"Today's Birds!"(pics)

[jonny_redhorse]

took advantage of the sun today!...vacation today also which helped .. headed down to Carey Lake

this morning(not much sun) and again in the late afternoon(full evening sun)....this mornings images weren't the greatest for me... met Jay Mandich(JayMn)this morning at the parking lot and we walked the shoreline for shore birds and the rain soaked trails looking for drummimg grouse...we saw a grouse but he gave us his version of "I'm otta here!" before we could set up and get a few images.....I went back a couple hours ago and found 2 new drumming logs!....5 total now!....and they are drumming to beat the band!...they always quit as I approach though

a spotted sandpiper along the swim beach at Carey Lake(digiscoped)

spotted another grouse on his drummimg log this afternoon

[JayinMN]

It turned out to be a nice day after all. I was freezing by the time we left though this morning. You got some good sandpiper pictures. Here is one loon picture from today thats ok.

[finnbay]

Nice shots, guys! It'll only get better!

[jonny_redhorse]

Thanks guys!.....and a good loon shot Jay!...I hear you on the cold! my fingers were getting stiff carrying that manfrotto around for 2 hours(of course I never wore gloves) !thought it would be warmer but that wind picked up across the lake.........Sure tough to get those classic loon against our "land of sky blue water" shots

with this gray weather and only more to come today and tomorrow....This year there seems to be more loons on little Carey then other years,Maybe those 2 we saw will have little ones...who knows!...would make for some great photo ops.......You're certainly right Ken! been seeing a ton of birds of different species......I saw another sharpshinned (maybe coopers) hawk yesterday at the same spot I saw them 2 weeks ago while looking for drumming grouse....They've got to be nesting somewhere closeby... maybe I'll find em