Through my kitchen window: A Pileated Woodpecker

Andy and I were both in the basement the other day when we heard a loud thud from upstairs.  It sounded like something had fallen up there.  Andy went to check it out, and called for me to come and see what it was.  This bird was pounding at the porch post.  It's a pileated woodpecker.   I think I've heard them in the woods from time to time, but I've never seen one before. 

Autumn Beauty

For a week or so we have been enjoying beautiful summer like weather here.  Today it is cool and fall like, but before the weather changed we went over to the "Pickerel Lake-Fred Meijer Nature Reserve" to walk around the lake and enjoy the beautiful fall colors.  This is one of my favorite places to walk,  It's gorgeous in any season, but fall really shines here.
We walked around the lake, but there are other trails as well.

 The first thing we noticed were these three swans hanging around next to the boardwalk.   They were evidently posing for pictures.

Fall Getaway

A few weeks ago Andy and I spent a few days up in the UP and in Northern Ontario.  We took the Agawa Canyon train trip and then spent a few days driving around the UP.  The train trip was fun, but it was a little early for good fall color, which was a bit of a disappointment.

We had planned to visit Mackinac Island while we were up there, but it was really too cold for a trip to the island.  Instead we went to Tahquamenon Falls and visited a few lighthouses.

                                                  Old Mission Point Light House

                                               A couple of shots in Tahquamenon Falls State Park

                                                       Old Makinac Point Light House

                                                     McGulpins Point Light House

Through My Kitchen Window

Isn't this a pretty bird?  I think its an indigo bunting.  I see these birds every spring, but they only seem to stay here for a few weeks.

Andy took this picture through the kitchen window.

An Owl!!

I woke up this morning to the fluttering of wings outside the window.  A minute later one of the birds landed in a nearby tree and I saw that it was an owl.  It sat there for quite a long time, moving only its head.  Owls can swivel their heads quite a ways.  At times it looked like it had turned its head completely around to look behind it.  This owl blended into the tree so well, that at one point a blue jay landed on it's head.  The blue jay moved on quite quickly!  The picture was taken through the window, (and in the rain), so it's not the best, but you definitely see that it is an owl.