The Biggest Week in American Birding...part 3?...

A wee lil American Goldfinch...

For me, this was a very strange festival. Normally I would be out everyday at Magee looking for them lil warbly things. This year I was asked to be a bird guide! Luckily for me, maybe unfortunately for them, I led two beginners bird walks at Pearson Metroparks just outside of Toledo, butt still close to Maumee Bay and Magee Marsh.

I was happy to have the company of Diego and Jay from Costa Rica along for the first walk. We had some great birds, great-crested flycatcher AT EYE LEVEL!, Nashville warbly, palm warbly and more. Everyone had a good time and saw some great birds!

The second day I had the company of three reps from Zeiss Optics! I felt awkward with my (lovely) Swarovskis! Another great day with the flycatcher still present! We had about a dozen folks on each trip and I kept my humor to a minimum...very difficult! I'm looking forward to seeing the surveys!

I left my camera behind(OUCH) both days to "focus" on the birds and beginners so I missed the flycatcher when I went back in the afternoon. Next time...

I did manage a few shots though! 

The Black-capped Chickadees were plentiful!

Gotta love those beebees! Wee lil Carolina Wrens...

Searching for food on the shelter roof...

A little snack for the kiddies...

This is what happens when there's a leaf partially blocking my view. There really were two Downy Woodpeckers on the tree...no ghosts!

Hello MODO!

This Red-bellied Woodpecker was keeping an eye on me...

My first Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the year!

Here's a puzzlement...I know it's a thrush...maybe a Veery...it took off before I could see the breast...

This Wren was playing air guitar and singing "Carolina in My Mind!" Honest, it was...I heard it!

 I'll have more photos from the Biggest Week at Howard Marsh and Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Unfortunately, I came down with covid and had to quarantine for the rest of the festival...next year! Warblies look out!

Boy, do I need practice!

This is the view of the new Cleveland Metroparks bridge that will connect to trails going through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park all the way to Akron. You can ride your bike or hike all the way to the shores of Lake Erie. 

YOU can, I'm lazy, I'll drive...

So, I decided to hit the shores of Lake Erie to get me some hot warbly action! This was actually the third time I made it out birding, I'm going to be a little behind in posting for a while. On top of this spring craziness, busyness at work, and the regular insanity of life, I've decided to move to a new abode. Why would you want to do that you say? I found a nice place smack dab in the middle of the parks! Summit Metroparks and Cuyahoga Valley National Park! With a view of the woods from my deck...I'm hoping to get some good yards birds there! I'm really going to miss my great neighbors (especially the cookies!) and the neighborhood. But ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

So....back to where I am...Wendy Park is a tiny wood lot and grassy area saved from developers and now run by the local park system. Right on the lakefront and bordering downtown Cleveland and the industrial flats area, it has turned into a real migrant trap in the spring. There's been a number of rarities that have shown up here...of which I have missed most of them. If you live in the area and have never been, get your butt down there now! You won't regret it...

I found a number of American Goldfinches gathering nesting material and eating bugs so I wouldn't get bitten. Thanks buddies!

There American Redstarts galore this weekend...lots of juvenile males were singing and trying to show off like this guy...women won't be impressed...I've tried...

Ooooo...pretty warbly!

I was amazed at the number of Baltimore Orioles flying through...most at the tippy top of the trees where I couldn't get a shot of course...

It's also butterfly time with a boondoggle of butterflies zooming to and fro. This was a Black Swallowtail. I also saw Cabbage Whites, Pearl Crescents and Sulphurs, butt they wouldn't hold still!

I got so excited to see my first Black-and-White Warbly of the year! I had to show off my B-and-W tattoo!

I was a little surprised to see this Black-throated Green Warbly gathering nesting material. I have no idea where he was flying off to with it, but I don't believe they ever nest around here.

WARBLY BOOTAY!!!

...and an proper grown up shot of the Black-throated Green Warbler. It's soooo hard to act like an adult...

The dreaded Brown-headed Cowbird, the scourge of little birds nests. In case you weren't aware, Cowbirds lay their eggs in others birbs nests and make them raise their spoiled kids. Kinda sounds like a good idea...

My only shot of this very secretive Cape May Warbler...I also saw a Black-throated Blue, but he was TOTALLY uncooperative. Poop head.

The Chestnut-sided Warblies were making things difficult for me too!

I'm trying to learn how to do this after being off for a year, give me some slack!

See that?! 

The Eastern Kingbirds knew that I was struggling to learn how to focus, hold the camera and chew gum at the same time. They cut me some slack.

