The Story Of A Bird “Part 2″

The rarest of the Wood Warbler family (Parulidae), the Kirtland Warbler is a true prize sighting for any bird watcher. Especially if you happen to catch one during migration while they’re off their breeding grounds. Being a very habitat specific species they require young Jack Pine stands that are 5 to 20 years old where they will nest on the ground under the branches.

The first census taken on this bird was conducted in 1951. Then another 10 years later. Starting in 1971 they’ve annually conducted a census with 2012 showing 2,090 singing males. So you get the true idea of how few there are. So when I wrote a post on May 14th titled “A Story Of A Bird” about being one of the first people to view this beautiful female Kirtland warbler at the East Beach, I couldn’t wait to see if any of my pictures turned out.

This is the kind of underbrush that we had to deal with as we tried to re-locate the bird. If you look close she’s under there in the shadows.

Here’s a closer view as you see the bird looking to it’s right, behind the stick. It then flew to a bush that had less vegetation on it.

A closer view of the above picture. If only it was turned around.

I just kept taking pictures till I felt I had captured one image worthy. And here it is after blowing it up and cropping out the background.

As one would expect when a rarity is spotted, the masses start gathering. I was very thankful that it wasn’t during the week of the festival because there would have been 4 times more people trying to get a good view of the bird.

It was a great time and a great bird. And believe it or not, on the last morning we were there 3 more were sighted. It really was a great time for birding. And on this note I’m going to leave you with a very good picture of the above mentioned bird. This was sent to me upon request from a very good photographer the day we saw the bird. He was excited because he spent 8 days there already waiting to see if a Kirtland Warbler would show up.

Courtesy of R. Bruce Richardson

“On The Road” (Summary)

Magee Marsh, Ottawa N.W.R., Metzger Marsh, Maumee Bay State Park

Since our return from our annual trip to the Lake Erie hot spots for migrating birds I’ve been nothing but busy, busy, busy. With just a few days before I return back to work the list of chores and appointments was pretty long. And with that comes the delay with getting any post for my blog out to you.

The trip was epic! The birds were abundant! The boardwalk was busy at times but I’ve seen it worse in years past. The lodge at Maumee Bay State Park was everything and more. The room was nice with a great view of the lake, which cost extra but worth it. We only ate in the restaurant twice, but it to was nice. And yes plans are in place for a return visit during this same time next year, but maybe rent a cabin and invite the kids to stay during the weekend if they want.

We arrived on Saturday morning, and left Wednesday morning after one more walk on the boardwalk. And since Kathy isn’t a birder, yet, there were plenty of things to do while we were there. Like I told here if I was here by myself I would be birding non-stop for most of the day. However this time we both ventured out and went out to eat in Port Clinton and Marble Head. We also visited the Lighthouse at Marble Head one afternoon.

So we broke up this trip with some touristy things and some birding things. We were lucky to have been up there on the weekend when the auto tour was open at Ottawa N.W.R. It’s one great way to really measure how immense this place really is. It was during the auto tour that I was finally able to get a poor photo of a Bald Eagle sitting still.

Overall it was a great trip. Total species count was 137, with 30 Warbler species. That is the most Warbler I’ve counted since I started going up there.

Eastern Wood Pewee

A very cooperative Scarlet Tanager. Too bad I couldn’t get a decent focus on it.

Palm Warbler at the East Beach. They were everywhere at this location.

The state used caution tape to create a barrier around this nesting American Woodcock that the grassy area between the parking lots was the best location to hatch her chicks.

As I came off the causeway into the parking area at Magee Marsh I noticed this small Egret feeding at that corner where you turn left. A Snowy Egret.

Snowy Egret

At times during our visit the boardwalks were this deserted. Here I am standing in one spot and shooting a picture in both directions.

Black & White Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

A very vocal House Wren

Northern Waterthrush

Trumpeter Swans

A Veery along the path was you approach the Estuary Trail

Prothonotary Warbler as it emerged out of it’s nesting cavity.

And I always try to make it at sunrise along the causeway for great pictures like this.

And the best way to sum up why I do what I do.

