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Well, maybe "elusive" is a strong word to describe green herons (Butorides virescens); however, they certainly aren't as obvious as some of their counterparts. While great blue herons (Ardea herodias), little blue herons (Egretta caerulea), and great egrets (Ardea alba) are readily seen as they wade in shallow, open waters in search of prey, green herons tend to perch near shore and remain still. An interesting fact is that green herons are one of very few tool-using bird species. They may drop feathers or insects on the surface of the water to act as a lure to attract small fish close enough for capture.

I recently had the opportunity to photograph a little blue heron (Egretta caerulea), and the encounter was purely by chance. I had decided to spend an afternoon on the Little Red River in north Arkansas, knowing that great egrets (Ardea alba), ospreys (Pandion haleaetus), and belted kingfishers (Megceryle alcyon) frequented a particular section of the river. As I was photographing white egrets, I glanced down river and noticed a white "egret-looking" bird. However, this bird was much smaller than the great egrets. It didn't take long, once I got my lens on the bird, to realize that it was a juvenile little blue heron, and for me, a lifer!

I'm sitting on my deck with a cup of coffee on a cool November morning. I'm looking at my raised garden beds with my traditional fall plantings of broccoli, kale, lettuce, and spinach. Next, I spot a dark eyed junco in a shrub, then another near my bird feeder. With that observation, I know that one of the tasks of the day is to set up the garden frost cloths. How do I know this? After a few fall seasons, I have learned that dark-eyed juncos are truly harbingers of winter in the southeastern United States. I live in growing zone 7b, and have come to rely on these little birds to guide my fall garden schedule. While many of my fall garden plants can possibly withstand a cold night, and maybe a light frost, I choose to not take any chances.

Perhaps our most iconic songbird, the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is easily recognized and appreciated throughout its range. The brilliant red of male northern cardinals stands out during all seasons of the year. However, the warm browns and red to orange accents of the female birds are equally as beautiful and eye-catching.

It's mid-April, and the ruby-throated hummingbirds are here. The eastern kingbirds are here. The black and white warblers are here. Summer tanager, where art thou?

Spending a few afternoons with a gray ghost may sound eerie, but I find these visits to be quite enjoyable, particularly when armed with my camera and long lens. Of course, the gray ghost that I'm referring to is the male northern harrier (Circus hudsonius). These are magnificent birds that look like a hawk, but have the facial disc of an owl set with yellow, piercing eyes. In addition to their unique facial characteristics, male nothern harriers have long wings with black tips and black-tipped secondary feathers. Why the mysterious "gray ghost" reference? Generally, male northern harriers are seen less frequently than the females and juveniles. Additionally, female and juvenile northern harriers are brown, and the males are gray. The color of the male, coupled with its silent, slow, gliding motion while hunting prey has earned this male raptor the moniker - gray ghost.