By Ruth A. Ringelstetter
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes. Just click on the desired photo and look for the blue “BUY” button.
It’s hard to believe next year will be 10 years since our first trip to the Ozarks. We went in the spring of 2008, and we’re just beginning plans to return.
On that first trip, we were going to visit Natural Dam Falls. It is just past the town of Natural Dam, but as is often the case, I missed the turn. The original Delorme Gazetteer for Arkansas wasn’t very detailed. A lot of roads were shown without names and the maps were very compact. Since I had missed the road that would have taken us to the falls, we had to find a place to turn around.
Before we left on this trip, as we often do when going to a new state, we picked a few goal birds and animals. I had picked elk ( “A Kodak Moment” ), armadillo ( “I Think We're Being Followed” ), and Greater Roadrunner, and since I told Joann that Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were more common in Arkansas than Wisconsin, Joann picked that as her goal bird. Joann had already seen armadillos and roadrunners in Texas but on my only visit to Texas, since I was only on the coast, I hadn’t seen either of those.
The first place we found to turn around was a small dead-end road, and as Joann turned onto it, there was a flash of bird wings as a bird flew up from and back down onto the pasture fence a little ways down the road. We could see it had a long tail, and I grabbed my binoculars which always sit in the corner of the dash. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher from Joann’s goal list! She grabbed her binoculars, and we both sat in awe watching it for a while.
Then Joann quietly got out of the car to get her camera. The bird scared up, but returned to the fence, allowing Joann to get a couple of pictures of it.
And then we noticed a bonus from the universe. Out in the pasture with the cattle was a flock of Cattle Egrets. This bird can occasionally be seen in Wisconsin, but was less common in 2008 than it is today. This year, for instance, there are two flocks hanging around in Brown County, Wisconsin.
When you see one of these birds, you usually see more, and they are often seen around cattle, thus their name. Sometimes you even find them on the backs of the cattle eating insects off of them. Unlike other herons that you find around water, these are normally found in fields and dry areas stalking insects.
Once we had our fill of the birds, we got back in the car and drove back up the highway to the turn for Natural Dam. It was plainly marked with a sign on the highway, at least when driving north.
Natural Dam is exactly as its name implies; a natural dam that spans the entire width of Mountain Fork Creek. It isn’t very tall, but it is still impressive. Plus, it is extremely accessible, and can even be viewed from your car. It sits next to a National Forest picnic area.
It was late afternoon when we visited, so we just enjoyed the sight and the sound of the falls while Joann took her photographs.
Later in the trip, we even managed to see a Roadrunner. It was on our way into the mountains, so we figured the Greater Roadrunner would have to wait until another trip. But then, as we cruised down the road, one ran across the road. Joann quickly pulled over and jumped out. She managed to get one photo before it flew down into a pasture and ran off. (They can run 20 miles per hour, so one shot was good!)
If you ever happen to be in the Van Buren area of Arkansas, look up Natural Dam. It’s extremely easy to find and visit, and if you like nature, waterfalls are some of the most relaxing places to visit.
Be warned though, once the weather is warm, most easily accessible waterfalls will be filled with people swimming, wading, and sunbathing on the rocks.
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
Shunpiking To Heaven Backroads Blog
Showing posts with label birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birds. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Turkeys, Turkeys, and More Turkeys
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
A week ago, I got out of bed on Saturday morning and discovered two hen turkeys and a whole bunch of little baby turkeys, which are called poults, in my backyard, scrounging for birdseed below the feeder.
For the past week, they’ve been showing up two or three times each day, so I began counting the poults, which is hard to do when everybody’s moving around so quickly between two birdfeeders, the deck, and the woods. There are a total of fifteen poults!
At first, I didn’t know if I could get any pictures because the mother hens were pretty cautious. But as the visits increased, I discovered that I could stand at the window as long as I didn’t make any quick moves.
And then the mothers and the poults began to lounge around on my deck, either resting or preening.
Often the poults see their mother begin to groom her feathers, so they begin imitating her to clean their own feathers.
It’s really fun to see the whole group making its way from the woods to the feeders because the whole understory seems to be moving.
It’s also fun to watch the poults cooling their feet in the birdbath.
I love the fact that several types of wildlife will feed together. Yesterday, the squirrels and chipmunks were in among the turkeys, scrounging for food on the ground. And there was even a baby bunny eating on the fringes of all the turkey commotion.
