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...

S'more...

 Yummmm...Black-throated Warbly gots a bug!

 I told you last time...I took A LOT of photos that day! So....here's a few more...for now...a day in the life of a burd nurd...

 He just wouldn't turn around...

 Me and that Blackpoll Warbly wanna know who put that stick in my photo?!

 She almost got away!

Look at those legs!

 Haha! Not a bird...it's a snek!....ssssssssssnek!

 A Gray Catbird calling for "HARRY!"

 Deep in thought...unlike me...

 Oops...I got caught again!

 Great...an Egret...

 You need to tuck your head down a little lower to hide from me!

 So...how many of you thought this was the biggest sparrow ever when you first started birding?

(It's a female Red-winged Blackbird just in case...)

 Two male Red-winged Blackbirds trying to show who's the baddest bird on the block...

 He was laughing so hard at the other guy, I felt bad for him...

 A simple Warbling Vireo...

 Sorry! I didn't mean you were simple..just...oh, never mind...

Sorry kiddos, there's more on the way from this birdy day!

More Spring Migration...

 It was a great day for birds from behind!

Yep, still at Magee Marsh...this was a birdathon day for me...another 10 hours out wandering, looking at warblies and talking with friends and strangers about the amazing migration that hits our area every year. It's a great thing to be only a couple hours away so I can spend so much time at the western edge of Lake Erie.

The weather wasn't cooperating with the birders this year, though the birds didn't mind! A lot of the harsher weather kept the migrators going straight across the lake without the usual stop over in our marshes and wetlands. The folks I spoke with thought the species number was about average, but the quantities of each were low. I still managed 22 species of warblies and 121 overall species for the two week period of the festival....AND I got some great butt shots too!

 

 This young male American Redstart was sneaking around, singing and trying to pick up some babes without the adult males finding him.

 Time to look innocent...

 Hmmm...

 There were a good number of Bay-breasted Warblies and a few even sat still for me.

 This is an easy one...

 This Chestnut-sided Warbly was busy collecting nesting material then disappearing into the marsh.

 Beautiful colors and patterns!

 This Eastern Screech Owl was well hidden, but once discovered he was surrounded by the birderazzi!

 Gray Catbirds are one of my favorite non-warbly birds!

 Whoooo are you looking at?

 "Yoooooo!"

This Great Horned Owlet was very popular on the beach trail.

 A busy little House Wren sat still to rest...for a second...

He was worn out from hunting bugs...zzzzzzz...

 Gotta love the look of a Warbling Vireo.

 This was a surprise! I was looking over the lake at those silly gulls and these two popped up!

I don't get to see White Pelicans often!

I seemed to have ruffled the feathers of this Wilson's Warbly...

There's more on the way!

A Little Warbling at Magee...

 This young male American Redstart looks so much like a female that he can sneak around behind the other males backs...and...uh...well you know, do that birds and bees stuff...

 Another fine day at Magee Marsh in the warbly month of May, the 10th to be exact. I've been birding more than posting, go figure...Magee Marsh, Howard Marsh, Meztger Marsh, Sheldon Marsh, Maumee, Ottawa NWR and of course close to home in the Cuyahoga Valley. It's been a good month!

I didn't see the quantities that I spotted last year, but it was still a good mix of species. Odd weather definitely had an effect on what was around...but, as we hear from our "highly intelligent" president, there's no such thing as climate change...what a moron...anyway...let's get back to the birds!

 There were quite a few female Black-throated Blue Warblies!

 Those darned Blackburnians are going to make me crazy!

They're always too high up when I see them...one of these days I'll get a good shot...maybe...

 Bald Iglet Booty!

He was getting all flippy flappy in the nest...impatient kids.

A lil Cape May Warbly from behind of course!

 A lil Cape May Warbly not too happy about my photo...women always get upset about that.

 Cape May's were the bird of the day!

Get the bugs before they get us!

 This Northern Parula was showing me the fresh catch of the day...and the one that got away below him...

 This tree had this Nashville Warbly in it along with a Tennessee, a Parula and a Yellow-throated Vireo. Sometimes it pays to stand still and stare at one area!

 Gotta love those Magnolia Warblies!

 My friend Deb spotted this Green Heron...and yelled at me to take this photo.

So bossy sometimes...

 People keep over looking the regulars like this Downy Woodpecker.

Don't take the common place for granted, there are lots of folks around that have never seen these!

 This Chestnut-sided Warbly was gathering nesting material...I would love to find one of their nests!

Like many birds, their population is on the decline.

 Oboy! Another Northern Parula!

 A rarely idle Ruby-crowned Kinglet...at least long enough for one shot.

 A lovely Tennessee Warbly snatching a juicy bug...

Ya know, they don't breed in Tennessee...just passin' through...

 Such an innocent face...

 Speaking of innocent faces, this little Warbling Vireo was singing his mixed up song right above.

 A nice couple kindly pointed out the nest of a Yellow Warbly. With a little patience and standing still, in popped the warbly with more nesting material.

I'll stop back soon to check out the progress.

 This was the first time I got a decent behind of a Yellow-throated Vireo!

...and someone wasn't too pleased about it...

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for visiting!