Drive the Refuge

Come along as I drive the Duck River Unit of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge, a birder's paradise. Here's a collection of images as I made my way into and out of the refuge.

The refuge is home to birds in all shapes and sizes and colors and in all the varying habitats within the refuge. A twist in the road and you scare up a large wading bird who takes flight from the intrusion. You don't mean to intrude, but with the grasses along the road obscuring what lay on the other side, and the swamps adjacent to the road much lower, it is inevitable. A few of the birds I encountered:

Great Blue Heron, Great White Egret, Mallard Ducks,
Eastern Kingbird, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, Bobolink, Yellow Headed Blackbird

I hope you enjoyed the drive and would love to know if you have a favorite photo.

If you are in the Eastern United States, we're in the throws of a full blown heat wave, so be careful out of doors. Have an enjoyable weekend all. ENJOY!

Boblink, Life Bird #2, Duck River Unit

The Duck River Unit of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge is a huge haven for birds who love grasslands, reeds and endless fields of wildflowers. Yesterday, I captured this beauty along the side of the road where the grasses were a tad taller. As I neared him, he would fly off obviously. He was accompanied by four or five other Bobolinks. This is a second life bird in one day for me!

Sorry for the very cropped image and horrific background, but I had to share as this Bobolink's markings are so unique. A yellow backed head and white wings. I read Bobolinks breed in the north central and north east areas of the United States. They migrate to the Southern states. The Duck River Unit would be a perfect habitat for them to breed. No doubt why they chose to stop over here. When I can't identify a bird in the field, I snap images and crop tightly in my software to identify them. This was the only descent image worth posting and I only post it as it's a life bird. I couldn't help myself. My bird life list is growing. It's a scorcher today if you are in the Midwest and especially the South in the States, so hydrate. ENJOY!