Each day, the poults get bigger and bolder. A couple days ago, they began flying up and landing inside my large fly-through birdfeeder. And when two of them are inside the feeder, often a third one will fly up and land on the roof of the feeder.
But then the question is, “How do I get down from here?” After sliding around on the roof for a while, this little poult started squawking as if to say, “I could use a little help, here!”
The funniest thing, though, happened two days ago. The turkeys came down earlier in the day and ate every bit of food that was on the ground below the feeders. There are a lot of mouths to feed, so I went out in the afternoon with a bucket of corn mixed with a little bit of birdseed and began to throw a few handfuls on the ground below the feeder.
As the feed hit the ground, it made a splattering sound and then I saw the head of an adult turkey pop up from the understory up the hill. If she could have talked, she would have said, “Did I hear food hitting the ground?” And then, to my surprise, she made a mad dash towards me, making low purring sounds as she came down the hill. I couldn’t believe she actually had the nerve to come within a couple of feet and start eating. So I just said, “You’re welcome,” and returned to the house.
I’m happy that I managed to capture these photos, even though they had to be shot through the window. Today, I realized that I can no longer stand at the window to photograph because the poults are now old enough to be fearful of me. But I will continue to watch and be entertained by them.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
A week ago, I got out of bed on Saturday morning and discovered two hen turkeys and a whole bunch of little baby turkeys, which are called poults, in my backyard, scrounging for birdseed below the feeder.
For the past week, they’ve been showing up two or three times each day, so I began counting the poults, which is hard to do when everybody’s moving around so quickly between two birdfeeders, the deck, and the woods. There are a total of fifteen poults!
At first, I didn’t know if I could get any pictures because the mother hens were pretty cautious. But as the visits increased, I discovered that I could stand at the window as long as I didn’t make any quick moves.
And then the mothers and the poults began to lounge around on my deck, either resting or preening.
Often the poults see their mother begin to groom her feathers, so they begin imitating her to clean their own feathers.
It’s really fun to see the whole group making its way from the woods to the feeders because the whole understory seems to be moving.
It’s also fun to watch the poults cooling their feet in the birdbath.
I love the fact that several types of wildlife will feed together. Yesterday, the squirrels and chipmunks were in among the turkeys, scrounging for food on the ground. And there was even a baby bunny eating on the fringes of all the turkey commotion.
Each day, the poults get bigger and bolder. A couple days ago, they began flying up and landing inside my large fly-through birdfeeder. And when two of them are inside the feeder, often a third one will fly up and land on the roof of the feeder.
But then the question is, “How do I get down from here?” After sliding around on the roof for a while, this little poult started squawking as if to say, “I could use a little help, here!”
The funniest thing, though, happened two days ago. The turkeys came down earlier in the day and ate every bit of food that was on the ground below the feeders. There are a lot of mouths to feed, so I went out in the afternoon with a bucket of corn mixed with a little bit of birdseed and began to throw a few handfuls on the ground below the feeder.
As the feed hit the ground, it made a splattering sound and then I saw the head of an adult turkey pop up from the understory up the hill. If she could have talked, she would have said, “Did I hear food hitting the ground?” And then, to my surprise, she made a mad dash towards me, making low purring sounds as she came down the hill. I couldn’t believe she actually had the nerve to come within a couple of feet and start eating. So I just said, “You’re welcome,” and returned to the house.
I’m happy that I managed to capture these photos, even though they had to be shot through the window. Today, I realized that I can no longer stand at the window to photograph because the poults are now old enough to be fearful of me. But I will continue to watch and be entertained by them.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Beauty Multiplied
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
On February 2, a snowstorm was predicted for much of Wisconsin, starting by around 9:00 am in the Madison area. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground when I awoke, but the next several hours turned out to be pretty uneventful. By late morning, it began to snow heavily. As I watched, the snowflakes grew bigger and bigger and I saw two deer outside the living room window. They were looking for any birdseed that had fallen from the birdfeeder.
Then I noticed two more deer in the woods. By then the snow was coming down so heavily, I didn’t know if I would be able to capture any photos of them. As I focused my camera lens on the two deer in the woods, they began to nuzzle each other.
