Catching up...sort of...

The Song Sparrow says " Hello!"

(Not really...they can't speak...that' why his beak is shut, duh.)

 Enough with the silliness! It's getting late and I'm getting a little punchy, so beware!

As I've said, I'm REALLY behind(ha) in posting my ever so delightful(?) birding adventures, soooo, this post covers 2 trips to Sandy Ridge Reservation in Lorain's Metropark system. I was there twice during the International Migratory Bird Day weekend. They were crazy enough to ask me out to set up a display of warbler photos, so what the heck! I get sick of hoarding these photos in my office and not sharing. (Subtle hint to anyone in my area...my shows are FREE!!! Contact me!)

One could not be a proper bird nerd at this park without escaping the confines of the center to wander the woods and migrate out to the marsh! And that's eggxactly what I did...

 This place is just STUFFED with birds!

 You'll never guess what I spotted in the marsh?

Well? C'mon and guess what I spotted...

 Fine. I spotted a Spotted Sandpiper.

Sorry, it's late...

He's not laughing either.

 Tree Swallows never laugh.

A very serious bunch of bug eaters.

 This Veery was thinking

 "If I hide behind this branch long enough, he'll go away."

You can only hope...

 Uh, I'll never understand the silly games that White-crowned Sparrows play...

Leap frog?

Laurel and Hardy?

 I don't remember being stumped by a warbly before, but this one has got me!

Any ideas?

 I do not like being stalked by a Common Grackle.

Very evil little buggers...

 Somewhere in that tangle is a Baltimore Oriole making a new nest.

 Ah, the dulcet tones of a Sandhill Crane...

Well, maybe not...

 Did I ever mention how much I love Song Sparrows?

Pretty song.

Attractive streaky feathering.

Oh, and they like to sit still for me...

 This guy was singing the Sex Pistols version of his song.

Punk is coming back among the younger songsters.

I read it online so it must be true.

(Online here by the way...)

 He's doing the Vic Damone version...

Smoooooth...

 Nice dye job dude!

Punky Prothonotary Warbly.

It's catching on out there...

 I think he found a new home.

Hopefully the hair-do will make him the chick magnet of the woods...

 Stylin' yo.

 This is not a bird even though it has wings.

(...killing time until I can remember what it is...)

OH! A Pearl Crescent butterfly!

Yea brain!

 Why looky there!

It's an Orchard Oriole!

Lesson #329011: Don't aim your big lens into the sun to see a bird...at noon.

Stoopid....stoopid...stoopid.

 Yep, that's a birdy flying in to ruin my shot....not to mention the grass that I couldn't see right in front of me.

 Oops, lost track of what I was doing again.

I'm thinking real hard.

Least Sandpipers.

Yep, that's what I think.

Not Semipalmated.

Nope, legs are too light.

Back is too dark.

I'm going with Least and it's my blog.

(And I'm allowed to be wrong.)

 Posting a butt shot is the least that I can do!

Mahahahahaha!

 Yeah, I don't think those things are going to carry you far...

Good effort though.

 The family that bathes together, stays together...

 Ain't them lil Mallards so cute?

 Speaking of cute...this ain't.

The bad side of a Great Blue Heron.

Sorry buddy.

 Have I ever mentioned how much I get annoyed by obnoxious Eastern Meadowlarks?

"Hey, Loop's got a bigger lens, let's get even farther away!"

Jerk.

 A very polite Eastern Kingbird.

Much nicer than that other eastern bird...

 In the ladies corner of the trail I saw this Eastern Bluebird feeling kinda blue...

 Probably because the female Brown-headed Cowbird was right above her waiting to dump her spoiled kids into the nest.

 There's always something exciting to see at Sandy Ridge!

We had TWO Black Terns zipping around for about half an hour.

Then, poof, they were gone.

So, for you folks that didn't believe me when I posted it on the listserve, here ya go.

RZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!

 Sorry, I lost my patience for a second.

American Goldfinches always have a calming effect.

They're the next best thing to a warbly.

 HEY LOOK!

Another one of those fluttery-by thingies!

It's an American Painted Lady.

(And I always thought a "painted lady" was someone naughty.)

 I hope this fledgling American Robin moves to a drier area soon!

 Speaking of Robins...what's up with the wacky dye jobs out here?

 A fuzzy shot of a Bald Eagle carrying more nesty stuff to his nest.

I'm too old to hold that camera/lens/monopod combo up in the air to get flying birds...

 There we go...Black Racers are low and don't move much.

Easy for guys like me!

 Speaking of on the move. It's been non-stop so far.

I went hiking through Chautauqua Gorge with friends.

After camping at the Brushwood Folklore Center I drove to Jamestown to visit the 

Roger Tory Peterson Institute...sort of Mecca for bird nerds!

I arrived before their opening so I hiked the trails surrounding the property and was surprised by a coyote in front of me! Unfortunately , I didn't have my camera with me.

A great way to spend a weekend at one with nature!

 Well, I gotta run!

Thanks for hanging around with me...see ya next week!