My two days of The Biggest Week

Tweet Since I have never been able to get up to the Lake Erie region of Ohio in the spring, this year I decided to make that happen.  The Biggest Week in American Birding was already going strong, so there were plenty of other birders there with eyes and ears to alert to any good birds.  I really wished that I could of stayed for the entire event, but work wouldn't allow that to occur.  I caught the last couple of days of the event.

I had arrived on the lake on a Thursday afternoon having had a six hour drive due to traffic from a automobile accident.  I got there just in time to attend Birdchick's Birds and Beers event.  It was nice to meet many of my online birding friends as well as those that I have not seen in a long while.  Some of which included Birdchick, Janet Kissick Hug, Linda Rockwell, Dawn Simmons Fine, Debbie Miller and Gunnar Engblom. 

Since I have seen pictures of the many birders on the boardwalk at Magee, I kind of knew what to expect before hand.  I am not one that likes to bird in big crowds.  I usually bird by myself.  When I finally arrived at the boardwalk however, I found there to be not as many people as I expected.  Most were crowded along the first section to the observation tower.  After that, people were very spread out.

Here is a shot of some of the cars at Magee.  I would have taken a picture of the birders, however I want to assure a certain ODNR watercraft officer that I really do take pictures of birds and not people while on ODNR lands (there is a story to it).

This was standing in the middle of the parking lot on one side (there are two sides for those that have never been there).  This is about half way between the two parking lots.  Cars were on both sides the same length as seen here.

Once on the boardwalk, I noticed that the most common warbler was Yellow Warbler.  They were everywhere.

 

 

I am used to seeing warblers far and up.  It was hard getting used to seeing them too close to focus my big zoom lens point-n-shoot camera!

Here is a very cooperative Chesnut-sided Warbler, almost too cooperative!

 

 

Seemed to "glow" in the low light like he was radio active.  Such a nice looking bird.  The warbler decided to come close and give some funny expressions.  

I really love the expression here!

Here is a Cape May Warbler that just sat on the edge of the parking lot for a while.  The heavy leaf out made lighting a challenge.  

 I was expecting to see many more Magnolia Warblers than I did, only a handful.  As of this morning, I noticed a good deal of them around still.  I was only able to get the rear end of one.

There were many American Redstarts around.  Again, the lighting was a challenge.

Spied this Hermit Thrush walking around at my feet on the boardwalk.

 

One of my most needed group of birds is shorebirds.  I have a lot of holes in that area, as there isn't much in the way of quality shorebird habitat in this part of the state.  Have I known the area better, I think I could of gotten some that I need.  

Here is a shorebird that was right off the boardwalk.  This American Woodcock was with a baby.  I could not get a shot of the baby, as there were too many people to see it from my position.  

 

After Magee, I decided to head to Maumee Bay State Park.  I have only been here a couple of times and always see good stuff here.  Just as it was getting dark, I saw shorebirds flying around on the beach.  I decided to go check them out and found three Ruddy Turnstones.  I have only seen this bird once, and it was a very brief glimpse at Caesar Creek State Park.

Before seeing the turnstones, I took a walk on the boardwalk.  I heard a Wild Turkey gobbling and a couple of people I passed on the boardwalk said that there was a turkey ahead.  Here is what I found.  A young buck and a Wild Turkey in a standoff.

I decided to end my two day trip on the boardwalk at Magee.  I am glad I did.  There was a report of a Kirtland's Warbler on the new Crane Creek Estuary Trial.  While not a life bird, the one glimpse I had of one was very brief.  This particular female was very cooperative and allowed many people to view her.  This was definitely worth the trip.

Cool looking back pattern

Little bit of streaking on the head.

Had a wonderful time, much needed escape.  Just wish I had more time up there.  Hopefully, I can make it up next year.  Not long after I got back, there was a Least Tern and White-faced Ibis up there.  Happens every time!

I will leave you with this sunset from the beach at Maumee Bay State Park.

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Who cooks for you all?

Tweet My girlfriend Ashley and I took advantage of my recent day off by taking a walk in the woods at East Fork.  I decided to hike in an area that had recently been reopened to the public after being blocked from driving to.  I haven't been back in the area in a while, so I decided to see what I could see.

Almost as soon as we walked in the woods, a large bird flew in low over our heads from the other side of the road.  It flew right in front of us and landed above our heads.  It is a Barred Owl!  It then proclaimed "Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all?".  I called back, and the owl looked straight down at us.

Then, another Barred Owl flew in, joining the other in caterwauling.  All of this activity got the birds riled up.  I could hear lots of birds singing.  A Pileated Woodpecker started calling and flying back and forth.

There were numerous Northern Parulas singing.  One bird in particular got all excited when I intimated the call of a Barred Owl.

At first, the bird made alarm calls.  Then the bird proceeded to sing.

The bird had some down feathers sticking out from under the wing.

Other cool birds in the general vicinity included very vocal Great-crested Flycatchers.

With all of the recent rains, there are a lot of skypools around.  On the way home from East Fork, I noticed some shore birds in a flooded field just as I turned onto my road.  Three Solitary Sandpipers were sneaking around in the grass.  I was able to get a few pics out of the car window.  (I love how people react when I tell them I am looking at birds!)

 My next post will hopefully be from the shores of Lake Erie, as I am leaving on Thursday 5/10 for the Magee Marsh area.  I have never been up on the lake in the spring.  Looking on getting some life birds.  Would love to have been able to participate in The Biggest Week in American Birding, however work doesn't see it possible. Hoping to also meet some of my online only birder friends!

Stopped by East Fork on my way to the store to get stuff for my trip up to the lake.  Four Forster's Terns were flying around.

It landed on a floating ball in the lake.  It was funny watching the bird trying to keep its balance. 

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