We have a new contributor: reader Karen Bartelt from my own state. She sent a passel of bird photos and some commentary:
I have been enjoying WEIT for about 6 months. Though my photos in no way compare in quality with some of the wonderful shots on WEIT, an experience last week prompted me to send a few along.
I live in Washington, IL, near the IL River, in an area that was restocked with wild turkeys [Meleagris gallopavo] about 15-20 years ago. The reintroduction was quite successful, and for the past dozen years we have shared our 20 acres with hundreds of them, from tom turkeys courting in our driveway and ruining a patio door by pecking the reflected “rival” to death, to hens and chicks eating all of our blackberries. However, until last week, I had never seen a brooding hen. In honor of Mother’s Day, here are two photos. We only found her because my husband almost stepped on her. She never moved a muscle, even with two people clicking away from about 8 feet. Obviously, I would have loved a clearer shot, but I didn’t want to disturb her further. We check on her every day, and as of this morning, she was still sitting.
I realized that I had a few other Mother’s Day birds, so I’m sending those along, too. Early spring brings quite a few rose-breasted grosbeaks [Pheucticus ludovicianus]. Here are two pictures of a female grosbeak, one with a couple of admirers.
In late winter, I got a couple of photos of a female red-bellied woodpecker [Melanerpes carolinus] in a tree and on our feeder.
Lastly, a couple of recent photos on the IL River. The first is a shot at the limit of what my puny lens can capture. We see the white pelicans [Pelecanus erythrorhynchos] migrating on the river in spring and fall. This was part of a group of about 50 who have been here for about a week now. To keep in the Mother’s Day theme, I think there are 4 females and 2 males (a little brighter with a knob on the beak). Finally, a pair of tree swallows [Tachycineta bicolor] courting along the river. She’s sure to be a mother soon by the look of things.
I have turkeys out back of my place, and a few yrs ago one nested in my raspberry thicket. Over a couple wks in April, she laid a dozen eggs, one per day, leaving them all day long. At first this surprised me, but the temps were cool enough to keep development suppressed. When she was done laying, then she started incubating. But within a couple days all had disappeared, presumably on account of a raccoon. Given that, I’m surprised they ever have success, but clearly they do occasionally. I guess that’s why they lay so many eggs, tho. Curious survival strategy.
Excellent photos, all of them. Still waiting for the Grosbeaks to arrive here in the midwest.
Very good pictures. I always enjoy turkey pictures.
Great photos!
Those are wonderful shots, Karen!! And I had NO idea there were pelicans in IL!
About five years ago, the Corps of Engineers created an artificial island out of dredging material. The concept of creating this island was very controversial. One local environmentalist was so po’ed as it was being built that he died on the bridge over the river, by looking at the island and losing control of his truck. I’ve seen the pelicans migrating for about five years, but I’ve never seen them stay in the area, and they’ve been here for a week, right around this new island. It would be wonderful if they establish a population here, imho. A nice unintended consequence, for once.
Very interesting, Karen.
I think they also are around Starved Rock in Illinois as well.
There is an eagle, with a chick, a couple of miles from my house. The nest is in a large tree, down by the river, with a nice overhead view from the hiking trail.
I will see if I can get some decent pix.
Gorgeous tree swallows, BTW.
Yes, those are very pretty. We get chimney swallows (maybe called chimney swifts?) in our … chimney every year. Not as pretty, but very cute and agile.
Thanks
I’ve been out of town for a week with nothing but my dumb phone so I have a massive WEIT backlog. I like the Mother’s Day theme 🙂 Hopefully we’ll see some pics of the poults. Baby turkeys are so cute. Handsome grosbeaks as well. Thanks for the IL birds!
The turkey looks a bit sad.
You would look sad, too, if you were dumped by your mate (who I’m sure had had his way with another hen by then), cranked out a dozen eggs, and had to keep them warm all by yourself, all the while watching out for raccoons, coyotes, and those stupid people with cameras. I hope they hatch soon.