

And Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are back...

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

And love is in the air...

Blue-winged Teal pair

Canada Goose with goslings

And even the "Winter species" look cool...

Common Loon

Bonaparte's Gull

And butterflies and other insects add color to the dull landscape...

Black Swallowtail Butterfly



Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

And wildflowers are in bloom...

White Trout Lilly

Dutchman's Breeches

And first of season birds abound...

Purple Martin

Spotted Sandpiper in the setting sun

Hope everyone get outside on this Earth Day to enjoy our beautiful planet!

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Ready for Spring!!!

The male Cardinals have been singing, Redwing Blackbirds are calling, and the American Woodcock has just returned today to the fields behind the house.

It looks and feels a lot different from this time last year! :-)

Won't be long, and Tree Swallows will be here, followed by Brown Thrashers and the first migrant warbler, the Louisiana Waterthrush (I don't see Pine Warblers around my place)!

The thing I will miss most about winter is my winter yard birds. The Pine Siskins have dwindled down to just a few left. I will miss their constant chattering and bickering.

Another bird that I will miss, is the American Tree Sparrow. They are beautiful sparrows that just don't get enough respect. I love their sound, two-toned bill and dotted belly.

Spring is my favorite time of year, all the new life that is all around, the love that is in the air. Looking forward to hearing my first Spring Peepers, Chorus Frogs and seeing my FOS birds!

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Ahh, Spring, love is in the air...

Last Saturday while on the way to the store, I stopped by the Ohio River in downtown New Richmond, OH like I always do to see what birds I can see. As soon as I got out of the car, I could hear a Wood Duck whistling. It didn't take long to spot it. This lonely male Wood Duck was calling and displaying to a couple of female Mallards. He would tuck his bill into his chest and whistle, then bring his head back up. They did not want any of that and quickly abandoned him.


He then swam up by the marina/floating restaurant and out from underneath the marina/floating restaurant an American Coot appeared. The Wood Duck swam towards it whistling, and the coot went back under the structure - didn't want any of that either.


Thinking back, I can only remember seeing 1 female Wood Duck at this location ever. Hope he's able to find a girlfriend Wood Duck!

Spring has Sprung

It is nice to finally see some nice weather. It is amazing how mother nature can lift ones' soul from the gutters. If only more people would look to nature instead of ...

This Great Egret was on the flooded Ohio River banks in New Richmond, OH. Many breeding plumaged Bonaparte's Gulls were flying down the river as well.

At Home, Red-shouldered Hawks were flying and screaming above me -

and the Spring Beauties are blooming in the backyard.