When the two deer near the house discovered that there wasn’t much food to be had below the birdfeeder, they headed up the hill into the woods to join the other two. An hour later, when I thought these deer were long gone, I saw them resting in the snow not far from where they were standing when I photographed them.
In addition to the deer, the squirrels were very active during the snowstorm. One was seeking shelter from the snow that was now being blown by the wind.
Another was frantically digging under piles of snow and occasionally popping up with a seed in its paws.
And then there was the female pileated woodpecker that comes on a regular basis to the peanut feeder hanging right next to the window.
Her flaming-red crest looked even more brilliant with the white snow behind it. And I was feeling extremely blessed to have such wonderful wildlife and such a beautiful snowfall to watch and to capture with my camera.
Although Groundhog Day was wrapped in a wintry snowstorm, both Wisconsin’s famous groundhog, Jimmy, and Pennsylvania’s, Punxsutawney Phil, predicted an early spring. Meanwhile, Ruth and I are planning our spring escape to the backroads of Ohio.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
On February 2, a snowstorm was predicted for much of Wisconsin, starting by around 9:00 am in the Madison area. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground when I awoke, but the next several hours turned out to be pretty uneventful. By late morning, it began to snow heavily. As I watched, the snowflakes grew bigger and bigger and I saw two deer outside the living room window. They were looking for any birdseed that had fallen from the birdfeeder.
Then I noticed two more deer in the woods. By then the snow was coming down so heavily, I didn’t know if I would be able to capture any photos of them. As I focused my camera lens on the two deer in the woods, they began to nuzzle each other.
When the two deer near the house discovered that there wasn’t much food to be had below the birdfeeder, they headed up the hill into the woods to join the other two. An hour later, when I thought these deer were long gone, I saw them resting in the snow not far from where they were standing when I photographed them.
In addition to the deer, the squirrels were very active during the snowstorm. One was seeking shelter from the snow that was now being blown by the wind.
Another was frantically digging under piles of snow and occasionally popping up with a seed in its paws.
And then there was the female pileated woodpecker that comes on a regular basis to the peanut feeder hanging right next to the window.
Her flaming-red crest looked even more brilliant with the white snow behind it. And I was feeling extremely blessed to have such wonderful wildlife and such a beautiful snowfall to watch and to capture with my camera.
Although Groundhog Day was wrapped in a wintry snowstorm, both Wisconsin’s famous groundhog, Jimmy, and Pennsylvania’s, Punxsutawney Phil, predicted an early spring. Meanwhile, Ruth and I are planning our spring escape to the backroads of Ohio.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
The Amazing Birds at My Windows
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
On March 1 of this year, as I worked on my laptop at the breakfast counter, something caught my eye outside my dining room window. When I turned my head to see what it was, I was startled to see a large Pileated Woodpecker hanging on the peanut feeder just outside the window. I slowly turned around to watch it and I noted that it stayed on the feeder for NINE minutes.
It’s only about 14 feet from my dining room window to the start of the woods. I first moved here in 2003 and, sometime during the first year, a Pileated Woodpecker landed on the ground at the edge of the woods. I was very excited about this because I had never seen one that close.
This Pileated Woodpecker also tried to get some suet from a small suet feeder that was hanging on a bird feeder pole. So I went out and bought another suet feeder made for larger birds. It had a long wooden “tail rest” at the bottom, which would be perfect for such a large woodpecker. I hung it on the tree above the bird bath. However, as the years went by, no Pileated Woodpeckers came to that suet feeder. I had often heard their distinct call coming from somewhere in the woods, but had only seen them in the distance.
To my surprise and delight, 2015 has been quite a different story. Throughout the months of March, April, and May, a Pileated Woodpecker continued to visit the peanut feeder several times a day, staying for as long as 13 minutes.
Because Pileated Woodpeckers are shy and cautious, and I have only seen them occasionally over the years, I wasn’t sure how to tell if it was a male or a female. And for some reason, I never took the time to look in any of my birding guides until today. I had my camera at the ready only one of the times that the bird visited, so I only have pictures of the female. But several times, I did briefly see another pileated woodpecker land on the tree by the deck while the other one of the pair was on the peanut feeder.
When spring arrived, I put out my hummingbird feeders and immediately had Ruby-throated Hummingbirds coming close to my kitchen window for a drink. What was truly amazing was that there were hummingbirds (members of the smallest bird species in existence) at my kitchen window, while a few feet away at my dining room window, there was often a Pileated Woodpecker (the largest woodpecker known to exist in North America) eating from the peanut feeder.
