Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Babies.

Today at the Arden Hills Army Training Site Wildlife Observation Area, I saw lots of babies.  The trumpeter swan pair have 5 cygnets.  The common loon pair have two young.  And a whole bunch of wood ducklings were around minus one.

I witnessed an interesting behavior from one of the swans, something I've never seen.  The swan attacked a momma wood duck.  She disparately tried to distract it from one of the ducklings but the swan was determined.  The duckling would submerge for a few seconds but when it popped up the swan would lunge for it.  After a few minutes of this comical chase, the swan succeeded. It held the duckling under water and then shook it around like a dog playing with a chew toy.  It was an interesting site to behold.  Wish I would've had video and/or a 10,000mm lens.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw a Bald Eagle

Today a young bald eagle flew over my head at the Arden Hills Army Training Site Wildlife Observation Area. I also saw: a pileated woodpecker, an eastern bluebird, some chickadees, heard some song sparrows, saw my first of the year yellow-rumped warbler, two common loons, one trumpeter swan, four goldfinches, four blue jays, a crow and lots of red-winged blackbirds.

Today at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area, I saw a sunset. I also saw a couple common loons, an eastern bluebird, a couple black-capped chickadees, only a couple Canada geese and lots of red-winged blackbirds.

Toady at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Clouds and Birds

Today at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area, I saw clouds and a plane. Actually, I saw 6 or 8 airplanes. I also saw a pair of bluebirds, about 8 tree swallows, 1 Cooper's hawk, 1 turkey vulture, 1 pileated woodpecker, 1 song sparrow and a bunch of ducks and Canada geese and Red-winged blackbirds.

The first for the day was seeing a downy woodpecker inside one of the bluebird cans.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Clouds

Storms rolling into tonight at the Arden Hills Army Training Site Wildlife Observation Area.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw a Bald Eagle

Today at the Arden Hills Army Training Site Wildlife Observation Area, I saw a bald eagle.  Well, I may have seen two or this one twice.  I heard my first of the year song sparrow but didn't see it.  I also saw Mr. and Mrs. Northern Harrier.  Nothing quiets the red-winged blackbirds as quickly as a harrier fly-over.  Saw a Mr. Cardinal signing, some chickadees, goldfinches and lots of Canada geese and unidentified ducks on lake Marsden.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Chickadees

Today at the Arden Hills Army Training Site Wildlife Observation Area, I saw black-capped chickadees. I put some seed out on the bridge and a lone chickadee came by to enjoy my generosity.  I also saw some crows, Canada geese, mallards and a goldfinch.  Heard some downey/hairy woodpeckers.

Here's a video of it thanking me:

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Eagles and a Coyote

Today at the Arden Hills Army Training Site Wildlife Observation Area, I saw a bald eagle. Within just a few minutes of getting setup this young bald eagle flew over head.

Shortly after that, I saw a coyote walking on the ice.



And then another eagle landed on a dirt pile on the ice:



I also saw a half a dozen crows, about 20 mallards flying over, a downy/hairy woodpecker and some chickadees.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I had a bunch of firsts

Today at the Arden Hills Army Training Site Wildlife Observation Area, I saw my first indigo bunting at the site.  I also got my first photo on an indigo bunting anywhere. 



I have lots of osprey photos but this is the first photo with a northern pike.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Goats Beard

I caught the goat's beard open this morning at the Arden Hills Army Training Site Wildlife Observation Area.  The butterfly weed and black-eyed susans are about to bloom.  I also saw 5 common loons, a flycatcher of some sort, one female eastern bluebird, 6+ tree swallows (think most were recent fledglings), one northern flicker, a wood duck, a trumpeter swan and heard a gray catbird yapping away. 

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw an Osprey

This osprey flew over with a fish...missed that shot. It ate it in a dead tree and then flew over me on its way back to Turtle Lake.  It was moderately windy with cool storm clouds tonight. 

What else I saw:  6 turkey vultures, 3 loons, 1 eastern bluebird, song sparrow, 3 or 4 barn swallows about a half a dozen tree swallows, crows, red-winged blackbirds and one trumpeter swan. 

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Sumac...and Clouds

Saw the bluebird pair and some crows today along with the sumac. The sumac trees are really taking over. Oh and the lupine is blooming!



Here are some clouds:

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw a Song Sparrow

Today at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area, I Saw a Song Sparrow.  I also saw a pileated woodpecker, trumpeter swan, the bluebird pair, osprey with fish, turkey vulture, one loon, lots of red-winged blackbirds, geese and two blue-winged teal.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Barn Swallows

As far as swallows go, the tree swallows usually dominate at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area.  Occasionally, some barn swallows stop by as they did tonight.  This one rested on the wire for a few minutes and let me get pretty close.  Here's another shot of it all puffed out during preening. 

Two turkey vultures landed in one of the dead trees and I saw a green heron in a tree briefly.   A couple days ago two young bucks walked up on me.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Green Heron

Saw two green herons calling to each other at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area.  Also saw: 2 osprey, crows, two bluebirds bringing food to the nest can, barn swallows, tree swallows, downy/hairy woodpeckers, two swans, geese and ducks.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw a Song Sparrow

Saw my first Song Sparrow of the year at the AHATS Wildlife Viewing Area.  I also heard a pheasant rooster and saw some robins and a cedar waxwing.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Sunrise

AHATS WOA HDR Bridge_48476_.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I trudged out to the Arden Hills Army Training Site Wildlife Observation Area this morning. It was about 3F with a 5-10mph wind. Cold. The snow was pretty deep and the hard-ish crust made it tricky to navigate on the snowshoes.

I heard a bunch of chickadees, saw one downy/hairy woodpecker and a half a dozen crows. No animal tracks within the observation area.

Here is an HDR of the sunrise.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw a Blackhawk

Blackhawk_48518.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Two blackhawk helicopters flew over the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area this morning. I saw a couple swans, some geese, sparrows and robins. A half a dozen crows were making a commotion in the dead trees but I couldn't get a bead on what was upsetting them. It was probably some sort of raptor.

This big flock of black birds flew over too:

Today at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area, I Saw a Woodpecker

Woodpecker_45440.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I saw a couple woodpeckers like this young one today at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area. The most interesting thing I saw this morning was three large groups of 20+ blue jays. I also saw a dozen or so goldfinches, 4 crows, 2 trumpeter swans and about eight ring-billed gulls fishing in the lake.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw a Monarch!

Monarch-43069.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I saw my first monarch of the year at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area this morning. There are lots of milkweed plants but no caterpillars.