NATURE CLICKS #619 - PURPLE FINCHES

Male Purple Finch, Little Maquoketa Valley, Iowa

Purple Finches with their big beaks are winter guests here in eastern Iowa that have their breeding territory further up in North America. We used to see a lot more of them 15-20 years ago but it seems like that House Finches outnumber them more and more. However, we still had a few Purple Finches all winter long and during the last few days with warmer weather their numbers increased slightly.

Female Purple Finch

This weekend the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) takes place and people report bird observations in order to help scientists better understand and protect birds around the world. I spent quite some time during the last couple days with the camera outside and counted every bird I saw in our front yard this morning at the feeders, bird baths, and in the surrounding woods. Six Purple Finches were among 17 other species that showed up.

Male Purple Finch

Female Purple Finch

All images: Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z TC-1.4x

BETTER THAN EMPTY-HANDED

Merlin, Green Island Wildlife Management Area, Iowa

During a search for some Short-eared Owls earlier this week I didn’t come back totally empty-handed. While slowly driving down the gravel road this merlin posed nicely in a tree next to the road. All what I had to do was to lower the side window of the car a little more, aim the lens at the bird, and press the shutter release button of the camera. It isn’t always that easy to make a click and definitely better than going home without a picture on the memory card…😊

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z TC-1.4x,    @ 840mm, 1/1000s, f/9, ISO 1000, image slightly cropped

  • The identification of the bird was changed 02/13/2026 by the author.

WINTER BIRDS, LARGE NUMBERS

Dark-eyed Junco

On a clear and sunny winter day it is easy to make the click for the birds that visit our front or backyard. I love how the light bounces off the snow on the ground and hugs the birds from all sides and let the colors pop. No enhancement with a hint of flash is necessary as I often use when the sky is gray. Although today’s photos were all made at the house, I try to keep any feeder or bird bath out of the frame and make the shots while the birds are perched in a tree or bush just before they enter. The three bird species I can share with you today are here in larger numbers at these cold temperatures we still experience.

Dark-eyed Juncos are medium sized sparrows that feed mostly on the ground. They are here in eastern Iowa only during the cold season and when the last one disappears we know spring is on its way. They are hard to count but I guess 30-40 juncos are around most of the day.

American Robin

A flock of 30 or more American Robins use the berries of the eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana) that grow here on the bluffs of the Little Maquoketa River Valley as a food source. These juniper berries are not really a true berry but a vital food source for many bird species. Most people see the robins as a spring indicator but we are lucky enough to have them all winter long. The robins come to the house mostly for drinking out of a bird bath and probably for warming up a little bit as well. I maintain three of them and they get filled often 2 or 3 times a day.

American Goldfinch, winter male

American Goldfinches, now in their winter plumage, enjoy the ”full service” we provide, means they feed at our sunflower seed feeders or on the ground and also use the bird baths for a drink. The goldfinches share the spots at the feeders with other finches, sparrows, and cardinals.

NATURE CLICKS #618 - ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK

Rough-legged Hawk, Green Island Wildlife Management Area, Iowa

Not so easy to get in front of the camera was a pair of Rough-legged Hawks I found yesterday on ”wildlife patrol” in the Green Island Wildlife Management Area. These hawks have their breeding grounds in tundra habitats of North America, way up north in Canada, but migrate to the Central United States for the winter. These opportunistic predators feed mostly on small mammals, like voles, mice, or even rabbits, but won’t refuse birds either.

AT THE OPEN WATER

Bald Eagle, Mississippi River, Bellevue, Iowa

The people that live here in the Upper Mississippi Valley know if you like to see Bald Eagles during these very cold temperatures, you have to visit the places with open water. Since the big river is almost everywhere covered with ice, you can find the eagles mostly below the locks & dams that enable the boat traffic during the warm season and are placed about every 30 miles in the Mississippi River.

Juvenile Bald Eagle

I went to Lock & Dam #12 in Bellevue today and found more than a dozen Bald Eagles soaring above the water and hunting for fish. It took a little patience and a long focal length (840 mm) to get them in the viewfinder. The sun came out for a little bit and made for nice afternoon light. At -15ºC / 5ºF warm clothes, warm boots, and gloves are mandatory if you want to have fun and enjoy the photography of these majestic birds…

FRESH PLANTS EVERY DAY

Common Muskrat, Sageville Marsh, Iowa

Muskrats are not total vegetarians but about 95% of their diet is plant material, like cattails or water lilies. During the winter time their fur is thick and looks beautiful, at least when not completely wet.

I went to a pond nearby today, a habitat where I had photographed American Beavers some years ago, but there was no evidence for the presence of beavers today. As far I can remember, muskrats have always been at this pond at the Sageville Marsh, Iowa and I found this cute critter feeding on the ice what looks like the tuber of a water lily. Unlike beavers, muskrats do not store food for the winter. They need to eat fresh plants each day. The pond was still frozen for the most part but the muskrats had made a couple channels from their burrows in the banks of the pond through the mud to reach food under the ice.

