Just a Couple of Burdz...or so...

 Ohhhh....that bug is doomed!

Hello again. Guess where I was? No...(or yes, depending on your answer!) Magee Marsh for the Biggest Week in American Birding...and it was the tenth anniversary too! My first visit to Magee was in 2004 for what was then known as International Migratory Bird Day, now World Bird Day. I think there were just a few hundred folks on the boardwalk back then...now there are thousands! Birders come from every state in the US and from every continent(really!) to see the warblies and other birds that migrate through this amazing area.

I'm lucky to live just a couple hours away and I love to visit every weekend...and more in May...and the rest of the year too! In addition to all of the wonderful birds, I get to see friends I only see this time of year...the folks from Wildside Tours, especially the best guide of Ecuador Edison, Sabrewing Tours, Black Swamp Bird Observatory , Time and Optics and Aviantica (cool tee's Thanks!) among others...AND all my bird buddies.

So...onward and upward...or something...

 As you can see that Black-and-white Warbly got him a bug!

 Yes, that's a real tattoo of a Black-and-white Warbly on my skinny arm!

It is my favorite bird after all!

 Contemplating his next meal...

 Butt Shot!

You can't get them all.

That Black-throated Blue Warbly was mighty quick!

He sat still long enough for me to get one shot...AND from the right angle!

 While we're talking of warblies with black throats, how about a Black-throated Green Warbly?

 A rare Blandings Turtle catching a few rays with a Midland Painted Turtle photo bombing in the back...

 Luckily there was a crowd staring at this tree, half of which were saying "Where? I don't see it!"

Once you see this Eastern Screech Owl you're amazed at their camouflage.

 One of my other favorite birds is the Gray Catbird...of which there were many!

 Tucked away all cozy in it's nest is this Great Horned Owlet.

 Hermit Thrushes are messy eaters.

 Magnolia Warblies are my second favorite warbly...and one of the easiest to spot from behind.

Yep, on the other arm...

 At long last I got a good photo of a Northern Waterthrush!

 I asked him to turn around so I could add a butt shot and this was the look I got!

 

 This is how you see Ovenbirds...down low underneath the vegetation...ow...my back...

 I like Palm Warblies cause they sit still for me.

 A Red-breasted Nuthatch showing off his stream liner bug attack pose.

 A Ruby-crowned Kinglet pretending to be innocent.

 A sight for Sora eyes!

Ha! Bird jokes are the best...

 This Spotted Sandpiper was yelling at me.

I can't imagine why anyone would yell at me.

(Please leave a comment to explain.)

 Defying gravity.

 The Tree Swallows were all busy getting nesting material prepping for the baby season!

 A staring contest between me and a White-throated Sparrow...he won.

 How much woodland can a Wood Thrush thrash?

 He laughed at that one!

(Who put that stick there?!)

 The warblies were hard to get this year, butt I got a few including this Yellow-RUMPED!

 I shall leave you for now with this White-throated Sparrow from behind...

Until we meet again!...

Things Were Hoppin' at Magee!...part two...of many...

 A cute little Palm Warbly with that waggly tail...

So...where was I? Oh, still at Magee Marsh for the Biggest Week fest...duh...

I heard a few people complaining about the chilly and rainy weather that was coming on and off. Silly humans. They don't realize that when it's windy and drizzly the insects are hiding lower in the trees and scrub to stay warm and dry...and those clever warblies know that all too well! Bad weather at Magee means birds are at eye level and posing nicely!

So kids, our lesson for today is: GET OUT THERE NO MATTER WHAT! Thanks you, class dismissed....after you look at the photos...

 I watched this male Prothonotary Warbly working on his nest hole in a nearby tree.

More warblies soon!

There was a younger man with a camera looking at this very same bird and telling everyone it was a Yellow Warbler. I tried to correct him, but he was perfect in every way and "knew his birds better than me." As he walked away, I told a few of the newer birders that were listening that it was, indeed, a Prothonotary and showed them the difference with a nearby by Yellow Warbly. 

I'm not all-knowing, but I know my warblies!

 This male Red-bellied Woodpecker was working on his nest as well.

 We saw a few Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, all at a bit of a distance.

 Year round residents, I still love those chipper Song Sparrows and their happy songs.

 A Sora was spotted along the boardwalk...with a large crowd of humans as well.

All I could make out from my angle was the shadow on the water.

I decided to leave the crowd because I could see the Sora was walking away...about ten feet down I stood alone and waited while everyone else was frozen in place trying to crane their necks to get a view.

 Yep. It came out right near my spot and I was all alone to get a few shots before I told everyone there was a clear view by me.

