A red, white and blue day...

Tweet Since I had to work most of this holiday weekend, I didn't make any plans other than to watch birds (not too surprising there).  I had Sunday off, so I decided to spend almost all of it outdoors.  The temperature was not too bad either, with a high around 70 and low humidity.  The cooler temps had the bird singing all day.  Since it is Memorial Day weekend, I thought I would post some patriotic birds that I have seen today.

I decided to go far back on a very wooded trail.  I could hear Acadian Flycatchers, as they were everywhere.  I did hear a Cerulean Warbler, but I could not find it.  I hear less and less of these birds every year it seems.

I could hear Indigo Buntings calling from an open spot in the canopy where a large tree had fallen.  I have Indigos in the yard, but I can never see them, I only hear them. I could see this one.

I continued pishing, and saw some red movement up ahead.  It was a tanager.  Then I heard chick-burr.  

I can see you!

This is very near where I seen the Scarlet Tanager in my previous post, but this one is a different male.  In this bird, you can still see some of its immature plumage (the yellow blotches).  The other bird did not have this.  

The other evening before sunset, my girlfriend and I saw a Summer Tanager very near the road at East Fork Dam area.  This bird has been reported as very cooperative by other birders, and they weren't kidding.  I showed a nonbirding couple the bird as well.  Many people are surprised to know that there is a red bird around here that is redder than a cardinal.   They were very interested in it - would make a nice spark bird!   If you live near SW Ohio, this bird is right next to a parking lot going down to the spillway.  Just park and listen, as he is always singing around dusk.  Today, I tried to spot him earlier so I could take his picture.  I heard and then found him as soon as I got out of the car.  

This Yellow-breasted Chat flew by and landed on a weed right in front of me.  I guess he wanted his picture taken too.  He was very noisy (love their sounds!) and very cooperative for a chat.  

I bet you are now wondering where the white is at.  Well, I didn't exactly see a WHITE bird today.  But I did see a bird with white in its name.  Can you guess what it is?

Here it is - a White-eyed Vireo.  A cool bird it is.  Love its song.  (It has a white iris)

Next post will be about butterflies, as the East Fork Butterfly Count is coming up.  Some butterfly pics from the US as well as elsewhere will be shown here.  I love lepidoptera too!

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Still can't get enough!

Tweet With the Oxbow Inc. Birdathon coming up in just a few days, I have been trying to stay in practice.  I've been trying to get outside to look for birds every day.  I want my ears and eyes to be top notch.

The Birdathon is a 24 hour competition to see who can see the most bird species in a 50 mile circle of the Oxbow (and the whole county that that circle touches).  Its purpose is to raise money for non-profits to acquire bird habitat.  I have gotten a lot of my lifers on the Birdathon, so I am definitely looking forward to it since I will not be able to go up to the shore of Lake Erie for the events up there this year.

I have been searching the beach at East Fork for shorebirds this spring, with not much luck.  I have had a hard time finding much diversity this year so far in species of shorebirds.  However, Spotted Sandpipers have been very abundant, as I had 6 in one view recently!

I had recently visited my cousin's farm in Brown County, Ohio.  Her farm consists of small fields interspersed with mature woodland.  I always see good birds here, and the other day was no exception.  As soon as I got out of my car, I was greeted by two Field Sparrows.  They were only a few feet from my car.  Love their ping pong ball bounce call.

After seeing all the cool shots coming from Magee Marsh boardwalk, it is hard to believe that warblers exist away from the shores of Lake Erie.  I love it up there, but since I can't make it this year, I will have to find warblers the hard way - listen and look up, search every treetop.

Before reaching the woodlands, I could hear Blue-winged and Common Yellowthroats singing.  

I could also hear Yellow Warblers singing...

Sweet-sweet-sweet-sweeter-than-sweet.

And I can also hear Northern Parulas singing...

                       

I heard and then saw an Orchard Oriole passing by.  These birds used to nest in my yard.  I miss them.

But the real bird I was searching for will have to be found deep in the woods.  I know that they breed here from by OBBA II work.

