Biggest Week Birding and more-

This is the week the "Walleye Capital of the World" becomes the "Warbler Capital of the World." Anyone who is remotely connected to birding in Ohio knows that Magee Marsh in North-west Ohio is the epicenter of bird watching for the first two or three weeks in May. The boardwalk was built thirty-some years ago and has been the pilgrimage trail for birders and photographers alike.

About 4 years ago, Black Swamp Bird Observatory endeavored to make sense of some of the Magee Mayhem by organizing The Biggest Week in American Birding trips beyond Magee.

Large-flowered Trillium, Trillium grandiflorum

 So why would the Weedpicker post a photo of Trilliums to represent this event?  Because first and foremost, birds do not live in a vacuum.  They live in forests and woodlots filled with flowering trees and vegetation.

To really understand birds one should look to understand and appreciate the eco-system in which they dwell. That includes the pretty flowers. This explains why Flora-Quest is proud to be a sponsor of "Biggest Week" and why a Weedpicker (with a birding addiction) loves to help with the field trips.

We want our visitors to take in all of the natural history the North Coast has to offer.

Window on Wildlife at Pearson Park in Oregon, Ohio. 

Pearson Park in nearby Oregon, Ohio is always a favorite stop.  The "Window on Wildlife" gives a up-close view of our favorite spring migrants.  In the early spring, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings enhance the complement of local birds found at these feeders.  It is always an enjoyable and educational stop on our trips.

Clay-colored Sparrow beneath the feeder.

Yesterday our tour was fortunate enough to watch a Clay-colored Sparrow as it fed beneath the bird feeders.  My poor photo includes a photo-bomb by a White-crowned Sparrow (in the foreground), also vying for our attention.

Another group of birders gather outside.

After getting the local news and birding information, another tour driver clued me into a trip highlight: a fox den with young.  Erik Brunkhe and I soon watched as a congo-line of birders looked into a scope trained on three of the most adorable baby fox kits one could imagine.  

Fox kit at Pearson Park

 Apparently, a couple of foxes have been raising kits on this raised mound outside the wildlife viewing area for several years.  Those pipes are the supposed access to the den.  If you visit in person, you can orient yourself with the green electrical box seen in the foreground of the photo.

"Helloo, my mommy left me here with something yummy."

This youngster made quite a display of shaking a muskrat corpse, and brutalizing it upon the ground.  We were so scared. The mighty "hunter" pounced upon the muskrat skin, working up a fury. His mother would have been proud.  

It was mighty good entertainment, even for people who though they were just "birders."

One last look at happy faces...

Another group of perfectly nice birders survived the day with a "Weedpicker" who also looks at plants, trees and mammals, as well as spectacular birds.

We are having a great time at the Warbler Capital of World and I hope you will consider join in on the fun!

Biggest Week and Beginning Birders

Wednesday morning was bright and beautiful along Lake Erie.  We are visiting with friends and meeting folks at the Biggest Week in American Birding.  Les Payton and I must have pulled the lucky straw, as we were offered one of the best gigs around: the beginning birders' trip.

A "Birds and Blooms" moment with Blue Jay.

Too often we long-time birders forget to enjoy the "common" birds.  It is wonderful to spend time with folks who are happy to look at the real stunners, like a Blue Jay.              

Les Payton (wearing gold guide's hat) and our group of birders.

 We started off at Pearson Park's window on wildlife.  Les gave a little information on binoculars and we started looking at everyday birds: Northern Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, and Blue Jays.  We got lucky with some unusual birds: Eastern Phoebes, White-crowned Sparrows and Purple Finches.

A female Purple Finch gives us a modeling session.

 There were a number of  female Purple Finches coming into the feeder and this apple tree.  This was an excellent opportunity to note the white eye-line that most easily sets them apart from the more common House Finch.

A Pheasant Back fungus. 

Next we walked the trails of Pearson Park, which offered a wonderful wildflower display, and we also enjoyed a bird of another sort- a Pheasant Back fungus.

Weedpicker Cheryl drives the BSBO bus.

 We loaded up the troops and headed to Pearson Park's wetland area to get a good look at a few other species.

Female (left) and male Red-winged Blackbirds

Unpredictably, the most difficult bird to get for the group was the female Red-winged Blackbird!  The males were numerous and conspicuous, but the females were quite shy.  Perhaps they were already tending to nesting chores.  We tried (and failed) to get the females in spotting scopes, but finally this pair came out to wave good-bye as we left the marsh.  Go figure.

 Off again to Metzger Marsh, where we studied two egrets, the Great and the Snowy Egret.

Snowy Egret dancing in the marsh.

 Les commented on the feeding differences between Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets.  Snowys hop and dip, chasing about in a frenzied manner.  The Great Egrets hunt with more dignity and reserve.

 This is Les.  No he is not hiding from our group, he was trying to get enough shade on his cell phone screen to file a twitter report on the Snowy Egret.

Thanks to all the great guides, and support staff (Rob Ripma, Kim Kaufman, Delores Cole, and Ryan Steiner) who make these trips possible.  The new and old birders alike are enjoying the Biggest Week in American Birding.  Thanks to Black Swamp Birding Observatory in their efforts to educate and conserve birds.  They are doing incredible work!