Notable birds:

1. Bald Eagle
2. Osprey
3. Red-tailed Hawk
4. American Kestrel
5. Turkey Vulture
6. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
7. Sandhill Crane
8. Great Horned Owl
9. Song Sparrow
10. White-crowned Sparrow
11. White-throated Sparrow
12. House Sparrow
13. Swamp Sparrow
14. Chipping Sparrow
15. Clay-colored Sparrow
16. Lincoln Sparrow
17. Great-creasted Flycatcher
18. Least Flycatcher
19. Eastern Phoebe
20. Eastern Wood Pewee
21. Olive-sided Flycatcher
22. Willow Flycatcher
23. Eastern Kingbird
24. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
25. Acadian Flycatcher
26. Blackburnian Warbler
27. Blackpoll Warbler
28. Black & White Warbler
29. Magnolia Warbler
30. Cape May Warbler
31. Yellow Warbler
32. Black-throated Blue Warbler
33. Black-throated Green Warbler
34. Yellow-throated Warbler
35. Kirtland Warbler
36. Yellow-rumped Warbler
37. Hooded warbler
38. Northern Parula
39. Ovenbird
40. Louisiana Waterthrush
41. Northern Waterthrush
42. Blue-winged Warbler
43. Prothonotary Warbler
44. Palm Warbler
45. Wilson’s Warbler
46. American Redstart
47. Canada warbler
48. Tennessee Warbler
49. Nashville Warbler
50. Bay-breasted Warbler
51. Chestnut-sided Warbler
52. Pine Warbler
53. Mourning Warbler
54. Orange-crowned Warbler
55. Common Yellowthroat
56. Mallard
57. Blue-winged Teal
58. Lesser Scaup
59. Canada Geese
60. Wood Duck
61. Pied-billed Grebe
62. Trumpeter Swan
63. Mute Swan
64. Double-creasted Cormorant
65. White Pelican
66. Herring Gull
67. Ring-billed Gull
68. Common Tern
69. American Woodcock
70. Killdeer
71. Semipalmated Plover
72. Black-bellied Plover
73. Ruddy Turnstone
74. Willet
75. Semipalmated sandpiper
76. Least sandpiper
77. Dunlin
78. Great Egret
79. Snowy Egret
80. Green Heron
81. Great Blue Heron
82. Hooded Merganser
83. American Coot
84. Common Gallinule
85. Sora
86. American Bittern
87. Lesser Yellowleg
88. Pectoral Sandpiper
89. Spotted Sandpiper
90. Warbling Vireo
91. Red-eyed Vireo
92. Philadephia Vireo
93. Blue-headed Vireo
94. White-breasted Nuthatch
95. Red-breasted Nuthatch
96. American Robin
97. Northern Cardinal
98. Blue Jay
99. Scarlet Tanager
100. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
101. Common Grackle
102. Red-winged Black Bird
103. Common Crow
104. Black-capped Chickadee
105. House Wren
106. Marsh Wren
107. Carolina Wren
108. Golden-crowned Kinglet
109. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
110. Gray Catbird
111. Baltimore Oriole
112. Northern Mockingbird
113. Brown-headed Cowbird
114. Swainson’s Thrush
115. Hermit Thrush
116. Gray-cheeked Thrush
117. Wood Thrush
118. Veery
119. Downy Woodpecker
120. Hairy Woodpecker
121. Red-bellied Woodpecker
122. Northern Flicker
123. Tree Swallow
124. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
125. Purple Martin
126. Bank Swallow
127. Barn Swallow
128. Chimney Swift
129. Cliff Swallow
130. Mourning Dove
131. Eastern Meadowlark
132. American Goldfinch
133. Brown Thrasher
134. Eastern towhee
135. Belted Kingfisher
136. Pine Siskin
137. European Starling

Notes From The Field/ #330

White-faced Ibis! The same bird I missed last year by hours. Arriving home from my yearly Lake Erie Warbler Madness Adventure, I receive a call from birding buddy Allan who asked if I happened to see the White-faced Ibis at Metzger Marsh? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

So when rumors of dark Ibis’s at Fernald Preserve a few days ago, I waited till something concrete came about. And it did yesterday. 2 White-faced Ibis’s were spotted and then I got that same old feeling. “The Twitch” I made a hasty phone call to Allan (who’s retired)  and ask if he was heading over in the morning. And if he was would he let me know if the birds were still there.

So at 9:30 this morning a post came across the internet of our White-faced Ibis being seen. Now the waiting game starts. So I waited, and waited, and waited till they sprang me from work.

With just having received a speeding ticket last week I showed great restraint as I drove over to Fernald this afternoon. Following the speed limit ever so closely I made quite good time, and arrived as a few fellow birders were focusing in on the birds.