Common Muskrats are beneficial for the ecosystem. They are the food source for a number of predators, like minks, and their abandoned burrows provide homes for several other species. They often create open spaces in the water that is used by waterfowl or wading birds.

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z TC-1.4x, Benro MSDPL46C SupaDupa Monopod, Monopod Gimbal Head    @ 840mm, both photos cropped

SURPRISE IN THE MORNING

Sharp-shinned Hawk, Little Maquoketa Valley, eastern Iowa

When I get out of bed I first have always a look through the window at our bird feeders and bird baths. No birds were present this morning and that quite often means that a predator is nearby. It took a couple seconds until I realized that our Sharp-shinned Hawk, that we see here during winter time , was sitting right next to the bird feeders on a perch that I had built for our feathered friends. Some of the smaller birds were hiding in a mountain pine that grows right beside the house and some juncos and sparrows were probably under the porch. The hawk knew it and had obviously missed a surprise attack earlier. The raptor was just waiting for another chance to strike.

I grabbed the camera quickly, took off the lens hood, and tried to shoot through the glass of the window. Let me tell you, I was struggling with this situation. First I was too close to the bird and below the minimum focus distance of about 4 meters. So I stepped back about a foot and tried to shoot from a distance through the glass. Usually that doesn’t work well and focus is difficult to obtain. Second, I still had the 1.4 teleconverter attached to the lens and only had the upper part of the hawk without the tail in the frame. The Sharp-shinned Hawk still posed nicely and I quickly removed the TC.

I don’t know how I finally got that shot halfway sharp, while taking the picture under a 45 degree angle through the glass and about a foot away from the window. However, it was a great way to start my day this morning…!

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S

2026, GOOD START WITH MERGANSERS

Common Mergansers, Mississippi River, Sabula, Iowa

Before anything new is written here I like to thank all visitors and readers of my blog for their ongoing support in 2025! I know, there is a lot of great photography in the world wide web you can enjoy every day and I’m humbled that you spent some of your valuable time on my website last year. I wish all of you a peaceful and happy year 2026!

After quite a few gray days we had a little bit of sun coming out today. A good reason to check out the situation 40 miles south on Iowa’s Island City Sabula. During my visit last week I saw some good numbers of Common Mergansers on the open water of the Mississippi River, unfortunately too far away. With permission of the gentleman in the Island City Harbor Store I was able to drive my car out on one of their private dikes and use the car as a photo blind and work with the Common Mergansers. Here are some of my first wildlife pictures in 2026 I’m excited to share with you.

This is at the small entrance to the harbor. The edge of the ice was right there. The mergansers approach it in small groups and one after another dives down with a slight leap and swims under the ice into the frozen marina.

Quite often there is nothing in their bill when they appear again at the water surface but his female had caught a nice little fish. Common Mergansers can stay under water for up to 2 minutes but most of the time they dive for less than 30 seconds (source: allabout birds website).

Watching the birds closely is important if you like to catch the good moments, like when they lift out of the water and flap the wings and shake off water from their feathers.

Here is the bonus shot. This juvenile Trumpeter Swan just swam along the shore with some male mergansers in tow. The head is still gray but the rest of the plumage is already getting snowy white and shows that the bird will be considered as an adult soon. Trumpeter Swans need the open water for feeding aquatic plants and the ice on its bill is proof that this bird had foraged earlier this morning.

A LAST VISIT

Bald Eagle, Mississippi River, Sabula, Iowa

Today was probably the last time in 2025 I visited the Green Island Wetlands and ”Iowa’s Island City” Sabula at the Mississippi River. The statistics in my picture library tell me that I was 20 times in this area this year. Every season is different and each visit doesn’t lead necessarily to some good photos. Sometimes it’s overwhelming and quick decisions have to be made about where to point the lens next. Other times, like today, it takes a long time to have something in the frame that is worth to push the shutter release button on the camera.

Today it was mostly raptors that showed up since all the water bodies were frozen. I saw three Northern Harriers, a couple Red-tailed Hawks, and along the road to Sabula three American Kestrels.

The click for this Bald Eagle was made right after the bird took off from the ice and flew over to a dead tree where its mate was already waiting.

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z TC-1.4x,    @ 840mm, 1/800s, f/9, ISO 3200, image cropped

THEY ARE ALL HERE

Male Northern Cardinal, his size guarantees quick access to a bird feeder and respect by any finch or sparrow.

It was a cold morning (-4ºF /-20ºC) and the temperature never got higher than 9ºF /-13ºC in our neighborhood today. With still plenty of snow on the ground the birds have a high demand to eat and keep their energy level up to withstand these cold temperatures. Well, we do our share to support them and keep all bird feeders around the house filled and provide fresh water in three heated bird baths. Sunflower seed and suet feeders are heavily used by the birds and often they are waiting on a nearby perch until it is their turn.