Then the hoards charged in...and I left smiling...

This is one of those confusing ones. I only had a couple of photos, but I am sure it's a Tennessee Warbly. Sometimes they don't like to pose very long.

Gotta eat them buggies and head for Canada!

 Speaking of confusing.

Thrushes make my brain itch.

This may be a Gray-cheeked Thrush...or not.

 I have dozens of photos of Thrushes and no one nearby to compare ideas with...

Color blindness can be an issue at times...

Maybe a Hermit...any ideas out there?

 Ooo-Oooo! I know this one!

It's a Sparrow....with a white throat...so it must be a White-throated Sparrow!

Yea! I got one right!

 This warbly is yellow. I know that color.

He's got streakies of a color I don't know.

So that makes him a Yellow Warbly.

Logic, eh?

 This male Yellow-rumped Warbly, aka "Butter Butt," was busy cleaning up to impress the ladies.

When he was freshly preened and sparkly, he started to belt out his tune.

What a chick magnet...I should take lessons...

Stay tuned for more from...

THE BIGGEST WEEK IN AMERICAN BIRDING!

Warblyz and More!

 It's not often that a Bay-breasted Warbly sits still and poses...and not from behind!

May 10th...another delightful day birding the boardwalk! Speaking of which...the Friends of Magee Marsh are trying to raise money for a much needed rehab. As you can see from the photo, they've already started with new signage...and replacing the ever so squeaky deck boards. Please click on their hi-lighted name if you can help!

SO...onward to the burdz!

Of course, the very first bird on the walk was facing the right way!

The American Redstarts were, by far, the most numerous warbly to be seen this year.

We've seen them in numerous parks and even our gardens.

One day, one of these Black-throated Blooz will turn around in the sun for me...or not.

I can hear those computers clicking off now!

Don't be scared!

It's only a lil' Black Rat Snake.

This Cape May Warbly is zooming away just like a few of my readers!

Part chicken?

Hmmm...

A tummy full of juicy bugs makes Chestnut-sided Warblyz sing their cute little hearts out!

"Listen up babes! I'm lookin' for love!"

While everyone else is looking up, I'm peaking through the tangles.

You never know what you'll see out there!

A Green Heron hunting frogs...or something else squishy.

Hungry yet?

The last of the Palm Warblyz were popping in and out today.

How to identify a Northern Parula from behind...

Eye arcs, wing bars, white undertail and a neon green back that even I can see!

There, you learned something. Haha!

Anyone know a publisher willing to make a "Birds From Behind" field guide?

Meanwhile, back in reality...

Ooohhhh..Scarlet Tanager!

A sad Song Sparrow, because everyone is oohing and aahing over the tanager.

And an angry Swainson's Thrush.

Cranky little buggers...

If you listen closely, after their song they talk like Edward G, Robinson.

"Where's your insects now, see? Yeah."

The Veery didn't think it was funny either.

Just over the parking lot and outside the boardwalk, a pair of Bald Eagles decided this would be a good place for a nest...the size of a Volkswagen...

Watch the next few posts for updates...

Amazing how it can take you five to six hours to walk the boardwalk that's less than a mile long!

But when you come out...KEEP LOOKING!

You never know what will be hiding in the grass.

Not far fom the eagles nest, this American Woodcock made a nest in the tall grass.

It took a lot of scanning to finally find her little eye peeking through!

The Doodles gets bored with my dawdling back and forth.

She sat at this secluded corner of the Magee beach and watched the warblyz flitting in and out of that little tree.

She had seven species and she didn't have to move.

Not fair.

Yellow-rumped Warblyz have much more than yellow rumps.

We tried to keep him locked away, butt Bobb escaped.

BEWARE of that Puckish little grin of his.

Along the new estuary trail, which connects to Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, the birders are fewer, butt the birds are many!

We saw a number of Blackpoll Warblyz resting from their amazing long distance tour of the world.

A Happy Doodles.

A cranky Bobb.

A leering Loopy.

I was distracted by someone with a Canon 500mm lens...THAT I"M STILL WAITING FOR!

Speaking of Soras...there's one now!

Be careful looking up when a Trumpeter Swan flies over...ick.

The most beeuuutiful song in birdland!

Wood Thrush!

If you're ever standing next to me in an odd location and hear one singing, it's probably my phones ring tone.

It's fun to watch birders swing around scanning the trees trying to find where that song originates.

Hee-hee...

One last shot of the Bay-breasted Warbly before we go...

Ya know, I don't think I ever mentioned the fact that Magee Marsh is on the Lake Erie Bird Trail!

Silly me.

See you with more warbly action next time!