I'm Behind Again...and so are my photos!

 Howard Marsh at sunset...

Howard Marsh is an amazing place! Open for the past three years , it was farm land for the last hundred years or so. Donated to the Toledo Metropark system, they've done an astounding job of transforming the land back to it's original marsh habitat.

There's plenty of trails wrapping around and going through the area. You'll have the opportunity year round to see a number of species that migrate through, ducks in fall and winter, shorebirds in early spring and late summer and all of the wonderful migrants that make the Biggest Week in American Birding so great!

The high point for me was seeing the breeding black-necked stilts! It's been nearly sixty years since they bred in northern Ohio...and now we have TWO pair nesting here! And on top of that they're easy to see with one pair nesting near the benches near the boardwalk.

Next time Magee Marsh...and WARBLIES!!!!

The boardwalk is fantastic for seeing the stilts, grebes and coots...even old ones like me!

A juvenile bald eagle was eating his dinner atop a muskrats home...yummee!

A pair of American wigeons, a couple of gray and white things(ho-hum) and a peep gang!

Black-necked stilt booty!!

A stilt trying to get away from me...I can't understand why...

One of the two pairs nesting and breeding here!

I think I was discovered staring...

Them leggies is long!

Blue-winged teal waaaaaay back in the marsh...

this is cropped quite a bit!

Just a lowly brown-headed cowbird...

Lots of great egrets were fishing in the marsh...

A lonely horned grebe just floating through life...

This killdeer was leading me away from it's nest...

Oopsie...adult supervision required for this Osprey photo!

Baby making time!

Taking a break after his little soiree...

Even the red-winged blackbird was shocked!

Hmmm...a semipalmated sandpiper, a dunlin and a lesser yellowlegs(which is hard to tell from that angle!)

Another semipalmated sandpiper and a lesser yellowlegs...maybe... not the best with shore birds butt I'm trying!

And my little song sparrow buddy!

Stay tuned for the warbly migration at Magee Marsh and the Biggest Week in American Birding!

 

The Biggest Week in American Birding is Back!!!

 Last August a very destructive storm came through the area and took out many of the large cottonwoods and other trees that we were used to seeing loaded with warblies.

Well kids, after two longs years of birding alone at Magee Marsh, The Biggest Week in American Birding has come back live and in person! There have been many changes, especially the loss of many of the largest trees. Fortunately, the birds don't care and are arriving daily to our delight! Some of the boardwalk was damaged as well, but has been rebuilt just in time.

One of the bald eagle nests was lost in the storm, but a new one in the middle of the boardwalk has appeared. The high point of my latest trip to the marsh was a Kirtland's Warbly so close I couldn't use my camera! I did manage a couple of shots with my cell phone...I have to start carrying a short lens!

It was a slow day with very heavy winds blowing in across the lake keeping our little buddies further inland away from the marsh. This coming week will be excellent with the winds shifting and the warming weather! I can't wait to get back over there!

I volunteered two days to lead beginners bird walks at Pearson Metropark in Oregon, Ohio this past weekend. I had a great time with a wonderful group of birders and a few other guides from Zeiss Optics and Sabrewing Nature Tours. I'm looking forward to more beginners!

A Kirtland's Warbly too close for a camera! He was about four or five feet away!

A Black-capped Chickadee with a healthy snack...better than the junk I was eating!

A very sleepy Downy Woodpecker...that happens to all of us on the boardwalk!

One of my favorite birds! A Gray Catbird...meow...

One of those days with the birds very close, like this Great Egret...

A Greater Yellowlegs with very mucky legs!

I'm always pleased that Green Herons are so willing to pose!

This Killdeer was photo-bombed by that Yellowlegs!

The Kirtland's Warbly finally rose up into the trees and far enough away that I could use my camera...too bad about the growing greenery...

My best shot ever of the Kirtland's!!!!

Yep, I never get a "normal" shot...everyone always has to make a face...or butt when I'm around!

A happy lil Palm Warbly out shaking his tail feathers!

Finding this White-eyed Vireo was great luck, especially from behind! 

I never did see the other side...maybe next time...

 Of course my only view of a Wood Thrush...with a little something stuck on his beak!

I'll leave you with this Yellow Warbly!

 I'll be at Maumee Bay and Magee and the surrounding areas next weekend too! Stop me and say hello if you can!!...until next time...

First Warbly of the Year!

First Warbly of the year, guess who?!

 

After one crazy year I finally made it out to find some of my birdy buddies!

I decided to stay somewhat close to home and went into the Cuyahoga Valley National Park near Station road. I've always had a great time finding something to photograph there and this day was no exception.

I haven't done much other than dust my camera since last May...and it was still a bit dusty. The batteries were dead...first thing, charge them up. All of my settings seemed to have disappeared as well...so, go in and reset date, time, name and my personal preferences. Next I did an inventory of what to take out with me...I went very light, being my first time out. Camera, extra batteries, polarizer for shooting in the water and a monopod.

Jeepers! After a year of only working and idle laziness, going out chasing birbs really hurts!  My out of shape body needs a lot of work, but, boy did I have a great time! Four hours and a few miles and even a few birds along the way!

With a little more practice, I hope to get back into burd butt mode!

 

A White-crowned Sparrow trying to hide amongst the new growth.

This Tufted Titmouse found something delightful to tear to shreds! 

Nom-nom-nom!

 Another Titmouse doing a few pull ups to keep in shape and impress the ladies.

 

I was surprised at the number of tadpoles swimming in the old canal and puddles.

 

There had been a dam running across this section of the Cuyahoga River for years and years. They finally removed it and the river is running much faster. It will add to the health of the river.

Another surprise was watching this crazy squirrel balancing on branches...

 The first peep of the year too! This Solitary Sandpiper was wandering up and down the canal probing for tasty morsels...

Woo-hoo! At long last, a burd from behind!

Believe it or not, there's a tiny lil fuzzy headed burb in that nest. He stuck his head up for a millisecond then disappeared....it may have been a raptor of some sort...hmmmm.

 All of the regulars were around today also...like this Northern Cardinal striking a dramatic pose....maybe Hollywood is looking!

 With all of the bright sunshine and warmth, the Midland Painted Turtles were out in force. This trio was having some sort of union meeting.

Mallard.....awake...

Mallard...asleep...

And I thought I was tall and skinny! This Great Blue Heron has me beat!

I seemed to have gained a little weight lounging about instead of birding...ruh-roh!

A very rare and elusive Treemunk! Cavity nesters, they are rarely see in the open...

Yea! A Choo-choo train!

CVNP has a rail line going through the park for sight seers and bicyclists that discovered they aren't in as good a shape as they thought...

Ribit.

I'm not sure what that means, but that's what the Bullfrog said to me.

I had a hard time finding a Black-capped Chickadee that would sit still for more than a second! I am wayyyy out of practice!

 I kept getting asked if I've seen the Bald Eagles...yep, I saw one...a juvenal too.

They also have a nest close by.

Yes, you guessed right! The first warbly of the year was a Yellow-rumped Warbly! 

How appropriate for me! 

 

Stay tuned for the further adventures of Birds From Behind!