Blue Grass FWA on a windy day.....

Late yesterday afternoon we drove to Blue Grass to see what might be out and about.  It was getting overcast and the wind was blowing.....not great conditions :-)

 This big soft-shelled turtle was sitting in the road....making it easy to photograph.

Such an odd critter.  At least it wasn't blowing in the wind like everything else I saw.

This cowbird had just taken a bath in a puddle and was shaking itself off in the wind. 

Most of the birds we saw were in trees that were swaying back and forth.  I have trouble keeping up with the rhythm of the swaying.  This is a Dickcissel. 

A "headless" Indigo Bunting :-)....oh, well..... 

One of the first things we saw was a Killdeer in a field.  It must have a mate on a nest nearby, because it immediately started running in the opposite direction and making lots of displays to get my attention away from the nest. 

We were sitting in a car and not really much of a threat, but it went through a lot of posturing for us. 

It was fanning its tail and carrying on, and really wanted us to go away.  I was more concerned about the farmer that was plowing a distant part of the field.....hope the nest is real close to the road and out of harms way.

 A Meadowlark way up in a swaying tree with something in its mouth.  Taking food home to the nest maybe?

 Not real sharp....couldn't catch the rhythm, once again.  It sat there a long time.  

 A Robin not swaying in the wind :-)

 Red-wing blackbird.

The moody sky 

I thought these were pretty....some sort of crown vetch, I think.

Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge part 2.....

I don't really have a lot more to post, but do have a few more photos from our trip.

 Not sure what member of the flycatcher/phoebe family this is, but it posed for me :-)

 This Goldfinch pair didn't seem to mind us stopping for a photo either.

 Great Blue Heron

 Our best luck for the day was spotting one of the otters that live in the river there.

 Not the greatest shots, but just fun to watch it swimming around.

 It circled the area for 5-10 minutes and then disappeared into the river bank somewhere.

 Red-winged Blackbird female

 Spotted Sandpiper

 Snake skin we found in the grass.  When I held it up, it is about the same height that I am, so about 5'2".

 Pair of Wood Ducks showed up about the time it began to rain.

 This is Meyer's barn and cabin.  They are on the Muscatatuck property and the original owners must have had a really nice place to live back then, though maybe not so hot for farming.  Surrounded by trees, it is a very peaceful place, and there is a large lake behind the cabin that is the main refuge for the water fowl now.  

I really like visiting this place and wish it was closer to where we live, but it makes a nice little one day vacation.

Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge part 1....

We went for a two day visit to Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in the southeastern part of Indiana.  We have gone there every year for the last few years.  It is a lovely place and it would be wonderful to live near it.  It's about a two hour drive from where we live.  The first day was nice and sunny and we saw quite a bit.  The second day was gloomy and raining part of the time and my photos are not so hot for that day.  Gave me a chance to play with the new camera.

First day:   I'm just posting these in no particular order.  Saw lots of Red-winged Blackbirds in the high grasses along the waterways.

 I was thrilled to find this group of swallowtail butterflies!  Three Tiger Swallowtails and I think the black one is a Spicebush

Pearl Crescent?

Saw a couple of deer over the two days we were there. 

 Took one walk in the woods and these were two types of fungi we saw.

I expected to see lots of geese babies.  There was one family with 6 babies..... 

....and one family with only one.  We saw several other pairs but no babies with them. 

 Killdeer

Mockingbird 

 This raccoon ambled across the trail in front of us when we were walking in the woods.

Huge spider.....I don't know spiders, but thought it was very interesting looking! 

Brown Thrasher digging in a yard. 

 The trail we hiked.

 Just a reflection I liked.

A wildflower in the woods.  Should know the name, but can't think of it.

Will post more later.

Playing with a new camera....

I got a new camera....a Canon Power Shot SX50 HS.  Doesn't mean my photos will be any better, but my old camera was developing some problems with the focus.

 We took the camera to Mouteau Park where I can always find Kingbirds and Meadowlarks at this time of year and I played around with it.  Had some trouble getting used to the focus, but assume I will get better with time.

 I'm happy with how the photos look on the computer after I take them, but by the time I shrink them down enough to make Blogger allow them, they lose their quality.  I find that so frustrating.  I think one reason I don't post much any more is because I can tell the photos don't look good, so I assume others can tell the same thing.  Why post bad photos?

 Anyway....I do like the camera and am sure I will like it even better when I learn more about it.

 The Meadowlark was posing on this sign, but I was having trouble with the focus, since I am not used to it yet.

 This is something I drive by each day.  They tore down a house in my area and cleared some trees and carved this eagle into one of the stumps.  Don't know if they plan to rebuild the house or what, but it is interesting to drive by and see this.

 A pair of Cowbirds on the drive.

 Goldfinch

And of course a squirrel.