Young at Heart...

Kim Kaufman of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory surrounded by our future.

Some people say I'm more immature than "young at heart," but what do they know. Well, actually, they may be right. As long as I'm having fun they'll have to deal with it!

Speaking of young(clever intro, eh?)...the Ohio Young Birders Club annual conference is next Saturday, November 5th in Columbus, Ohio. AND you don't have to be young! These kids are amazing. They run the show and what a great learning experience it will be for all that attend. We've attended in the past and are really looking forward to this meeting. Great speakers and activities await!

Our young birders REALLY need our support right now. There's so much focus in the news about removing environmental protections of endangered habitat. These birders are our hope and our future, we can't let them down.

Maybe you can help start a young birders club in your area!

Garden Party,,,

A VERY uncooperative Hermit Thrush peeping through our living room window.

Saturday I thought it would be better to sit on the sofa and stare blankly at the television and "This Old House" reruns than to do the yard work that The Doodles requires of me. While drifting in and out of conscientiousness, I felt a pair of eyes staring at me. We have a small feeder hanging inches from the window and quite often the Northern Cardinals and the Tufted Titmouseseses sit there and stare as a hint for me to fill up the feeder!

Saturdays eyes felt a little different. They would be there for a split second until I would look up...then *poof*, they were gone. I went for the camera, as I'm not your average fool(I am an ABOVE average fool!) The eyes came and went when I returned. "This is better than yard work" I said to myself. I will stand guard against this alien and protect our humble home.

Finally the eyes sat still long enough in the shrubbery for me to get a few shots. Most of which were up to my extremely low standards. I have no pride as you well know. I ran back and forth between the living room and dining room windows trying to catch this feathery fiend. I'm sure the neighbors that were out doing the proper yard work kind of thing were perplexed at my running back and forth!

At long last I could see enough of him(Ha! Who's faster than a bird now, Superman?) to identify him. A Hermit Thrush! And all alone! How appropriate.

Satisfied that I captured the evidence I needed, and "This Old House" now being LONG over, I thought " I better get my butt outside before The Doodles gets home and kicks it!" So I did. Like I said, I'm not your average fool...

And what did I find in the back gardens you may ask? Or you may not, but I don't care. This is my blog and I will show you and tell you anything I want. So there. Ha.

A Hermit that's not a loner!
And yes, I did check out front again and found his peeping Tom buddy still out there.

Here's an Eastern Towhee trying to help pick up leaves.
He picked them up and just flipped them over.
Towhees are terrible at yard work.

Final BUTT Of The Day!!!
A Ruby-crowned Kinglet trying to knock the rest of the leaves down.
These birds were no help at all...

Birdin' with my Buddies...

Don't Nashville Warblies have the cutest little booty?

While The Doodles was away...I went out to play! I spent the morning(and afternoon!) with our friends of the Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society at West Creek Park, one of the newer additions to the Cleveland Metropark system. This just happens to be part of the Lake Erie Birding Trail , but because The Doodles wasn't there, it doesn't count towards "The Longest Twitch." I guess I'll be forced to go back!

It was a great day to be out with friends, sunny and very warm and there were those little warbly things bouncing around from tree to tree! Visit the WCAS site for a list of the birds and additional photos. I wish we had video of the creek crossing...no one fell in but it was fun to watch folks trying to keep their feet dry!

Accidental photo of autumn leaves.
There was a dragonfly hovering here...until I clicked the shutter...

There's that Nashville Warbly again!

Blackpoll Booty...

This Black-throated Green Warbly LOVED to be at the tip top of the trees!

Brown Creeper. Still creeping me out.

Canadians...they never leave when their supposed to.
Watch your step...

If Common Yellowthroats are so common, why don't we see them more often?

Well, at least his throat really is yellow.

Mallards. They like to show you their butts. Rude ducks.

Look closely on the right side of this hornets nest and you'll see that someone is still home!
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

One of our members(hi Nancy!) works for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
If you look closely at this shale in the creek, you'll see swirl trails left by some long gone critter.
She's so handy at pointing out fun facts of pre-history!

One of my favorite non-warbly birds!
Song Sparrows love to play hide and seek!

This Yellow-rumped Warbly tried to make as difficult as possible to get a shot.
I finally gave up...

It'th a Thistle.
Tho there.

These are wildflowers.
Wildflowers can be dangerous.
They are untrained and they bite.
Be careful.

WOW...look at that.
It's almost in focus!
By the way, that's a Black-throated Blue Warbly...

*Special note of ultra importance!! We have a new bird on our yard list...a Hermit Thrush has been here for the past two days! Well...I'm excited...

Another exciting post comes to an end...AND no politics...yet.