Day 19.112: Madison

I didn’t have a lot of time to get out and about with my camera in Madison this week, but I did manage one short early morning outing. This is what I saw.

Rowers on the lake

The Wisconsin State Capitol 

Barn swallow (first of the year for me)

American coots (another year bird)

Common grackles

Lots of the mallards show hybridization features such as these white neck patches

House sparrow 

Red-winged blackbird

Close-up of the top of the Capitol

Day 19.111: Home

I’m home after another connection through Washington D.C.. Here’s a less iconic view as we left there this evening.

Day 19.110: That’s capital!

I’m back in Madison, but I connected through a different city on the way here this time:

Day 19.109: Spring bird walk #2

Here are some of my photos from the second of the season of spring bird walks at Laurel Hill Cemetery hosted by Saco Bay Trails:

Eastern bluebird

Chipping sparrow in full song

Common merganser flyby

The blossom was spectacular

Northern flicker

American goldfinch

American robin

Palm warbler

Eastern phoebe

(is this my better side?)

The daffodils on the hillside by the river are probably peaking right now

Mallards

Young bald eagle

Canada geese

Double-crested cormorant

Northern cardinal

Sudden drama between this mature adult and the young eagle previously perched in the tree

We had quite the aerobatic display for a few minutes

...then they seemed to just be flying peacefully together

Northern cardinal

Great blue heron

Not a good photo - but this was my first spotted sandpiper of the year

Day 19.108: Backyard birding (early spring)

After we got home from Saturday birding with our nature group, there were more bird sightings at home. 

 Brown creeper

Mourning dove

Yellow-rumped warbler

Red-tailed hawk

Red-bellied woodpecker

Palm warbler

Yellow-rumped warbler

Broad-winged hawks

It's great to have a pair of broad-winged hawks in the neighborhood for a third year. No sign of nesting in the location they've used the last couple of years so we'll see what happens.

Day 19.107: Saturday morning birding

Our nature group gathered on Saturday morning at the Cascade Falls trails. The birding highlight was listening to the distinctive songs of the winter wren (briefly spotted) and the Louisiana waterthrush (not spotted). No pictures of either of those birds, but here are some of the birds I was able to photograph:

Pine warbler

Four black-capped chickadees and at least one white-breasted nuthatch came to investigate our leader's pishing at one point. It made for some lovely views:

"What's that noise?"

Serious side-eye

(also wondering what's going on)

Palm warbler

Black-and-white warbler

Black-and-white warbler

Eastern phoebe