All along the boardwalk...

There's that golden crown!

I like to think of the boardwalk at Magee Marsh as the "Magnificent Mile" of the bird world! In the spring time, the sheer number of Warbly things and the other migratory feathers are truly astounding to watch. The trees and shrubs that line the boardwalk are filled to over flowing with colorful feathers from near and far.

Last Sunday after our special visit with the always entertaining, Kimm Kaufman, we went for a walk along the Magee Marsh boardwalk to see what was afoot...or a-wing as it were...

The Doodles new favorite, Golden-crowned Kinglet.

"What are YOU lookin at?"
This feisty little fellow was gleaning the spiders from the benches and railings to make it safe for us to sit down. How kind...

Easily tired of his adoring fans, off he goes!

Here's a young American Robin showing us the proper take off technique he recently learned.

Very nice, Rob.

I was so hoping the Great Blue Heron was going to drop a "bomb" on these Canada Geese.

No luck...

There were a good number of Hermit Thrush out along the boardwalk today!

Did you ever notice that "Hermit" Thrush are never alone? Hmmm.

Little Ruby-crowned Kinglets were every where, even in the marsh.

This is one of the Trumpeter Swan families we have been watching this year.

There are two pair of banded Swans with young in this area.

This was the only shot of a Winter Wren I managed to get. They are so quick on the ground!

Maybe my last Warbler of the year.

This Yellow-rumped was moving down the walk along with us.

The Groundhogs are getting fat for the long winter.

Halloween is coming and the dead fish is still dead...Boogey-boogey!

The Little Kings

Doodles says "You can see the ruby in his crown!"

Being chromatically challenged, I'll take her word for it...

Yes! I'm finally mobile again and as you may have noticed in our last episode, we were fortunate enough to help Kimmay at BSBO with handling a few little birdies! The Doodles has a new favorite thanks to Kim handing her the Golden-crowned Kinglet to ogle close up! We are still in awe over that experience. Find a bird bander and volunteer!

After calming down, we went for a walk for the first time in a few weeks, at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. We were hoping to see a fall warbly thing or two and a Kinglet on the trails behind the nature center. As luck would have it, we saw MANY Kinglets...maybe hundreds or so it seemed. Every ten feet, no matter where you looked, on the ground, in the shrubbery(no Knights of Nee!) or in the trees, there they were, bouncing like little rubber balls from branch to branch as fast as they could. Not a good day to be a bug.

We have never seen so many Kinglets on a walk before, I'm sure it's because they all knew we were kind and didn't squish the guts out of their relatives at the banding area...

"If I were King of the Forest!"

The Cowardly Lion wouldn't have a chance against this little dynamo!

I just couldn't get a clear, focused shot of the Golden-crowned Kinglets golden crown.
I now have one more goal in life...

Yellow-rumped Warblers were very abundant. Gotta clean up for that long trip south!
There were Blackpoll Warblers out and about, but not near my camera...oh well...

I'm always happy to spot a Brown Creeper!

I was just saying to the Doodles, "Doodles, I'd like to spot a Brown Creeper."

And lo and behold...seek and ye shall receive...

After my "Birds from Behind" field guide is complete,

I will start "Loopy's Real Field Guide to Birds" which will have limbs and leaves in front of every image.

That's one way to get rid of these bad pics!

Remember the "Tree Swallow Tree" I spoke of in an earlier post, well,

it's autumn and the last of the Tree Swallows are falling from the trees now...really...

Here's a seldom viewed sub-species, the Shrub Swallow, a very late bloomer as you can see.

How many European Starling butts can YOU count? Hmmm?

I will leave you with this White-throated Sparrow and whatever it is HE left on that log...