Photo of the Week: Green Heron on Alert

The greenish-blue heron stretches its neck above the floating leaves on the water.

Even with its outstretched neck high above the floating green leaves, if I hadn’t seen the Green Heron land in the shallow water, I might have missed it. Broken branches and whole tree limbs were strewn across the lake from the thunderstorms that swept through our area. It was a challenge for me to find… Continue reading Photo of the Week: Green Heron on Alert

Photo of the Week: Great Egret on the Hunt

Large white wading bird with long orange bill pauses in the shallow water as it searches for prey.

Standing still on the edge of the pond, the striking Great Egret can’t be missed as it hunts for food.

The large white bird, a bit smaller than a Great Blue Heron, hunts for small fish and amphibians, which it spears with its razor sharp bill and swallows the prey whole.

It’s fascinating to watch the Great Egret in shallow water, where it either walks very slowly or stands still while waiting for prey to swim by or poke their head above water.

Continue reading Photo of the Week: Great Egret on the Hunt

Photo of the Week: Roseate Spoonbill, Rare Bird and First State Record for Michigan

Large pink bird with long spoon-shaped bill fluffes out its feathers on the three snag, while a nearby white Great Egret preens.

After a long day of rain, imagine you’re out with your fiance at a nearby marsh when you spot an unusual colored bird.

A large pink wading bird.

A Roseate Spoonbill.

In Michigan.

That’s not usual.

In the United States, the Roseate Spoonbill is usually found in the southeast. Almost a thousand miles away.

But that’s what a local couple found in Saline, Michigan this weekend. Continue reading Photo of the Week: Roseate Spoonbill, Rare Bird and First State Record for Michigan