Did I say I love getting a new life bird.

Lighting was horrendous. It was really overcast and the shadows made getting the true color of the birds difficult. I shot over 60 pictures.

The Glossy Ibis has a brownish bill, this White-faced Ibis has a gray one.

Notes From The Field

Magrish Riverland Preserve, California Woods, Fly Ash Pong, Ellis Lake, Zoo Farm

The forecast called for rain later on today around dinner time, so with Kathy and David at work, and Ethan spending some time with a friend in Springfield Ohio, it was no better time to get some early morning birding done before the rain came.

With the tremendous luck Jon and I had last Saturday at Shawnee Lookout I needed to see if the Warblers were still as plentiful. Traffic was light as I made my way down I-71 towards my first stop for the day, Magrish Riverland Preserve. 

Seasonal flooding can make this park almost impassable along some of the lower trails, however today the trails were open and the song birds were active as I pulled into the parking lot. And it’s from this parking lot that some of the best birding can be found. Prothonotary Warblers breed here and are always a delight as flashes of yellow catch the corner of your eye. 2 early Blackpoll Warblers were singing and giving some decent views from the parking lot as well. I meet a friend of a friend who is also a birder, so we hooked up for about 30 minutes. After which he left to take care of some work and I made my way slowly through the park and back towards my car for the short 3 minute drive to my next stop. California Woods and my hopes of catching a Louisiana Waterthrush.

At 113 acres this little gem within the confines for Cincinnati offers some great birding. It has some very nice hiking trails and a stream which attracts the Waterthrush. I normally just stick close to the road and the stream where the most activity is. However today I decided to take a hike and enjoy the solitude of the woods.

The beginning of Trillium Trail

The wild flowers were in bloom as I made my way up the trail to the top of the ridge, where it winds about and then slowly descends.

Vireos and Gnatcatchers were keeping me company as fewer and fewer Warblers were seen, let alone heard. The trees were really leafing out making it harder to see anything in the canopy.

After reaching the bottom I started to walk back towards my car. Across from where I parked there is this small open area where birds will sometimes feed making it easier to see them. A bridge spans the stream and terminates at this open area. That’s when I heard the Waterthrush. It was staying one step ahead of me as I chased it down the stream towards the entrance to the park. It finally came to rest long enough for me to snap this poor photo.

He’s right in the center with this leaf blocking it’s head.

Now I’m happy. And with that recent addition to my year list it was time to head off North to my next stop, Ellis Lake. However on the way I made a quick stop at this series of small, fenced in ponds that local birders call “Fly Ash Pond”. They’re not very nice to look at and because it has a fence around might be a good thing. Who knows what could be growing in there. But it can be a hot spot for birds, and today it was for me, because out of the corner of my eye a flash of blue zipped by and perched on the fence. My first thought was Indigo Bunting. But being my lucky day it turns out to be a Blue Grosbeak.

A truly sad picture, but one where you can use it to ID the bird.

Happy once again with yet another new bird for the year I drove up the highway towards Ellis Lake to see if any more shore birds were there. With the afternoon wearing on and chores facing me when I get home this stop and the next were short. A small flock of Least Sandpipers were seen feeding along the edge of one of the larger sky pools that dotted the field at Ellie Lake. More wading birds were there than has been in the past few visits, so maybe things will turn around especially with this coming rain.

My last quick stop was the Cincinnati Zoo Farm near my home. Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpipers were the only wading birds here, so after scanning the ponds for about 30 minutes I made my way home and the impending mowing of the lawn.

Notable birds for the day include:

1. Turkey Vulture
2. Red-tailed Hawk
3. Cooper’s Hawk
4. Northern Parula
5. Yellow Warbler
6. Blackpoll Warbler
7. Yellow-rumped Warbler
8. Prothonotary arbler
9. Common Yellowthroat
10. Louisiana Waterthrush
11. Palm Warbler
12. Pine Warbler
13. Yellow-throated Vireo
14. Red-eyed Vireo
15. Warbling Vireo
16. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
17. Chipping Sparrow
18. Field Sparrow
19. White-throated Sparrow
20. Swamp Sparrow
21. Song Sparrow
22. Gray Catbird
23. Northern Cardinal
24. Carolina Chickadee
25. Tufted Titmouse
26. American Robin
27. American Goldfinch
28. Mourning Dove
29. Blue Jay
30. Indigo Bunting
31. Carolina Wren House Wren
32. Pileated Woodpecker
33. Red-bellied Woodpecker
34. Downy Woodpecker
35. Northern Flicker
36. Brown Thrasher
37. Blue Grosbeak
38. White-breasted Nuthatch
39. Eastern Towhee
40. Canada Goose
41. Great Blue Heron
42. Killdeer
43. Common Grackle
44. Red-winged Black Bird
45. Solitary Sandpiper
46. Pectoral Sandpiper
47. Spotted sandpiper
48. Least Sandpiper
49. Greater Yellowleg
50. Lesser Yellowleg
51. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
52. Mallard
53. Wood Duck
54. Blue-winged Teal
55. Eastern Phoebe

