Artwork

This common loon was one of three that landed on the lake while I was birding by kayak this summer. One by one, each landed on the lake, gathered to feed for several minutes, and then left as they had arrived - one-by-one.

Wood ducks were not really on my radar before I started my dive into the world of birding in 2020. But now, I am very partial to these seasonal, beautiful visitors due to their unusual coloration and nesting habits which require the fledglings to jump from a height into the nearby water source. This pair takes a break to enjoy the scenery last Spring in Battle Creek.

As prevalent as Canada Geese are, I tend to easily overlook them. But last Spring at Fort Custer State Recreation Area, there were several families caring tenderly for their chicks at Jackson Hole near Whitmore Lake.

One of my newfound favorite waterfowl is the blue-winged teal, another species of which I was completely unaware before my birding adventures began three years ago. This pair was clearly relaxed with one another and were oblivious to my presence at this wetland in Kalamazoo last Spring.

While this handsome, male hooded merganser seemed to pose as he cruised the shoreline of Morrow Lake last spring with his Mrs. in tow, they can also appear quite amusing when their hoods are extending during mating season. They attract a lot of attention in area ponds and lakes as they sort of “shape shift” their way through life.

When looking for a good bird photo, I try to capture a pose or behavior that is a little out of the ordinary. This fellow was casually preening while perched above the Kalamazoo wetland on a log.

American Coots were also a new discovery of mine as I set out to notice birds I would not otherwise have seen. Now, they’re seemingly everywhere in the Spring and the Fall during migration. This group used the team approach to fishing in Gull Lake last year.

This young hooded merganser seemed to delight in her long, drawn-out bath time last year in a Lake County lake.

It was fascinating to watch the ring-billed and herring gulls dive into the waters of the Mill Pond in Battle Creek last year as they took aim for their next meals, just below the surface.

Bald eagles have mostly recovered from the brink of extinction and as a symbol of our nation's freedom, they are well revered.

A mute swan seems to water ski as it comes in for a landing at the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery.