Great Blue Heron, Bankston County Park, iowa
Two rainy and gray days in a row but too many things happen out in nature right now and staying home all weekend long was not an option. Joan, dog Cooper, and I went back to Bankston County Park today. Oh, what a great sound from birds all around! Getting them in front of the lens, well, not necessarily a guarantee.
The ‘Middle Fork Little Maquoketa River’ (boy, what a long name!) was relatively clear despite the rain, and is stocked with trout. The Great Blue Heron was flushed by a trout fisherman downstream, flew right up to us, and posed nicely while we hiked down along the river banks.
American Redstart
The American Redstart is a warbler that can be found and will breed in Bankston Park. By the number of birds you can hear high up in the trees you may think it is easy to make a good bird portrait of this warbler, but they are fast and never stay in one spot much longer than a second or two. Insects were present after the rain and the redstarts came down to the river to make a catch. The short opportunities to make the click…