REDPOLLS, SNOW BUNTINGS, HORNED LARKS ON ROADSIDES

We have been seeing many roadside birds this winter. They come up to the shoulders to feed on weed seeds. Have had a flock of about 50 Redpolls(shown here) just outside of Spring Valley, Mn. for the last two weeks. Just saw a flock of over 100 Lapland Longspurs on our driveway late yesterday but could not get a photo.

Redpoll at our feeder.

Snow Bunting photo courtesy of Bruce Lees. We have seen many Snow Buntings this winter but lost almost all of our snow about a week ago and they have not been on the roadsides since.

Horned lark photo courtesy of Bruce Lees Only have seen a few Horned Larks along side the road in the past week-been very cold and most have pulled a little farther south for a few weeks.

WILDLIFE ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI

Have seen many deer in the last few weeks.  They are herding up for the winter and we have many in the valley just below our house. TO VIEW MORE NATURE PHOTOS GO UP AND TO THE RIGHT AND CLICK ON JANUARY 2013 OF ANY OTHER MONTH.

Tuffted Titmouse.  We live at the edge of the northern most range for this chickadee sized bird, so it is a treat to find one. We photographed this one along the Mississippi just north of Harpers Ferry, Iowa. 

Wild Turkeys seem to be doing well in our area.  A friend of ours has been feeding corn and said they sometimes have almost 100 at their place.

Found Robins(about 25) bathing in some open waters along the road to the boat landing just outside of New Albin, Iowa. We do see a few Robins in the winter, but seldom a flock this big.

Found these two bluebirds in a protected valley not far from the Mississippi in far N.E. Iowa.  We don't often see them in January. (Our camera lens was streched to the limit on this photo.)

 The Mississippi close to the Minnesota-Iowa boarder.  The river is almost totally frozen in now.
TO VIEW MORE NATURE PHOTOS GO UP  AND  TO THE RIGHT  AND CLICK ON JANUARY 2013 OR ANY OTHER DESIRED MONTH.

The old Wexford church(1848) was founded by Irish imigrants not far south of Lansing,Iowa.

MORE UNCOMMON BIRDS SHOWING UP AT FEEDERS

Redpoll.  Another visitor from the north country.  Redpolls are just a hair smaller than Goldfinches and come down from up north.   We see them at our feeders about 1 out of every 4 years, so it is a treat when they appear. This has been a good year for uncommon visitor from the north.

Fox Sparrow.  The Fox Sparrows should be long gone but this one has decided to winter with us.

White Throated sparrow(behind darker Junco).  The White-throats should be south by now, but every few years we have one or two that spends the winter with us.

Have seen several small herds of deer our during the day lately.  If we continue to get more snow and cold weather they will eventually come up to our bird feeders for food.

The Cardinals feed heavily very early in the morning and then again at late dusk.  This makes them difficult to photograph, as the light is quite dim.  We have 20+ in the evening.

Male Cardinal eating its favorite supper of sunflower seeds.

Have about 10 Blue Jays at our feeders everyday.  TO VIEW MORE NATURE PHOTOS GO UP AND TO THE RIGHT AND CLICK ON JAN 2013 OR ANY OTHER MONTH OF YOUR CHOOSING.

16 inches of snow so far this December-good cross country ski snow.

Male Downy woodpecker at our suet feeder.

This male Hairy woodpecker at our suet looks like an over grown Downy woodpecker.(males are marked by red on the head.)

Came upon this mob of over 100 crows about sunset one evening.  They were about to put into an over grown Christmas tree farm for the night.