What Day Is It?

 It's hard to sneak up on American Goldfinches to get the proper angle!

 Today's post goes back to two days in late November and early December when I visited my buddies at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory and Magee Marsh. (Yep, you're right. I haven't been out much lately with the camera...)

No lil warbly things out this time of year, butt there's always something to see out there...plus the people are nice!

 The Goldie caught me!

Sorry!

 Eastern Fox Squirrels ALWAYS seem to be eating...I wonder what that is?

 Still not a fan of European Starlings since they take over cavities that our native birds need to nest in.

 It was a bit on the cold and windy side and this Great Blue Heron was trying to hunker down to stay warm.

I asked if he wanted to sit in my car for a bit, he declined.

 Be vewy, vewy quiet...this Great Egret is hunting fwogs...shhhh...

 A Red-bellied Woodpecker striking a dramatic pose.

 Why looky there! They really do have a red belly, and this one is banded too!

Must have been a friend of Black Swamp!

 It's always fun to hear the crazy sounds these Rusty Blackbirds make!

There was a flock skulking through the wetlands.

 And he even turned around for me!

 Tufted Titmouseseses look so cute...butt I'll bet he would try to eat my face off if he was bigger.

I can tell by that look in it's eye...

 Speaking of face eaters, this White-breasted Nuthatch was busy eating the faces of bugs under the bark...

There were dozens of Wooly Bear caterpillars wandering across the boardwalk.

That stripe doesn't actually predict the harshness of the winter by the way...

One of these days I'll post something new...or more warblies from May to chase away the winter blahs!

Meandering in the Meadow...

 The saddest American Goldfinch ever.

He knows everything is going to be snow covered soon...

Holy Cowbird! This is an actual true to life almost up to date bloggity post! And no, I'm not even close to being caught up, butt what the heck, we're going to skip around and sing tra-la- tra-la. Whee.

So...this short extravaganza of avian photo journalism was made at the Tallmadge Meadows in Munroe Falls Park just a mere week ago. The weather has been very unusual, in case you haven't noticed in your neck of the woods. It was a Sunday that was very warm with even a little sun peeking in and out! I had a great walk for a few hours, spoke with a few other walkers and annoyed no one that I can recall.

So here ya go...some burdz...

 I noticed a man with a camera wandering off trail into the meadow(bad, very bad!) and looked up to see this American Kestrel parked at the top of a tree.

Of course, when said wanderer got to close the burd sped away.

 Don't you hate when you don't notice a stick in the middle of the frame because you can't see it in your tele lens?!

Anyway, this was a lone American Tree Sparrow...that flew after this one crappy shot.

My neck still hurts from bending far enough backwards to get a shot of this Blue Jay at the top of the tree...owie... 

AAAHHH!!!

I never saw a faceless Cooper's Hawk before! 

 Oh, nevermind...he was turned around looking at something...

 He was getting buzzed from above by a number of yakky burbs trying to chase him away.

He was deciding which one would taste better...

 I was surprised...and delighted to see a half dozens Eastern Bluebirds flying in and out of the berry bushes chowing down.

 The berries furthest away always taste better!

 I wonder if any of those were fermented yet?

 This is a Mourning Dove.

They are also known as Cooper's Hawks main course.

Bye-bye Mourning Dove.

A good day for burd buttz! 

Even a Northern Cardinal posed politely for a second.

Well, that's it for now, see you soon!

Back to the Present...

 A hot day in the neighborhood! Even the Ruby-throated Hummers were sitting still.

 Hard to believe, but I'm actually posting from this weekend! Yes, there's more from the crazy migration month...we'll save that for later...In the meantime...YOIKS! It was hot on Sunday when I went to Tallmadge Meadows for a "short" walk through the woodland and around the meadow. The temps were already in the low 90's when I got there in the morning. By the time I finished my "short" walk it was 99 on the car thermometer! And I could feel it. I wonder why the birds were all hiding in the leaves and scrub?

I planned on leaving before lunch when the temps were going to burn me alive, butt I kept seeing a bird here and there...AND THEN...the wild call of a Yellow-breasted Chat...the non-warbly warbly! I followed him back and forth through the scrub and into the trees...for an hour and a half...back and forth...forth and back...and...anyway...stoopid burd never came out. Nope, time spent on fire in the full sun and not a single photo to chat about...jerk burd. All I got was a sun burn. Stoopid human...

Oh well, I had a good time anyway and even managed a few good shots!

 This is a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird winding up for a take off...

 You could even hear the sonic boom when he let loose!

This photo was taken at one millionth of a second...really...fast camera...maybe...

  (Alternative facts are my life.)

 Please note the "rising" icon and the temp alert.

I should have noticed that earlier...

 A smarter than me American Goldfinch, aka imitation warbly, hiding in the shade.

 I could clearly hear this Brown Thrasher laughing at me...a lot...another burd that's a jerk.

 Uh...Cedar Waxwing being fluffy?

 These two were confused by the fluffiness as well...

 This is a Chipmunk frozen in time pretending to be not there.

He needs a little more practice.

 Any day I can sneak up on a "Common" Yellowthroat and get his photo is a good day!

 There was at least a dozen singing in the meadow, I found two!

This one yelled at me for blowing his cover.

Angry little guy...

 This is a dragonfly.

It's not really a dragon or a fly...

 This is another dragonfly that isn't a dragon or a fly.

I need to find a "Dragonflies From Behind" field guide.

 This is a guilty looking Eastern Gray Squirrel.

I think he stole that nut from the frozen Chipmunk.

 Lots of flycatchers out today catching flies.

Except for this Eastern Kingbird.

Please note the juicy bumble bee in the upper right.

Flew right past his face.

Must not like sweet bees.

 Speaking of far sighted birds.

This Eastern Wood-Pewee almost got clobbered by that Virginia Ctenucha moth!

 The moth was being a daredevil and strafed him again!

 "Doh...did you see a juicy bug fly by?"

Love that look of bewilderment...

 Wow...when a Field Sparrow sings, his whole body shakes with those trills!

I need to learn to shoot and post video...

 Okay, first, to the lady that was standing behind me while I was calling out "HARRY!," that's how you talk to a Gray Catbird. I'm not crazy...well...mostly not.

By the way, the catbird called back "David!"

I heard it.

I'll bet that lady talks to herself...at least I only talk to birds...and chipmunks...and bugs...and snakes...

 I also occasionally talk to Midland Painted Turtles when they're sneaking through the wetland.

 ...and sometimes Raccoons...

 I don't talk to Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

That would be silly.

 Enough of that...this Red-winged Blackbird told me to be quiet...

 Um...excuse me, butt you got a little something stuck in your beak. Might want to wipe yer face.

Those Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are messy eaters...

 

 All the Ruby-throats I saw were just chillin' out...or trying to.

 This poor Song Sparrow was singing his brains out, butt sinking lower and lower on that branch.

He needed to take a break.

 This one told me he just wanted to sit for a few minutes and rest.

Me too.

 This is the look you get when you ask a Tree Swallow if he's ever swallowed a tree.

Not evne a chuckle out of him.

Nothing.

 Just the crazy eye...

I think feeding all of those kids did a number on his sense of humor.

 Hey Look!!

It's that Virginia Ctenucha moth that the flycatcher couldn't catch!

 Hmmm...those wacky Empidonax flycatchers...

I think it was a Willow, he disappeared right after this shot...

 Lots of Yellow Warblies were singing...and hiding except for this one!

I got you!

 Just like this Pewee, I waving bye-bye for now!

See ya soon!