I don't know what's happened lately. I just haven't had much to update my blog with. Alas, I've managed to snap a few pictures here and there lately (it must be the increasing photoperiod of spring).
First, ever wonder what 6 GRAY PARTRIDGE look like when they're hiding in a perfectly white field? Here's your answer:
Most of the small towns in this part of Iowa now have Eurasian Collared-Dove's. However, I had never seen any around Ames (I must not know where to look?). Either way, we were surprised when we woke up to a EUCD hooting it up outside our apartment! We later tracked it down as it flew around the neighborhood... obviously looking for some other doves to hoot at. Here he is:
Sadly, I've been pretty desperate lately to get out and snap pictures of something... anything. I even settled for this RED-TAILED HAWK near Saylorville:
... as well as this CEDAR WAXWING in the yard. For some reason, there has been a healthy-sized flock frequenting the tree-line along the stream.
This past weekend, Ashley and I drove over to the quad cities to look around at the Mississippi. Besides the hundreds or thousands of Canvasback, we also had a flock of a dozen or so swans heading south. Call me crazy, but I can't see enough on these guys to call them Tundra (please correct me if you think I'm wrong). I think they were TRUMPETER SWANS:
We also found a couple THAYER'S GULLS. Here is a 1st-cycle:
