tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13763327262894478972024-03-14T13:53:26.659-04:00Boring BirdingMy non-birding friends tell me that birding is boring. Welcome to the boredom.Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-76004448063092361462013-08-25T12:26:00.000-04:002013-08-25T12:26:09.451-04:00Birding Pet Peeve #3 - photo quizzes<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I like bird ID photo quizzes.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Wait, let me rephrase that. I like well-executed bird ID photo quizzes. Many birding publications, blogs, and websites host photo quizzes. Many of these can be quite challenging and really test your knowledge or skill as a birdwatcher.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So what makes a good quiz? Clear photos of odd postures or plumages. Pictures of lesser noticed features of a bird. Unusual molts. The really unusual stuff, like birds discolored by pollen or berries. Gulls always make a good quiz. So do young birds, eclipse plumages, and non-breeding warblers and shorebirds.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But there is one trait all these quizzes have in common. That is clear, well lit, properly exposed and focused photographs. They don’t need to be publication suitable photos but they should be clear.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Many people with cameras and some place to post photos online have decided they to can construct a photo quiz. The difference is that many of these are poorly done. They take cutting room floor photos and decide they are quiz worthy. Why? Is it part of the “look at me” epidemic that is taking over society?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’ve seen out of focus photos, over-exposed photos, under-exposed photos, badly backlit photos, and photos of too distant birds. A low quality image cropped and zoomed so tightly that the bird is rendered in 12 pixels does not make a good quiz.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Is it a foot? A backlit seabird? The Titanic, E.T., a DeSoto Firedome, or a crumb from a muffin on the lens?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So by all means keep building quizzes to test the rest of us. But please pay at least a minimal amount of attention to what you’re doing. Select photos that give us a fighting chance and let the trash can serve its intended purpose for the rest. And if you don’t, please stop complaining on your blog or Facebook posting that people don’t appreciate your efforts.</span></div>
Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-2663220607505343522011-12-11T13:48:00.002-05:002011-12-11T13:52:04.987-05:00Is anybody out there?<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Hello? Knock knock? Anybody there?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Over the last few years I’ve come to notice a rather disturbing trend among Audubon chapters and bird clubs, the sound of silence. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">In different roles I’ve had many opportunities to contact Audubon chapters or bird clubs across the country seeking information. I usually use the email link on their website but have also made phone calls, posted comments on Facebook walls, and sent good old-fashioned snail mail. My personal experience is that the response rate to inquiries is about 1 in 3.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">At one time I was a VP for my local Audubon chapter. We were aware of some programs other chapters were running that were interesting to us. I contacted 14 chapters across the country, from small local chapters to large chapters with huge memberships. I heard back from 5 chapters. Four were willing to share some information. One said they were too busy. And the rest? Nothing. No response of any kind, even when I sent a follow-up or tried a different medium to contact them.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I also travel quite a bit on business and if I’m spending a few nights somewhere, I will look up the local bird clubs for meetings I can attend. In some cases there is no information about the upcoming monthly meeting on the website and the newsletter that is posted is out of date. I’ll email or call the club using the contact information they provided. Once again, I seem to get some response about a third of the time. The rest of the time, nothing.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Some of the issues are perplexing. One chapter I tried to visit had a note on their website that said they met at the local public library in the community room the first Wednesday of each month, September through June. They even gave the street address of the library. I made my way to the library that evening to find out the chapter doesn’t meet there. They haven’t for years. Yet this information is clearly displayed on the home page. The library staff said they get one or two people each month who ask about the meetings.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">How many potential members are these groups losing? If people are seeking you out, why are you not responding? A common complaint among Audubon chapters and bird clubs is that as their memberships get older, they are getting smaller as they fail to attract new and younger members. I have a solution that may partially solve their problem. Write back. Return a phone call. If people are taking the time to try to contact you, maybe you should have someone available to take the time to get back to them.</span></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-76181465457830088722011-04-02T16:38:00.006-04:002011-04-02T16:48:32.731-04:00Real Men Love Chickadee's<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>If you ever find yourself birding at the Rocky River Nature Center in North Olmsted, OH, you can have a wonderful little experience. The staff at the nature center have been trying to get chickadee's to take seed from the hand. The have an Aldo Leopold scarecrow set up by the front door with an outstretched hand full of seed. The birds come to Aldo. They also have human volunteers trying the same thing with varying degrees of luck.<div><br /></div><div>The real secret is to go back on the trails behind the nature center. For a couple of hundred yards there is a stretch where the chickadee's will come to the hand thanks to the efforts of the birders who visit the area. Just bring a handful of seed and you can have a neat experience.</div><div><br /></div><div>These are all un-edited photos taken with my iPhone. Next time I'll take a better camera.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfm-6dzPiQWXyHYo2rvjUTR2NEhmKriQmxySBhLQxnXGeeH6EAeqc-PKPJVmxXDqBqf_9feyIHcL1GEH9XEQSFtcnPvXc_vyUfLY2Mt0DcSony8ExQDFx0TXhdXXEQ1Agf7jdu6YkqfIYd/s400/BCC6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591090330174444226" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYx8NagidZ23Y2wN5tgtLV8wu3qxQQWLjLu6-H_VaMTV07WhT5wBh-UFFYalrxxOyBU70m-hdNhB2qv6xvSPmMwyfmr-69aHr4edD4xcHwl0vDNU3d1bpz2CNn7z0kOe_oDkQ7WilK_x5F/s400/BCC5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591090322058603906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfzUDl1JVkUzrTgVHuWTOSTSouxEfVLL8XXyc0xkT-BXVG2rrEpWIjhbKzMrBSHmwLqgq0wu_753sqIIg3iz3u_XBBBNkIkaz7IwuNWhQPlzmvZVsuipa4Phpan10BbxLrCOKZAFK4EHs/s400/BCC4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591090312108316562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LhXx4jQemv-LPjKibob9NV2pPliqxNV18ZkPGQMlzQsaZW0oybpApQkoLyRVutYi8cdl94YjoyDm-0ENgFLp3J4FocdVLc8lD1xja8nCS_MBtGCxlr-4bczx4qr7KMsunpDWhMpu1YAK/s400/BCC3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591089903125038738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpeqNESb_2tptcZT_N1yFML8gpWVMQmOi-G8LkSdYMGBtDfYKVvNh3ii6nWD4ABP4-gGbPRe58KUfLgV5hYgrdJza3vgu47IR1UiEv0rC789MijML73ndPwhXGPtcnsE_mRnpdMaDJqys/s400/BCC2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591089897641344338" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HIRCilHwE3sxHnrdBBmd77vVY0Y20eYOZ-eb2ibQnJ4YUrFBRnrgDgt0-SQjGe6eWgV0AV7jVZDSyZ5aeDxS6C-4jhe_OX7aY9u0GBwe3gY6MgMU8-CX1wCGwt1ZbwGk8fko6aDGVX2n/s400/BCC1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591089625078442690" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div>Happy Birding!!!</div>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-69472496139535602622011-02-26T15:07:00.001-05:002011-02-26T15:09:03.132-05:00Birding Pet Peeves - Number 2<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 13.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Time for pet peeve number 2....</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 13.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px">Birders who judge other birders based on the price of their gear.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 13.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">This one always leaves me confused. On one hand, I can understand that the more experienced a birder gets, there is a tendency to buy better, pricier, equipment. On the other hand, I know many expert birders still using the same binoculars they purchased 35 years ago and are still toting around a Golden Guide or Peterson they purchased about the same time.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">Many times in the field I have come across another birder who looked at my chest first. I guess I know how women feel. After they determined the type of binoculars I owned, they engaged me in conversation. As my own gear has gotten better, the nature of my conversations has changed. People seem to assume you know a lot more based on the amount of money you’ve spent. I’ve experienced the same thing with scopes and especially cameras.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Making assumptions based on the price of the gear is risky. I’ve seen old timers with taped together gear and high schoolers with hand me downs who can bird circles around people with better stuff. On the same trip you can run into rich newbies with the latest and most expensive who think sparrows are baby robins.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Take the time to ask a question or two and you’ll learn a lot more.</span></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-35572630370941696852011-02-20T14:24:00.002-05:002011-02-20T14:43:59.848-05:00Birding Pet Peeves - Number 1I started working on a post of various pet peeves and decided to post them individually over time. I'm sure I'll catch some heat for some of these but that's the chance I take.<div><br /></div><div>So on to pet peeve #1.....</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Birders who don't pay attention to their electronic devices.</u></div><div><br /></div><div>I don't mean birders who ignore their devices like unwanted junk mail. I'm talking about the noises their various devices make. Don't get me wrong, I think it is great that we have smart phones with all sorts of cool apps and cameras that make it easy to get really good shots, but the noise some of these devices make is frustrating.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hate it when I'm on a group walk and suddenly you hear Sir Mix-A-Lot's "I Like Big Butts" blasting from someones pocket at maximum volume. Is it that hard to turn off the ringer before you start the walk? It's worse when the trip leader reminds people to set their phones to vibrate at the start of the walk and you are still greeted by the "Old-timey Phone" ring 45 minutes later. To complicate matters, most of these people take the call and then have to tell the caller that they "WILL CALL THEM BACK BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BIRD WALK".</div><div><br /></div><div>The other part of this that irritates me is the noise from some of the cameras on the market. When you are birding alone, it is OK to have the camera beep at maximum volume and to set the shutter sound effect to something about as loud as a 12-gauge shotgun slamming the next shell into the chamber. If you're on a group walk, turn it down. Or turn the sounds off.</div><div><br /></div><div>OK, that sounds petty and whiney, but I feel better.</div>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-76029829151638402912010-11-07T17:19:00.008-05:002010-11-07T17:53:23.868-05:00Cleaning out the cameras<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If I’m not on a trip somewhere, I’m notoriously bad at cleaning out the memory cards </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Add Image" border="0" class="gl_photo" /></span>on my various cameras. Usually I just open a new project in Aperture and dump everything into the one project and see what I like. I throw out a lot of photos but every now and then I find something I like.</span></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yGUbMAQ9Q1aCvNdoPqQOWHNZ-wH6H8TmwPk34B0aFGbJXy_OhEUodXu1IWjTXZyVM9RBRafjmpZ0xLJi1bT5fmsfBvxJp3AN6WA_Mtj-yonJYDad9bu7HxNlRBk-ALZvvfA4Eh7SPYVU/s400/Dung.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536939445188782018" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">First up was a pile desiccated dung I found in the middle of the trail at the Peak Preserve. There is a lot of corn present. I’m going to assume deer but I thought they would be better at mastication.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3WEyZJSuUsAplqZlC-RGraMK_tMaqhGri0WYNGCIbp2Sq9dtJYu9WUzoZsecdMQD-JwW5-O2FUV3alELnpPCR_ZFucSbZKUcCiSPi5ztKXdCcHrE9bg9E1sb9wYKY0ccUkIGIoWvJ65Y/s400/Caterpilllar.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536940019737531234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">Next up is this little caterpillar I found at Caley Reservation. I’m a birder and don’t have a clue what it is but it was pretty.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYyVa-FwJfYekrPw7Fi44fgB1NtBI0r957ZMnMDxZ-VYLKeINeoOvn8HZ6v5UQqEJvPtGfLlneUc8W8-qdOMs8eYzSsCg33jTI3cpRBTNW_UHefGKvyLAlKEuvKyIRzhZYjv6l_QoWI_q/s400/Rub+(1).jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536942633947241810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">Walking down a trail a few weeks ago I found this deer rub. It was the only tree in the whole area I could find like this.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggC9-MPQ55IYxk-AuDbuhmhO2shUV7N0UdFQ9xHa7wnwi8PV8ENDejPKtHl2aNLhGqWgoKAyMhEVdv9k3LrcveqbfkTWpGxdmfWz2EerMmsNQonVNIEIJHGg3CEKTS25Zt01Sn4S8rAwQ-/s400/Trail.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536943490208422770" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">Just a random shot of a trail in Caley Reservation.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZC3BWZeTyn463yB5fzTd_sMGdcUpaio42nKgJhzAfFF5ykF4UD7KOGiQk1PwClaOO_n0cA9mepSZlrSRl16RBgvnSEFFv5ovnZqiX-DXvfObhp13QwHMtDJWeMpbGmsnQWU9jqoEuT0j/s400/Bark.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536938914145950002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">I love this bark pattern.