Ted

Theodore "Ted" sits prettily in Bob and Janice's living room near the Christmas Tree.

Christmas Birds

We started Christmas morning by filling the bird feeder at Erin's parents' house.

Pine Siskin

Northern Cardinal

(right) Red-bellied Woodpecker, (left) Downy Woodpecker, (back) American Goldfinch

Tufted Titmouse

2012 Christmas Picture

Rick and I hiked around Palisades Kepler State Park for a while before deciding to take our Christmas photo on this sandbar stretching more than halfway across a very low Cedar River.  

Backbone Camping

Rick and I spent a great weekend camping at Backbone State Park!

Yellow-shafted Flicker

adorable Mouse!

view from the scenic overlook near the Backbone trail-head

female Pileated Woodpecker! First time we've ever seen one!

Rick at Backbone Lake

Geese at Backbone Lake

Golden Crowned Kinglet

Carolina Wren singing

Rick's hand vs the holes drilled by Pileated Woodpeckers

juvenile Red-tailed Hawk

White Pelican Migration

Rick and I heard that the White Pelican's were migrating, so we packed up Rocinante and paddled around Lake Macbride until we found their staging area. SO MANY PELICANS!

White Pelican

White Pelicans

Great Egret 

Great Egret

White Tailed Deer

Cedar River Kayaking

With the Cedar River at super low levels, Rick and I felt confident taking Rocinante out on a river we normally wouldn't even consider paddling. The water was so low we had to get out and pull Rocinante over sandbars three different times.

Pied Billed Grebe

Belted Kingfisher

Snapping Turtle

Birdwatching at Lake Macbride

Rick and I got up early to take a stroll around Lake Macbride and do some birdwatching

Yellow Throated Warbler

Downy Woodpecker

Cedar Waxwing

Yellow River Camping

Rick and I spent a long weekend camping at Yellow River State Forest.

Our campsite! Rocinante is laying out to dry and the blue tarp tied to the tree is our makeshift shower curtain/ clothesline. We hang our camp shower beneath the tarp so we can wash up properly without offending any neighbors.

Bald Eagle on the Yellow River

Great Swallowtail Butterfly on a bull thistle

Great Swallowtail Butterflies

Rick and a Rainbow Trout caught in Big Paint Creek

Grosbeak

Erin and a teeny tiny Crawdad she caught by hand in the Yellow River

Rough Winged Swallow

Painted Turtle

A little Bass Rick caught in the mouth of the Yellow River

Viceroy Butterfly - the viceroy is a non-poisonous Monarch mimic, but the black band across the lower wing gives it away. The Monarch doesn't have one.

Lake Macbride

Rick and I took Rocinante out for a paddle around Lake Macbride

Yellow Warbler

Grasshopper Sparrow

Rose Breasted Grosbeak - female

Northern Waterthrush

Our homemade Jugs for Jug-Fishin'

Jug Fishing at Palo Reservoir

Rick and I took Rocinante out for a little Jug Fishing at the Palo Reservoir aka: Pleasant Creek

Painted Turtle

Muskrat - if you look closely, you can see Rocinante's reflection in his eye. We were so close we could hear him chewing that blade of grass!

Green Heron

Ducks on dead trees

Painted Turtles

Erin and a Channel Cat - caught on a jug and stinkbait

Kingbird

Ricky and a little Channel Cat - this one talked a lot!