Great Blue Heron With A Fish - Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma

A Barred Owl Perched Near Where I Was Parked - Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

Both Barred Owl Fledglings, together with one being fed by an adult.

Amazing how much the Barred Owl fledgling has grown since I last saw it - Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

Box Turtle Eating Earthworm

Barred Owl Hanging Out In The Willows.

At first glance, this looks like a tangle of green vegetation along the edge of a slough. Look a little closer and you'll find a young Barred Owl fledgling peering back at me from the center of the scene.

Barred Owl After Crawdads!

This Barred Owl surprised me when it flew in and landed near my truck at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Caught this Barred Owl enjoying a fresh crayfish breakfast.

A House Sparrow gave me a scare when it went inside the birdhouse with the young Eastern Bluebirds. The good news is that I checked quickly and saw four baby bluebirds that appeared to be okay. The full story on my blog.

A Barred Owl Fledgling at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge yesterday morning. They seem to be doing well.

This Box Turtle took its time crossing the road at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. Slow and steady still makes for a great photo opportunity.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird taking a quiet moment to preen between feeding trips.

Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird In The Rain

A Cottontail Rabbit Cleaning Its Large Foot

The Eastern Bluebird nestlings in my backyard box hatched just three days ago, and both parents are already running nonstop feeding trips. Spiders are the top menu item.

Male Indigo Bunting at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Which one of these Northern Mockingbirds do you think has been sitting on a nest during a rain? I’m betting the soggy-looking one gives it away.

Two young Barred Owl fledglings huddled together on a branch at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Caught this doe standing out in the corn at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge last week. With the great rain we got today, I bet that corn has already shot up another foot.

A protective Grackle dives at a Squirrel that wandered too close to its nearby nest, making it clear the area was off-limits.

One of the Brown Thrasher fledglings came up on my deck and kept me company.

This young Brown Thrasher fledgling paused long enough for a quick wing stretch before hopping back through the grass here in Arkansas. Watching these young birds grow and gain strength is always one of my favorite parts of spring.

I caught this adult Brown Thrasher feeding one of its hungry fledglings.

A Brown Thrasher surprised me by feeding fledglings right near my deck here in Arkansas. I had no idea they were hidden so close.

This male Ruby-throated Hummingbird visits my yard here in Arkansas almost every day. His upper bill is bent sharply to one side, but he still manages to perch, feed, and survive. Nature doesn’t always follow a perfect blueprint, but wildlife often finds a way to adapt.

A young Barred Owl eating a crawdad - Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

An adult Barred Owl returned to the perch with a young muskrat for its two hungry fledglings at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Another video of the Barred Owl fledglings at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

A pair of Barred Owl fledglings at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. I took this video during low light.

I watched a Northern Flicker checking out a nest cavity at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge when a Gray Squirrel suddenly appeared from the same hole.

The looks the birds give me when I'm late with the food!

Caught this spider enjoying a fresh meal at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

What did the American Robin do with the pine needle?

Red-eared Slider at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. Their colors and patterns can be incredible when the light hits them just right.

This little female Ruby-throated Hummingbird paused just long enough for me to grab a few photos near one of my feeders here in Arkansas. Even when they sit still, they always seem alert and ready to dart off in the blink of an eye.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are finally showing up at my feeders here in Arkansas. The first one I noticed was a female on April 26, and about a week later I spotted a male. They are only coming in a few times a day right now, but I’m hoping they settle in and stay around the feeders more often soon.

Female Eastern Bluebird With A Beak Full Of Earthworms

It's fascinating to see what the Easter Bluebirds will bring to feed their young.

I caught this young Eastern Bluebird just after a feeding. If you look close, you can see what looks like a spider leg still sticking out of its mouth.

Dickcissel at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

A neighbor told me he had Baltimore Orioles coming to his feeders, then gave me an orange to try in my own yard. It worked.

I always enjoy watching Carolina Chickadees work over a sunflower kernel. They may be small, but they know exactly how to hold it, hammer at it, and get every bit they can.

Barred Owl with a Bald Eagle sounding off in the background.

Eastern Bluebirds are keeping both of my yard birdhouses active this spring. One pair is already feeding young, while another birdhouse closer to my deck has bluebirds building a nest. I’m hoping both nesting attempts are successful.

I photographed this male Northern Cardinal feeding the female in my yard. This is another example of courtship feeding. The male offers food to the female as part of their pair bond.

I photographed this male Eastern Bluebird feeding the female, a behavior known as "courtship feeding". During courtship, the male may bring food to the female as part of pair bonding. It can also show that he is able to help provide food when nesting begins.

I spotted this Box Turtle making its way through my yard.

That’s a face you don’t forget. I got eye level with this ratsnake here in Arkansas, and for a moment it felt like it was just as curious about me as I was about it.