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzqV2YUz-8wpDA1_sRRIUjjG8rbj9Sejn4lPg1DasU3rOyJVXRJ_SP9xD_qrrW0AhcDGw7DBfANwV2XXmL8rUtcm5ePrUv6FvKm0t_SLPWiHwEA-XABjI8DPGGd3L18Zfo_HsdypZffyc/s400/Caley.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536944068684433378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">Finally, a shot over the pond at Caley. Not much fall color this year. It was wet early and then it was dry into the fall. What little foliage that did turn was quickly blown down by the “Chiclone” storm front.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-331185437681453012010-05-05T20:42:00.007-04:002010-05-05T21:00:22.199-04:00Muddlety<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, serif; font-size: 12px; ">OK, enough purple birds. Back to WV.</span></div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Day 4 of the New River Birding and Nature Festival found me at a place called Muddlety. It’s a location as much as it’s a state of mind. Muddlety is an area with a troubled past, a troubled present, and a troubled future. Part of the area is reclaimed strip mine. Unfortunately, part of the area is the site of a future strip mine. Throw in a variety of clear cut logging zones over the decades and you have a very unusual mixture of habitat.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The morning started with a stop for a Blue-winged Warbler. The bird did not disappoint as it was quickly located at the expected spot. We were also treated to some nice views of a Common Yellowthroat at the same spot but the bird was not real cooperative for photos. The witchity, witchity, witchity call is common in marshes and is a sign that a particularly beautiful bird is nearby.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJsxx6Mw8_a76jCq6WfPzbQpprRMewE0VqndGIsYBW6YqEizTa3S2Ch8XFlwNnYy4JBd5D6RrjQrlwJTvU6_wW3dlHS3PMRZbIMClNK152JFRiKyLnFka2fBoLzkEudQi785ViMzfrf2E/s1600/cy1.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJsxx6Mw8_a76jCq6WfPzbQpprRMewE0VqndGIsYBW6YqEizTa3S2Ch8XFlwNnYy4JBd5D6RrjQrlwJTvU6_wW3dlHS3PMRZbIMClNK152JFRiKyLnFka2fBoLzkEudQi785ViMzfrf2E/s400/cy1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467952146594889954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><b>A bad photo of the Common Yellowthroat.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">As we walked along the roads I was amazed by the diversity of plant life. It seems a real shame that all of this might be gone one day so we can run our light bulbs and toaster ovens for a little while longer. Muddlety is a special place.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I learned something on this trip. I was not aware that black birch trees were once harvested to get the oils in the sap to make oil of wintergreen. Jim McCormac spotted a black birch and pulled off a branch. When the branch is stripped and placed in your mouth you can very clearly taste the wintergreen flavor. Quite cool. Almost like those flavored toothpicks but much better.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">At our lunch stop we had a couple of nice treats. In a tire rut in the road were dozens of Pearl Crescents greedily lapping up the minerals in the soils. The photo is poor but the little butterflies were really pretty.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjej6afiimRJe3LkkeEIfr3-yTdvJsLBVAyMpqY35mzlMpqSUoTfOo8z1jEvC0djxaEHP_mQYSVRO3duccub5Ii-ibcXQ0O_b4qVAo5wrOITOw8LRnNQD3lfr-WlNjokFi0AR6WMaAB9loK/s1600/pcs.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjej6afiimRJe3LkkeEIfr3-yTdvJsLBVAyMpqY35mzlMpqSUoTfOo8z1jEvC0djxaEHP_mQYSVRO3duccub5Ii-ibcXQ0O_b4qVAo5wrOITOw8LRnNQD3lfr-WlNjokFi0AR6WMaAB9loK/s400/pcs.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467953083263854626" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">The other nice treat at lunch was a giant Tulip Tree, one of the largest in West Virginia. The tree is in the dead center of the photo. The tree was so big it took 6 people linking hands to reach all the way around.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf3dGRoMn_FKQD3C3G0g-9BatSRImx5zKRv8kYI3v7HypJfTvuHXIhAZlZunZvDCL4gqhRwnwzZE8L71ltyPFPI8PiX_EKbMGIOLZgXI7cDanC4lDMFrY8FNYRQkCOEEV_Y4sxUto_P_u/s1600/tree1.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf3dGRoMn_FKQD3C3G0g-9BatSRImx5zKRv8kYI3v7HypJfTvuHXIhAZlZunZvDCL4gqhRwnwzZE8L71ltyPFPI8PiX_EKbMGIOLZgXI7cDanC4lDMFrY8FNYRQkCOEEV_Y4sxUto_P_u/s400/tree1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467953739937586786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpeIeWpZLFBPHsjOK-Ytxt5iqKUWnbXeAx6BV3-K-CVUc7PgLao7xBo6NOA7k3VGrNueBtgegIcMTKi8Ckm8_Olquyxi6az4PtYtqOWe16tjajOIDHE_O0yJyQ4umaR6Y51d6FMLnh7Xy/s1600/tree2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpeIeWpZLFBPHsjOK-Ytxt5iqKUWnbXeAx6BV3-K-CVUc7PgLao7xBo6NOA7k3VGrNueBtgegIcMTKi8Ckm8_Olquyxi6az4PtYtqOWe16tjajOIDHE_O0yJyQ4umaR6Y51d6FMLnh7Xy/s400/tree2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467953747386115234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">Finally, i couldn't resist this really pretty fungi growing on a stump. I don't the species but I will find out.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWW9F28lwFOvRG6T6ubqCNrR8zX8qvLhf-_NgfPPDC7RSfHY3YS4xVIzqSMRilsNIR4VpD-pyoz_3w6j2ZUVvggEGS5Dk2O1tpe6l42M221FGLguICspfyRHWaequmhoi1SevB-mHEvsp/s1600/stump.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWW9F28lwFOvRG6T6ubqCNrR8zX8qvLhf-_NgfPPDC7RSfHY3YS4xVIzqSMRilsNIR4VpD-pyoz_3w6j2ZUVvggEGS5Dk2O1tpe6l42M221FGLguICspfyRHWaequmhoi1SevB-mHEvsp/s400/stump.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467952835426482098" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhUz0ro01ihIL3Ph6kK3RgAGIIYnfDTM_ri9xHXwf4Hv1_PyHyTOkFwFwBiGKs-ZIuj0jmW0h8MKGiFaLCxX2Fi4cmTsuVdYGeHtEN2kyA1BcQEaCh6iFYXeB7QCwZhWM5AQI36Fzvzin/s1600/fungus.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhUz0ro01ihIL3Ph6kK3RgAGIIYnfDTM_ri9xHXwf4Hv1_PyHyTOkFwFwBiGKs-ZIuj0jmW0h8MKGiFaLCxX2Fi4cmTsuVdYGeHtEN2kyA1BcQEaCh6iFYXeB7QCwZhWM5AQI36Fzvzin/s400/fungus.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467952829221823634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">The day wrapped up nicely. The next day featured a hunt for a rarity.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-5327685443050769132010-05-03T19:32:00.006-04:002010-05-03T19:45:38.681-04:00Ohio Purple Gallinule<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, serif; ">We're taking a quick break from WV to post some photo's of a Purple Gallinule that has appeared at the Columbia Reservation in Columbia Station, OH. The vegetation made it hard to get a decent shot but here are a few:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5PSjj3NzRm0nZFqukkySuV9ZFL4BC_ruaR-Rga1X3QeButXIUx339Im0gcsTQQhUFbC7hzkwIgiQelwV4Skyo3pGGP0e4U-tOFVAGd5Rof4yvkiwIe8liH6NAx6OKlu9tYpCxg1DMPSA/s400/gal1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467192561890855586" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMWAi653iwJRXgfJuTLpCekcb8q0uFdJdxLOYM3E3lNldDur-OUrSxH8xu5X68BEYoanpIHgwwnBSPPK8HdGbCFHK7IZbDbgSwZP8NS6HyBdGcTZW2ZRG2CusrYU3sw0Uuvyowz4CxmZd/s1600/gal2.jpg"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMWAi653iwJRXgfJuTLpCekcb8q0uFdJdxLOYM3E3lNldDur-OUrSxH8xu5X68BEYoanpIHgwwnBSPPK8HdGbCFHK7IZbDbgSwZP8NS6HyBdGcTZW2ZRG2CusrYU3sw0Uuvyowz4CxmZd/s400/gal2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467192902428043794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCYLPTHqaSdocZePn6mQJTHhvE8jQc2e6PJQx-qbao0lGhdR2vRDubsz_dZ5c6YI0jAnJbFwrePKHi8AS91TTCDVwTGIB7eH7woY5527u5UmdPU8vhSYiQoqqsn7mTOnIVLkhuI7MpUXt/s1600/gal3.