This wild mink was busy diving through a small hole in the ice and bringing up frogs and crayfish, frogs... meh, crayfish were really what it wanted. #mink #wildlife #nature #naturelovers #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #outdoors #photooftheday #winter

Dark-eyed juncos, visitors from the north, to my area in #wisconsin over the winter months. #birds #junco #nature #birdphotography #naturephotography #birdoftheday #naturelover #photography

The water here was deeper than I usually see them making a catch in, after catching a small carp this great blue heron made its way toward shore where it finished its meal. #birds #heron #nature #naturephotography #birdphotography #fish #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wisconsin #outdoors #wetlands

Whooping crane pair. Seeing this pair so close during the summer months at a local wetland was amazing. #crane #whoopingcrane #birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #photography #outdoors #wisconsin

Not photo shopped or AI. In the right place at the right time, juvenile bald eagle passing in front of the daytime moon. Sometimes luck is everything. #moon #eagle #luck #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #naturelover #wisconsin #photooftheday

Male/female white-breasted nuthatches, classic pose, upside down, clinging to the side of a tree. #birds #winter #nuthatch #woodland #snow #wisconsin #birdphotography #naturephotography #naturelover #photography #birdoftheday #sonyalpha

It was a good day to see a few short-eared owls flying over the grasslands in search of mice and voles. #owl #raptor #birdsofprey #birds #nature #naturephotography #birdphotography #wisconsin #grassland #photography #birdoftheday #outdoors

Short-eared owl approaching low and fast, it only flew up and directly over me when it was about twenty feet from me. #owl #raptor #birdofprey #shorearedowl #birds #birdphotography #birdoftheday #grassland #wisconsin #photography #birdsofbluesky

Male red-bellied woodpecker giving me some great captures as I walked through a wooded area. #woodpecker #woodland #winter #birds #birdphotography #birdoftheday #nature #naturelover #wisconsin #outdoors

Fresh snowfall and a bright red male northern cardinal to accentuate it... priceless 😁 #snow #birds #northerncardinal #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #photography #wisconsin #birdoftheday #outdoors

Indigo bunting from this summer. #blue #indigobunting #birds #nature #naturephotogrpahy #birdphotography #photography #birdoftheday #wisconsin #outdoors

Hello winter.🥶 Bumblebees on stiff milkweed and a sunflower. Something to brighten the mood here on a cold, cloudy winter day. Snow overnight and more on the way tonight. #winter #mood #bumblebee #pollinator #flower #nature #naturelover #naturephotography #wisconsin #photography #outdoors

Snowy owl in a farm field, most often seen sitting on the ground but they will perch on top of utility poles or other structures overlooking an area that they are watching for prey. #owl #snowyowl #birds #birdphotography #birdoftheday #nature #naturephotography #birdsofprey #photography #wisconsin

Male hooded merganser, Lake Winnebago #waterfowl #duck #merganser #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wisconsin #outdoors

Short-eared owl with a catch. #owl #owls #raptor #birdsofprey #birds #naturelovers #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #grassland #wisconsin #outdoors

From yesterday afternoon, short-eared owl taking a short break from its late afternoon hunting at a state grassland area. #raptor #owl #shortearedhowl #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #grassland #wisconsin #outdoors #birdofprey

Early morning capture of a great egret. #egret #heron #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #photography #birdoftheday #wisconsin #outdoors

Osprey with what looks like a small carp or sucker. #raptor #birdsofprey #osprey #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #outdoors #wisconsin #birdoftheday #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Male wood duck doing a little preening before sunset. #birds #waterfowl #duck #woodduck #wetlands #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #wisconsin #birdoftheday #outdoors

Great horned owl backside. It was already watching me as I slowly raised the camera, I was lucky to get a couple captures before it flew off. #raptor #owl #greathornedowl #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #birdoftheday #wisconsin #outdoors

"Cold moon" capture from last night. A fitting name as the temperature at the time was a balmy 5F/-15C with a thin layer of high cirrus clouds drifting by. #moon #coldmoon #fullmoon #nature #naturephotography #photography #cold #wisconsin #nightsky

