"The ice is gone! (pics)

[jonny_redhorse]

and the loons are lovin it! .....took my usual "walk in the woods" at Carey Lake this morning thinking it was going to rain but the weather gods were with us !...blue sky and sun!...go figure!....but the off side there was a sustained 30 mile an hour wind flappin my ears! ....and the temps were only like 34 degrees.....was it cold or what by the lake! ...but it was worth it...got a few decent images even with the strong winds....and of course a few more images of other birds....

and grouse still on the drumming logs

yellow rumped warbler?

sparrow of some sort...I think it's a plain ole song sparrow

robins sure are having a good ole time since the snows have finally gone!

[finnbay]

Really like the first loon and the grouse! Gotta be fun to have some sun to shoot in again!

[JayinMN]

Nice images Johnny, I need to find a drumming log. I hear them behind my house, but they are pretty skittish since they know I eat them comes hunting season. I think I am going to head to Zim this evening and see what I can find blowing around in the wind ...lol

[jonny_redhorse]

Thanks Ken and Jay.......Jay,meet me at Carey if you would like and I'll show you the drumming logs.... just pic your time for convenience....one log didn't have one this morning but the other 2 did....

[JayinMN]

Johnny, are you free at all during the day this week?

[jonny_redhorse]

Jay,not untill after 3:00 each day this upcoming week(work Days)....certainly could go tomorrow(Sunday morning or later) but will be on vacation friday ...I usually go to Carey in the morning(when I'm on afternoons) but see no reason why they wouldn't be there on the logs after 3:00...I thought of setting up a blind but just tough to get up before light,run down to carey,set it up in the dark...best bet would be to set up a blind and leave it there but to many people would see it since a couple of the drumming logs are close to traffic usage areas and no doubt someone would see my blind and "snipe" it! ....or a guy could just"wait em out" and spend a good portion of the day waiting a few feet motionless for "that shot"

[JayinMN]

I had a feeling you were going to days since you have been at Carey Lake during the day this week. I leave for work at 3:30 so that makes our schedules exactly opposite of each others this week. I can't make it tommorow, I have a coupole things I need to do in the morning, then I have to go to work. I know what your saying about the blind, it would disappear as soon as you left it. I don't even like leaving stuff out in my own woods with out worrying about the neighbor kids or someone taking it.

[jonny_redhorse]

looks like a "maybe" for you this upcoming friday?....I could go anytime that day and they should still be drumming....

[JayinMN]

Friday should be a go, sometime in the A.M?

[jonny_redhorse]

Sounds good Jay!...Last week I was at Carey about 8:00am or so...they were already drumming when I walked by their logs......I saw one on his log yesterday about 10:00 so I don't think it really makes any difference time wise...I'll be at the main parking lot by the beach at 7:30....can go to all 3 logs from there....these grouse must know me by now! ...still have yet to get an actual pic of one doing the drumming but I'm satisfied just to get a nice "grouse portrait" of a grouse on a log....

[JayinMN]

I'll meet you there at 7:30!

[jonny_redhorse]

I'll be there!....checked out 2 logs after work and nothing on one but the other had one!...put the sneak on him but he got me ....got a couple images but not keepers

[DMN]

Nice pics, really like the grouse.

Thanks

DMN