When I find a bird I want to photograph I usually start taking photos as soon as I see it. I then try to move closer taking more photographs as I move. Normally the bird fly before I get really close but this Tree Swallow continued to pose for photograph as I moved closer. I had my lens fully extended for all of the shots.
Not long ago the goslings hatched at Hoffman Hills. We stopped by to check on them a few days later and found them feeding on pond scum.
The trees are really budding out at Hoffman Hills.
I have been seeing quite a few Tree Swallows at Hoffman Hills. This pair was checking out some nesting sites.
A favorite spring photograph subject is spring tree buds.
The last several times we have been at Hoffman Hills we have seen warblers. There have been a lot of Yellow-rumped Warblers around.
We also saw one Palm Warbler.
Yesterday we watched as a pair of Canada Geese debuted their goslings. Today we were up early and headed to Hoffman Hills to see if the goslings were off of the nest. When we arrived we noticed that the female was off of the nest and the goslings were wandering around eating.
Shortly after we arrived the adults took to the water and most of the goslings were right behind them.
They paddled clear across the pond on their first outing.
We decided to walk around the pond and when we arrived on the other side everyone was up on shore feeding. We watched them for a short time then continued on our hike.
As we were starting back toward the pond where the geese were we noticed that they had walked the 100 yards from the first to the second pond. They then proceeded to swim across the second lake. We didn’t stick around to watch them but I suspect the goslings all took a nap after a strenuous workout.
Every spring we watch a pair of Canada Geese raise their young at Hoffman Hills. We had a good idea that the gosling would be hatching at any time so we were making frequent visits to Hoffman Hills. When we arrived we noticed that things had change. Both adult geese were near the nest and the female was sitting with it’s head up. Normally she has here head lying on the ground. We new something was up but we didn’t see any gosling.
We walked around for a while and when we returned to the area of the nest we noticed that the female on the nest was moving around so we figured there were some gosling trying to get out. We watched for a while and sure enough one of them popped out and we could see a few more under here wing.
We have been seeing Sandhill Cranes in the area. More photos from Hoffman Hills can be found on my website.
There was a Wood Duck in the first pond.
Lots of last years Cattails are still around
Early morning dew was hanging off of some Blackberry bushes. More photos from Hoffman Hills can be found on my website.
