Solitary Spotted Sandpiper

It's always so fun running across an unexpected bird.  It was a treat to spot this spotted sandpiper and get a few pictures of him.

You can tell it is breeding season for him by the clearly visible spots on his belly and his orange beak.

Note the big, round tummy on this one, and the white streak above the eye.  These are typical features of the spotted sandpiper.  

They are often a solitary wanderers on the shores rivers and ponds.

Pelican Serenity

I took these pictures on a chilly, overcast day, as two pelicans were swimming between the bands of shadow cast by the walls of a canal.  I like their serenity in the midst of "troubled" waters.

Canada Goose - Branta Canadensis

Here is a Canada goose.

Sometimes they are informally called Canadian Geese.

The term "branta" from their scientific name, Branta canadensis, refers to the prominent black coloring that waterfowl in this species have.

Male Red-winged Blackbird

I'm on a roll with these redwings!  Here is another:

All dressed up in his fancy duds!

This one was photographed at Pigeon Creek Park in Bettendorf, Iowa.  This park is unknown to many residents and is a hidden gem, tucked away is it is behind some industrial businesses.  But what a lovely place to take a walk along a relatively undisturbed stretch of the river.

Female Red-winged Blackbird

It is always a special thrill to get a good shot of a female red-winged blackbird.  They are very coy and I was so happy this picture turned out!

The females are the nest builders.  They secure their cup-shaped nests to branches and defend them against all comers.  They may be drab in color compared to their male counterparts, but they are just as fabulous on the hunt and in caring for their nestlings.

Ring Leader

Ducks in the Artwork

Look At Me!

It would be hard not to notice the big personality that male red-winged blackbirds have, with their flashy shoulders and loud, constant calls.  

They crave standing out in the crowd, and love perching on elevated vantage points where they can SEE, and BE SEEN.  

Not much slips past them as the take commanding positions overlooking their domains, and letting everyone else in the vicinity know that it IS their domain.

They are unaware of how little they are, compared to most other creatures on the earth.  They simply feel that everything is theirs and they will tell you all about it, especially if you get too close.

These photos were taken in the spring, when the males are rounding up females to mate with.  

They are clearly saying, "NOTICE MEEE!"

Their scientific name is Agelaius phoeniceus.  The first part indicates belonging to a flock of birds, and the second part means "red".  There you have it!

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfishers have been on my bucket list for a long time.  They are such fast birds, racing up and down the river banks, that I had never gotten one on film.  I've had three confirmed sightings that I can recall, but they've but they all darted away before I could even raise my camera.

But now I have finally photographed one.  All I have to share with you is this photo:

Kingfishers view their pray from perches above the water

That is a kingfisher.  You can tell from the silhouette.  It has an over-large head with a crest, long pointed beak, and a kind of protruding, barrel chest.  It has a wide band of white around its neck - hence the term "belted".  It alighted on this channel buoy down from Lock & Dam 14, and was off again in a flash.

Interesting facts:

• They burrow in the ground
• They regurgitate pellets, similar to owls
• Females are more brightly-colored than males

Their scientific name is Megaceryle alcyon.  Remind you of any words you already know?  Mega, of course, means huge. Here's the rest of the story.

"Ceryle" comes from Ceyx, a minor god in Greek mythology,  He was married to Alcyon, who lends her name to this bird species as well.  They angered Zeus by calling each other by the pet names of Zeus and Hera.  Zeus blasted Ceyx's boat at sea.  When Alcyon heard of her husband's death, she cast herself into the ocean.  Other gods took pity on them and turned them into the mythological halcyon birds, who built floating nests on the sea during the two weeks period of calm at the winter solstices.

When you break halcyon down further, "hal" is related to the sea and salt, as in halite (rock salt), while "kyon" is related to the idea of conception.

Taking Flight

Was lucky enough to see this Great Egret the other day, and took these pictures of it taking flight.  Watching it was a marvel.  No wonder mankind has always been fascinated with flight!

Chipping Sparrow

I sometimes despair of ever being able to identify all the different kinds of sparrows, but at least I have figured one out - the chipping sparrow!

They have chestnut crowns, and black eye streaks, and are very common in the midwest.

This one was busy gathering materials, probably to reinforce the traditionally flimsy nest that most chipping sparrows build.  

They build low to the ground and have a penchant for using hair in their nests.  

250th Post Celebration Contest

Let's have a little fun!  In honor of my 250th blog post (see last post), I am giving away a free canvas and magnets.