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird weighs a mere .1 to .2 ounces, has a wingspan of 3.1 to 4.3 inches, and beats its wings about 53 times a second. The Ruby-throated is the only breeding hummingbird in eastern North America. Pairs are together only long enough for courtship and mating and they migrate to Central America for the winter.
The Pileated Woodpecker, according to Cornell, is “one of the biggest, most striking forest birds on the continent.” It weighs 8.8 to 12.3 ounces, has a wingspan of 26 to 29.5 inches, and its wingbeats are “strong, but slow.” Pairs are together for life and they remain in their territory year-round.
Finally, for those of you who believe in animal totems, the woodpecker is a sign of great changes. When a woodpecker comes knocking, remember to seize the moment!
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
On March 1 of this year, as I worked on my laptop at the breakfast counter, something caught my eye outside my dining room window. When I turned my head to see what it was, I was startled to see a large Pileated Woodpecker hanging on the peanut feeder just outside the window. I slowly turned around to watch it and I noted that it stayed on the feeder for NINE minutes.
It’s only about 14 feet from my dining room window to the start of the woods. I first moved here in 2003 and, sometime during the first year, a Pileated Woodpecker landed on the ground at the edge of the woods. I was very excited about this because I had never seen one that close.
This Pileated Woodpecker also tried to get some suet from a small suet feeder that was hanging on a bird feeder pole. So I went out and bought another suet feeder made for larger birds. It had a long wooden “tail rest” at the bottom, which would be perfect for such a large woodpecker. I hung it on the tree above the bird bath. However, as the years went by, no Pileated Woodpeckers came to that suet feeder. I had often heard their distinct call coming from somewhere in the woods, but had only seen them in the distance.
To my surprise and delight, 2015 has been quite a different story. Throughout the months of March, April, and May, a Pileated Woodpecker continued to visit the peanut feeder several times a day, staying for as long as 13 minutes.
Because Pileated Woodpeckers are shy and cautious, and I have only seen them occasionally over the years, I wasn’t sure how to tell if it was a male or a female. And for some reason, I never took the time to look in any of my birding guides until today. I had my camera at the ready only one of the times that the bird visited, so I only have pictures of the female. But several times, I did briefly see another pileated woodpecker land on the tree by the deck while the other one of the pair was on the peanut feeder.
When spring arrived, I put out my hummingbird feeders and immediately had Ruby-throated Hummingbirds coming close to my kitchen window for a drink. What was truly amazing was that there were hummingbirds (members of the smallest bird species in existence) at my kitchen window, while a few feet away at my dining room window, there was often a Pileated Woodpecker (the largest woodpecker known to exist in North America) eating from the peanut feeder.
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird weighs a mere .1 to .2 ounces, has a wingspan of 3.1 to 4.3 inches, and beats its wings about 53 times a second. The Ruby-throated is the only breeding hummingbird in eastern North America. Pairs are together only long enough for courtship and mating and they migrate to Central America for the winter.
The Pileated Woodpecker, according to Cornell, is “one of the biggest, most striking forest birds on the continent.” It weighs 8.8 to 12.3 ounces, has a wingspan of 26 to 29.5 inches, and its wingbeats are “strong, but slow.” Pairs are together for life and they remain in their territory year-round.
Finally, for those of you who believe in animal totems, the woodpecker is a sign of great changes. When a woodpecker comes knocking, remember to seize the moment!
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Sunday, May 17, 2015
And Then There Was One
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
In mid-May of 2013, Ruth and I left my house in the pre-dawn darkness of a Saturday morning, with a plan to begin photographing blooming lilac bushes at first light. Before we reached the lilacs, however, we passed a small marsh and realized that there was a Sandhill Crane sitting on a nest.
Sandhill Cranes mate for life, which can be 20 years or more. The female usually lays two eggs, which are incubated by both parents. The male, however, spends more of his time defending the nest, as the male is doing in the photo below.
Luckily, I have a powerful lens, so I was photographing from a distance and the cranes didn’t seem to mind my presence. However, after a few minutes, a train came rolling down the tracks across the road from the marsh and it was blowing its whistle. So the mother crane stood up, and we realized that there were two baby chicks in the nest.
