a-MAY-zing!

 Sing it out to all who will listen!

This Yellow Warbly is asking you to help save his habitat.

 It's MAY! MAYhem has arrived...the annual MAY-gration has started...I MAY stop this silliness now...or not... These are from our first foray to Magee Marsh(or is it MAY-gee Marsh?) on MAY 2nd. It was a gorgeous warm and sunny spring day and a great way to kick off another fun spring.

In addition to all of the birds, we spotted a number of old friends that we haven't seen in a year. There's always a good time to be had on the boardwalk, even when it's jam packed crowded. We also stopped by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory to see our buddies there. Kimmay and Kenn Kaufman(along with Jeff Sayre) came out with a great new book covering a little of everything in the Midwest. I love this new book(and so does The Doodles!) It's handy to keep along, light weight, and it covers everything from birds and bugs to trees and flowers...and Kimmay signed it for us!

Anyway...back to birding!

 The Doodles is always excited to find an American Woodcock trying to hide from us!

 Not everyone is excited to see Black Racers napping in the shrubbery though...

 There are an aMAYzing number of Bald Eagles to be found in the area.

 

 AND in MAY there's always good warblies to be found!

This Black-throated Green Warbly was looking for his buddies.

 Thanks to the restoration of wetlands in the area, we're seeing more Blandings Turtles.

 This Chipping Sparrow is looking over a four leaf clover that he overlooked before...

 That Bonaparte's Gull(you know, that bland gray bird on the left) is chuckling at the Common Tern trying to impress his love with a fish. She obviously doesn't care.

Snubbed again...

 I wonder if fishermen notice all the birds that fly past them like this Great Egret?

 When I took this, I was soooo excited to get a shot of BOTH Yellowlegs in one frame.

Then I realized the smaller bird was a Solitary Sandpiper and not the Lesser Yellowlegs.

Oh well, next time...

 "Hellooooo down there!"

 "There's no one home."

Hairy Woodpeckers always check before visiting.

 Just another cranky Red-winged Blackbird...

 Hmmm...who's watching who?

This Ruby-crowned Kinglet has a new one for his human list.

 Hard to believe, but that fuzzy blob towards the back is a Whip-poor-will.

There was a large group staring at something behind a tree. 

I asked and was told the Whip-poor-will was back there.

They said watch for it rocking back and forth...oh...now I see.

Still couldn't get a shot through the brush...and the people...

 No worries, right above it was this White-crowned Sparrow wondering what the hub-bub was.

"Hey Bub! What's the Hub-bub Bub?"

 They think they're funny, not so much...

(Yes, I'm blaming my poor humor on a defenseless bird.)

 When we were driving away, something caught my eye out in the marsh.

When I stopped(along with a number of cars that couldn't pass!) I saw this Wilson's Snipe preening.

It pays not to look at the road when you're driving...sometimes...

 I have yet to see even one crest on a Double-crested Cormorant.

 A proud and MAYjestic Yellow-rumped Warbly!

 Ya ever wonder why they call them "butter-butts?"

We have a few more days of Magee birding and a few other stops too!

Stay tuned...

I just had to add this Tennessee Warbly!

This guy is actually in our garden! Sometimes it pays to stay home and watch your feeders and pond!