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCYLPTHqaSdocZePn6mQJTHhvE8jQc2e6PJQx-qbao0lGhdR2vRDubsz_dZ5c6YI0jAnJbFwrePKHi8AS91TTCDVwTGIB7eH7woY5527u5UmdPU8vhSYiQoqqsn7mTOnIVLkhuI7MpUXt/s400/gal3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467193121970053666" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">This pair of Killdeer also came in with one choosing a spot for a bit of a bath.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnI7_1LNooQo6nBe2xXZm1ojZbZXMG7o8fCbVd1Jy9CO-Vd1M72IU8wJFEz_yukGL9UHZQfUnKEOMPcv4ubBISd4MXbS-4xEgGOAEje4nA4uEybSGlF4ZpTsqhmhfvfBMd2-ooY_DE3MB/s1600/kd3.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnI7_1LNooQo6nBe2xXZm1ojZbZXMG7o8fCbVd1Jy9CO-Vd1M72IU8wJFEz_yukGL9UHZQfUnKEOMPcv4ubBISd4MXbS-4xEgGOAEje4nA4uEybSGlF4ZpTsqhmhfvfBMd2-ooY_DE3MB/s400/kd3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467193772165297474" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVF2EyJoJcMpF5QecgZ9xP5XqUwudOqWxnCg8MP2mDLxP8c_uIxFzS64klaYLePPRX-M4IzjW3WwM65RsDv2tr7QLWYSBJ1TeKBWxs4FuVqX_eHGJ3bn_sgSJMes9lCgLaA1FLWkhkVbRe/s1600/kd2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVF2EyJoJcMpF5QecgZ9xP5XqUwudOqWxnCg8MP2mDLxP8c_uIxFzS64klaYLePPRX-M4IzjW3WwM65RsDv2tr7QLWYSBJ1TeKBWxs4FuVqX_eHGJ3bn_sgSJMes9lCgLaA1FLWkhkVbRe/s400/kd2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467193766312315074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22AsobzOzf_ZAJjSvUz9iW-24df2ZBELyRpBAEs7P1rfmTvQL0moLC5d0blMxE-_5WLb_CI4tZzZNtK-Wos0KVySBIeJ7ZG0ToR_F2vHLETtQUDdW0SjI0rwmk3KxKOUEk0qa87VSlTFN/s1600/kd1.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22AsobzOzf_ZAJjSvUz9iW-24df2ZBELyRpBAEs7P1rfmTvQL0moLC5d0blMxE-_5WLb_CI4tZzZNtK-Wos0KVySBIeJ7ZG0ToR_F2vHLETtQUDdW0SjI0rwmk3KxKOUEk0qa87VSlTFN/s400/kd1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467193753517485794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><br /></div>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-53920009201283318202010-04-28T16:20:00.004-04:002010-04-28T16:30:09.757-04:00New River Birding and Nature Festival Day 3<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Today was spent on a tour called High Country. This trip hits the highest points in this area of West Virginia looking for different birds than can be found at lower elevations. There were two primary target birds on this trip. The first was Bobolink. The other was Golden-winged Warbler.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The Bobolinks are routinely found at a field where the owner delays mowing to allow the species to successfully raise their young. The leaders of the trip told us stories of dozens of Bobolink’s in the field plus large numbers of Eastern Meadowlarks. It sounded good. We arrived at the the site excited to see the birds. The guides led us up to the top of the hill and we found.......NOTHING!!! Not a bird in sight. The morning was unseasonably cold and the wind was whipping. The exposed top of the hill was very cold. The leaders paced around nervously and looked all over. They played calls on iPods. The result.......still NOTHING!!! We decided to give up the fight and head back to the bus. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We drove down the road a short distance and the bus stopped at an area to see what was around. Two of our leaders got out to listen. Suddenly we heard the shout of “Bobolink”. Very quickly 21 people exited the bus. The birds were in a pasture some distance from the bus but we were able to observe them with binoculars and scopes but they were too far for photos. We also got excellent views of Eastern Meadowlark in the same field. Apparently the birds preferred something out of the wind today. The relief on the face of the leaders was palpable. Suddenly Keith, Connie, and Will got together for a group high five and they all visibly relaxed. The trip was saved.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We also spent quite a bit of time on a county road that runs through a MeadWestvaco holding that is used for timber. There was a variety of mature trees, young growth, and clear cut. We tried repeatedly for the Golden-winged Warbler but had no luck. They just weren’t around to be found.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">On the trip we had excellent views of a number of other species. The Red-winged Blackbirds were serenading the females in this small wet depression. Their “song” is matched with a furious bit of shaking and flashing of the red and yellow shoulder epaulets. </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjHoyQnF7pNAOjs_k1UrYW5GAe0Ok23YUQw8AGG_0_LnAU_cJvbj8u8F3UeH_vswqo-VC-iAkqs_FOLG6U7SbxpeM5Y24Y9FDhBxWd7qxhdtLda531o61CsX1_6n4EW3eGsnJkHRnuZc9/s1600/rwb3.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjHoyQnF7pNAOjs_k1UrYW5GAe0Ok23YUQw8AGG_0_LnAU_cJvbj8u8F3UeH_vswqo-VC-iAkqs_FOLG6U7SbxpeM5Y24Y9FDhBxWd7qxhdtLda531o61CsX1_6n4EW3eGsnJkHRnuZc9/s400/rwb3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465286159425618610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0ZiABA3kf90AptO-HdrghthSRr7FDmJoyYqFwTq6yKafaix3jm-qtB3-gPLKV_KZK2fvGAlvzNDFpwGRc2xPT3_icTS7_OemRhT2F7xnkBqYwd_vaqQuSurfiMS2Fl4tBxEdEJ2Y6ejL/s1600/rwb2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0ZiABA3kf90AptO-HdrghthSRr7FDmJoyYqFwTq6yKafaix3jm-qtB3-gPLKV_KZK2fvGAlvzNDFpwGRc2xPT3_icTS7_OemRhT2F7xnkBqYwd_vaqQuSurfiMS2Fl4tBxEdEJ2Y6ejL/s400/rwb2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465286153445033730" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtG75H79fWHBouqeyW1Q6qgl85pZgBUtwKuuJRWWPljSShikwANrfs7uNQCx0kchCUBVJETyxYPmMs-OXGNXoIh-PT86qOzo61nbCh_GtvW73VU_GMhGOBi7gAv-m17_MUj2gXTfr4hlz/s1600/rwb1.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtG75H79fWHBouqeyW1Q6qgl85pZgBUtwKuuJRWWPljSShikwANrfs7uNQCx0kchCUBVJETyxYPmMs-OXGNXoIh-PT86qOzo61nbCh_GtvW73VU_GMhGOBi7gAv-m17_MUj2gXTfr4hlz/s400/rwb1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465286142290928754" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The Louisiana Waterthrush was a nice find. It responded to a short blast of song from an iPod.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbUoWIIXr1txI7pC6Vk-fJurnnElOp1OsdU_C7eBVZ8SYVkdoGpU_03W_MT-ySOJUrtCJNTU1R7eH4OtQDs1687g88Cwm3qkrZLMe05grLPGDWEGDDfvwqqwf44OLKNPsLex3UmcVZ1Pb/s1600/lw1.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbUoWIIXr1txI7pC6Vk-fJurnnElOp1OsdU_C7eBVZ8SYVkdoGpU_03W_MT-ySOJUrtCJNTU1R7eH4OtQDs1687g88Cwm3qkrZLMe05grLPGDWEGDDfvwqqwf44OLKNPsLex3UmcVZ1Pb/s400/lw1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465286174656439490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-hPoLwaQWwWPiNTIlQagOYJr-spD64B7ceQ-q6B5C9DAKrzJgtwaM1viu7Djt4KVbEOGT_8YuPyTeN_uyHjAGXjZdRrCb3jqhp33-drdDyQS1LEv2HwvnwqSUjU7f7Yc-JbSnsJFGa_E/s1600/lw2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-hPoLwaQWwWPiNTIlQagOYJr-spD64B7ceQ-q6B5C9DAKrzJgtwaM1viu7Djt4KVbEOGT_8YuPyTeN_uyHjAGXjZdRrCb3jqhp33-drdDyQS1LEv2HwvnwqSUjU7f7Yc-JbSnsJFGa_E/s400/lw2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465286187171878594" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Here is one more. This Black-throated Blue Warbler was at eye level but always seem to be behind some vegetation. Here are some of the better shots.