A Nice Walk...and a few crappy pics...

One of those days...

The weather has been unusual to say the least around here. It was a warm afternoon and I was done cleaning and all that fun stuff, Soooo I decided to go for a little birding jaunt around the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the Beaver Marsh (where I've never seen a beaver.) This was before the shut down...and don't get me started on that morons idiotic game...

I thought it would be nice to find a few nuthatches (other than myself) and get some nice photos of whatever else may be around. What luck, just as I entered the trail, nuthatches were all around me...in the tree tops...and behind branches...or flying away.

Except for one that came down low just for me. Butt would he stay still long enough for a photo? Well, yes and no.

 I had him for a second, then he jumped up a little higher...fine I'll try again...

 Missed again...almost a butt shot.

Try one more time!

 Um, what the heck is that?!

I quit.

 Well, at least I got a slightly blurry pic of a Belted Kingfisher spitting.

Something you don't see everyday...

 I don't know what it was, but it was sitting still so I took a shot.

 I'm so glad that Mallards are large and slow moving or I wouldn't have had a thing for the day!

 He was very polite and came out of the water and posed for me.

Nice ducky.

Yep, I stayed a long time trying butt it was getting dark.

No butt shots today BUTT I did get a Moon that day!

Hopefully next time we'll do better...

Until we meet again...

An Otter Has Been Seen!...

...BUTT not by me...

 The beautiful Beaver Marsh in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park...sans otters...

So...apparently everyone thinks it's funny to mention the otters they saw...one of these days, someones gonna go swimming in that marsh! I lied to my brother Phil to get him up early and took him to look at birds...and maybe even an otter! I thought he would bring luck(or at least lunch!) At least he made lunch at little later...

I bumped into quite a few birders that were looking for the Least Bitterns and their offspring. One nice guy(I forget names, sorry!) mentioned that he sees the otters often and has photos...I haven't seen the photos...he was making things up just to get a laugh between he and my bro...argh.

 Right...they're real...and the I'll bet you think the earth is round too...

 We did see the moon...I think it's flat too.

And the sun revolves, flatly of course, around us.

You can't believe fake science!

 So, anyway, I did manage to see two of the juvenile Least Bitterns

Phil saw a "fuzzy brown spot."

That would be a lifer "fuzzy brown spot" for him.

 They were a bit far out there in the branches.

This is blown up quite a bit.

 This is Phil walking away from me because I talk to strangers.

Too much apparently..."birdsbirdsbirdsbirds...birds..."

 That's  Phil walking even faster and further.

Poor Phil.

I drove.

He'll have to wait for me.

 This is a Bluet sp. of damselfly.

I did this for Phil.

He hates bug photos.

I like to bug him.

 This is a juvenile Least Bittern zooming away from me too.

Must have been something I said...

...or something Phil said about me...

 Enough of that silliness...here's a juvenile Cedar Waxbean.

 This is a very shy Eastern Phoebe.

And yes, I said "Cedar Waxbean."

 I asked Phil what species of flycatcher this was.

He was too far away to hear me.

I think it's a Willow...maybe...

Phil? PHIL!!

 

 I must admit, European Starlings are very attractive birds.

I just wish they would attract themselves back across the ocean.

The Tree Swallows and Woodpeckers feel the same way.

 If you listen very closely, you can hear that fish saying "Oooh Nooooo!"

That Great Blue Heron took his time, trying to shake off the veggies before he swallowed the fish.

 Oh my gosh! Two weeks in a row I managed to get a Northern Cardinal to stand still!

They're finally listening to me!

More than I can say about Phil...

 Another shy Green Heron.

 Oh! Signs of a beaver in the marsh.

Oh, and a Red-winged Blackbird too.

 I love them lil Song Sparrows!

 They like to play in the mud.

 Why I do believe that's the butt of a Swamp Sparrow!

 They look so much like Song Sparrows except they have little bitty beaks for eating little bitty buggies.

Another new one for Phil...where ever he went...

 

 A male Wood Duck dressed in a more casual mode.

 Easily distracted, I see Honey and Bumble Bees!

 And another male Wood Duck...

 And a female Wood Duck giving me the stare down...just like Phil!

I must have been doing something wrong that day...I can't imagine.

 Ooooo...pretty water lily...

 

 It was truly surprising how many younger Wood Ducks were swimming amongst the weeds and what not in the marsh.

There were some "busy" duckies this summer!

 

 One butt for the road!

I have to find Phil...

 Until next time kiddies! Happy birding!

Meanwhile, Back in Carolina...

 Somewhere, back in there are a few Wood Ducks and a Great Blue Heron!

 Ah, another beautiful day in Asheville with birds singing and wonderful sunshine to start my morning walk around Biltmore Lake. I had a quick walk in the morning and a much longer walk in the evening with Caron and Brian. I'll tell ya, it's really rough having to visit the boss...and spend time wandering around looking at nature...I mean talking about the inner workings (this short video shows what REALLY goes on!) of Clearsonic Mfg...yeah, that's what we talked about...all day...honest...

But anyway...

 The American Goldfinches have it made down here!

 With all of the lush greenery and juicy worms, this American Robin was still cranky!

Must be all the obnoxious tweets he hears...

 

 I had a few nice shots of this Brown-headed Nuthatch, but this one was just a bit Nuttier...

 I rarely get a nice close view of a male Northern Cardinal. 

For some reason, this guy was very patient with me...and I thanked him.

Caron and Brian kinda ignore me when I talk to birds...smart...

 Something up above really got the attention of this Chipping Sparrow.

Maybe and evening snack?

 Pfftttt.....

 This is very rare photographic evidence that Green Herons do the Hokey-Pokey.

"You put your left wing out..."

 "You put your right wing out..."

And then you vote the bums out of office.

Sorry...had to do it....I have a bad case of Trumpitis... 

Sad, very sad...

 This guy loves looking at himself too...

"I'm so handsome, I'll make Heron great again..."

 Anyway, it's getting dark out(not unlike America's future) and the birds are getting harder to photograph. This juvenile American Robin took once last look around before bedtime.

 BIRD OF THE WEEK!

Brian is getting good at spotting birds!

This Black-and-White Warbly was skulking in a darker corner of the trail when Brian saw it.

I just shot quickly without adjustments, you never want to dawdle when a warbly is involved!

We'll have to make a "Warbly Award" for him!

 I saw House FInches that were more on the yellowy side in Florida once. 

I was surprised to see them here as well.

 One of my last shots of the evening was this Eastern Kingbird surveying his realm.

Somewhere behind us we could hear a Yellow-billed Cuckoo calling.

I went back to the area the following morning and heard him calling again, but could never locate him. I guess I'll have to go back...

 While we were watching the sunset, the moon rose and gave us an equally lovely view.

 One butt for the road...and I dedicate this ass to the republicans that believe everyone should have a gun to shoot their neighbors, and Right to Life is only important until you're born, then you have no right to live a healthy life.

Only in America...great...

Until we meet again...