We went on a trip to the UP last weekend to find some of the winter birds. I will start with one of my favorites, a Bohemian Waxwing. There were at least 130 birds in this flock. Say ya to da UP, Eh.

Bohemian Waxwing

Bohemian Waxwing

Bohemian Waxwing Bohemian Waxwing

Wow! What more can you say about a Red-headed Woodpecker. It almost takes your breath away. These photos were taken today in Livingston and Genesee Counties. How lucky to see five in one day. (These photos are just different poses of two of them.)

Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpecker

It most certainly doesn't look or feel like spring but I saw a Red-winged Blackbird yesterday. Hopefully he knows something that we don't and spring is just around the corner. 

Red-winged Blackbird

This guy was so well hidden that I almost "Passed the Buck". It's amazing how well they can blend in. The photo was taken at Fennner Nature Center.

White-tailed Deer

Merlins are small falcons that feed on small birds and sometimes dragonflies. Merlins's spend long periods perched looking for prey. They migrate through mid Michigan and nest in the upper peninsula and Canada. I found this one in Legg Park Sunday afternoon.

Merlin Merlin

As the days turn warmer and puddles form, birds are taking time to bath after the long winter. I watched this female Cardinal splash in the cold water for a few minutes before it flew off to dry in the sunshine. This photo was taken at Fenner Nature Center.

Cardinal taking a bath

Usually it is really hard to get close to a hawk. As long as you don't look at it you're ok, but take just a glance and off it flies. It is even harder to get one that will let you point a great big telephoto lens at it. Well for some reason this one just didn't care. The closer I got the more it dared me to get closer. Here is the result, a stare down with a raptor. Who won? Click to find out. I wish all birds were this cooperative.

Red-tailed Hawk

Finally a Male Purple Finch at the feeder. Such a beautiful bird!

Purple Finch - Male

Last week I was at Maple River SGA and saw the Golden Eagle for the third time this year. This time an Immature Bald Eagle was trying to chase it away from a dead dear carcass. The Golden was full so he didn't pay much attention to the young eagle. I watched this "battle" for 15 minutes and then they flew off in different directions. The Golden Eagle is on the left in the photo.

Golden Eagle and Immature Bald Eagle  

For it's size the Winter Wren sings louder than any other song bird. Pound for pound it's song is ten times louder than a crowing rooster. It is unusual to see one at any time of the year because of their secretive nature, blending in to the brush and weeds that they inhabit. It is especially exciting to see one in mid Michigan in the Winter when most of them are vacationing in the southern states. I found this one in Legg Park yesterday. Here are all the pics from last week.

Winter Wren

Winter Wren

I've been having problems with my blog site so I have not posted much lately. Hopefully everything is fixed now.

Today there was a Ross's Goose in the Lansing area at the Sycamore Creek Driving Range. Ross's geese breed in the Arctic Tundra. They are smaller than a Snow Goose. It is quite rare to have a Ross's Goose in Michigan during the winter months as they generally overwinter in central California,  southern states and the north-central highlands of Mexico.

Ross's Goose

Ross's Goose

It seems like White-tailed Deer are everywhere. Here are a couple that posed for me yesterday. They are keeping their eye on my walking companion, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Dexter.

White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

I was surprised to find a Black Duck on the Grand River today and even more surprised that a Green-winged Teal was hanging out with it. My lucky day!

Green-winged Teal, Mallard and American Black Duck

Green-winged Teal