Thursday, April 4, 2019

Crops & Clips: Flashback to April, 2016

It's again time to peer at my photo archives through the retrospectroscope and set the dial back three years to April, 2016. As usual I will search for favorite memes: critters (especially birds), the skies and reflections, flowers and fences, and scenes which speak for themselves. We spent the first half of the month in Florida before traveling to our second home in northeastern Illinois.

Of greatest interest and concern were events at the local Bald Eagle nest which I have been monitoring since 2008. The male eagle (Pride) lost his mate (Joy) in October, 2014 and found a new and young female (Jewel) two months later. Although they copulated, Jewel never seemed to take an interest in the nest and they failed to produce young during the 2014-2015 season.

Then the pair laid their eggs in mid-December, 2015, but 5 weeks later, just as they should have hatched, a wind storm brought down a limb which fell in the nest. One eaglet may have survived as there was evidence that an adult was feeding it two days later. However it was never seen again and assumed to have perished. Undaunted, the pair refurbished the nest and bred again. Two eaglets hatched in mid-March but one was killed or out-competed by its nest-mate. The survivor (P Piney 15, the 15th known eaglet produced at this nest)  fledged in mid-June, 2016.

Pride roosts near the nest on April 2, 2016:

Bald Eagle male Pride HDR 01-20160402

Here is the plucky P Piney 15 on April 2, 2016:

Bald Eagle eaglet 20160402

Both eaglets (P Piney 15 & 16) looked fine on April 7, 2016:

Bald Eagle 2 eaglets 2-20160407

The siblings engaged in serious combat. We assume both were females, as they are the stronger and more aggressive of the sexes. Male siblings are smaller and learn to stay clear, but two females "stand their ground" and fight with each other for dominance. After April 10, 2016 we only found a single eaglet in the nest. We presume it is the older female, P Piney 15, here seen on the nest with Pride:

Bald Eagle male Pride with eaglet 20160410

Well, turning to other events in the neighborhood...

On April 7, an unusual sunrise filled the sky east of the entry gate to our local wetlands:

Sunrise at gate HDR 20160407

Trying to draw us away from its nest, a Killdeer performed a distraction display:

Killdeer HDR 20160405

An immature Great Blue Heron was on the lake before sunrise:

Great Blue Heron before sunrise 2-20160408

Spring was in the air. A Green Heron tended its eggs in the local rookery on April 8:

Green Heron with eggs 20160408

On April 13, success!

Green Heron 17-5 with hatchlings HDR 01-20160413

Green Heron 17-5 with hatchlings HDR 03-20160413

A Black-necked Stilt was mirrored in the still water:

Black-necked Stilt 4-20160412

Two stilts:

Black-necked Stilts 5-20160412

A White-tailed buck posed with two does in soft morning light:

White-tailed Deer 3-20160412

This Black-and-White Warbler performed acrobatics as it searched for insects on the trunk and branches:

Black-and-White Warbler 02-20160414

A Roseate Spoonbill honored us with a visit:

Roseate Spoonbill HDR 02-20160410

It joined Snowy Egrets, a White Ibis and a Greater Yellowlegs:

Roseate Spoonbill HDR 05-20160410

Then, we left for Chicagoland, where a Bald Eagle was tending an eaglet in its nest very near our condo in North Aurora, Illinois. Coincidentally, this was the first pair to nest in Kane County after DDT was abolished in 1972, just as the pair near our Florida home was the first in Broward County:

Bald Eagle female and eaglet 20160420

Fox Squirrel at Fabyan Park in Geneva, Illinois:

Fox Squirrel 20160420

A Red-winged Blackbird displayed its epaulets as it sang:

Red-winged Blackbird display HDR  20160422

Red-winged Blackbird singing HDR 2-20160420

This Eastern Towhee has red eyes, unlike the straw yellow eyes of the south Florida population:

Eastern Towhee HDR 20160422

A White-throated Sparrow...

White-throated Sparrow HDR 2-20160426

...and an American Goldfinch at Nelson Lake in Batavia, Illinois:

American Goldfinch 2-20160425

Spring wildflowers in Illinois--

Bluebells:

Bluebells 2-20160421

White Violets:

White Violets 20160421

Wake Robin (Trillium):


Wake Robin - trillium 20160421

= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =

Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy

Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James

Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni

Linking to Our World Tuesday by Lady Fi

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue

Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh

 Linking to Fences Around the World by Gosia

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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display

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19 comments:

  1. Such a delights to look at your flash backs of your fabulous photographs and to have documentation of the Eagles. I loved see the little chick of the Green Heron. Great capture. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and also a great week ahead Happy birding

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  2. Another stunning series of captures. Fascinating history of the fledgling eagles, and what a breath-taking sunrise to start one's day! Thanks for sharing your talents and experiences.

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  3. I like that photo of the two stilts. Have a great weekend!

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  4. Wow! Fabulous photos all around! I particularly enjoyed reading about the eagles. Oh! And that was one spectacular sunset.

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  5. Hello, Mr. Kenneth.
    Old or current your photos are always wonderful. Congratulations!
    Have a good weekend.

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  6. Wow, your eagle and nest images are awesome. Love seeing the cute eaglets. The Green Heron on the nest is great too. Love the sweet Killdeer. Beautiful sky captures. Lovely post. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend.

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  7. WOW is about all I can think of to say. I tried to pick a favorite, but I like them all. I guess if I had to choose one it would be the green heron and baby.

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  8. Another exceptional archive! Magnificent, as always. From the white violets, to the eagles. I especially liked the sunrise, green heron chick & deer!

    For all your sharing, I and we at I'd Rather B Birdin' send our thanks!!

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  9. Some stunning birds and wildlife here, but for me the White-throated Sparrow really stands out.

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  10. Beautiful photos and such detailed information. Amazing.

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  11. Such a wonderful series of photos. So happy you shared with us at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2019/04/almost-time-for-mimosas.html

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  12. The red-winged black bird is striking! Oh wow, I always knew about human about females fighting dirty, but didn't know this extended to be similar for birds, lol! Thank you for sharing your beautiful archive features this week (also the beautiful flowers) for All Seasons as well as your kind comment on my plein air in Utah, Ken. Have a great week!

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  13. Awesome sunset and your birds are fantastic!

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  14. What a stunning series of birds !
    So great shots.
    I am impressive
    My contribution...

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