Monday, May 7, 2018

Some Old Friends Stopped By For A Visit...

 Playing peek-a-boo with my favorite lil Black-and-White Warbly!

A great day to take off work and head out to Magee Marsh for the beginning of the Biggest Week in American Birding! Winds were blowing hard from the south and warblies and their buddies were finally heading up to visit us. Friday wasn't very crowded, being a "work" day...though I did see some friends that were also absent from work...I hope they had a doctors excuse or a note from mom.

I spent 6 hours strolling slowly along the boardwalk, speaking with old friends I haven't seen since last spring and lots of new friends and new birders as well. It was a great way to get out and enjoy the beginning of the spring migration!

 American Woodcock like to play peek-a-boo too!
They're better at it than most birds...

 The hard part is finding a hole in the scrub to aim through!
I think I hurt my back...

 Thanks to the Bald Eagle, there's one less squirrel in the world to steal bird seed from my feeders.

 Have I ever mentioned how much I love those little Black-and-whites?

 They're cute AND fun to watch!

 I was supposed to be assisting in the search for an Orange-crowned Warbly, but I found a Black-billed Cuckoo by mistake.
It was okay because it was a lifer for a couple of folks there!

 This Black-throated Green Warbly brought a splash of color to the drab woods...

 Oh my! I wasn't expecting to find a Blackpoll today!

 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers get angry when you take their photo...
Cranky little birds...

 This Cape May Warbly was kind enough to pose for my Birds From Behind collection!

 Chestnut-sided Warblies have shiny heads...just like me!

 This Great Egret caught a wee little fishy snack...and reminded me to get lunch.

 A pair of Killdeer out stalking their prey.
Though I've never seen them catch a deer...

 A very dramatic Magnolia Warbly...nice outfit!

 Speaking of dramatic, Nashville Warblies love to strike a pose.

 That naughty look in the eyes...oh my...

 I never noticed their dark cap before...

 This Northern Parula was practicing his beautiful song for us.

 Oops...sorry to interrupt!
A pair of Northern Water Snakes were making more water snakes right there along the boardwalk!
Have they no decency?

 As you can see, this Rose-breasted Grosbeak was a bit embarrassed by that snakey display!

 Even the Snowy Egret was diverting his eyes from that scene...

 Who's got golden slippers on?!

 I should have mentioned how windy it was.
At one point they had to close the boardwalk because the storm closed in with even heavier wind and branches were coming down! As I was hot-footing through the lot to my car, the rain came down and a kind couple allowed to get in there car...birders are definitely the nicest folks around!

 That pointy bug getting beak tells me this must be a Tennessee Warbly.

Appropriately, a Yellow-RUMPED Warbly for the last pic of the day!

I paid another visit on Saturday...so more warblies to come!

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