I love the great blue herons, but it was a real treat to see the yellow-crowned night heron and offspring at the Wakarusa Wetlands. Save it. Don’t pave it. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
The Wakarusa Wetlands were rowdy with robins a few weeks ago. I meant to upload these pics earlier. I am a bit behind in the updates again. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
Little specks of yellow dot the fields and the green is lush and fragrant. Dragonflies are everywhere. Thousands of voices sing. On this morning, I spotted deer, a host of blackbirds, grackles, robins, sparrows, catbirds, indigo buntings, painted buntings, northern cardinals, goldfinches, a huge diversity of frogs, a dickcissel singing loudly, wood ducks, turtles (snappers and painted), geese, great egrets, great blue herons, cattle egrets, little blue herons, mink, muskrats, and the hundreds more. Please help save the Wetlands. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
There are many little blue herons at the Wakarusa Wetlands. Stop by and see the rich diversity of this magical place. Save it, don’t pave it! http://www.facebook.com/wetlandspreservationorganization?ref=ts
© Chris Taylor
There has been a lone pelican hanging out at the Wakarusa Wetlands recently. I hope he is okay. I’m guessing he is a young one who was blown off course during one of the many recent storms and is resting here for a while. I wish him the best on the rest of his journey. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
These are from a very good Wakarusa wetlands walk on the morning of May 22 (sorry about the delay in posting). On this morning, I also visited the “new” area, where I discovered quite a few goslings. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
A bit of a rarity for Lawrence. This is a young one. Lovely! Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
I watched this wonderful mink going back and forth between a den and somewhere in the woods. At first I thought he/she was transporting young because she/he made the trip twice. I’m just not sure that is a kit she/he is holding. I do my best to always stay back and try not to disturb anything or anyone. Even though I was hanging back and waiting for her/him to pass by again, minks are just so darn fast that I couldn’t get a great look. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
Fast, fast, and fast.
© Chris Taylor
I’ve been seeing quite a few herons lately–little blue herons, night herons, and great blue herons. Last year, it seemed I was constantly seeing green herons, but no little blue herons. This year, migration seems a bit off; I am not seeing nearly as many shore birds as I did this time last year. Between climate change, general habitat loss, and BP (and, of course, a host of others), it’s hard to say what might be going on. Click on pictures to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor
© Chris Taylor
Okay–so they are not really seagulls, but Franklin’s gulls. 🙂 Click on picture to enlarge.
© Chris Taylor