On Lake Erie with My Ottawa Friends...AND a Special Guest!

 Woo-hoo! I get a sunset cruise on Lake Erie!

First, I need to give a HUGE hug and and a big thank you to Amy Arent of the Friends of Ottawa group for asking me along to take some birdy photos! These are a great group of folks that are helping out the refuge when it is really needed...now more than ever!!

Okay, now on with the show!

This was a sunset cruise leaving Port Clinton and heading out to West Sister Island, Ohio's only Wilderness Area. This island is part of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and the it's the largest Great Blue Heron and Great Egret rookery on the U.S. Great Lakes...and there's a couple of Double-crested Cormorants too...oh...and a gang of those gray and white birds...uh...gulls, yep, Herring Gulls...silly birds.

Along for the ride were a number of birding experts  including the amazing H. Thomas "Tom Terrific" Bartlett, the man who always has a bluebird on his shoulder...and a wise crack at the ready. I am always in awe of his skills, and he's an amazing bird bander as well! Also on the boat(ship?...watercraft?) was President Theodore Roosevelt, the leader on the early conservation of wildlife areas to save our national treasures. I won't get into any politics concerning the moron in that current position... Teddy was kind enough to shake my hand, yell "Bully" at me and give me his autograph. This is a day I will always remember...in a confused sort of way...

Somehow Tom managed to spot this lone Lesser Black-backed Gull as it flew along the channel and out to the lake. 

He sees all and knows all....

 Not a homeless man.

Tom Bartlett and his bag o' birds.

 President Roosevelt himself!

 

 The number of Double-crested Cormorants is astounding to see.

That lovely white wash is killing the trees they nest in and their numbers have to be surveyed closely to ensure they don't harm the areas for the nesting Herons and Egrets.

 

 There's a pair of Bald Eagles nesting on the island also.

 The Jet Express is doing more to make America great again than a certain orange headed person in D.C.

 I wonder if these Canada Geese have their passports?

 This buoy marks the spot of the Battle of Lake Erie of the War of 1812...which actually took place in 1813...details, details...

This was when Oliver Hazard Perry said:

"Dear General:
We have met the enemy and they are ours. Two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop.
Yours with great respect and esteem, O.H. Perry^"

 A Double-crested Cormorant on it's way home.

 LOTS of Herring Gulls on their nests along the rocky coast.

 Oh...my...

I can taste the fresh Lake Erie perch...oh....tasty...

 Taking photos from a not so steady, fast moving boat at sunset with a 500mm lens is a new experience...and I don't think I learned anything.

Milliseconds before this shot, two Spotted Sandpipers flew past.

Really. Ask Tom.

 At last! A Great Blue Heron!

Because of the cormorants, the herons are now nesting towards the center of the island.

These birds get banding and counted by very brave volunteers that climb up trees covered with poison ivy...followed by nestlings vomiting and defecating on them.

Such fun!

I think I'll donate a little extra this year...

 Hey Look!

It's a gray and white bird sitting on a nest making more gray and white birds!

(It's a Herring Gull by the way.)

 A group of Great Egrets going home to roost for the night.

 The Bald Eagles left their nest to watch the sunset too...

 The cormorant on the lower left was teaching a class in nest maintenance.

No one was paying attention.

 Birbs.

Little ones.

Flying. 

 Nope, no lake otters either.

 Oooo...a gray and white bird that doesn't look gray and white in the glow of the sunset!

 It's a glorious night for a cruise on Lake Erie!

 The last of the herons going home for the night...just like me soon.

 

 A truly beautiful sunset on the island...

 Stay tuned!!

More Warbly Fun Coming Soon!!

WHAT!! No Warblies?!

 American Tree Sparrows were plentiful on this frigid January morn.

 Happy belated New Year! I haven't been out birding too much this year. I've taken numerous walks in the forests of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, but without a camera....hard to believe! Sometimes it's just nice to escape to the woods and relax and breathe.