Downy Woodpecker, waiting for its turn to access a suet feeder that was occupied by a much larger Red-bellied Woodpecker.

I spent a couple hours in my warmest winter clothing and tried to make a few clicks during the late morning. The goal is to keep the bird feeders out of the frame, but sometimes that doesn’t work and some final cropping of the picture in post process is required. I practiced with the relatively new BENRO monopod again and slowly but surely the handling becomes an unconscious task and my mind can be focussed on the story telling aspects of the photo again. Nothing spectacular today, but I hope you find some enjoyment by looking at today’s photos from a cold Sunday.

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, BENRO MSDPL46C SupaDupa Monopod, Monopod Gimbal Head, some images shot with Westscott FJ80 II speed light.

The best singer during the winter season, the Carolina Wren. Very happy to have a pair in the neighborhood.

A not so common guest below the bird feeders, a Fox Sparrow. They are bigger than any of the other sparrows or finches.

It’s impossible to count the American Goldfinches on a day like this. They are constantly on the move. Although in their winter plumage, the males can still win any beauty contests.

IN FRESH SNOW

The long time and avid reader of my blog knows already how much I love shooting birds and other wildlife when there is fresh snow available. The three photos from today are already a few days old and were made just after we had our second snowfall here in eastern Iowa. The quality of the light is just great when it bounces off the ground from below. And the best thing is, the white stuff covers the brown and gray that you can find on the floor of a deciduous forest at this time of year the year.

The photo of the Mourning Dove was made during the early morning, with a little bit of an overcast present, but a hint of flash reveals the nice color nuances and texture in the bird’s feathers.

The White-tailed Deer come quite often out into the open shortly before sunset and that gives us a chance to make the click at the edge of the woods, with the deer nicely lit by the warm sunlight against the cold snow in the background.

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z TC-1.4x, Benro MSDPL46C SupaDupa Monopod, Monopod Gimbal Head

NATURE CLICKS #617 - NORTHERN PINTAIL

Northern Pintail, Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

Although it’s tempting to focus only on the biggest attractions of an area with wildlife, like the large numbers of geese in the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, all the other birds we were able to watch deserve some attention as well. The Northern Pintail is one of the most beautiful ducks and their unique body features make it easy to identify them. Both of my photos today show males and I was wondering if they used Hagerman NWR just as a place to rest while still migrating further south to Mexico.

SNOW / ROSS’S GEESE AT HAGERMAN NWR, TEXAS

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

We skipped the first snowstorm here in Iowa and spent instead a few more days in northern Texas. Our campsite was in Eisenhower State Park at Lake Texoma but the real destination of this trip was just half an hour away, the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. It was two days of intensive bird watching and photography. The highlight at this time of the season is a large number of Snow and Ross’s Geese that come down from the arctic regions and spent the winter in the wetlands of Hagerman refuge.

Snow and Ross’s Geese, Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

The Friends of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge have an excellent website and they perform a weekly bird census, that is mainly done for research but helps to prepare for such a trip as ours and gives you an idea what to look for. https://friendsofhagerman.com/

I like to share a few photos from Tuesday last week and the bird census for that day shows an estimate of 6000 geese that were present, Beside that, over 80 species of birds were counted by the volunteers. We have of course not seen all of them but still enough to make it two memorable days.

Snow Geese, Blue morph with a white in the background

Maybe something had spooked the whole flock of geese and suddenly they were all up in the air

The photography can be overwhelming at times. What tells the story better, the flock of geese as a whole or the shot of some individuals? It is not always easy to separate the birds from each other in the viewfinder and getting an impression about the large number of birds seems to be important as well.

The geese feed on fresh wheat in the refuge, planted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

AFTER THE RAIN

Historical stockyard in Fort Worth, Texas

This photo may leave the question, what is really the subject here? Is it the remains of the old stockyard in the foreground, the impressive clouds in the background, or even the rainbow that appeared while the rain front moved out of the area? For me it is the overall mood of the weather, combined with the warm light from the low sitting sun on the wood of the livestock pens. None of each mentioned element in the frame would stand out on its own, it’s the light and colors that bring it all together for a memorable image.

GREETING AND WARNING

Black-tailed Prairie Dog performing a "jump-yip"

Prairie dogs are highly social animals and within a family group many ways of greeting or alarming each other are performed. We visited the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge a couple days ago and found two prairie dog towns in the grassland among several other habitats, like a lake and marshy areas. We love prairie dogs and despite a pretty harsh light situation around their burrows we couldn’t resist to point the lens at these funny and entertaining ground squirrels.

Black-tailed Prairie Dogs greeting each other, Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge near Azle, Texas