Spring is Nigh!

 Brrr.

I finally got out and about for a little birding and walking. A lovely day in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park along the Tree Farm Trail. An old Christmas tree farm that was abandoned and left to grow wild over the years. It's become a wonderful habitat for dozens of species of birds!

 It started out a bit cold, then really warmed up. The trails were a little icy and slippery...luckily I have a set of "Yak Trax", something I highly recommend to avoid slipping and watching your camera go boom. As it warmed, the trails turned slushy and muddy, wheeee!!! I somehow managed to walk over 5 miles zig-zagging through all of the trails in the area. 

I heard a lot more birds than I saw...the spring sing has begun! Northern Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmouseseses were the most vociferous of the flocks. There were Red-winged Blackbirds hiding near Horseshoe Pond and an invisible Barred Owl out there somewhere not to be seen...

All in all a good day to be out...and away from the political circus...but don't get me started...again...

 

 I played peek-a-boo with this Black-capped Chickadee for quite some time.

I think he thought it was great fun to watch me take photos of empty holes...

He was there a second ago...

 Back up to the top!

 He was nice enough to wave at me to get my attention.

I thanked him...then he left.

 If you look closely you will see the "ghost" of a Chickadee!

It was very dark in amongst the pines and I had my flash on...but I wasn't as fast as him!

 

 There were a large number of Pine Siskins...

...of course, they were up in the tree tops...just a little out of reach.

 The Song Sparrows were all over the meadow and the newer tree farm.

Once again, I was playing peek-a-boo.

That game is a tradition with birders.

 Song Sparrows always offer the proper angle for me!

 Always!...

 So, what is the proper plural for Tufted Titmouse?

 In other news...
I'm always trying to get my photos published, butt this isn't exactly what I had in mind!
The latest issue of Bird Watcher's Digest was kind enough to use a photo of me taken by The Doodles(even though they credited me.) And of course it's from behind!  

BUT REALLY! 

"BIRDING WHEN YOU ARE OLD?!" 

Gee thanks guys...

I going to take a nap now, thanks for stopping by!

...oh, my aching bones...ohhhh.....(that's old guy talk!)