Oh my gosh! It's a Yellow-rump and it's not from behind!
What's the deal?
It's magic! Yep, our tenth year of warbling wonderment at Magee Marsh has started. After this past winter wonderland of superfluous snowfall, we need a little warbly time. As usual, we got a bit of a jump on The Biggest Week In American Birding, and started a few days before the madness struck. I think the harsh winter slowed things down a bit, the foliage was still quite sparse, good for viewing, bad if you're a warbler looking for insects living in that foliage. Still, we had a great time and we'll have at least a couple more days out there hunting down those colorful little beasties!
May at Magee...you never know what the temperature will be, so be prepared for everything!
Lots of greenery down low, with good buggies to eat!
When I first saw this little guy I got very excited! In addition to being a warbly, I first thought he was a Connecticut Warbly...
Then he turned his head and turned into a Nashville.
Wrong state...
Still great!
This was a great spot by another birder. A Great Crested Flycatcher.
I watched everyone running back and forth trying to get a better view.
I stood still and patiently waited...and -TADA- he alit right above me in a clear patch!
Every once in a while, even I get a lucky shot!
The poor sparrows get ignored by most.
These White-throated Sparrows are all over the ground here and are really great looking little guys!
This was a puzzler. At first I thought it was an odd looking Chipping Sparrow.
Someone with a field guide discovered it was a Swamp Sparrow.
It is kind of swampy here ya know!
Be careful looking up...Yellow Warblyz are everywhere!
Trying to find a hole in the vegetation with a telephoto lens can be a chore, especially when you're looking at Hermit Thrushes on the ground.
They like to play peek-a-boo!
A regally posed Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
(see what I did there with the "regal, crowned and kinglet" tie in? Very majestic, eh? Oh, I rule...)
The recently added Crane Creek Estuary Trail will take you from Magee Marsh along the lake front to the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge.
This is Bob. He's a Palm Warbly.
We walked together.
He sings better than me.
Ask The Doodles.
I'm taller.
So there.
I'm STILL waiting for Canon to send me a 500mm lens to test.
If I had one, you would know that tiny little bird barely visible in the middle, because I don't have a 500mm lens, is a Wilson's Snipe.
No relation to a Wilson's Soccer ball.
Fungus.
It grows on my blog.
Meanwhile, back in Warblyville.
Ooo...a Black-and-White Warbly!
My favorite.
(Ya see, I'm color blind, and that bird is "black and white.")
I'll bet you're falling asleep, just like this Eastern Screech Owl.
It's okay.
Doodles does it all the time when I'm talking.
HEY! WAKE UP!!
Thank you.
This, my restless reader, is a Blue-headed Vireo.
And this is an American Redstart startling buggies with his startling tail feathers.
"Boogie-boogie!"
Here's a really big butt!
Bald Eagle booty in it's cozy nest.
Back to petite warblyville...
Black-throated Green Warbly.
At least I think that's green...hmmm...yep, green.
WOW!
A very rare Orange-breasted Ground Thrush!
Or an American Robin.
You're no fun.
HA! BOOGIE-BOOGIE AGAIN!
It's a Garter Snake.
I'll bet that woke you up!
Oooh...creepy crawly...slinky slimy!
Okay fine.
I'll quit...for now!
Here's a little Yellow-rump rump!
We'll be back with more exciting(?) adventures of ...
Loopy and The Doodles Lost in the Marsh!