Notes From The Field

Spring Valley Wildlife Area

This last Sunday morning I joined 30+ avid birders at Spring Valley Wildlife Area as the Ohio Ornithological Society joined forces with the Cincinnati Bird Club for this early Spring trip to one of my favorite places. And it’s right in my backyard.

So at 8 am a group of us birding explores left the McDonald’s and drove north to our destination, where we joined many more birders already there scoping out the area around the parking lot anticipating the arrival of our group leaders for the day.

After assembly was sounded and all the proper introductions were over we set off down the trail towards the decaying boardwalk. You see, during the final set of instructions were given to the mass of birders , one point was brought up about the boardwalk. The need for replacement and the state of disrepair it’s presently in. So our group leader advised that since we had such a large group it would be wise to space ourselves out so as not to add to the strain by the sheer bulk by this group of people.

As you can see I sort of hung out at the back of the pack waiting to make my move. No, not really. For myself  have difficulty with too many people talking and the constant crunching of feet on the gravel path. It’s not that I’m anti-social, I just like to hear the birds as well as see them.

The progress was slow as you might imagine as we stopped along the way to spot birds and to talk about them. With a group this size, with all levels of skill, it’s stops like this that keep the more novice birders interested and coming back for more.

All the common species were seen on both sides of the path leading to the boardwalk with the exception of Warblers. Far too few, or just too early. Either way as soon as the group hit the boardwalk, people started to spread out a bit. Some went to the observation and the rest, myself included, was satisfied with staying near my favorite spot and wait. And what am I waiting for you might ask? Marsh Wrens, Soras and Virginia Rails.

A fly over of a group of Double-crested Cormorants. They were flying in a nice and neat V formation, however when they saw that I was going to take their picture, they broke up the formation.

We were there for about 30 minutes when the first of several calls from the Marsh Wren were heard. And it wasn’t soon after that the first one was glimpsed briefly. A very dependable bird year round since Jon and myself saw them back in December and again in March.

But my sights were set on the Virginia Rail and Sora. 2 birds that are pretty dependable to get, however those are normally confirmation by call, not by sight. They can be rather reclusive even if their right in front of you. Which they were. One of the leaders saw one fly from one clump of reeds to another, so anticipation was high. Then were heard one call. Then another right next to it. But they were calling just feet from the boardwalk. So as the group gathered around my thoughts went back to our morning talk about not having too any people jammed into one spot. Well, when it comes to a Virginia Rail we throw caution to the wind and hope for the best.

I stood and watched as I could see the water under the boardwalk ripple from the birds. The reeds are so thick it’s real difficult to spot one through such a tangled mesh. They kept calling as they moved away and parallel to the open water. Then Ann, one of our group leaders called out that one was coming out into the open. Not being one of those pushers and shovers I moved to my left and pulled out my camera.

Here’s the first one as it exited the reeds and worked it’s way across the open flat of water and grasses.

Still the first one. I never was able to get a picture of the 2 together as they both turned tail and flew into the reeds across the opening never to be seen again. I just love Rails, they poise such a problem for us birder. Secretive, quiet and stealthy. Except when they call, then all hell breaks loose. They can be rather LOUD!

All in all a super morning, and to top it off I meet up with birding friend Gail Wulker as we nailed a Sora calling just feet again from the boardwalk as the group departed, missing out on another great bird. It pays to be patient with these buggers.

