Nature News -

Today’s post features several topics.

1. Indicators of Spring - I did see and hear a small flock of red-winged blackbirds this morning. For some, the arrival of red-winged blackbirds is their sign of a pending springtime. I will go with that!

2. Since our avian neighbors have done so well the past days providing hints of a warmer season, I thought I would check for an over-achiever wildflower that might have popped up in the warm weather. So far I have struck out. But, I did find two crimson cup fungi showing their colors.

3. Sad news for the eagles in our area… A friend of mine notified me of a dead adult bald eagle within gliding distance of a huge nest visible from Highway 63. From what we can surmise, the eagle may have been attracted to a whitetail deer skeleton and probably was hit by a passing vehicle. I will watch the nest to see if their is any activity. My gut feeling is not good for this season.

4. Very Concerning News - Each of us should read and consider the impacts of this situation - An aquifer supplying water to three growing communities is losing water quantity faster than it can be replaced. Water is a finite asset. We must treat is as such. Check out this article.

A Day of Exploring and Yet Another Indicator of Spring

With temperatures unseasonably mild, I spent the day exploring in Northeast Iowa. One stop was to hike more of Coldwater Creek.

One Dead Goose Does Not Suggest An Outbreak

In a small area of open water where waterfowl have been concentrated this winter I found a dead Canada goose today. This one dead Canada goose alone does…

Another Indicator?

Yesterday I shared photo proof of a northern pintail I found already this spring (one of several). Was that a sign of an early spring? Today I add another possible indicator of the end of winter approaching. Swimming among mallards was a…

A Sign?

Does some of our wildlife know something us humans are unaware of? Today I found a half-dozen northern pintails at Sweet Marsh.

Has the worst of winter passed us and the ducks know it? I certainly hope so!

Same Bird Species - Different Day

I am down a bit for the near future which meant my outdoor efforts today were minimal. Still, I got out for a little while. Bald eagles…

A New Beginning

Every once in awhile a person has a day when activities are out their control. Today will be such a day for me.

Since I was up and around early I walked the perimeter of our ponderosa enjoying the clear late night/early morning sky. Seeing a new day arrive as a starry sky was fading away was calming.

Now it is time to move forward in the day. All is well!

Photography Tip - Position For Impact

For many years I studied images in National Geographic magazines - one publication where with a single photo much impact could be created. Frequently those observations will swirl in the back of my head - how was a scene composed to create visual impact?

This afternoon while hiking I came across several clumps of whitetail deer hair. Seeing the hair led me to believe I was near a carcass and the hair was either blowing from the death scene or being carried by scavengers. With little effort I found what remained of the dead deer - a young buck. I quickly recognized an opportunity for a photography teaching/learning moment.

My first photo was composed as I suspect many people would… hold the camera at eye level, frame up the remains, and press the shutter release button.

Then I decided to create an image with impact. How could I do that? By composing the scene with the deer skull, pink underside of the hide, and antlers close with the background falling out of focus.

Both images convey the same message, “I found a dead deer.” The second image delivers that message with impact - almost an “in your face” view of “I found a dead deer.”

Coldwater Creek Wildlife Management Area

When I woke this morning I made a quick decision to drive to the Coldwater Creek Wildlife Management Area to hike to the source of Coldwater Creek. This was not a huge undertaking, but not a walk in the park either. Due to crossing the trout stream multiple times, I did the hike wearing neoprene chest waders.

Kristy and I had explored a very small part of Coldwater Creek last year, but since we did not have…

Canada Geese Having Fun or Saving Energy

While watching along the Cedar River today I observed a flock of Canada geese floating down river on a sheet of ice. I don’t know if they were having fun or saving their energy.

View a video of this at the following link:

Canada Geese on Ice Floating Down the River

Ice Harvest Festival 2026

This morning I observed (and photographed) the 2026 Ice Harvest Festival at Big Woods Lake in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I will share some photos here, but I encourage you to watch this short video to see an Amish fellow and his sons demonstrate ice harvesting.

“Scenes from the 2026 Ice Harvest Festival at Big Woods Lake”

Warm Season Reminders

During my woodland hike this morning I saw not one, not two, but a bunch of American robins bouncing around in the trees. Speaking only for myself, I am ready to hear these birds and their warm-season family members on a regular basis. in other words, I am ready for spring.

Pardon the Repetition

Many times this winter I have shared images of trumpeter swans. Hopefully most viewers appreciate the beauty of these magnificent birds, even if I frequently include swan images in my daily posts. Pardon the repetition.

February is Done!

My personality is such that when I decide on something, I will get it completed or I will nearly die trying. One self-commitment made decades ago was to go paddling every month of the year. For many years I have completed that goal and 2026 will not be different. Today I took care of paddling in February when I took my canoe out on the Shell Rock River for a brief outing.

Winter Waterfall Images (and more)

Before the sun was up this morning I was on my way to the closest waterfall to our home - the waterfall on a trout stream. Remembering my last visit, I packed chest waders today so I would be able to approach closer to the falls for more intimate images.

Even though I was wearing neoprene waders, the fact that the air temperature was 8-degrees and the water was whatever temperature trout streams are, meant my feet got cold… very cold. Even with my “Grandpa Socks” my toes did not stay warm as I walked in snow and cold water to the falls. Still, I continued on and was able to record images I won’t be able to record any other time of year.

Mid-20’s Felt Like Spring Time!

What a wonderful difference warmer temperatures made in the outdoor world today. Critters of all sorts were out in the open feeding and moving around. It was as if springtime had arrived and the natural world came alive after months of winter slumber. Of course I know the pleasures of today are temporary and we are almost certainly going to have cold, wind, and snow. Still, it was nice today.

In my travels I saw another merlin (a special find), trumpeter swans, and bald eagles, along with a ‘possum out wandering in corn stubble.

25-years and Flight Patterns and Wing Colorations

Today is a special day. On this day I am beginning my 25th year of posting “A Picture A Day” without missing a single day. Sometimes I had to wait until I had Internet connectivity or time, but I have photographed and shared an image from each day, now beginning my 25th year.

Late this afternoon I checked out an area for possible short-eared owls. While I did not see any short-eared owls, there were other birds of prey active in the sky. I was able to quickly recognize two species by their flight patterns and confirmed my thoughts by wing…

Fresh Roadkill For a Family Reunion

Along Highway 63 I found a fresh road killed whitetail deer that most of a bald eagle family tree had already found. Young birds, adult birds… there were bald eagles all around. Some stood out in corn stubble not far from the dead animal while others moved to a tree where they appeared to discuss the situation.

Rough-legged Hawk - Dark Morph

The search was on for wildlife (probably a bird species) as we drove north. Almost 200-miles later and where did we find something worthy of photography? Just three miles from our home.

This bird was a dark-morph rough-legged hawk. At least one other rough-legged hawk was in the air nearby. Both were hunting over a grassland area.

“Gray Ghost” Bird

During my activities today I was fortunate to see a number of wildlife species. Although none were unusual, each was worth watching and enjoying.

As I wondered what my image for today might be, I was blessed to have three male northern harriers hard at work not far from where I was parked and watching. I am thankful at least a couple/few of the images were worth sharing with others.

FYI - Some birders refer to the male northern harrier (featured here) as the “Gray Ghost.”