High water, hawks and eagles......

When we went to Henderson, KY last Tuesday, I tried to get some shots of the high water....not easy when zipping along at 60 trying not to get run over by a truck. Mike did some measuring on GoogleEarth and we estimate the water from the Ohio River is a mile and a half out of the banks on the Evansville side of the river. This is normal in the spring time when we get heavy rains. Most of the land is farm land that will be plowed and planted once the water goes down. A quick shot of high water

In the Henderson Sloughs we took the road to the boat ramp and the water was about a quarter mile up the road blocking it. The river is beyond that dark line of trees. There is a large parking lot in there somewhere :-)

One of several Red-Tailed Hawks we saw along the back roads.

He let us get practically underneath of him sneaking along real slowly in the car.

Our favorite Kestrel. We know we will see him every time in the same general area. This time he actually sat still while Mike leaned out the window and took a photo.

Another Red-Tail with his head looking the wrong way.

This one was all fluffed up and really didn't want to move.

Cleaning his talons? Maybe he just ate.

Another

Coming back towards Evansville we stopped by the heron rookery to see if either eagle nest had any activity. A couple weeks ago we did that and there were none in sight.

But on this day there was obviously an eagle sitting in the furthest nest! It's sort of out in the open and not as deep as the old nest, but at least 500 yards from the road. We can watch with binoculars, but not get good photos.

Hanging on the side doing something. Maybe she has eggs and is turning them or just working on the nest?

Afterwards, she/he settled back down on the nest.

We went back a couple days later and that road was under water and we couldn't get to the nest to see if the eagle was still there. We will keep checking. Won't be long and the heron nests will begin to fill up, also.

A couple Mergansers out in a flooded spot between two roads. This spot is low and probably the cause of the closed road to the eagle. We have had more rain yesterday and today, so who knows when all this water will start going down.

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My posting schedule is going to get more spread out and then disappear for awhile. I am having total knee replacement surgery on the 14th for my right knee. We have a crazy schedule for next week and then the surgery, which will keep me in the hospital for 3-4 days. Won't be getting out for photos for awhile! I really can't predict how fast I will get about again, but know that I will be on a cane and taking physical therapy for several weeks. Would appreciate prayers against infection and blood clots...the two biggest worries. Thanks!

Turtle time!.....

Spring must be coming! We went to the wetlands yesterday and the turtles are starting to come up and sit on the logs. We also heard a lot of frogs already! I love to see them piled all over the logs. It will be another week before the logs really start filling up. The water is so high, some of their favorite logs are underwater at the moment.
Triple treat

Little turtle, big turtle

Mike took a lot of these shots. I liked the stump and grasses in this one as well as the turtle.

I'm not great at turtle identification....especially at a distance. Some are Red-eared Sliders and some are Painted Turtles, I think. Didn't see any Snapping turtles yesterday, but they are in there, too.

How many turtles?

....or here?

Out there with the turtles, this pair of Canada Geese have established a nest on a little island.

She looks very comfortable :-)

I've seen a lot the last couple of days, but am trying to break it up and not show it all at once.

Sandpiper and Killdeer.....

In another one of the flooded fields we found 4 sandpipers. I consulted Bruce in South Carolina since she knows more sandpipers than I do. She says this is a Yellowlegs, but she can't tell whether it is greater or lesser. Thanks, Bruce!
I always wonder exactly what the birds are finding to eat in these flooded fields

I guess he found something

I don't know if all four were the same kind.

I love getting to see these birds during migrations.

The forward face shot makes the white on the face really show up.

We also saw 3 Killdeer. They like the same sort of muddy fields.

I'm guessing this is "mama" killdeer choosing one of their usual terrible places for a nest. How they keep from getting run over, I'll never know.

I took a short video of the sandpiper darting and probing.

Snipe! Finding the unexpected.....

Yesterday was a great day for birds in the Henderson, KY river bottoms area. I hoped to find ducks and maybe some sandpipers in the flooded fields.If we hadn't stopped by a flooded field to take photos of this Robin.....
......we would never have noticed the Snipe! Once we spotted one moving around, we realized there were about a dozen of them in this part of the field fairly close to the road. I've only seen Snipe once before....in this same area a couple years ago. Those bold cream colored stripes on the back are the distinguishing feature.

My Sibley's guidebook calls them Wilson's Snipe. The Roger Tory Peterson calls them Common Snipe. Whatever! Mike took most of the photos because they were on his side of the road and I didn't want to get out of the car and scare them away.

Such a long bill!

Good for digging with.

I know I don't need to post this many photos, but I use my blog to store my best photos :-) Besides, I have only seen these once before!

The water was clear enough for some nice reflections, too.

About half of them were wading and the other half sort of sitting in the grass around the edge of the water.

The face.....

....the butt. OK....enough Snipe photos!

Did anyone ever try to get you to go on a 'Snipe hunt' when you were a kid? Send you out in the middle of nowhere with a bag, calling "here, snipe, snipe"? I always thought that snipe were imaginary creatures and that was the point of the whole thing. Live and learn.

This and That.....

So is March coming in like a "lion" or a "lamb"? Hard to say. I woke up to frost on the ground and 30 degree temps, but the sun is shining and there is no rain or wind at the moment. The end of February has been VERY rainy! The Ohio River is at flood stage and the Pigeon Creek system tied to it is way out of the banks. This is normal for spring around here. I hope to get some photos.Coming home the other day we saw this little squirrel way out on a limb. Couldn't figure out why! Maybe just getting a little sun.....it was windy that day.
The Red-bellied woodpecker getting a few sunflower seeds before the squirrel arrives.

Saw two Song Sparrows out scratching in the grass this morning.

Notice the beginnings of daffodils next to him? Yeah!

As long as there is suet, there will be a Downy :-)

The Blue Jay found the seeds, too.

When I stopped by the bank the other day this pigeon was hanging around the ATM machine. Looking for some ready cash? Trying to figure out how to steal someones identity? After all....who would suspect a pigeon?

"Act nonchalant.....she doesn't suspect anything."

I hope to get out today for a few pics somewhere other than at home.