The father crane then became a bit agitated by the train and began pacing quickly around the nest and sounding an alert call every few seconds.
As the train rumbled off in the distance, the family of cranes settled back down and the mother started to leave the nest. The little chicks decided they’d better follow her.
Both parents entered the water with the chicks hurrying behind them. I don’t know how old these chicks were, but Sandhill Crane chicks are capable of leaving the nest and swimming within 8 hours of being hatched.
We watched as they foraged for food and the little chicks worked hard to keep up with their parents. Sandhill Cranes are omnivorous, which means they eat both animals and plants. Their diet consists of seeds, worms, snails, frogs, and small reptiles and rodents, in addition to waste grain left in farm cornfields. Finally we decided to continue on to our lilacs.
The following morning, I visited the nest again to see if I could capture a few more photos of the baby crane chicks. When I arrived, they were finishing up their morning foraging, but to my surprise (and sadness), there was only one chick.
I watched with concern for a long time, hoping that the second chick would emerge from the water, but he never did. Although Sandhill Crane pairs usually start out with two eggs, it is typical that only one chick survives. In this case, it’s likely that the second chick was taken by a predator such as a fox or a raccoon.
When the cranes had finished foraging, the mother returned to the nest with the baby chick close behind. She then lay down on the nest.
What happened next was amazing and something I had never witnessed before. As soon as the mother crane was on the nest, the baby chick approached her wing.
Then he quickly stretched up onto his tiptoes and pushed himself up under her wing.
The mother crane spread her wings apart while the little chick settled himself on her back.
Then she folded her wings over him. If you look closely in the photo below, you will see the top of the chick’s head above the mother’s back.
Sandhill Crane families stay together through the winter, with the surviving juveniles separating from their parents the following spring. I hope this little guy made it to become a parent himself.
Happy Shunpiking!
In mid-May of 2013, Ruth and I left my house in the pre-dawn darkness of a Saturday morning, with a plan to begin photographing blooming lilac bushes at first light. Before we reached the lilacs, however, we passed a small marsh and realized that there was a Sandhill Crane sitting on a nest.
Sandhill Cranes mate for life, which can be 20 years or more. The female usually lays two eggs, which are incubated by both parents. The male, however, spends more of his time defending the nest, as the male is doing in the photo below.
Luckily, I have a powerful lens, so I was photographing from a distance and the cranes didn’t seem to mind my presence. However, after a few minutes, a train came rolling down the tracks across the road from the marsh and it was blowing its whistle. So the mother crane stood up, and we realized that there were two baby chicks in the nest.
The father crane then became a bit agitated by the train and began pacing quickly around the nest and sounding an alert call every few seconds.
As the train rumbled off in the distance, the family of cranes settled back down and the mother started to leave the nest. The little chicks decided they’d better follow her.
Both parents entered the water with the chicks hurrying behind them. I don’t know how old these chicks were, but Sandhill Crane chicks are capable of leaving the nest and swimming within 8 hours of being hatched.
We watched as they foraged for food and the little chicks worked hard to keep up with their parents. Sandhill Cranes are omnivorous, which means they eat both animals and plants. Their diet consists of seeds, worms, snails, frogs, and small reptiles and rodents, in addition to waste grain left in farm cornfields. Finally we decided to continue on to our lilacs.
The following morning, I visited the nest again to see if I could capture a few more photos of the baby crane chicks. When I arrived, they were finishing up their morning foraging, but to my surprise (and sadness), there was only one chick.
I watched with concern for a long time, hoping that the second chick would emerge from the water, but he never did. Although Sandhill Crane pairs usually start out with two eggs, it is typical that only one chick survives. In this case, it’s likely that the second chick was taken by a predator such as a fox or a raccoon.
When the cranes had finished foraging, the mother returned to the nest with the baby chick close behind. She then lay down on the nest.
What happened next was amazing and something I had never witnessed before. As soon as the mother crane was on the nest, the baby chick approached her wing.
Then he quickly stretched up onto his tiptoes and pushed himself up under her wing.
The mother crane spread her wings apart while the little chick settled himself on her back.
Then she folded her wings over him. If you look closely in the photo below, you will see the top of the chick’s head above the mother’s back.
Sandhill Crane families stay together through the winter, with the surviving juveniles separating from their parents the following spring. I hope this little guy made it to become a parent himself.
Happy Shunpiking!
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