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEp2YTnxmm6V1S_z_7SCnVN_BK2AwKRyGiRivKK_nRmhbvxYqHQyddT8eNulHZOP90u5PJLjPDfx0yq6m45O4cqDC6JPAyt2Q9agAVlXqAZgRhudow7dKP8KUz8OVYv1t6gIuIbLdLwR_/s1600/btb2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEp2YTnxmm6V1S_z_7SCnVN_BK2AwKRyGiRivKK_nRmhbvxYqHQyddT8eNulHZOP90u5PJLjPDfx0yq6m45O4cqDC6JPAyt2Q9agAVlXqAZgRhudow7dKP8KUz8OVYv1t6gIuIbLdLwR_/s400/btb2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465286436605121186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHb9eGxx5awrZqQlxEjjItUxr1Ya5OdeAYSbEpLbKVMIfLh02D8bpCSzhlGennaA4J1o0SKDKI4sRQTUMDcML5s-XKnqIe5yr5e5iMnM17n_CIwi2uhAKnQBir33G9ulMjWguFSOFL6CQd/s1600/btb1.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHb9eGxx5awrZqQlxEjjItUxr1Ya5OdeAYSbEpLbKVMIfLh02D8bpCSzhlGennaA4J1o0SKDKI4sRQTUMDcML5s-XKnqIe5yr5e5iMnM17n_CIwi2uhAKnQBir33G9ulMjWguFSOFL6CQd/s400/btb1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465286423805391794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Although the numbers were down and the weather was cold, everyone had a great time. Tomorrow I’m off to a place called Muddlety.</span></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-73912298541028010352010-04-27T16:33:00.005-04:002010-04-27T17:00:35.385-04:00West Virginia’s New River Birding and Nature Festival - Days 1 and 2<div style="text-align: left;">I am spending this week in the New River Plateau area of West Virginia. The New River Birding and Nature Festival is based out of Fayetteville, WV. So far the first two days of the festival have been outstanding.</div><br />Day 1 was held at the Meadows House at the Opossum Creek Resort. The theme for day 1 was Birding by Butt. However, we didn’t spend a lot of time sitting around. The day is intended for full week participants to have a chance to meet other guests, our hosts, and the guides. The morning started off with a pre-breakfast walk lead by Jim McCormac. Highlights were singing Northern Parulas, Ovenbirds, Hooded Warblers, and Scarlet Tanager. After the walk we returned to the Meadows for a breakfast of smoked-salmon strata, buckwheat pancakes, and fruit compote. I’m not sure which was better, the birds or the food.<br /><br />After breakfast we headed back outside for more exploration. Bill Hilton was banding birds on the property and managed to catch a Ruby-throated Hummingbird in his ingenious trap.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnCQGPiAK8CgnTynCfUZ3DEdCrnDQmv7oqh3oiBgKJ4vHsyH50xB5gCAfcA4uOJqTmBl7aw8O3V4w8umLRB6MPJYolPPKiShYsAaM7uOWEAyaCIjkywVIqX-Z-5gPEcATVjKhyphenhyphenQojZw6R/s1600/bill+w+bands.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnCQGPiAK8CgnTynCfUZ3DEdCrnDQmv7oqh3oiBgKJ4vHsyH50xB5gCAfcA4uOJqTmBl7aw8O3V4w8umLRB6MPJYolPPKiShYsAaM7uOWEAyaCIjkywVIqX-Z-5gPEcATVjKhyphenhyphenQojZw6R/s400/bill+w+bands.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464919364527147970" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;">Here is a photo of Bill with a “sheet” of hummingbird bands that must be cut out and formed. There are 160 bands on the sheet.</div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vtNqFnSfZPNVqRtmrAQjG6mLKlnsSlsd0uqD2j0Uoa_KSVQsCPMaDnXV_kVSGOgg-er711OdaClnpjVvj47i4KElj0iH9A4aHdlJXKe0Ss6pPKEEedg4w4VY0flCREzoVPyoCjxNwx9u/s1600/band+comparison.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vtNqFnSfZPNVqRtmrAQjG6mLKlnsSlsd0uqD2j0Uoa_KSVQsCPMaDnXV_kVSGOgg-er711OdaClnpjVvj47i4KElj0iH9A4aHdlJXKe0Ss6pPKEEedg4w4VY0flCREzoVPyoCjxNwx9u/s400/band+comparison.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464919355988235618" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;">For comparison there are the bands that would be used on larger birds like robins and towhees.</div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfisA1ixUb8lFknoJQIyFxqGOOixXK9I6A1vL4A7Lx_5UNxvgOa6IjosBR2e3qSrs91BN0TVLqUa41ITn-6oPjbNfP85t0fLGfnLfK24ABBt90DWdo7Rw8A6Zb65ZpPbBUuB771DSZiAA/s1600/tool+to+form+band.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfisA1ixUb8lFknoJQIyFxqGOOixXK9I6A1vL4A7Lx_5UNxvgOa6IjosBR2e3qSrs91BN0TVLqUa41ITn-6oPjbNfP85t0fLGfnLfK24ABBt90DWdo7Rw8A6Zb65ZpPbBUuB771DSZiAA/s400/tool+to+form+band.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464922552640085250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;">Because the bands are so small, a special tool is needed to form the band.</div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirt9wGYwNfP2S8a8ilzL8iYMV-l5jSv1YX-jSM1Yg9H-Xx9wOKUgeSzzmWqpKWjDk8JXuKihgf15jFou9v2ywieVM0EHKO-L-QHOhrvbkVUm0VF99X9zAdRT1wliVCFSLaPj2BxTLT3DXb/s1600/formed+band.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirt9wGYwNfP2S8a8ilzL8iYMV-l5jSv1YX-jSM1Yg9H-Xx9wOKUgeSzzmWqpKWjDk8JXuKihgf15jFou9v2ywieVM0EHKO-L-QHOhrvbkVUm0VF99X9zAdRT1wliVCFSLaPj2BxTLT3DXb/s400/formed+band.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464919387928270050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;">Here is a photo of the formed band in hand.</div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuV-vgrTEHNjgI5aftRAOHG6ADNcs25yyRvxt0XCJ1K8Yekt3lS9z0UNeRH8Wk-6_3pof8n3ihyqAK34Z0xyXTmZJxspKDoGSk-cOueCyGj_CUwzRpU58yDBxciNtgV7yrSMDIEjzTIvn/s1600/bird+in+tube.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuV-vgrTEHNjgI5aftRAOHG6ADNcs25yyRvxt0XCJ1K8Yekt3lS9z0UNeRH8Wk-6_3pof8n3ihyqAK34Z0xyXTmZJxspKDoGSk-cOueCyGj_CUwzRpU58yDBxciNtgV7yrSMDIEjzTIvn/s400/bird+in+tube.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464919377141369362" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;">To hold the hummingbird while working, it is inserted into a tube head first. The tube is made from an index card.</div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUO9evTIB-elRimlVqwMLsomiKoQaHfjQD0fVuCB9V0AppI0QbPj3S5QaOMUKDRs2B5bqaqO37p11AJzJBFdrMGeJvL_lSzCyZh211xJ0pgmqEMTxJ6HJIe51o7XaRsydgdAz9iY23uYD/s400/installing+band.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464919401336890162" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span><b><div style="text-align: center;">The little hummer is banded.</div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3FmgnScT2CIpnbzoG5wV6RvecA47tbLcnn4yFm-t2-pdw27Ea__YzSG-GbVY_f8_rCsd3bUD9z0aHY-XMrSFYglQk7N4pGnOvyu_a6UfZalXtS9FwGPvnc5CZX-bPmSfPJgnMKYy37E8/s1600/weighing.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3FmgnScT2CIpnbzoG5wV6RvecA47tbLcnn4yFm-t2-pdw27Ea__YzSG-GbVY_f8_rCsd3bUD9z0aHY-XMrSFYglQk7N4pGnOvyu_a6UfZalXtS9FwGPvnc5CZX-bPmSfPJgnMKYy37E8/s400/weighing.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464922567513884754" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;">The hummingbird is measured and weighed and given some food before being released.</div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSnWkcQ0XgPssbyhoNGzpjHAK6TjKbUuq-Bi96bn0x77VZj-B7vAfU2-J0jdinvl-D6FCW6FMNIoF5WOAMtLi1V844Wn_QZ_ka6xul7VHMTmB8FN_Fuz6hcvrt-ATEqMc6QU2Pme05ghB7/s1600/release.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSnWkcQ0XgPssbyhoNGzpjHAK6TjKbUuq-Bi96bn0x77VZj-B7vAfU2-J0jdinvl-D6FCW6FMNIoF5WOAMtLi1V844Wn_QZ_ka6xul7VHMTmB8FN_Fuz6hcvrt-ATEqMc6QU2Pme05ghB7/s400/release.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464922546196337378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;">Here is a close up the hummer before release.</div></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div>Day 2 of festival was the first for offsite field trips. I was in the New River Circuit trip where we toured the old road and bridge that used to be the only way across the New River before the famous arch bridge was completed in 1978. It is hard to believe that this narrow and twisty road used to hold two-way traffic. Now it is reduced to one-way in the lowest part. Because fog settles into the valley, we spent a lot time in the fog which limited photo opportunities. Once we got below the fog, it was better.