Troy Marcy Photography

Red-bellied Woodpecker - Spotted this Red-bellied Woodpecker peeking out from the top of a Mulberry tree. The light was hitting those red eyes just right to light them up. Red-bellied Woodpeckers love to feast on ripe mulberries.

Upland Sandpiper - Crazy story behind this bird. I’ve driven out Route 9 several times now on my way to Moraine View State Park for nature photography. On four occasions, including this one, I’ve noticed a long-legged shorebird perched on a power line, which I feel is very unusual. On the way back to Bloomington, there wasn’t much traffic, so I decided to pull over on the shoulder if I saw it again. Sure enough, it was there.As soon as I pulled over, it practically dive-bombed my car. I think maybe it had been sitting on the power line while watching over a nest. I grabbed several quick photos and got out of there so I didn’t stress it any more than necessary.This bird was listed as my Bird of the Day in the Merlin Bird ID app, so seeing a fairly rare species on the very day it was featured is pretty cool. I also caught a lightning bolt in a selfie at the gym that morning, and while taking nature photos, I spotted a black squirrel. Maybe I should play the lottery today?

Frozen in Flight - I love this image of a Baltimore Oriole frozen in flight, its backlit wings fully extended in front of it. Capturing breathtaking moments in nature like this is what keeps me heading back into the field.

Tree Swallows - It was a joy to observe these beautiful Tree Swallows as they worked a field at Schroeder Nature Preserve. Hearing their distinctive clicks as they alerted one another to my presence was fascinating. Although they didn’t seem overly concerned that I was nearby, they did have a nesting box full of chicks, so their vigilance was understandable. I didn’t stay long, as they were busy catching insects and making frequent trips back to the nest to feed their young.

Common Yellowthroat in Golden Light - Golden hour light gives this little Common Yellowthroat warbler a magical glow. The vibrant yellow throat and belly contrast beautifully with the bold black mask, making for a truly eye-catching bird.

Common Yellowthroat Warbler in Flight - These little warblers can be difficult to catch in the open and sitting still, but thankfully I was able to capture this Common Yellowthroat in flight before it vanished into the dense bushes. I especially love its striking black mask.

Cedar Waxwing Among the Berries - I love photographing Cedar Waxwings, especially when they cooperate by landing in a honeysuckle bush full of berries.

A Doe with her Fawns - While out looking for birds today, I stumbled upon this adorable scene of a doe with her very young fawns barely visible in the tall prairie grass. While I would love to see the fawns better, I actually think seeing their little ears sticking out of the grass is just as cute.

Eastern Bluebird with a Worm - This backlit image of an Eastern Bluebird turned out just as I had hoped. The backlight from the sun created a nice rim light around the bluebird and also illuminated the worm. I just had to wait for the bird to turn his head enough to get a profile image with the worm while still exposing for the beautiful blue of the bird.

Eastern Phoebe with a Fresh Catch - I took several interesting images of this Eastern Phoebe with a freshly caught butterfly, but this is the one I chose to edit. It took quite a while for the butterfly to stop moving before it could finally eat it. It wasn't the easiest thing to witness, but nature takes its course.