Karen Hielsberg
@birdergal.bsky.social
Happily retired wife, mother, and grandmother, strongly committed to democracy and the rule of law. Actively pursuing my interests in travel, birding, photography,
nature and movies. Interested in aging well by staying healthy through diet and exercise.
nature and movies. Interested in aging well by staying healthy through diet and exercise.
For my birding followers: first pine sisken of the season at our backyard feeders.
November 24, 2025 at 2:17 PM
For my birding followers: first pine sisken of the season at our backyard feeders.
Sending a large donation to "Feeding America" today...feeling guilty that while millions in our country are being food-deprived, my squirrels, which we feed, are looking this fat and sassy.
November 9, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Sending a large donation to "Feeding America" today...feeling guilty that while millions in our country are being food-deprived, my squirrels, which we feed, are looking this fat and sassy.
Cedar waxwings gorging on red cedar berries.
Oshkosh, WI
10/29/25
Oshkosh, WI
10/29/25
October 30, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Cedar waxwings gorging on red cedar berries.
Oshkosh, WI
10/29/25
Oshkosh, WI
10/29/25
About 2000 protesters came out for the No Kings rally in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on 10/18/25.
October 19, 2025 at 3:15 PM
About 2000 protesters came out for the No Kings rally in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on 10/18/25.
Reading this book now...it explains white Christian nationalism and describes a new pathway to take away from that corruption of faith and back to the true teachings of Jesus.
October 4, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reading this book now...it explains white Christian nationalism and describes a new pathway to take away from that corruption of faith and back to the true teachings of Jesus.
Anyone else sick to death of 47's plethora of mostly meaningless executive orders? Waiting for him to start releasing them by the roll...sort of like this:
August 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Anyone else sick to death of 47's plethora of mostly meaningless executive orders? Waiting for him to start releasing them by the roll...sort of like this:
High of 96° here in Wisconsin today. We have several squirrels getting drinks from the bird baths and "splaying" in our black locust tree to try to cool off.
August 8, 2025 at 10:39 PM
High of 96° here in Wisconsin today. We have several squirrels getting drinks from the bird baths and "splaying" in our black locust tree to try to cool off.
This is my crack...same deal...binge on them and swear I won't buy them again. This week I bought TWO bags...sharing my addiction with my husband.
June 28, 2025 at 2:44 PM
This is my crack...same deal...binge on them and swear I won't buy them again. This week I bought TWO bags...sharing my addiction with my husband.
Just finished watching this series about America's fight for independence, and was blown away by how much the colonists risked in their fight for our freedom, and how many times they could have failed and lost it all but didn't because they put democracy and freedom over personal security and gain.
June 9, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Just finished watching this series about America's fight for independence, and was blown away by how much the colonists risked in their fight for our freedom, and how many times they could have failed and lost it all but didn't because they put democracy and freedom over personal security and gain.
We live in a suburban neighborhood, but have created a natural backyard habitat with food, water and shelter provided for wildlife. We're always thrilled when our efforts result in visitors like this groundhog.
June 3, 2025 at 3:27 PM
We live in a suburban neighborhood, but have created a natural backyard habitat with food, water and shelter provided for wildlife. We're always thrilled when our efforts result in visitors like this groundhog.
We bought a Nikon Coolpix P1000 camera 5 years ago because it had a Bird Mode, was easy to use and relatively inexpensive at $995 from Amazon. This is what it costs now, thanks to Felon 47's tariffs.
May 25, 2025 at 3:00 PM
We bought a Nikon Coolpix P1000 camera 5 years ago because it had a Bird Mode, was easy to use and relatively inexpensive at $995 from Amazon. This is what it costs now, thanks to Felon 47's tariffs.
Out birding the spring migration in Wisconsin for the last week, and thought I'd share a few gems...enjoy!
May 17, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Out birding the spring migration in Wisconsin for the last week, and thought I'd share a few gems...enjoy!
Anybody up for an amazing look at a cliff swallow colony?
Goose Island County Park, La Crosse, WI
Goose Island County Park, La Crosse, WI
May 14, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Anybody up for an amazing look at a cliff swallow colony?
Goose Island County Park, La Crosse, WI
Goose Island County Park, La Crosse, WI
This is the first spring migrant we've seen this year...a ruby-crowned kinglet. Yellow-rumped warblers and American redstarts should be arriving next...so excited!
April 27, 2025 at 2:26 PM
This is the first spring migrant we've seen this year...a ruby-crowned kinglet. Yellow-rumped warblers and American redstarts should be arriving next...so excited!
Cerulean...we have seen them twice in the same location on our Spring migration birding trip. They are tricky little things...they stay high in the canopy, and move very fast!
April 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Cerulean...we have seen them twice in the same location on our Spring migration birding trip. They are tricky little things...they stay high in the canopy, and move very fast!
We have a lot fewer rabbits in our neighborhood these days, so it's always a treat when one comes for a visit.
April 22, 2025 at 3:48 PM
We have a lot fewer rabbits in our neighborhood these days, so it's always a treat when one comes for a visit.
Felon 47 is so full of BS and looking more desperate by the minute...now trying to convince us Abrego Garcia had an MS-13 tattoo and offering this as proof. Image was most certainly photoshopped. Difference between the real tattoos on his knuckles and the added characters is glaringly obvious.
April 19, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Felon 47 is so full of BS and looking more desperate by the minute...now trying to convince us Abrego Garcia had an MS-13 tattoo and offering this as proof. Image was most certainly photoshopped. Difference between the real tattoos on his knuckles and the added characters is glaringly obvious.
We saw many of them in and around Quito, Ecuador.
March 28, 2025 at 5:16 PM
We saw many of them in and around Quito, Ecuador.
Not everyday that you get to see an American woodcock making a migratory pit stop in your back yard! This beauty strutted his stuff under our white pine and probed beneath the needles on the ground until he found an earthworm, then took a nap to prepare for tonight's flight continuation.
March 27, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Not everyday that you get to see an American woodcock making a migratory pit stop in your back yard! This beauty strutted his stuff under our white pine and probed beneath the needles on the ground until he found an earthworm, then took a nap to prepare for tonight's flight continuation.
We had an unexpected visitor looking for some breakfast this morning...a female opossum! Looks like she is expecting a litter very soon.
March 4, 2025 at 7:43 PM
We had an unexpected visitor looking for some breakfast this morning...a female opossum! Looks like she is expecting a litter very soon.
Do any of my birder friends know what would cause this coloring on a snowy owl?
March 4, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Do any of my birder friends know what would cause this coloring on a snowy owl?
Here is mine; so hard to get a shot where their crown us displayed.
February 12, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Here is mine; so hard to get a shot where their crown us displayed.
These are indeed magnificent birds, breathtaking to observe on the wing. We saw them in the highlands of Northern Ecuador...unforgettable!
January 23, 2025 at 3:03 PM
These are indeed magnificent birds, breathtaking to observe on the wing. We saw them in the highlands of Northern Ecuador...unforgettable!
This is a very common bird for us in Wisconsin wetlands...yet always thrilled to see one.
January 18, 2025 at 4:15 PM
This is a very common bird for us in Wisconsin wetlands...yet always thrilled to see one.