YEA!!! My favorite birb...next to warblies of course! Gray Catbirds were in great abundance with meows coming from every nook and cranny.

This humble House Wren was kind enough to come out from under the logs and stumps to give everyone a nice view.

I also remembered how hard it is to shoot  a dark bird in intense sun, like this Indigo Bunting.

Blue is a color I know! Yea me!

Getting the stare down for disturbing this Lincoln's Sparrow. Sorry buddy...

He was kind enough to let me get a little closer while he chowed down on seeds.

My only shot of this Prothonotary Warbly. He was in a hurry to leave town I guess...hot date maybe?

I'm not the greatest with sparrows as I only see a select view when I'm out. But, I'm pretty sure this is a Savannah Sparrow.

Here's the shot that convinced me of his ID.

Speaking of hard birbs to ID when you're color blind...what do ya say? Swainson's Thrush?

Another angle of the many I saw...

Cleveland's landmark Terminal Tower. Built during the depression to house a train station with stores and offices above. It's been struggling for the past few years but, still looks great.

There were dozens of White-crowned Sparrows passing through on their way to Canada...eh?

Not to be left out, the White-throated Sparrows were on the move as well!

I watched a little birb dart in and out of the shrubbery, but couldn't quite catch a good view of it...goldfinch, or...

Terrible lighting in there, but it turned out to be a Yellow Warbly building that nest!

I finally got a proper pose from my warbly buddy!

Of course there are always plenty of Butter Butts around!

Oops, apparently he doesn't like being called a butter butt. Yellow-rumped Warbly of the Myrtle variety.
 

That's it for now, I have plenty more from the previous weeks, but now...I'm heading for my happy place, MAGEE MARSH!

 

I'll be at Maumee Bay with friends for 5 days of birding bliss...they don't know that yet...shhhh!

My Vernal Seems To Be Unequal...

Durned Groundhog is gonna be ground chuck if I find him!

March 20th...the first day of spring. The groundhog predicted an early end to winter. Me and The Doodles were so looking forward to some nice warmer days. We were being realistic and weren't expecting 75 and sunny. Just something in the 50's would be nice right now...and maybe only partly cloudy. Was that asking too much? It is spring ya know...at least that's what I heard on the news. Can't trust that liberal media I guess...

Would you like to guess what we had this morning in our lovely gardens? Hmmm? Would ya? 

No. Not a Snowy Egret...

 Nope. Not a Snowy Owl either...try again...

 Tulips? Really?!

The only tulips you'll see right now are the ones on your face.

And I mean that in a nice way...

 

 Well, yes, we did see an American Goldfinch...but look closer on the branch...

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

That ain't spring falling on the ground!

Oooo...that groundhog is gonna get it...

Why I won't cut down a cherry tree...

 I never expected to see a Cape May Warbler in our cherry tree!

 I know...a little early for George Washington references...I'm trying to catch up on old photos that I haven't seen since the days I down loaded them. These are from last September and the beginning of fall migration along the shores of Lake Erie.

We've had a lovely blast of lake effect snow over the past few days. I never made it to work Friday because of the lovely white stuff. After an hour and a half of ten miles per hour, about five miles driven and thirty to go, Loopy went home and took a nap. I may not be as stoopid as you think...I think.

Were was I? Oh yeah, cherry trees. We have one. The birds like it. I like it. The Doodles isn't too keen on it. It's very close to the house and rubs when it's windy. I trim it a little when I'm in the mood tho be the handy homeowner kind of guy. But it's gonna stay. Cause the birds told me. And I listen to them.

 And now a Black-throated Blue warblything. 

We saw them in our gardens most of the late summer and through to autumn. 

They may be nesting close by. Cool.

 

 The Northern Cardinals spend lots of time here.

Even in the winter...there's feeders close by!

 

 Harry the Gray Catbird and his family visit a lot.

We talk to each other.

The neighbors think I may be odd.

 Even the Ruby-throated Hummythings like to bask in the sunshine on the cherry branches.

 And then there's Bobb.

He takes advantage of that hole in the fence near the tree.

It's sort of his super highway to food and snacks and a quick getaway from me!

  "If I stay very still...maybe he won't notice me."

 This is a Red-breasted Nuthatch not in the cherry tree.

But he's kinda red like a cherry...close enough...me color blind...and not to bright.

 

 If I didn't scare the bejeebuz out of this Wilson's Warbly, he might have made it to the cherry!

Meanwhile...at the feeders...

"Let's see...which one looks the best?"

"Oh yeah...this is the one! Thanks for feeding us!"