<br /><br />We were rewarded with more great birds including Worm-eating Warbler which only netted bad photos and a very cooperative Yellow-throated Warbler.<br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDnB_HlKwxs_wrNFFVFMxtMjmgkEPQtaVrZbi_kHEd1WQvjHk_IkNDklzSZY7gMoJDbG6e1J1OkjqNHNg1FsBYRAv6yzFG-Q0c9rvmwOnM19Cb4xVcpEeHmFuWhexnUyPUIaaOs3zk_OY/s1600/raw+yt.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDnB_HlKwxs_wrNFFVFMxtMjmgkEPQtaVrZbi_kHEd1WQvjHk_IkNDklzSZY7gMoJDbG6e1J1OkjqNHNg1FsBYRAv6yzFG-Q0c9rvmwOnM19Cb4xVcpEeHmFuWhexnUyPUIaaOs3zk_OY/s400/raw+yt.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464922540064515282" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;">Here is a raw photo of the Yellow-throated Warbler.</div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_dpTUtMlHOB7dFyppd24Jj8xrnVIdkffYatgGSf8Lli-8ngccuJfAJ2EyADfeKqJMk_t9J03OaI3RYN_3EbMUiR4aVRH9PFTXp7-Bo6-eIRgxhY0-lQ3_Qw_cVVLnKAsjxQz-3BMagv5/s1600/zoom+yt.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_dpTUtMlHOB7dFyppd24Jj8xrnVIdkffYatgGSf8Lli-8ngccuJfAJ2EyADfeKqJMk_t9J03OaI3RYN_3EbMUiR4aVRH9PFTXp7-Bo6-eIRgxhY0-lQ3_Qw_cVVLnKAsjxQz-3BMagv5/s400/zoom+yt.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464923466947952834" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;">And here it is cropped and zoomed.</div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I’m tired but I'm looking forward to day 3. Tomorrow I’m off on the high country trip. I’ll update as I get time.</div></div></div></div>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-81027478724205560042009-11-30T18:03:00.003-05:002009-11-30T18:06:03.736-05:00Rio Grande Valley Species Seen ListThe following is the list of all species I was able to identify during my 8 days in the field. 176 species were seen in total.<br /><br />Fulvous Whistling-Duck<br />Black-bellied Whistling-Duck<br />Gadwall <br />American Wigeon<br />Mottled Duck<br />Blue-winged Teal<br />Northern Shoveler<br />Northern Pintail<br />Green-winged Teal<br />Canvasback<br />Redhead<br />Ring-necked Duck<br />Lesser Scaup<br />Masked Duck<br />Ruddy Duck<br />Plain Chachalaca<br />Wild Turkey<br />Least Grebe<br />Pied-billed Grebe<br />Eared Grebe<br />American White Pelican<br />Brown Pelican<br />Neotropic Cormorant<br />Double-crested Cormorant<br />Anhinga <br />American Bittern<br />Great Blue Heron<br />Great Egret<br />Snowy Egret<br />Little Blue Heron<br />Tricolored Heron<br />Reddish Egret<br />Black-crowned Night-Heron<br />Yellow-crowned Night-Heron<br />White Ibis<br />White-faced Ibis<br />Roseate Spoonbill<br />Wood Stork<br />Black Vulture<br />Turkey Vulture<br />Osprey<br />Hook-billed Kite<br />White-tailed Kite<br />Northern Harrier<br />Sharp-shinned Hawk<br />Cooper's Hawk<br />Gray Hawk<br />Harris's Hawk<br />Red-shouldered<br />White-tailed Hawk<br />Red-tailed Hawk,<br />Crested Caracara<br />American Kestrel<br />Merlin<br />Peregrine Falcon<br />Aplomado Falcon<br />Sora<br />Common Moorhen<br />American Coot<br />Sandhill Crane<br />Black-bellied Plover<br />Wilson’s Plover<br />Piping Plover<br />Killdeer<br />Black-necked Stilt<br />American Avocet <br />Greater Yellowlegs<br />Lesser Yellowlegs<br />Willet<br />Spotted Sandpiper<br />Long-billed Curlew<br />Marbled Godwit<br />Ruddy Turnstone<br />Red Knot<br />Sanderling<br />Western Sandpiper<br />Least Sandpiper<br />Stilt Sandpiper<br />Long-billed Dowitcher<br />Laughing Gull<br />Ring-billed Gull<br />Gull-billed Tern<br />Caspian Tern<br />Royal Tern<br />Forster's Tern<br />Rock Dove<br />White-winged Dove<br />Mourning Dove<br />Inca Dove<br />Common Ground-Dove<br />White-tipped Dove<br />Green Parakeet<br />Red-crowned Parrot<br />Greater Roadrunner<br />Barn Owl<br />Eastern Screech-Owl<br />Great Horned Owl<br />Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl<br />Common Pauraque<br />Buff-bellied Hummingbird<br />Ruby-throated Hummingbird<br />Black-chinned Hummingbird<br />Ringed Kingfisher<br />Belted Kingfisher<br />Green Kingfisher<br />Golden-fronted Woodpecker<br />Yellow-bellied Sapsucker<br />Ladder-backed Woodpecker<br />Eastern Wood-Pewee<br />Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet<br />Eastern Phoebe<br />Say's Phoebe<br />Vermilion Flycatcher<br />Ash-throated Flycatcher<br />Brown-crested Flycatcher<br />Great Kiskadee<br />Tropical Kingbird<br />Couch's Kingbird<br />Scissor-tailed Flycatcher<br />Loggerhead Shrike<br />White-eyed Vireo<br />Blue-headed Vireo<br />Green Jay<br />Chihuahuan Raven<br />Tree Swallow<br />Cave Swallow<br />Barn Swallow<br />Black-crested Titmouse<br />Verdin<br />Cactus Wren<br />Carolina Wren<br />Bewick's Wren<br />House Wren<br />Sedge Wren<br />Marsh Wren<br />Ruby-crowned Kinglet<br />Blue-gray Gnatcatcher<br />Clay-colored Robin<br />American Robin<br />Gray Catbird<br />Northern Mockingbird<br />Long-billed Thrasher<br />Curve-billed Thrasher<br />European Starling<br />American Pipit<br />Sprague’s Pipit<br />Orange-crowned Warbler<br />Tropical Parula<br />Yellow-rumped Warbler<br />Black-throated Gray Warbler<br />Yellow-throated Warbler<br />Black-and-white Warbler<br />Common Yellowthroat<br />Wilson's Warbler<br />Olive Sparrow<br />Lark Sparrow<br />Black-throated Sparrow<br />Savannah Sparrow<br />Song Sparrow<br />Lincoln's Sparrow<br />Swamp Sparrow<br />Northern Cardinal<br />Pyrrhuloxia<br />Red-winged Blackbird<br />Eastern Meadowlark<br />Western Meadowlark<br />Yellow-headed Blackbird<br />Great-tailed Grackle<br />Bronzed Cowbird<br />Brown-headed Cowboy<br />Altamira Oriole<br />Audubon’sOriole<br />House Finch<br />Lesser Goldfinch<br />American Goldfinch<br />House Sparrow<br /><br /><br />Other<br />Reddish Egret - White form - these birds were easily identified by their feeding behavior along Boca Chica Rd. They were chasing small fish along with other normally plumaged Reddish Egrets.<br /><br />Lilac-crowned Parrot - this is not a countable species that was spotted in Weslaco. It is likely a bird from the pet trade that escaped or was released.<br /><br />Altamira/Audubon Oriole Hybrid - “Smudgy” - These hybrid orioles have become quite common in Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park.Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-64175483653357196632009-11-15T21:10:00.002-05:002009-11-15T21:14:55.000-05:00Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival Day 4<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Today was spent on a trip to the Norias Division of the King Ranch. The King Ranch is a working ranch comprised of more than 800,000 acres in 4 units. The Norias Division is not normally open to public tours. Once again, the people at the RGVBF were able to arrange a phenomenal field trip.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">There are two target species on this trip, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl and Sprague’s Pipit. Not only were both species easily seen, we were able to have extended looks at the owl at one location. I was able to get the digiscoped photo below.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3nli_Az5vVP8iw5H1MKOGx0fx3vrD1XILmugOtOeJR96jccNuw_2gouAVt6Bl_qGLh9TCuAujTi-CZAAttLal_rpXKn7sqogjiDprTzlyVRfFkXROicDMY6gx4LryWAA2eebB8L68A42/s1600/FPO.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3nli_Az5vVP8iw5H1MKOGx0fx3vrD1XILmugOtOeJR96jccNuw_2gouAVt6Bl_qGLh9TCuAujTi-CZAAttLal_rpXKn7sqogjiDprTzlyVRfFkXROicDMY6gx4LryWAA2eebB8L68A42/s400/FPO.