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!

We Are Going For a Ride in the WABAC Machine!

 This is not a real Robin if you remember from your recent lesson.

What is it now called children?

Correct!

An Orange-breasted Ground Thrush.

Now tell your friends.

Yeah, yeah I know..."You've fallen WAY behind in your posts!" Get over it. I'm back to annoy you as much as I can...and maybe give you a giggle now and then and help you forget about the morons running this asylum.

We set the date in the way back machine to July 4th, 2018. The day Britain celebrates getting rid of us...or something like that. The place, Brust Park in Munroe Falls. If I remember correctly (ha!) it was quite a hot day and I was surprised that not many people were out. There was a group of teens jumping off of a low bridge into the Cuyahoga River, and I was tempted to join them...but that would make me the weird old man. Or should I say weirder?

Anyway, enough of the wordy stuff...

 This Orange-breasted Ground Thrush had the right idea!

 Splish splash! And it wasn't even Saturday night!

 This is still a Baltimore Oriole.

It was named after a baseball team for some odd reason.

This pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds weren't singing, they were trying to cool down in the heat.

Maybe Cleveland should name their footyball team after them!

Bird names are trendy in sporty sports.

 I always have a nice walk in this park. You have to dodge the occasional bicyclist, butt many of the birds enjoy sitting still for portraits, such as this delightful Cedar Waxwing.

 This Eastern Kingbird kept a close eye on me and followed me through the woods around a small pond. (I like being off the trail a lot!)

 When I arrived at the pond and scanned the trees, I discovered why I was being watched so closely.

He has a family on the nest!

 Stoopid Starling was yelling at me to keep my watercraft out of the water.

"And don't even think about swimming!"

Stoopid Starlings are soooo bossy. 

I should have asked for his green card.

(That was politically incorrect humor.)

 Damselflies confuse more than dragonflies...While not swimming in the pond I saw this Stream Bluet.

 Speaking of Britain...

A Gray Catbird made a visit to England last month.

He must have rode the hurricane winds over.

 "Wow! I'll bet they mispronounce his name!"

"It's HARRY, not 'ARRY!"

(You see, the catbird call sounds like he's saying Harry. That's a funny joke, You can laugh now.)

Another British import, the House Sparrow. 

He's reminiscing about the punk look...

 This is now my favorite photo of a Mallard.

And I thought I was the only one that couldn't swim...

 This poor Osprey was losing his nest piece by piece thanks to the Stoopid Starlings and the House Sparrows.

 Portrait of a frustrated Osprey.

 I never noticed the buggy eyes on a Red-bellied Woodpecker before.

Must be all the bugs in their diet...mahahahaha!

 You must appreciate the following photos...

 So, I heard a loud commotion in the woods. Dozens of songbirds making a racket.

I wandered in to see what the ruckus was all about...through poison ivy...

 Fortunately my dear readers that were hoping I would be suffering through and insufferable rash and scratching fest, I am not affected by poison ivy, so nyah!

 Where was I?

Oh, the ruckus among us...this poor and starving Red-shouldered Hawk was simply minding his own business while trying to eat the face off of one of the aforementioned songbirds and they seemed to take offense  and chased him off.

I followed in quick pursuit to get these lovely photos for your pleasure.

You're welcome.

This young Red-winged Blackbird was yelling for his mom because I was following him.

Red-winged Chickenbird.

 Picture for you to go "Aw..."

A lil Ruby-throated Hummingbird just chillin'.

 My woodsy wanders would never be complete without my favorite Song Sparrow!

 I'm sorry to say, I have many hundreds more photos to make you suffer through until I get caught up...which doesn't look likely...tata for now!

An Otter Has Been Seen!...

...BUTT not by me...

 The beautiful Beaver Marsh in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park...sans otters...

So...apparently everyone thinks it's funny to mention the otters they saw...one of these days, someones gonna go swimming in that marsh! I lied to my brother Phil to get him up early and took him to look at birds...and maybe even an otter! I thought he would bring luck(or at least lunch!) At least he made lunch at little later...

I bumped into quite a few birders that were looking for the Least Bitterns and their offspring. One nice guy(I forget names, sorry!) mentioned that he sees the otters often and has photos...I haven't seen the photos...he was making things up just to get a laugh between he and my bro...argh.

 Right...they're real...and the I'll bet you think the earth is round too...

 We did see the moon...I think it's flat too.

And the sun revolves, flatly of course, around us.

You can't believe fake science!

 So, anyway, I did manage to see two of the juvenile Least Bitterns

Phil saw a "fuzzy brown spot."

That would be a lifer "fuzzy brown spot" for him.

 They were a bit far out there in the branches.

This is blown up quite a bit.

 This is Phil walking away from me because I talk to strangers.

Too much apparently..."birdsbirdsbirdsbirds...birds..."

 That's  Phil walking even faster and further.

Poor Phil.

I drove.

He'll have to wait for me.

 This is a Bluet sp. of damselfly.

I did this for Phil.

He hates bug photos.

I like to bug him.

 This is a juvenile Least Bittern zooming away from me too.

Must have been something I said...

...or something Phil said about me...

 Enough of that silliness...here's a juvenile Cedar Waxbean.

 This is a very shy Eastern Phoebe.

And yes, I said "Cedar Waxbean."

 I asked Phil what species of flycatcher this was.

He was too far away to hear me.

I think it's a Willow...maybe...

Phil? PHIL!!

 

 I must admit, European Starlings are very attractive birds.

I just wish they would attract themselves back across the ocean.

The Tree Swallows and Woodpeckers feel the same way.

 If you listen very closely, you can hear that fish saying "Oooh Nooooo!"

That Great Blue Heron took his time, trying to shake off the veggies before he swallowed the fish.

 Oh my gosh! Two weeks in a row I managed to get a Northern Cardinal to stand still!

They're finally listening to me!

More than I can say about Phil...

 Another shy Green Heron.

 Oh! Signs of a beaver in the marsh.

Oh, and a Red-winged Blackbird too.

 I love them lil Song Sparrows!

 They like to play in the mud.

 Why I do believe that's the butt of a Swamp Sparrow!

 They look so much like Song Sparrows except they have little bitty beaks for eating little bitty buggies.

Another new one for Phil...where ever he went...

 

 A male Wood Duck dressed in a more casual mode.

 Easily distracted, I see Honey and Bumble Bees!

 And another male Wood Duck...

 And a female Wood Duck giving me the stare down...just like Phil!

I must have been doing something wrong that day...I can't imagine.

 Ooooo...pretty water lily...

 

 It was truly surprising how many younger Wood Ducks were swimming amongst the weeds and what not in the marsh.

There were some "busy" duckies this summer!

 

 One butt for the road!

I have to find Phil...

 Until next time kiddies! Happy birding!