Jocelyn Anderson Photography

A male Eastern Bluebird heading out to follow a female Bluebird.

A Tufted Titmouse on full alert for peanuts to be offered.

I was happy to see a Bald Eagle pass by overhead. The ducks on the nearby river (where the eagle was heading) did not seem nearly as happy and promptly took off.

One of the winter cuties, an American Tree Sparrow, perched along the nature trail. Despite their name, they spend most of their time feeding on the ground.

Turkeys toms strutting along the nature path, with the older turkey walking in the middle of the path. The long distinctive feathers on their chests are called "beards," and around 10% of female turkeys have them. However, the female beards are shorter and thinner.

I heard a Pileated Woodpecker hammering away but wasn't able to locate him at first. I spotted him when he leaned to the side; he was directly on the other side of the tree.

A Rock Pigeon with a threatening aura

A male Red-winged Blackbird patrolling the marsh.

A male Eastern Bluebird scanning the leaf litter from his perch before diving down to hunt insects.

The female of the local Red-tailed Hawk couple. She is taking a break after an unsuccessful hunt; she dove into the marsh but came up empty.

A male Pileated Woodpecker launches from one tree to head to another.

The visible song of a male Red-winged Blackbird in the morning light.

A Great Blue Heron tucking in one leg against the cold while standing along the riverbank.

A Brown Creeper on the hunt for insects hiding the bark. These birds spiral upwards and then will dive down to start again at the bottom of another tree trunk.

The Eastern Chipmunks have been out and about lately on the warmer days. 🐿️

A Bald Eagle with a band on the right foot passes by overhead. Unfortunately I didn't see any numbers nor letters on the band.

A Dark-eyed Junco (slate-colored subspecies) hopping along the nature trail. They are one most common birds in North America, and a lovely winter visitor here in southeast Michigan.

A female Pileated Woodpecker looking around to see what tree to fly to next.

A male Red-tailed Hawk brings in a stick to the new nest location, and a photo of the pair together. This new location is right above the nature trail, with many more branches surrounding the new location than the old one they used for two years.

A fierce Black-capped Chickadee warns away another Chickadee from his perching spot. (Since males are more aggressive than females I'm guessing this is a he.)

The same part of the brain that is used for song in songbirds is used by woodpeckers when they're drumming, suggesting that woodpecker drumming is associated with vocal learning, and is not purely instinctual.

A male Pileated Woodpecker looking around after drumming on a tree. Woodpeckers don't lay claim to their territory with song, but by drumming. It's also used to attract a mate.

Shop update - I've restocked my photography shop and also added new prints: Chickadee with a snowflake, Blue Jays, and a Wood Duck (4x6 sizes shown here.) You can see the new prints here: jocelynandersonphotographyshop.com/collections/... . A thank you to all who have purchased from my shop ♥️

Over the last week the male Red-winged Blackbirds have begun to return to Michigan to claim their breeding grounds, even though the weather is still wintry. This male is calling to let others know this is his territory.

A Trumpeter Swan honking away as he/she passes overhead. These birds are the heaviest native waterfowl in North America and can weigh over 25 lbs.

A Great Blue Heron tucked in against the snowy weather along the river's bank.

A male Eastern Bluebird looking like an angry bird in the blowing snow. I too am ready for the snow to be done and am ready for Spring!

A sweet little Black-capped Chickadee in a beech tree.

A female Pileated Woodpecker working on a fallen log next to the nature trail.

During the breeding season American White Pelicans have a bump on their beak. It's an ornamental display to attract mates, and both females and males have them. This photo was taken in Michigan; these pelicans are primarily found in freshwater lakes and rivers.