The elusive painted bunting–elusive to me anyway. It seems whenever I am in the position to photograph one, something goes wrong. It might be raining, cloudy, car going by stirring up dust, etc. Today, I was having trouble with the camera lens I keep putting off sending in for repair. This is not the greatest picture, but it is better than what I have been able to get, so I’ll take it. 
Click on picture to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
It was wild to see this beauty sitting in a tree in the sun. He didn’t stay long. I think he just wanted to get a little warmth. I think, from the markings, he is a young one. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
I was privileged to have some wonderful time this morning with several little blue herons at the Wakarusa Wetlands. It was a heron morning! Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
This is one cute little fuzzball. I wish the pictures were better, but I did not want to get too close. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
It was a great morning to be out. I was able to spend some time at both the Wakarusa Wetlands and Clinton Lake before getting rained out. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
This handsome guy is a first for our feeders. It is so exciting to have him hanging around for the last few days.
I saw a red-headed woodpecker at the Wakarusa Wetlands yesterday. As I watched, I realized I had never seen one there before. I know birders report seeing them every once in a while, but the only one I have ever seen was at Clinton. Of course, my next thought was those in favor of the SLT care little about how rare this is. They do not care that the red-headed woodpecker populations are in decline. The official status is “near threatened.” As I watched him dancing around the cavity in this old tree, I wondered how the treeless “mitigation area” would solve his problem of a lack of real estate. It will not. Raise and/or widen 23rd street. Close 31st street between Haskell and Louisiana. Keep the people with the people, the sacred space sacred, and the wild spaces wild. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
It looks like there are two eaglets, growing fast. Click on picture to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
Yesterday, I had a wonderful morning walking the Wakarusa Wetlands and was happy to see an egret had arrived. I decided with all this beautiful weather, this week, I work nights. I went back this morning and as I was coming down the path, seven egrets and five great blue herons came sailing in. It was magical! I was also privileged to see a host of little blue herons, green herons, blue and green-winged teal, grebes, and even a white-faced ibis. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
I had a great walk in the Wakarusa Wetlands this morning. Not a whole lot of new arrivals, but we are still very early in the migration time. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
I moved to Lawrence in 2003 and quickly fell in love with the peaceful beauty of the area, especially the rich diversity of wildlife. This blog is my ongoing effort to celebrate that beauty and diversity.