And here is that bird ----------------->

Hooded Warbler!  I love their chewy-chewy-chit-zu song.

              

Just can't get enough of this bird.  

I like how if you look closely, you can see light through the bird's bill.  Their bills are surprisingly thin.

               

Love this bird!  My next post will be of all the cool birds I hope to see on the Birdathon.  Until then, get outside and find some birds.  Remember to take a nonbirder or child!

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White-faced Ibis! or maybe not?

Tweet When seeing that two White-faced Ibises were being seen at Fernald Preserve in northern Hamilton County, Ohio, I had to go.  I have missed this bird before, and didn't want to pass up a chance to see one.  When I had the opportunity to get off work early, I took it and headed up that way.

The reports stated that two ibises were at the first pond as you drive into the preserve.  Seeing pics and knowing the area, the birds were not that far from the trail.  When I arrived, there were a few birders taking pics so I knew I was in the right spot.  Walking up to the spot where they were, I could see Blackpoll, Pine, Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers in the pines that line the road.

White-faced Ibis! Lifer!  When I first spotted the birds, they were very close to the closest shore.  Very cool looking birds!  Looked very out of place.

The lighting was terrible, but you could see a little detail in the face and the cool iridescent colors of the feathers.

I was fascinated by the way that they fed.  They would probe in the mud under the water and then when they found something, they would pick it up and then throw it back and catch it.  Very cool!

Since the lighting was so poor, it was hard to get much detail on the face.  After looking at some of the better photos taken by other birders, it was brought up by a few very experienced birders that both these birds are hybrids - White-faced X Glossy.  I do not have any experience with these species, as Glossy would also be a lifer.  The details of the color of the soft parts of the face seem to be at issue.  I personally believe that it would be hard to call them hybrids from just that observation alone.  I wonder if this means that I can count both species on my life list?  ;-)

The low light did make for some cool profile shots though.  I really like this one.

Such a out of place looking bird.  Whatever species they are, they were cool looking birds.  I even heard them vocalize.  Very weird sound.

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Just can't get enough!

Tweet The weather still can't make up its mind as to whether it is Spring or not, one day it is near 80° and the next highs in the lower 50°s.  But that hasn't stopped the birds from migrating.  So, when one of those warm days happened to fall on one of my off days, I spent that whole day outside birding.

I could hear all kinds of new birds singing as soon as I entered the woods.  For those wanting to see warblers, the best way is to learn your songs.  I could hear Cerulean Warblers, Yellow Warbler, Prairie Warblers and Blue-winged Warblers.  I was just inside the deeper woods, with edge habitat just up from me.  I went back to the edge of the woods and field.

I could see two Prairie Warblers in my vicinity.  They were very active feeding and singing.

Aren't I cute?

I could watch and listen to them all day!  Hearing Blue-winged Warblers nearby - bee-bzzzzzzzzz.  Love that sound.  They tend to be a little more shy than the Prairie Warblers.  I was able to catch a quick look at one.

Up it flew, then gone.

               

Time to go deep into the woods to see what I can see.  I heard and then seen a Louisiana Waterthrush singing down by the creek.  

While not all colorful and flashy, I love their song and tail bobbing.  

While I was watching the waterthrush, I could see some bright red in a buckeye tree across the creek.  It is the kind of red that is more vibrant than a cardinal.  It must be a tanager.  My FOY Scarlet Tanager male!

It flew down and took a quick bath in the creek before vanishing in the canopy.

At about 3-4pm, the birds quit singing and became less active.  I could stay out all day.  

The new arrivals aren't just deep in the woods.  The Eastern Kingbirds have been back for a few days now as well.  Love them.

Wild Turkeys are also gobbling.  I have heard them about every stop while out during the early mornings.  Here is a tom that I spotted chasing some hens on the side of the road.  Taken out the car window.

Now all I have to do is find some more time to get outside during my favorite time of year.  As the weather gets warmer, it seems harder to find time to get out birding. Get outside!

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