Just another walk in the park...

So, I asked this Downy if he was a boy or a girl, and he bowed his head and said "What do you think!"

Smart Alec woodpeckers...

You know that old saying, "When life gives you lemons, go birding?" At least I think it goes something like that...After an exciting morning of the Doodles Landie breaking down on the highway, I thought I would go for a walk at Rocky River Reservation to escape from reality. I do that a lot, escape from reality I mean...ask anybody.

A nice sunny day, about 45 degrees and everyone is out walking in the park. They were the smart folks that didn't go to the mall! I just did a quick walk through the back, less travelled trails to see what I could see. Of course I brought my camera just in case! All of the regulars were there taking advantage of the unseasonably warm and quiet weather.

This White-throated Sparrow was keeping an eye on the toddler screaming and running his way.

When I pointed the birds out to him, he became real quiet and just stared. Maybe a future birder?

I'm still trying to get an in focus pic of a White-breasted Nuthatch. In the meantime, I liked the look this one was giving me.

"Dude, what are you lookin at?!"

This is what happens to bad Tufted Titmice, he's a "jail bird!"

Sorry, I couldn't resist that joke...

He's telling all of his buddies to watch out for the guy with the camera.

"Don't sit still, it makes him crazy!"

Walking along, I heard a crack above me. When I looked up, this guy was staring back.

Red-tails don't eat people do they?

I don't think that band is tight enough...

That looks like a seed he's eating doesn't it? Remember me warning you about the evil Chickadees?
That's all that's left of a jogger. I saw it with my own eyes...scary...really...

I'll leave you with this parting shot...I said PARTING!

*no chipmunks were harmed in the production of this post. Thank you.

#2650 59455

A beautiful Blackpoll Warbler from this past spring at Magee Marsh.

So what's in a number you ask. Especially that number at the top of my post... I'll tell you that it was a very important number and indeed, it was a milestone number for Black Swamp Bird Observatory.

That number is the band number placed on the leg of a very long distance traveler from Canada on October 3rd. A very special Blackpoll Warbler on his way to the Andes in South America for winter vacation. Imagine the trip this little bird takes, not once but twice in a year's time. What makes this particular Blackpoll a special bird is the fact that he was the 500,000th bird banded by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory!

Julie and Mark Shieldcastle and Kim Kaufman, with the help of many volunteers, spend countless hours in all types of weather completing research on our feathered friends that migrate through our area as well as the regulars that live out here in the Magee Marsh-Ottawa area.

From spring through fall, they go out just about every morning to put up mist nets, and check on them throughout the day. When they find someone in the nets, they remove them quickly, take detailed measurements and finally give them a little bling to take on their travels. Sometimes they end up in another researchers nets and are recorded again and the info sent back to BSBO.

500,000. That's a lot of bands...

It's an amazing job and an amazing milestone that our friends do. Thank you!

Kim has another Blackpoll Warbler in all of its fall finery.

There's more than just bird banding going on with Julie!
Teaching our young people the importance of birds and getting them excited(like this little one!) is a big part of her job.

Mark has a tiny Golden-crowned Kinglet to band.
It's wonderful to watch how delicately they handle these little guys.

Getting young people excited about nature is only one of Kim's tremendous talents!

She is the founder of the Ohio Young Birders Club which has been copied all over the country!

This is what a real Wild Turkey looks like...being followed by a parade of goblets...that's what they're called you know!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American friends!

Breakfast with the birds...

Uh, excuse me, Jay...could you wipe your beak please? Thanks...

It was a little on the drizzly damp side, Sunday morn. Being the lazy slacker that I am(ask the Doodles), I thought I would sit around, eat breakfast and watch the birds and do not much else. I cleaned the ponds and the lawn and the gardens on Saturday, and now I am taking a day of rest. Not to mention the fact that I really can't move today...

Then I got bored. I may as well try to get a few feeder birds through the windows, that will kill some time. Plus there aren't any good cartoons on in the morning any more...

A clean pond is a happy pond!

All the little birdies, like this House Sparrow, line up to drink from the frog.

Maybe it reminds them of mommy spitting food up into their precious little gullets...ugh, I don't feel so hungry anymore...

There are a pair of Tufted Titmouses(Mice?) that take turns coming to the feeder, so polite.

I shot three frames in a row, two are of an empty feeder! Boy are they quick...

I put feed out for all of the birds, including the Cooper's Hawk.
Think about it...get it now?

Who's the precious little Goldfinch?
They hate it when you call them 'precious', they told me so.

This poor House Finch couldn't catch a break.

Every time he attempted to get to the feeder, the House Sparrows or the Mourning Doves would move in and take over.

I fastened these limbs to the feeder poles so there would be a waiting area...patience little buddy.

"What the heck is this?! I ordered Safflower seed not Black Oil!"

Pushy Northern Cardinals...sheesh...

Part of the clean up crew.

The White-throated Sparrows work the ground detail...

This is Bob Jr., or possibly Bob the third...or fourth, I've lost track.

His bushy tail makes a great umbrella.

Bad Chipmunk!

They think they're slick, hiding under the pond.

I'll get you my pretty,ah-hahahahaa!

I still haven't figured out why my computer crashed...hmmmm....