A Yellow-headed Blackbird takes off from last year's reed to find a better spot to call out for a mate. You're a beauty so you shouldn't have too difficult of a time. Good luck Yellowhead!

The Virginia Bluebells are out in full force here in northern Illinois. Love this time of the year . . .

After vacationing in the southwest US or Mexico for the winter, Yellow-headed Blackbirds have returned to their breeding grounds in northern Illinois. It's great to once again see these wonderful birds that have so much character, one of my favorites. Welcome back!

A Red-tailed Hawk in flight with the breezy spring winds over the Illinois prairie.

We had some unusually warm weather (80+ F) for early April here in northern Illinois this week for a couple of days, so just in case it triggered a few early bloomers, headed out to a local forest preserve to check it out . . .

This Great Horned Owl is a curious one for sure. It would move behind the nook in the tree, and every so often it would slowly sneak back out and give a look to see what was going on. This is another of the birds of prey at the Stillman Nature Center in northern Illinois . . .

Just look at that face! Barn Owls used to be plentiful throughout all of Illinois, including here in northern Illinois. But as much of the Illinois prairie has been developed with small farms dwindling and conglomerate-based farms of soy and corn replaced hay, wheat and cattle enterprises, their numbers were decimated . . .

Pollen Sacs. What in the heck? Last summer as various types of bees began visiting the flowers, some of the captures showed a few of the bees with these yellow things on their legs - both honey bees and bumblebees had them. Not being a guru on bees, the research began . . .

After turning on a dime and diving, a short-eared owl flies low through the prairie in search of an evening snack.

When you're capturing the setting sun through a dusty, smoky sky and a skein of ducks flies through the frame . . .