Before arriving home from my Montana trip, I swung by a wetland that I frequent. I made a quick assessment of the water level and vegetation conditions. I was pleased with what I saw, and it wasn’t too many days before I returned for photography.
My first trip was with my kayak. This allowed me to cover a lot of water, get a good view of the wetland, and note the resident wildlife species. I found a Pied-billed Grebe nest that intrigued me. It was out in the open with no emergent vegetation around the nest.
Several days passed before I could return to the wetland with my floating blind to photograph the grebe on the nest. It took a lot of slow movement to get into position. The grebe knew I was there but remained fairly calm.
I can usually count on seeing a pair of Least Bitterns on this wetland. I always appreciate it when they cooperate and offer me photo opportunities.
Wood Ducks are one of the more common species of ducks that nest in Iowa. I always enjoy seeing the bright colors of the male.
I enjoyed multiple visits to the wetland while in Iowa. But by the end of June, I was back on the road again, this time bound for …