I head down to Crex Meadows Wildlife Area near Grantsburg, Wisconsin to search for my Lifer Olympia Marble butterfly. I also stumble upon one of the most beautiful turtles in North America…the Blanding’s Turtle (which promptly “mauls” me 🙂
Vesper and Grasshopper sparrows are singing, along with Eastern Towhees, Trumpeter Swans and Eastern Kingbirds.
It is hot, and the mosquitos are awful, but I find multiple species of butterflies to photograph including Hoary Elfin, Juvenal’s Duskywing, Silvery Blue, and, my main target, Olympia Marble…the butterfly that looks like its been brushed with gold foil!
Too much time in front of the computer lately, so a quick trip to Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in Wisconsin was in order.
My main target was the OLYMPIA MARBLE, a small white butterfly that doesn’t look like much while flitting about a grassland, but when it lands it reveals the stunning underwings that are marbled with a glittery green/gold.
Because of my research on Mike Reese’s wonderful wisconsinbutterflies.org site, I found several only two minutes after I arrived. Hmmmm, this will be easy, I thought. But I quickly found out that these butterflies are very particular about which flower they land on…and it takes them a loooong time to do so.
Their host plant is Rock Cress (Arabis sp.), a 6-12″ unassuming plant with a few groups of 4-petaled white tiny flower at their apex. And there were many in full bloom in this patch of grassland.
With camera in hand, and flash ready to fire, I would follow a flying Olympia Marble across the prairie waiting for it to land on a Rock Cress after which I’d drop to the ground, prone on the prickly prairie, to get an eye-level shot of a stunning butterfly. But 9 times out of 10 (19 times out of 20?) the little butterfly would already have moved on by the time I was in position. The few times it did begin to nectar, it only did so for a very few seconds, leaving while I was still trying to focus on the very tiny flowerhead. I was left to grunt and groan as I tried to get back onto my feet to pursue it yet again.
Not only this, but I failed to realize that while the mosquitoes had not yet emerged in northern Minnesota, they were out if full force at Crex, and they were joined by their friends the Black Flies. No bug dope in my van. Zero. Despite the 75 degree temps I had to don my wool Ullfrotte jacket. Not comfortable.
I still wonder why the Marbles pass up countless Rock Cress that look perfectly fine to me….What do they know that I don’t? Are some already stripped of nectar? If so, how do they know? Smell? Look?
Finally I was able to get in position and click off a few frames on a couple occasions. It only took 2 hours but I finally had a satisfying image showing the glorious underwings.
**All photos taken with Canon R5 and Canon 100-500mm lens; f8 at 1/200 second; fill flash with Flashpoint flash and MagMod flash extender at 1/16 to 1/32 power.
Sparky makes two visits (April 21 and April 26) to find out. Highlights include a huge flock of ducks, a late Rough-legged Hawk, 8 species of ducks, Sandhill Cranes. We look for a Canada Jay nest, listen to overhead displaying Snipe and walk the Bob Russell Bogwalk. Sparky also shares about the Sax-Zim Bog connection to a new book about Dutchman Arjan Dwarshuis’s World Big Year record in 2016.
Plus, we find out about the new boardwalk and trail planned for Sax-Zim in 2023.
Churchill Manitoba on Hudson Bay is a premiere destination for bird photography and birding. It is one of the most accessible tundra habitats in North America. Home to Arctic Hare, Willow Ptarmigan, Short-billed Dowitcher, Tundra Swan, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Nelson’s Sparrow, Common Redpoll, Common Eider, Pacific Loon, Red-throated Loon, Hudsonian Godwit, Beluga Whale, Harbor Seal and more.
Cape Merry is an awesome spot to watch the hundreds of Beluga Whales feast on Capelin fish in the Churchill River. Many Red-throated Loons are flying by at eye level!
In part 2 of my June 2022 trip, I take you along on a birding and bird photography trip; Halfway Point, Fox Drive, Twin Lakes Road, Goose Creek Road, Coast Road. We also do some bushwhacking out on the wet tundra looking for birds and nests.
I get a little too close (accidentally) to a Parasitic Jaeger nest. I also takes you along on a zodiac tour of the Churchill River with James of Sea North where we get up close and personal with dozens of Beluga Whales.
(Yes, this was June of 2022…and it has taken me 10 months to finish this part 2 video!)
Birding and bird photography in South Texas’ Lower Rio Grande Valley part 3. Highlights include Aplomado Falcon along Old Port Isabel Road, Red-crowned Parrot pair in Sabal Palm Sanctuary, nine species of wading birds along the boardwalk at South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center. Sparky also visits Laguna Atacosa National Wildlife Refuge and SpaceX along Boca Chica Road. Sparky gets video of a spastically hunting Reddish Egret, White-tailed Hawk, White-tailed Kite, Clay-colored Thrush, Green Jays and Altamira Oriole. January 2023.
And he goes down memory lane to his rarest mammal sighting ever!
Leaving snowy Minnesota behind Sparky returns to the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas for some birding and bird photography.
I explore Estero Llano Grande & Bentsen state parks and find some great stuff including roosting Pauraques, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Tropical Kingbird (what a great name!), Red-crowned Parrots, Gray Hawk, White-tipped Doves, Hook-billed Kite, Least Grebe, White-faced Ibis, Cinnamon Teal
It has been 35 YEARS since my first trip here and 15 years since my last visit, and I share some memories from 2008 when Ryan Marshik and I participated in the Valley Land Fund photo contest.
One of my goals is to add species to my “Photographed List,” which stands at 525 species for the ABA area (north of Mexico in North America). In this episode I add 4 new species and improve on my photos for 8 more species. I don’t find the Social Flycatcher so I do not add any Lifers to my ABA birding list.
Stay tuned for Part 2 when I rent out an entire Texas ranch for bird photography!
On a whim, Sparky stops by Crex Meadows in western Wisconsin on his way home from a conference in St. Paul…and despite the initial BLAAH light and heavy overcast, he stays and the light suddenly turns magical…WHAAT!
Sandhill Cranes and Trumpeter Swans are the avian highlights.
Sparky tries shooting through the red fall foliage to create some unique and creative wildlife photos.
All photos taken with Canon R5 and Canon 100-500mm lens
Is it possible to get into the heart of a Western Grebe colony and witness the amazing and complex courtship of these water birds? It certainly is….if you use a floating blind/floating hide. In this episode of Shooting with Sparky he and Ryan take you out to central North Dakota’s prairie pothole region where spring bird courtship was in full swing! Western Grebes were the star of the show, performing their courtship rituals right in front of us including the “weed-dance,” “dip-shaking,” and of course, “rushing.”
Bird photography/Bird video from a floating blind is not an easy thing…but the Canon R5 makes it MUCH more possible. The animal-eye tracking works wonderfully when shooting at water level.
Other birds encountered included Eared Grebes, Red-necked Grebes, courting Forster’s Terns, American Avocets, Dunlin, and we visit an old friend at their nest, the Ferruginous Hawk.
September 21, 2023
Sparky Stensaas
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