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404518973362241250" /></a><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">In addition to the pipit and owl we were treated to excellent views of a Tropical Parula. This species barely gets into the USA and is one of the RGV specialties that birders seek out. Additionally, there were excellent viewing opportunities of Crested Caracara.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Thanks to Tom, Peggy, Kim, and Justin for leading the trip. Once again, outstanding trip leaders made for a memorable event.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I’ll complete a more thorough summary in the coming days but I wanted to say I had a phenomenal time in south Texas and I want to thank and congratulate the staff and volunteers at the RGVBF. It is a first class event and look forward to coming back in a future year. If you are looking to do some traveling and birding, put this festival on your calendar.</span></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-60721660368804877512009-11-14T18:57:00.004-05:002009-11-14T21:30:45.935-05:00Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival Day 3<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px" today="" was="" spent="" at="" the="" nature="" s="" southmost="" preserve="" and="" on="" road="" out="" to="" boca="" chica="" beach="" including="" parts="" of="" lower="" rio="" grande="" valley="" original="" trip="" itinerary="" included="" sabal="" palm="" audubon="" center="" but="" that="" property="" is="" currently="" closed="" due="" budgetary="" both="" are="" being="" threatened="" by="" new="" border="" i="" t="" get="" into="" whole="" politics="" fence="" as="" you="" can="" see="" from="" picture="" this="" will="" completely="" cut="" off="" photo="" taken="" inside="" right="" entrance="" looking="" when="" wall="" be="" ironic="" part="" patrol="" agents="" spoke="" with="" said="" do="" little="" curb="" it="" might="" slow="" immigrants="" down="" really="" determined="" still=""></span> </p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Today was spent at The Nature Conservancy’s Southmost Preserve and on the road out to Boca Chica Beach including parts of the Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR. The original trip itinerary included Sabal Palm Audubon Center but that property is currently closed due to budgetary issues. Both Sabal Palm and Southmost are being threatened by the new border fence. I won’t get into the whole politics of the fence but as you can see from the picture below, this fence will completely cut off the property. This photo was taken from inside the Southmost Preserve right at the entrance road looking out. When the wall is complete, the preserve will be completely cut off. The ironic part is that the Border Patrol agents I spoke with said the fence will do little to curb immigration. It might slow immigrants down but the really determined will still get through.</span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sW7xVKU5-kuzskvPDnZvqOS9x9qeBujjOnsC3Q529Pwjts15sU34j_95gT_dsP7Tn46XymXX-Hl18nIojPXZNP2c80dtRyLrYTPwZT0OndaH1Xdf98VhyphenhyphenIH5EI2D-xkKMeDBOv3OfhvO/s1600-h/Border+Fence.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sW7xVKU5-kuzskvPDnZvqOS9x9qeBujjOnsC3Q529Pwjts15sU34j_95gT_dsP7Tn46XymXX-Hl18nIojPXZNP2c80dtRyLrYTPwZT0OndaH1Xdf98VhyphenhyphenIH5EI2D-xkKMeDBOv3OfhvO/s400/Border+Fence.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404113245954079298" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Southmost Preserve is a property that is not normally open to the public but our group was given special access and a personal tour by Dave Benn. It is another one of those places that make the RGVBF a truly great event since you can get access not normally available to others.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The highlight birds of the day include White-tailed Hawks that soared directly overhead at quite a low altitude allowing for excellent viewing opportunities. We were also able to closely observe a rather cooperative Peregrine Falcon. The best bird was something that isn’t even a south Texas specialty. While in Southmost, our bus split into two groups. Our group spooked a Barn Owl that was roosting in a palm tree. Later, as the other half the group was searching for the owl, the spooked bird flew directly over our half of the group affording us excellent views at less than 15 feet. All told, more than 100 species were seen on this trip.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">A big thanks to the days field trip leaders Chris, Richard, Mike and Jay. They did a great job making 40 birders feel like a small group.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Lang Elliott gave a program on the new CD Valley Bird Songs. If you use BirdJam or own the Stokes bird CD’s, you are familiar with Lang’s work. The program was enough to get this cheapskate to fork over $17 for a CD.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The final event of the evening was the Great South Texas Birding Quiz Show hosted by Jeff Gordon. Groups of birders, both amateur and professionals competed for prizes in and glory in a Jeopardy style quiz show. Please note that any resemblance to the actual TV program was purely a coincidence. The only question that comes to mind after the show is how I managed to avoid Luby's in 10 days?</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Tomorrow is sadly my last day of birding down here but I'm heading to the King Ranch.</p><p></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-68693906101022762212009-11-14T16:05:00.002-05:002009-11-14T16:10:55.849-05:00Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival - Day 2<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><pre style="white-space: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The morning started with a field trip to Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. This was an outstanding trip with good looks of Northern-beardless Tyrannulet. This little bird is smaller than it's name. Who would have thought that a bird with such a long name would be so drab. A small group was also able to see Smudgie, the unusual hybrid of an Altamira and Audubon's Warbler. Smudgie looks like an Altamira with a dirty and streaky hood of sorts. The name was well chosen. Over 70 species were seen on the trip. A big thanks to our guides Jeff, Jim, John, and Ben.<br /><br />The afternoon and evening programs were all very interesting. Jeff Gordon spoke about Mexican birds and Xavier Munoz spoke about his work in Ecuador. Don Kroodsma gave a fascinating program on bird song and the dynamics of how a bird sings.<br /><br />Tomorrow starts with a field trip to Southmost Preserve, an area not normally open to the public. More to come.......</span></pre></span>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-77889328135566269722009-11-12T21:46:00.000-05:002009-11-12T21:47:26.334-05:00Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival - Day 1<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The morning started very early as the busses left the auditorium for our trip to the Santa Ana NWR at 6:00. A quick nap on the bus made the trip go by quickly.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Since a group of Masked Duck had been seen at Santa Ana, our group split into two. A little more than half the group headed out for the 3.2 mile hike in an attempt to get the duck. Since I had spotted it earlier in the week, I opted for the more leisurely hike on the Chachalaca trail and spending time on the tower looking for the Hook-billed Kites.