Swallows, bats, & owls

Swallows, bats, & owls

We’re stationed in our lawn chairs outside the barn on the evening of July 23. Sunset today is at 8:25 pm, so we expect the bats to start appearing about ten minutes later. At 8:15, the sky is filled with swarming, swooping swallows!

Photo by Gary Shackelford

Swallow-tailed Kite

Swallow-tailed Kite

The Swallow-tailed Kite is one of our favorite birds to see when we visit Florida. In July, Mark was surprised to see one flying about five miles north of Goose Pond Sanctuary. . . the first record for Columbia County!

Photo by Arlene Koziol

Purple Martin Banding 2023

Purple Martin Banding 2023

Around the beginning of July, I look forward to a call from Dick Nickolai, Wisconsin’s Purple Martin Biologist. Over the past six years, Madison Audubon has assisted him with banding 3,476 martins!

Photo by Madison Audubon