I witness a rarely seen behavior—Necedah NWR WI - Karner Blue butterfly! Whooping Cranes - June 2024

After dropping my youngest son off at his aunt & uncles in Madison, WI in early June, I spend two partial days at Necedah NWR,  one of my favorite National Wildlife Refuges. And it does not disappoint!
I capture the mechanism for Common Nighthawk booming in slow motion video. Crazy stuff!
A pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers entertain me with their bold antics. I share my early memories of this species at my grandparents farm in South Dakota (including the world's best photo of this species that I took at age 14:)
I stumble across a couple species that I never see in the North Woods including a Willow Flycatcher ("FITZ-bew") and a cooperative and beautiful Blue-winged Warbler.
And I can't forget the rare butterfly that makes Necedah its home....the "Karner" Melissa Blue butterfly. I spend some quality time with this beauty amongst the native Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis).
An evening atop the Observation Tower is always peaceful, and this time I spot a pair of Whooping Cranes feeding on the far side.
Finally, I stop in to the very well done Nature Center. A great place in a great refuge!