So...I did get out to bird and I headed out to Magee Marsh and the boardwalk! To my surprise, there wasn't a single warbly thing to be seen! Oh, I forgot...it's the heart of that thing we call "winter in the Midwest." Snow, cold, a little more snow, a little colder, more snow, sun for about three minutes...then more snow and cold. Be patient! Just a few short months more...honest!

I also stopped by to visit my friends at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory. Yes indeed, they are there all winter! Stop by if you're out there. They have new books and gifts in stock...and a nice selection of photos by me! All the money from my photos goes directly to them!

It was a very quiet day, only a few other folks out and about at Magee, though none on the boardwalk. The birds had the same idea. They were all hiding from me other than the American Tree Sparrows, which were foraging like mad all along the trail edges. What did I say a minute ago? Oh yeah, patience...it will be spring soon. Right. We'll see!
  

I had the odd feeling I was being followed...

 I thought about laying on the beach to get some sun...but couldn't find the beach!

 The Bald Eagles were soaring around the area, but no one was home at the nest.

 Did I mention that I saw quite a few American Tree Sparrows...

 I'm pretty sure Lake Erie is under there somewhere.

Not a good day for a swim...I don't like the "hard" water we have...

 I got dizzy just watching this Downy Woodpecker searching for lunch!

 I'm telling ya...somebody is following me!

 These are the cozy homes of the muskrats at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge.

Yep, I walked over there too...my legs were tired...

 This guy stopped me in my tracks when I was driving out.

I'm not positive, but it sure looks more like a Rough-legged Hawk than a Red-tailed!

Any opinions?

 The gulls don't seem to care how cold that water is...one more reason that I don't care for them!

The Trumpeter Swans on the other hand, I love!

 And yet again, another Tree Sparrow!

My first butt shot for 2015...

In your dreams...just three more months...three more months...keep saying it...

A Snow Free Photo Spree At Magee...

No song is so sweet as the song of the Sparrow.

I know, I complained too much about the snow. Now I have one hundred and ten followers that are pi$$ed off too. Sorry about that. No more talk of that dirty white stuff. Unless of course, it snows again...

As I said in my last post, we finally made it out to Magee Marsh, AND THERE WASN'T SNOW ON THE GROUND! We were there a little late in the afternoon after our outings in other areas, so it was a bit quiet. Which is fine every now and then. A nice peaceful walk in the woods with the Doodles is always a good thing. Shhhh.

These three Bald Eagles broke the silence with their argument over this territory.

Another one of Loopy's crappy photos!
See that arrow? There's a Bald Eagle's head right there.
I try.

Speaking of crappy photos...how about this Common Grackle trying to get away from me?
Oh, I got talents...

Ya know how I'm always hoping that Canon is going to send me that 800mm lens?
See that Common Merganser WAAAAY out in the middle of the lake?
Yeah, that little black dot.
Imagine what kind of crappy photo I could get with that big lens.
Totally awesome I expect...

This is a Downy Woodpecker looking for the proper pecking area on the wood.
They got skills.

This would not be the proper pecking area.

Not Alaska...

Just as that little Bufflehead was coming on for a splash landing,
wacky Mr. Shoveler has to get into the picture.
Gotta watch those guys...

Fine, now I want to take your photo and you fly away...
Wacky ducks...

Flying Sandhill Crane booty.
What other blog can you find stuff like this?
Huh? Right. NO WHERE!

Ten Trumpeters trumpeting...

I'll leave you with my favorite Trumpeter Swan.
Good ol' 3A0!
I can always count on her to be around...just like the Doodles.
Except the Doodles doesn't honk.
Unless she's in her car...and some one is in her way.
Look out for the Doodles.
I'm getting a little punchy.
Must be this silly daylight savings time thing.
Okay...goodbye.
Really.
Go away, I'm tired.
Oh...wait...I'm the one that's typing.
Never mind.