Photos by Rog Imaging

Love hanging out with my pal, Russet!

Meanwhile, way down below my Red-Tailed friend circling up in the sky sat my tiny Red-Eared friend contemplating taking a dip.

This Red-Tailed Hawk was out at the maximum reach of my humble PowerShot SX70 HS, but I love that I was able to witness and capture the moment with feathers all out at maximum display of its majestic beauty!

You know I love me some Red Tailed Hawks - my spirit animal! So the fact that this hawk family has set up shop right outside my neighborhood (right by my favorite new donut shop) and hang out there on the regular is…well…delightful!

Ain’t no stink eye like an Eastern Bluebird stink eye! Well, I don’t really know about that. But I sure enjoyed the “serious” moment with this lovely creature at a favorite local park today.

FINALLY got to see Painted Buntings for the first time ever within the last two weeks.
They
Do
Not
Disappoint
!!!!!

Eastern Bluebird in my front yard. I do love a good bluebird.

These four birds have been at the top of my local bucket list since I first got interested in birding. And I was able to spot all four within the last week! YAY!!!
Painted Bunting
Indigo Bunting
Scarlet Tanager
Summer Tanager

Behold! I present to you Lord Voldetort! Tell me there’s not an evil sneering face living in that turtle’s shell! YOWSA!!!

People all throughout the Baton Rouge region. Yes, I mean you. This coming weekend is a really wonderful annual opportunity for you to have a more immersive and meaningful experience in nature, actively participate in helpful ecological science research, and directly compete in one of the largest competitions (it’s literally global!) available to you as an everyday person, and (most importantly, in my opinion) get familiar with a really cool app that makes it super easy to identify all kinds of organisms around you wherever you may live or roam.

(And for those living anywhere else on the planet, here ya go: https://www.citynaturechallenge.org)

https://www.brnaturechallenge.org

City Nature Challenge: BR Region The City Nature Challenge is a four-day friendly nature competition that goes on across the globe April 24 to April 27, 2026.