Shhhhhh!!!

My good friend and excellent guide from Ecuador, Edison, found this American Woodcock hiding under a brush pile.

Don't tell anyone! I was feeling very under the weather Friday and couldn't make it to work...ack, ack... Amazingly enough, I was well enough to drive to Magee Marsh to catch the beginning of the spring spectacular...WARBLY MIGRATION! Shhhh...

What a gorgeous day to be out birding. Sun shining, nice breeze, 75 degrees, the birding life doesn't get any better...unless I was retired(not gonna happen.) In addition to all the great folks I haven't seen in a while, I saw 60 species of birdies, including 15 species of warbly things! AND I shot 637 photos, half of which I've already deleted so don't worry.

I think I'll spread these photos out over a few days...I wouldn't want to make you suffer through too many fuzzy butt shots!

 This Black-and-White Warbly couldn't figure out how my name was floating in mid air.

 

 First spring warbly booty!

 

 Isn't he precious?

That little bug killing machine...

 

 Blackburnian bootyliciousness...

 

 This lil warbly thing had me puzzled for a while.

The first person that spotted it said "Black-throated Green" and kept going.

It just didn't look right, that stripe on top of her head was a puzzlement.

When I looked in my copy of Chris Earley's Warbler guide, it turned out to be a female Blackburnian warbly! Cool, eh?

 

 Say bye-bye bug!

 

 "HEY! WHY AREN'T YOU AT WORK?!"

Cause I don't wanna.

 

 I don't think I've ever seen so many Blackburnian warblys at Magee!

Then again, I'm usually working...hmmmm...I think I'm feeling ill again...

 

 Getting sick of these guys yet?

I didn't think so...

 

 Even a color blind Loopy guy can appreciate the color of these warblys!

 

 I did photograph a couple of other birds in between those warbly things!

Like this snoozing Eastern Screech Owl.

 

That's Edison Buenano on the left. He helped us find well over 300 species on our short visit to the Mindo valley in Ecuador!

On the right is another friend and excellent photo and bird guide, Ian Campbell of Tropical Birding.

Stay tuned for more of my...

"EXCITING DAY OFF WITH THE BIRDS!"