• Thursday-What'sUP May 7 - 02:22 pm

Dennis Kemper wasn't sure at first, what kind of bird he had spotted here, since the Pheasant isn't one of the more common birds here in the Copper Country. It sure stands out with the different colors it sports around, especially this time of year when there isn't much color other than gray. Not so for the subject of Joshua Soumis' photo, commonly called a Partridge in these parts, but also known as a Ruffed Grouse. The coloring on this bird is perfect camouflage for hiding in the woods and then scaring the daylights out of you when it all of a sudden takes off in flight nearby.

Mmm, tasty tasty pheasant.

Today’s photos (excellent by the way) are nicely timed with today's sponsor, Bird-B-Gone...very clever.

In my neck of the woods there used to be fields full of pheasants, now there are new homes...sigh!

The grouse were drumming like mad the last time I was out and about in the woods. Kept kicking them up, too... Mary's not kidding about their ability to scare! My heart would start doing its own drumming every time.

Then again... each time one would do its drum routine, I would think there was something wrong with my heart. Eventually got used to it, but those birds catch me off guard every spring.

Janie T: Sounds like you could go house hunting. I wonder what caliber it takes? Howitzer?

Anyone know about a sudden influx of turkeys?

I had a large tom in the backyard yesterday and in talking with others, it seems they have suddenly appeared from Copper Harbor to South Range.

Could it be a DNR release? Too much snow here to winter-over I'm betting.

Today's first picture is of the old fashioned "Ringed Neck Pheasant", not one of the imported Chinese bred models! In the 40's, 50's, and 60's you could get your limit in 20 minutes or so. Now you would be lucky to see 2 birds in a day here in the lower mid Michigan farm country.

One more bird photo for everyone. I spotted this one on the upper highway (US41) between Hancock and Calumet, yesterday. Quite a large bird, you could see it sitting in the tree from a good distance away! I think it's an Osprey...

We see those birds, (ospreys) a lot down here. we call them chicken hawks. See them flying around a lot here. There is a place we go to and watch the deer and we see them sitting in trees a lot. Beautiful birds.

The more looking I've done, I'm thinking that this last photo is NOT an osprey, but an immature Bald Eagle. Any birders care to chime in as to what it is for sure? :->

I am with you Mary it looks like a immature Bald Eagle

It's not an Osprey -- the face is not right. (Google it) Eagles are a lot bigger than Osprey also. Looks eagle-ish to me -- they take 4 years to reach the adult plummage, the one where they are brown w/ the white head and tail and a big yellow beak.

correct not an osprey old name is fish hack

TX here; we've had an awful lot of turkeys also. I'm in north/central TX. They sound like a hen party...quiet sort of; at least no screetching sounds. We usually have lots of hummingbirds and cardinals here also. And bees are more like flies, they don't sting, they just buzz around you like flies do. I've noticed things change here from year to year and I'm guessing according to drought issues which we have a lot of. A blessing to be in God's country! I'm a city gal learning to be country. :)

I am amazed (shocked really...) that a ring necked pheasant would be living in an area that receives such huge snow amounts.

Wonder if somebody planted a few and are feeding them thru the winter???