Red-breasted Nuthatch and a Visit to White Oak Park

On Friday, a Brown Creeper caught my eye in my yard on Glenn Avenue in Normal when I was on my way inside. I took my camera out to attempt to photograph it. Then I saw two Red-breasted Nuthatches flying around in the treetops and making a couple of quick visits to my feeders. They darted down to the feeders and back at amazing speeds. I was able to take a few pictures while my fingers were stinging from the cold autumn morning air, but none of very good quality.





I also saw about nine Dark-eyed Juncos, four Black-capped Chickadees, and a Chipping Sparrow in my yard.

Later that morning I went to White Oak Park to check out the Bufflehead, Mute Swan and some of the other birds that Matthew Winks recently sighted there. I saw the Bufflehead floating in the middle of the lake with four Ring-necked Ducks. I would have liked to have gotten a little closer, but I could at least recognize what they were with the zoom on my camera.



Then I stopped to take a look at the new resident Mute Swan. Thanks to Matthew, I now understand that this bird is nonnative to North America and can be intrusive to native species. I am not crazy about nonnative species either; however, I still enjoyed viewing this magnificent creature.



I took a few fun photos of some common birds.





Then suddenly I saw a large white Raptor flying toward me. The last thing I was expecting to see was an Osprey, and it flew right over my head. What a wonderful surprise!



I saw a few Sparrows in the tall grass and numerous Coots and Pie-billed Grebes. I managed to get a closeup view of a couple of the Grebes before I left.