A Life Bird at MBS!!

Recognize this fuzzy bird from behind?

Holy Cow Dude! It's a Kirtland's Warbler! A life bird for a whole gang of folks attending the Midwest Birding Symposium, including me and the Doodles! Lots of dancing going on over this rare and endangered visitor!

An announcement was made after the morning speaker finished...and the placed cleared out! Everyone, it seemed, was headed for East Harbor State Park, including the Doodles and me to see if we could get a glimpse of this fall warbly thing. In 2002 there were just over 1000 of these left world wide. They are quite particular of the habitat in which they will nest, so we are very lucky to spot this lone individual. Their population has increased to close to 5000 over the past couple of years and they are hopefully on the road to recovery.

On another note, while out with Jim McCormac, we saw this Checkered White Butterfly, another lifer!

And speaking of seeing odd birds...Kelly Riccetti, aka 'Peanut', of Red and the Peanut fame was out tracking the Kirtland's Warbler also. You really must visit her blog for lovely writing and photos...butt not many behinds! She'll learn one day...

There's been so much going on out at Lakeside, it's hard to take it all in. I've met many of the authors and speakers including David Sibley(thanks for signing my guide!), Scott Weidensaul, Paul Baicich, Wayne & Betty Petersen (who I picked up at the airport and made them deal with my driving and conversation)and some guy named Bill Thompson III, not to mention all of the great birders from so many different cities, states and countries, including Herbert from Uganda.

Now I have another place on my list of countries to visit...

New bird in the garden!!

While I was preparing to go to the airport to pick up Wayne Petersen of Massachusetts Audubon, the Doodles spotted something little zipping through the back yard. She was doing a little last minute watering of the garden and this little birdie went through the hose water.

When we spotted it in one of the many vines, we discovered it was a Black-throated Blue Warbler! A newbie for our yard list! He probably just made it across the lake from his nesting grounds in Canada and was in need of a shower...that's a lot of flapping you know.

Welcome to Ohio, have a nice trip!

Off course I had to try to catch a butt shot!

NEXT: Live from Lakeside, Ohio...IT'S MBS!!

After we arrived back in port from an evening cruise on Lake Erie, we noticed Jupiter in the night sky. So, I thought I would try to get a picture with my 300mm lens...yeah right, that'll be fuzzy!

Who'd have thought I could hand hold it long enough to get a shot with the four moons in view also, and Mars in the lower right...

I'll have more from the Midwest Birding Symposium soon...

Banding together...

Truly indecent exposure!

This poor Red-winged Blackbird has been totally humiliated while being banded and weighed.

If you noticed his swollen foot, that is caused by a fungal infection.

On September 17th and 18th (and in May, also!), you can view bird banding demonstrations at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory. How often can you see a bird this close? I actually had to switch to a smaller lens for these shots!

You can learn a lot about bird ID when you are this close and when you have a master bander like Mark Shieldcastle pointing out the details for you. Not to mention Kim Kaufman. There, I didn't mention her...ha...

Stop by, bring your camera and your questions. Afterwards you can visit the gift shop...maybe buy a Kaufman's field guide, some shade grown coffee, a tee-shirt and a membership!

This is a VERY young and confused American Robin.

And this is a VERY shy female Common Yellowthroat. The other pics I have of her show her in high speed blurry motion. Not a happy little warbly today!

This young male Common Yellowthroat is molting into his masked bandit look...just in time for Halloween!

Here's Kimmay showing a young birder how to properly take a bite out of a Gray Catbird.

OM-NOM-NOM!

(not really!)

Angry young Northern Cardinal. Bad hair day... need I say more?

If you look closely, you'll see an eyeball full of Dave!

Gotta love those little Song Sparrows. Always have a happy little song to sing.

If you bring your bunnie, prepare to have Kimmay band it!

And don't forget...The Midwest Birding Symposium starts Thursday!

BSBO will have their mini store there, not to mention(again) Kenn Kaufman will be speaking...out loud...in public! Cool, eh?

Thomewhat Themeless Thunday...

Well, actually there ith thort of a theme on thith Thunday.

We went out birding with our buddies from Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society at the CanalWay Reservation, just outside of downtown Cleveland. This is an amazing example of what can be done in an industrial area. The Ohio and Erie Canal once ran through this area and supplied water and a method of transport for early industrial Cleveland. It was once mostly abandoned and overgrown with the refuse of former steel mills and other empty industries. Now it's the home to a great number of birds and other wildlife along the canal, the Cuyahoga River and the restored woods and wetlands.

It always seems under used and under appreciated for such a magnificent habitat, though the local fishermen are well aware of the stocked canal! Anyway, here's a few of the photos from today's journey. You can find more photos and information by visiting the Western Cuyahoga Audubon site!

We spotted this Black-and-White Warbler, the mascot for Black Swamp Bird Observatory, off in the distance.

He stayed in this one location long enough for everyone to get great views of him working up and down this dead tree.

Okay, now for the main event!
I watched this Green Heron as he crept up this limb, inch by inch. When he arrived at the end he began to scream like a little girl...

...And then he made a mighty leap into the great reaches of the unknown(at least to him...) while still screaming like the afore mentioned little girl...

"Look at me, I'm a rocket, zooming into outer space!"

"Ooooooooooo! Zoomies!"

"YOIKS! Who put this tree in my way?!"

As you know, Green Herons are very delicate and dainty flyer's, well not really.

He did a header right into the tree. I didn't laugh at him...much...

Keeping with the Themeless Thunday mode...

How often do you get the 'CrAzY EyE' from a Praying Mantis?