Notable birds for the day include:

1. Osprey
2. Double-creasted Cormorant
3. Northern Cardinal
4. Red-tailed Hawk
5. Sharp-shinned Hawk
6. Swamp Sparrow
7. Sora
8. Song Sparrow
9. Northern Parula
10. Virginia Rail
11. Marsh Wren
12. Red-winged Blackbird
13. Blue-winged Teal
14. Canada Goose
15. Great Egret
16. Wood Duck
17. Pied-billed Grebe
18. American Goldfinch
19. Common Crow
20. Common Grackle
21. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
22. Mourning Dove
23. American Robin
24. Yellow-rumped Warbler
25. White-throated Sparrow
26. Tree Swallow
27. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
28. Wilson’s Snipe
29. Turkey Vulture
30. Downy Woodpecker
31. Red-bellied Woodpecker
32. Chimney Swift
33. Great Blue Heron

Notes From The Field

Cincinnati Zoo Farm & Ellis Lake

Spring is truly in the air, and more so this weekend as temperatures reach into the 60′s and the sun warms the air. Daffodils are in bloom, and the inevitable yard work “Job Jar” is overflowing with much needed tasks to be completed.

In preparation of a new mowing season, yard waste needs to be picked up. Sticks by the thousands litter the yard as left over leaves from this last Autumn pile up behind the air conditioning compressor and along the fence line. The compost bins are spilling over and need to be emptied, wheel barrel after wheel barrel load and dumped into the garden. And speaking of the garden, it needs to be tilled. Not just once, but several times to at least to incorporate the arrival of some beautiful compost fresh from the bin. And I’m still not done.

And even with all this excessive outdoor activity I was still able to steal away for a few hours yesterday and get a little birding in while Kathy got her hair done. And not wanting to press my luck by going too far away, my best option was to keep it close and try to keep it as short as possible, which can be difficult considering my past history. Birders do get distracted easily you know.

The Cincinnati Zoo owns this property which has become one of my favorite places to go to now, especially since it’s so close to my home. A large lot with plenty of standing water that will never be developed as long as the zoo owns the property, has been attracting some good birds lately. And I’m in the mood for some wading birds. A large group of volunteers were planting trees all during the time I was there which might contribute to the fact that I never saw any while I was there. However the Wilson’s Snipes were very active and as they foraged along the edge of one of the bigger sky pools.

Getting a picture of these small birds, at a distance isn’t easy. If you look close he’s right in the center of the picture.

Since the property is still closed to the public I was left to walk along the side of the road along the grassy edge and scan the ponds from there. Thankfully if you own a spotting scope this doesn’t become a problem. However if you were just using your bins you might be able to spot the snipe as the blended in well with the vegetation.

FOS Great Egret. This was a real treat to see. I thought it might be a little early to start seeing these large wading birds, however as I got home and added my bird list into eBird it was amongst the list to choose from without going into the “rarities” list.

I walked back to the bird-mobile after about 30 minutes and drove to my next destination, Ellis Lake. Ellis Lake can be a real hot spot and wanting to satisfy my wading bird thirst I was thoroughly disappointed when I started my scan of the flooded field adjacent to the lake.

Now as you look at this picture you might imagine all sorts of Spotted Sandpipers, Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpipers and the like having a great old time feeding in such a wonderful place. Nope, you’d be fooling yourself. Other than a few Killdeer and a lonely looking pair of Mallards swimming in one of the larger pools, there was nothing in terms of wading birds. So I took some pictures instead.

I wish I had gotten this picture of a Red-winged Black Bird focused crisper, it was a great close-up.

There were both Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal present and here is my attempts at capturing these two species without scaring them off. The Blue-winged Teal were feeding amongst the reeds and always had their heads down in the water. The Green-winged Teal were far away and I was having some issues with focusing. How can something so easy, be so difficult.

Blue-winged Teal

Green-winged Teal

It was a joy just to be outdoors yesterday. Even though my target birds weren’t around I’m confident that it’s only a matter of time before they show up in mass. With both of these location in such close proximity to where I live a weekly, or even bi-weekly visit isn’t out of the question. They have such great habitat for some of my favorite birds.

Notable birds for the morning include:

1. Eastern Bluebird
2. Eastern Meadowlark
3. Red-winged Black Bird
4. Killdeer
5. Wilson’s Snipe
6. Great Egret
7. Great Blue Heron
8. American Robin
9. Song Sparrow
10. Tree Swallow
11. Canada Goose
12. Mallard
13. Northern Shoveler
14. Wood Duck
15. Blue-winged Teal
16. Green-winged Teal
17. Mourning Dove
18. Red-bellied Woodpecker
19. Turkey Vulture
20. Red-tailed Hawk
21. American Kestrel