Drummondupclose

Drummondupclose Drummond Island, Michigan wildlife from a zoom lens view. All photos are mine. Etsy Drummondupclose

A rare moment of rest we got to witness today.
08/17/2026

A rare moment of rest we got to witness today.

A little flash of red, black and white against a perfect blue Drummond Island sky.This is a Hairy Woodpecker, a year-rou...
08/07/2026

A little flash of red, black and white against a perfect blue Drummond Island sky.

This is a Hairy Woodpecker, a year-round resident here on the island. This one is a male, identified by the small red patch on the back of his head. Hairy Woodpeckers look very similar to the smaller Downy Woodpecker, but that long, substantial bill is one of the best clues to tell them apart.

They spend much of their time working along trunks and larger branches, searching the bark and wood for insects. Keep an eye out for them in the woods year-round. Sometimes the first clue that one is nearby isn’t seeing it, but hearing that persistent tapping somewhere in the trees or their high-pitched call.

Some birds seem to know exactly how to pose.This young flycatcher sat quietly in the cedar for just a few seconds before...
08/01/2026

Some birds seem to know exactly how to pose.

This young flycatcher sat quietly in the cedar for just a few seconds before disappearing into the trees. Those brief moments are what make wildlife photography so rewarding. You never know what you’ll find when you slow down and pay attention.

Have you spotted any young birds around the island lately?

Sometimes wildlife offers us a glimpse into a story we don’t fully understand.This juvenile Cooper’s Hawk has been resti...
07/26/2026

Sometimes wildlife offers us a glimpse into a story we don’t fully understand.

This juvenile Cooper’s Hawk has been resting on my porch today. It has stayed much longer than I would have expected, which makes me wonder if it may have struck a window or is recovering from another challenge. I don’t know for certain, so the best thing I can do is give it space and let nature take its course.

Young Cooper’s Hawks are recognized by the brown, teardrop-shaped streaks across their chest and their bright yellow eyes, which gradually change to orange and then red as they mature. They’re agile woodland hunters, built to weave through dense forests in pursuit of birds.

Cooper’s Hawks aren’t rare on Drummond Island, but they usually remain hidden among the trees. I rarely see them long enough to capture a photo.

Whatever brought this young hawk to my porch today, I’m grateful for the opportunity to quietly observe such a beautiful wild bird up close.

One of my favorite things about Great Blue Herons is how many different “looks” they have.One moment they’re stretched t...
07/21/2026

One of my favorite things about Great Blue Herons is how many different “looks” they have.

One moment they’re stretched to their full height, scanning the marsh. The next they’re leaning forward with intense focus. Then they twist their neck into impossible-looking curves, or turn just enough for their long breeding plumes to drift with the breeze alongside the reeds.

They never seem to hold the same pose for long, making every encounter feel a little different. Watching a heron isn’t just about seeing a bird. It’s about noticing all the subtle movements that make it seem perfectly at home in the marsh.

This cute little otter had just popped up to look more closely at who I was before I was able to capture a little photo....
05/29/2026

This cute little otter had just popped up to look more closely at who I was before I was able to capture a little photo. River otter swimming along the shoreline in Scott Bay.

Mallards are so familiar that it’s easy to overlook just how beautiful they really are.That glossy green head, the crisp...
05/27/2026

Mallards are so familiar that it’s easy to overlook just how beautiful they really are.

That glossy green head, the crisp white neck ring, the rich chestnut breast, and those intricate feather patterns that somehow look hand-painted.

Mallards are our most recognizable dabbling ducks, meaning they tip forward in shallow water to feed rather than diving deep. And while the males tend to steal the spotlight in spring, both parents play an important role, with females soon busy nesting and raising ducklings.

Sometimes the birds we see all the time are worth a second look. 💚

One of summer’s smallest showstoppers. ✨Ruby-throated hummingbirds are back, and watching them never gets old. The speed...
05/25/2026

One of summer’s smallest showstoppers. ✨
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are back, and watching them never gets old. The speed, the precision, the tiny pauses in midair that somehow look effortless.

This little visitor was making the rounds through the flowers, catching the light just right for a flash of emerald and ruby.

Fun fact: a hummingbird’s wings can beat around 50 times per second, creating that familiar hum we hear before we even spot them.

The marsh is all soft browns and beiges right now, and then this little white-crowned sparrow shows up looking like it u...
05/18/2026

The marsh is all soft browns and beiges right now, and then this little white-crowned sparrow shows up looking like it understood the dress code but still wanted to stand out. 🙂

These are one of those birds we tend to see during the shoulder seasons here in northern Michigan and the U.P. They pass through in spring on their way farther north to breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska, then show up again in fall as they head back south for winter. Some cover some pretty incredible distances for such a small bird.

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