Some Nebraska Images

Just got back from Nebraska.  Few images now.  More later.  Lots of cranes.  Seriously.  Lots and lots of cranes.

This is on a foggy morning.  Birds are in the Platte River.

This is after sundown.  Bad light, but you get the idea.

Young Harris' Sparrow.  Cuz he's awesome.

American kestrel.  She might end up in MN!

Morning sky.

Night sky.

Western meadowlark!  Whoo-hoo!

Common Goldeneye

Nice looks at groups of Common Goldeneye. 

Male and female.

Winter Bald Eagles

Can you tell size difference?  Female on left!

 It's that time of year when either eagles will congregate around open water, carrion, or other resources without territorial battles.  It is also not unheard of for the birds to either start to establish pair bonds, or become re-acquainted. 

There are three birds in this photo.  Can you spot all three?

Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged blackbird, October 2015.  See the incredible, fine detail on the edges of the new feathers.  These buffy fringe-y edges will wear in the course of the bird's activities, and will look much different this coming spring. 

Juncos!

These shots were from some very amenable slate-colored juncos earlier in the fall 2015.  Normally they are on the ground, so the backgrounds are not ideal.  But pine trees make fabulous backgrounds!  Thanks, guys!

Urban Kestrels

This is what it generally looks like to find a kestrel;
bad light, so you just have an outline to work with.

This little female looks like she's nursing a HUGE lunch!

Viva La Red-tails

Not much more to say other than the blog post title.  Nothing like a super cold Minnesota morning to make me dream about warm summers.  And red-tails.

This youngster posed nicely on the treetop.

Short-eared Owls

At sundown, photography can be challenging.  At past sundown, more so.  Add some snow (as in, snowing, not just on the ground), and it's pretty impossible.  Oh, wait - the subject is several hundred yards away.

Short-eared owls hunting.  Past sundown.  As it's snowing.  And they are not choosing to be super-close.

There were two birds hunting at the same time.  You
can see one on the ground, to the far left, and
one flying to the middle/right.