Captures from this past spring, cedar waxwings love to feed on fresh hawthorn blossoms. #birds #cedarwaxwing #hawthorn #flower #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #photography #wisconsin #outdoors

Late afternoon light, green heron scratching an itch. #birds #heron #greenheron #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #photography #wisconsin #outdoors #wetlands #birdoftheday

Female belted kingfisher watching the water below for its next catch. #birds #kingfisher #nature #naturephotography #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #wisconsin #wetlands #photography #birdoftheday

Great egret in early morning sunlight. #birds #egret #greategret #photography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #wisconsin #wetlands #ourdoors

Least bittern, poised and ready to strike if anything comes with reach. #birdoftheday #bittern #leastbittern #birds #nature #wildlife #photography #wisconsin #outdoors #wetlands

Male American Kestrel perched on a roadside utility line, a perfect spot to watch for small rodents. #raptor #birdofprey #falcon #americankestrel #kestrel #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #wisconsin

Male/female pileated woodpeckers, the male was busy cleaning wood chips out of a nest tree while the female was nearby looking for insects. #birds #woodpecker #pileatedwoodpecker #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #photography #wisconsin #outdoors

Snowy owl, the earliest that I've ever seen one in this area along the Lake Winnebago shoreline. #owl #snowyowl #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #photooftheday #wisconsin

I spotted this red fox just before it caught a chipmunk and headed down the trail toward me, once it spotted me it didn't waste any time making a quick turn and darting into the woods. #fox #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #outdoors #predator #wisconsin #photography

Male/female northern cardinals after a fresh snowfall. #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #northerncardinal #wisconsin #outdoors

Blackburnian warbler #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #photography #wisconsin #outdoors #photooftheday

Peregrine falcon #birds #nature #naturephotography #Photography #wildlife #birdphotography #raptor #birdofprey #falcon

Sunday morning vibe, sunrise and sandhill cranes. #sunrise #birds #naturelovers #photography #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #wisconsin #photooftheday

Great blue heron warming in a sunny spot on a cold, blustery morning. #birds #heron #wetlands #photography #naturephotography

Wilson's snipe, unusual to find one perched like this, normally I see them on the edge of the water in marsh areas as they probe the soft ground and shallow water for something to eat like worms, insects and leeches. #snipe #birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #photography #wisconsin

Black-billed cuckoo #birds #nature #wildlife #photography #cuckoo #wisconsin

Male/female American goldfinches #birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #photography #wisconsin #americangoldfinch #goldfinch

A pair of young wood ducks at a local wetland area. #waterfowl #ducks #birds #photography #nature #photooftheday

Great blue heron, nictitating membrane. #birds #nature #photography #birdphotography #wisconsin

Amazing sound of sandhill cranes in flight #birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #wisconsin #cranes

Great blue heron with a frog that it caught #heron #frog #photography #wetlands #wisconsin #photooftheday

A little foggy to start the day but once it lifted I had the pleasure of watching a flock of playful sandhill cranes as they fed in a farm field. #cranes #birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #photography #wisconsin

Great gray owl perched overlooking a grassy area, listening, looking for its next meal. Sax-Zim bog, Northern Minnesota. #owl #owls #birds #minnesota #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography

Northern lights over Lake Winnebago #aurora #northernlights #photography #wisconsin #sonyalpha #photooftheday

A beautiful young, female snowy owl, first and earliest that I've seen here. #birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #wisconsin #photooftheday #owl

Green heron preening, golden hour at the marsh. #birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #photography #wisconsin #wetland #heron

Great blue heron with a frog, not much escapes them once it comes within reach. #birds #nature #wildlife #photography #wisconsin #wetlands #sonyalpha

Holy Hill Basilica, Hubertus,, WI #photography #autumn #church #wisconsin

Finding a tree with a hole or cavity improves the odds of seeing an owl. This barred-owl was spotted while I was hiking on a local trail in a heavily wooded area with an open field and grassland nearby.