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...

Warblyz and More!

 It's not often that a Bay-breasted Warbly sits still and poses...and not from behind!

May 10th...another delightful day birding the boardwalk! Speaking of which...the Friends of Magee Marsh are trying to raise money for a much needed rehab. As you can see from the photo, they've already started with new signage...and replacing the ever so squeaky deck boards. Please click on their hi-lighted name if you can help!

SO...onward to the burdz!

Of course, the very first bird on the walk was facing the right way!

The American Redstarts were, by far, the most numerous warbly to be seen this year.

We've seen them in numerous parks and even our gardens.

One day, one of these Black-throated Blooz will turn around in the sun for me...or not.

I can hear those computers clicking off now!

Don't be scared!

It's only a lil' Black Rat Snake.

This Cape May Warbly is zooming away just like a few of my readers!

Part chicken?

Hmmm...

A tummy full of juicy bugs makes Chestnut-sided Warblyz sing their cute little hearts out!

"Listen up babes! I'm lookin' for love!"

While everyone else is looking up, I'm peaking through the tangles.

You never know what you'll see out there!

A Green Heron hunting frogs...or something else squishy.

Hungry yet?

The last of the Palm Warblyz were popping in and out today.

How to identify a Northern Parula from behind...

Eye arcs, wing bars, white undertail and a neon green back that even I can see!

There, you learned something. Haha!

Anyone know a publisher willing to make a "Birds From Behind" field guide?

Meanwhile, back in reality...

Ooohhhh..Scarlet Tanager!

A sad Song Sparrow, because everyone is oohing and aahing over the tanager.

And an angry Swainson's Thrush.

Cranky little buggers...

If you listen closely, after their song they talk like Edward G, Robinson.

"Where's your insects now, see? Yeah."

The Veery didn't think it was funny either.

Just over the parking lot and outside the boardwalk, a pair of Bald Eagles decided this would be a good place for a nest...the size of a Volkswagen...

Watch the next few posts for updates...

Amazing how it can take you five to six hours to walk the boardwalk that's less than a mile long!

But when you come out...KEEP LOOKING!

You never know what will be hiding in the grass.

Not far fom the eagles nest, this American Woodcock made a nest in the tall grass.

It took a lot of scanning to finally find her little eye peeking through!

The Doodles gets bored with my dawdling back and forth.

She sat at this secluded corner of the Magee beach and watched the warblyz flitting in and out of that little tree.

She had seven species and she didn't have to move.

Not fair.

Yellow-rumped Warblyz have much more than yellow rumps.

We tried to keep him locked away, butt Bobb escaped.

BEWARE of that Puckish little grin of his.

Along the new estuary trail, which connects to Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, the birders are fewer, butt the birds are many!

We saw a number of Blackpoll Warblyz resting from their amazing long distance tour of the world.

A Happy Doodles.

A cranky Bobb.

A leering Loopy.

I was distracted by someone with a Canon 500mm lens...THAT I"M STILL WAITING FOR!

Speaking of Soras...there's one now!

Be careful looking up when a Trumpeter Swan flies over...ick.

The most beeuuutiful song in birdland!

Wood Thrush!

If you're ever standing next to me in an odd location and hear one singing, it's probably my phones ring tone.

It's fun to watch birders swing around scanning the trees trying to find where that song originates.

Hee-hee...

One last shot of the Bay-breasted Warbly before we go...

Ya know, I don't think I ever mentioned the fact that Magee Marsh is on the Lake Erie Bird Trail!

Silly me.

See you with more warbly action next time!

The Everlasting Longest Twitch Presents...A LIFER!

 Back on the Lake Erie Birding Trail!

Hello kids! Well here we are in a new year and another exciting adventure of "Loopy and The Doodles Go Birding!" We start off today's trip with a visit to  Edgewater Park, our 25th tick on the Lake Erie Birding Trail. Oh my...hang onto to your hats!

 Here we are...freezing our respective parts off.

You know, living along the lake shore in the summer with that nice cool breeze...ah.

Living along the lake shore in January with a wind from the north blowing over the ice on the lake?

Not so "ah."

 Nope, not lifers.

Just Larry, Curly and Moe...or is that Shemp?

Silly Ring-billed Gulls...

 

 Red-breasted Mergansers sailing past...there are thousands out there!

Not lifers.

 Mute Swans...the one on the right is screaming silently.

His tushy is frozen.

Also not lifers.

 

  Flying away with hurt feelings.

Sorry guys, you're just not that special today.

  

 NOT the first lighthouse seen on Lake Erie...

Patience kiddies...

  

 Our second park on our Days Twitch...and number 26!

Only 58 more sites to visit along the trail! East 72nd Street and Gordon Park are famous among Cleveland birders in January. Not only a great place to fish, but a fantastic place to find lost and misguided gulls and watery type birds. Glaucous, Thayer's, Iceland and other rare, bland, gray and white gulls are regulars here(I meant that in a nice way.) This area is directly across from a power plant and its warm water discharge keeps the water free of ice. There are plenty of fish, mostly shad, to feed the hungry mobs. And today we had a special visitor from far away!

 These are two of our Peregrine Falcon friends that enjoy harassing ducks and gulls.

As you can tell by the cropping, The Doodles STILL hasn't bought me a 500mm lens.

And as for Santy Claws...well...

 Definitely a rare one!

Jim McCormac paid a visit to our lake shore from Columbus.

Jim works for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, blogs and is the author of an upcoming book on the Lake Erie Birding Trail

Stay tuned for that!

 Nope, not rare or a lifer.

Just one of those Herring Gull.

I think the fish is saying "Oh No! Mr. Bill!"

Get it?

The Gull has a bill...

...and he's eating him.

Ha.

Or no.

 And here he is!

The Life bird for Me and The Doodles!

Great shot, huh?

 

 Now I'm not sure what the hand sign meant.

Was it the second park we visited...a victory sign for the lifer...

or was it a hint about potty time...

Hmmm...

 

 Another great shot!

Wow, why haven't I received a call from National Geographic yet?

 Who'd have thought that a site across from a power plant, along a busy freeway near the heart of downtown Cleveland would host so many great birds?

The trees in the distance are in Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve, formally known as Dike 14.

It's actually a landfill from dredging the Cuyahoga River.

Great place for warblies!

 

 Okay, fine.

Here's the lifer.

Know who he is yet?

He likes to dive for his meals...and occasionally hop across water...

 It's a Black-legged Kittiwake!

A little bit out of his territory.

Thanks again for visiting!

I hope you'll come back!

I promise to behave next time...ha...not.

 *no kitties were awakened during the filming of this blog...