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!

No More Words...

The world around me seems to have gone insane and I have nothing left to say...from now on, just photos...

White-throated Sparrow at Pond Brook...

Looking for the Last of the Warlbies...

 Sneaking up on a Blue Jay isn't easy, butt I got this one...

...then he started screaming and scared everything away...loud mouth.

 I had a nice walk along a different trail at Brust Park in Munroe Falls. I noticed a cut off through the woods that looked seldom traveled and decided to travel it. Some of it looked more like a deer path through the scrub, but there were more birds back there than along the paved path...and no ticks today! 3 hours, but not much to show for it. Some days are like that. It was a great wander though, and I'll have to add it to my spring list!

 The leaves are still full, but the colors are changing!

This Downy Woodpecker was busy finding snacks in this snag.

 My last time here earlier in the summer, I saw an Eastern Kingbird sitting on this nest.

No Kingbirds in sight today...

 Some days you really have to contort yourself to get a shot through the leaves and shrubs!

Gray Catbirds don't always take kindly to being spied on...

 THAT looks like the feathered fanny of a Warbly Thing!

Woo-Hoo!

 The only warbly species I found on this day, Magnolia!

There were a few of them working their way through the tangle of wildflowers.

 My only view of a Song Sparrow today...

He refused to turn around....cranky pants...

 This was the first Wooly Bear caterpillar I spotted so far this year.

I forgot if that stripe means a short winter or a long one...

 I only got a few awful shots of this bird way up in the tree tops.

The light wasn't the greatest, butt at least it's from behind!

Looking at the dark tail and the narrow wing bar, I think it's a female Scarlet Tanager.

The second best bird of the day!

Warblies always come first you know...

 Yes, it was a day of peek-a-boo birdy.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers seem to enjoy that game.

I posted pics a while ago of this Osprey on it's nearby nest.

On this day I watched him fly in circles carrying a fish.

I think he may have been lost and didn't want to ask for directions...

And there he goes, off in another direction.

Someone's going to get yelled at for being late with lunch...

Until we meet again...see ya out there somewhere!