How do you win one of these fabulous prizes?  Take the multiple choice quiz below and send your answers privately to sloughsleuth@gmail.com .  (Please do not post them in them in the comments on this page!)

The person with the highest score gets the canvas, and the runner up gets the magnets - your choices of photos from this blog.  If there is more than one person with the top score, the winners will be chosen randomly by drawing names out of a hat.  

So, read on and send me your answers, and thank you for visiting  my blog!  The contest closes March 1, 2014.

1.  What kind of bird is pictured above?
A.  Blue-footed Booby
B.  Magpie
C.  Song Sparrow
D.  Bobwhite Quail

2.  White kind of tree is pictured above?  (Note the thorns.)
A.  Honey Locust
B.  Aspen
C.  Walnut
D.  Oak

3.  What kind of fish is pictured above?
A.  Minnow
B.  Sturgeon
C.  Rainbow Trout
D.  Swordfish

4.  What insect is pictured above?
A.  Monarch Butterfly
B.  Grasshopper
C.  Dragonfly
D.  Staghorn Beetle

5.  What plant is pictured above?
A.  Jack in the Pulpit
B.  Wild Rose
C.  Wild Raspberry
D.  Pomegranate

6.  What kind of bird is pictured above?
A.  Pelican
B.  Killdeer
C.  Red-winged Blackbird
D.  Grackle

7.  What is the plant seed pictured above?
A.  Acorn
B.  Hazelnut
C.  Milkweed Pod
D.  Pumpkin Seed

8.  What animal's tail is pictured above?
A.  Raccoon
B.  Squirrel
C.  Muskrat
D.  Prairie Dog

9.  What kind of plant is pictured above?
A.  Fern
B.  Wild Raspberry
C.  Poison Ivy
D.  Common Reed

10.  What kind of birds are pictured above?
A.  Cedar Waxwings
B.  Red-tailed Hawks
C.  Tundra Swans
D.  Starling

Bonus question for extra credit!  What kind of plan is pictures above?

A.  Dandelion
B.  Crab Grass
C.  Sedge
D.  Rush

Eagle in Action

My Little Chickadee

Study in Black and White

I took these photos for the bird, but in the end, I liked the entire composition of each photo more than just the bird itself.  So here they are, a study in black and white:

Gobble Gobble

I was on the trail the other day, in a nearby forest, which led me to a meadow.  (These things happen.)  I crossed the meadow and found myself near a roadway.  I decided to walk along the road for a little way and just see what I could see.  As I began to top a little rise, I found these gobblers.

Run for the Forest!  Run!!!

They were out grazing.  Not on grass - they were looking for insects and nuts and such other delicacies as wild turkeys like to eat.  (Think "snails".)  There were four adults - probably hens - and five young ones.

I was thrilled to see them, although they dashed for the woods as fast as their meaty legs would carry them.

I circled back around the clump of brush they had headed into, but for the life of me, I could not find them again.  They are wary birds and were probably just standing there, magnificently camouflaged, and laughing at me.  (Happens to me all the time.)

Word has it that their common name, "turkey", comes from - you guessed it - the country of Turkey!  Ding!  Ding!  Ding!

It's a long story, but here's the short version.  When Europeans first saw this native American bird, it reminded them of a different but similar bird that they had seen in Europe, which had been imported either from or through the country of Turkey.  At least that's the story in the 'hood.

Cold Feet

I have always wondered how it is that birds don't have their feet frozen off in the winter, from the frigid temperatures in the air or water, or from the metallic objects upon which they sometimes perch.

As it turns out, their legs and feet have special scales that help conserve heat loss.  Also, sometimes the veins and arteries in a bird's legs sit side by side, transferring heat from one to another.

Of course sometimes a bird can just sit on their feet to help warm them as well.

Morning Starling

I caught this starling at the very top of a tree just as the sun was coming up.  He was up there basking in the first rays of sunlight.  I didn't blame him for being an opportunist like that.  It was a chilly morning at 21 degrees.

The starling's white spots are a dominate feature in the winter

Starlings, also called European starlings, have an iridescent or metallic sheen.  Their scientific name, Sturnus vulgaris comes from the Latin meaning "starling common".

They are noisy birds, and can take sounds from their environment, even man-made sounds, and incorporate them into their vocal patterns.  This one was pretty quiet as it soaked up all the warmth it could get, and if it had any anything to say, it was probably, "Brrrr!"