2023/6/24 - PRAIRIE RIDGE BIRD HUNT
DIRECTOR'S CUT EXTENDED EDITION
This is the Director's Cut Extended Edition for this album, meaning I have included many photos which don't meet my typical artistic standards because they hold special memories for me. If you are looking for a shorter and higher quality collection, visit the curated Theatrical Cut at PRAIRIE RIDGE ECOSTATION SUMMER 2023 - THEATRICAL RELEASE.
I hadn't been back to Prairie Ridge yet this year, so I wanted to come see how long the grasses were and who was hanging out. Someone on social media posted a Green Heron they saw recently, and I am a big heron fan so that was my true goal. I found some grasshoppers, dragonflies, and butterflies, but unfortunately no heron and no cutie frogs either. Then I noticed the bird feeders were popping off, so I stood there like a weirdo for a couple hours and watched them come and go.
Giving the pond another chance, I was delighted to see our heron friend doing yoga on the water. They weren't in the most photogenic spot and refused to move for the next hour, so eventually I gave up to avoid heat stroke. Still a win.
American Bird Grasshopper?
Female Eastern Pondhawk
Common Buckeye
Male Eastern Pondhawk
She's called an American Lady but she
also eats poop so who's the real lady
I actually thought I was misremembering this photo (this caption
is written in mid-August), but I really did see a Monarch
at the end of June, that's wild. And now I know he's a male
Purple Martin
Female House Finch
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Eastern Towhee
Blue Jay
Juvenile European Starling (non-native)
So my guy just like squonked and then...
A berry appeared. In this order
Guess he didn't want it
Juvenile Eastern Towhee
Help I actually don't know
Male Indigo Bunting
Male Northern Cardinal - it's completely normal for them to molt their entire heads all at once, although it makes them look like idiots
Downy Woodpecker
It's a squirrel, you've seen them
Carolina Wren
White-breasted Nuthatch
Adult European Starling
Male Brown-headed Cowbird
Mourning Dove (cooOOO coo, coo, coo...)
Juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker
Male House Finch
Northern Cardinal, regular style
American Robin
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Mockingbird
It's time for hot yoga with Green Heron! Hold each pose for 30 seconds
The yoga is hot because it's noon and I'm getting heat stroke right now
Don't forget to stretch!