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">One surprise was that Don Kroodsma, the author of The Singing Life of Birds was a participant on our walk. At one point we were discussing the local Carolina Wrens. They are a subspecies endemic to the area. Dr. Kroodsma commented that they sounded “different” than other Carolina Wrens he’s heard. He’s the expert, I’ll take his word on it.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The group managed to record more than 80 species although those taking the long walk missed out on the Masked Duck</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The highlight bird was a very cooperative American Bittern which did a slow fly-by in front of the group and then landed in a rather conspicuous spot. I’ve never had such good views of a Bittern.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My afternoon trip was to Weslaco to look for parrots and parakeets. Although the areas had been staked out a few days in advance, the birds had other ideas. We did get a fly-by Red-crowned Parrot and a Lilac-crowned Parrot that perched rather cooperatively for our van. The highlight bird was a pair of Merlin in a tree in someone’s front yard. The neighbors were curious when two 15 passenger vans with dark tinted windows pulled up and suddenly people with optics and cameras of all sorts started to mill around. We were like some sort of birdy clown car.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I finished the day with a program by Bill Baker on the great Texas Birding Classic.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Big thanks to trip leaders Chris Merkord, Richard Gibbons, and Cameron Cox.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Now it’s time to get some rest as another 6:00 bus awaits.</span></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-46790501406453647222009-11-08T21:18:00.001-05:002009-11-08T21:20:09.865-05:00Great day....bad WIFII had a great day of birding at Laguna Atascosa but the WIFI at the hotel is acting up. I'll try to post the details tomorrow.Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-26663297676570199832009-11-06T19:56:00.002-05:002009-11-06T19:58:52.690-05:00Texas here I come!!!!!I'm packing tonight for a 10 day tip to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. I'll be attending the Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival later in the week. I also have 4 days scheduled on the ground to wander wherever I like. I'm ready for the trip but I'm dreading getting up for the 6:20 AM flight. Ouch!!!Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-15750165950506380902009-08-16T19:37:00.002-04:002009-08-16T19:39:45.792-04:00Consolation Prizes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LfRZ_dv7G1QDEwgugp48WpuD68dlNxqkAUxTexbhvdboOciVHxZ6EdioUHI4kOqa-5eoFsQDPNCFCiot-AVhm389qWw6dsrQxsr0mCEn5q-nqpbnAeGm3-X5ITLfDe8bVGmR0svIv6eZ/s1600-h/Solitary.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LfRZ_dv7G1QDEwgugp48WpuD68dlNxqkAUxTexbhvdboOciVHxZ6EdioUHI4kOqa-5eoFsQDPNCFCiot-AVhm389qWw6dsrQxsr0mCEn5q-nqpbnAeGm3-X5ITLfDe8bVGmR0svIv6eZ/s400/Solitary.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370710341864799314" /></a><br />I received a phone call of an American Avocet nearby today. I spent a few hours looking but came up empty. All was not lost. I managed to get this nice shot of a Solitary Sandpiper.<br /><div><br /></div>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-76868580258222084872009-08-16T12:22:00.001-04:002009-08-16T12:23:57.356-04:00Shame on me<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I’ve been away for too long. The last month and a half has been very hectic with family issues and volunteer activities. I haven’t had nearly enough time to go birding, or to write about it.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Since the end of June I’ve only been in the field twice. One day was a few weeks ago to check some of the local shorebird traps. This summer has been quite dry and there was almost no habitat available in the local places I checked. I’m hearing reports from other parts of the state but I haven’t had time to go check them myself. I’m taking part of this week off so I should have more time provided the weather cooperates.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I did manage to get out on the Black River Audubon field trip to Indian Hollow Reservation yesterday. It was a fun morning even if the heavy tree cover makes it very hard to bird. I was a little disappointed that when I pulled the 40D out of the travel case I saw the battery was nearly dead. I had forgotten to charge it after the last photo session. Oh well, sometimes it’s fun to bird without the camera. I stopped at Best Buy on the way home and bought a second battery. Now I won’t have to deal with dead batteries anymore.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If you get time, check out the new Black River Audubon Society page on Facebook. That is one of the places that took some of my time.</span></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-88488984455352847442009-06-28T15:44:00.004-04:002009-06-28T15:56:32.895-04:00It takes all types - Part 2<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, -webkit-fantasy;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Sandy Ridge Reservation is a great place to bird. One of the things the place is known for is the nesting Bald Eagles. Ever since the park first opened about a dozen years ago, there have been eagles.</span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, fantasy;"><br /></span></div></span></span></div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I was working my way around the marsh when I spotted a photographer with a tripod looking at something in the middle of the marsh. I quick scan had an Osprey on a dead tree. I continued to bird my way along the path until I got to the photographer. He was one of those very eager types who couldn’t wait to tell everyone passing by what he’s found. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Check out the eagle” was the first thing he said to me. I took another look with my binoculars just to be sure and I confirmed that it was in fact an Osprey. I pointed that out to the photographer. He then proceeded to argue with me. He told me he’s been a wildlife photographer for 30 years and he knows a Bald Eagle when he sees one.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDAUnRdbQ6wO3ebTTey9OvPuQPmwLdHZD9Q1NkKoktQmo44g_oF0QQ06spe3sEXiazzwbcKxkHnaIsUjb24Pu2iNelawJaCyr8pqVwWzQDuNXxyKzxpfX8ygnQOxqgozuAu3HDP5AZV1w/s1600-h/Osprey+Original.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDAUnRdbQ6wO3ebTTey9OvPuQPmwLdHZD9Q1NkKoktQmo44g_oF0QQ06spe3sEXiazzwbcKxkHnaIsUjb24Pu2iNelawJaCyr8pqVwWzQDuNXxyKzxpfX8ygnQOxqgozuAu3HDP5AZV1w/s400/Osprey+Original.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352467138350012658" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;">The "Eagle"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHINUCCAWGyNy6wZqFnTaAkyPQAwuHxW_gTOq0S8yy8rxphle5rGSlCIzk4JTRv3arIxOd9yfOg8Jm1BtIdLwmBg_2rXjHBLdBamfGskyz8q2ruT0sIQmiZlQCttFGQyCHQikpNZJQfXr/s1600-h/Osprey+Zoom.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHINUCCAWGyNy6wZqFnTaAkyPQAwuHxW_gTOq0S8yy8rxphle5rGSlCIzk4JTRv3arIxOd9yfOg8Jm1BtIdLwmBg_2rXjHBLdBamfGskyz8q2ruT0sIQmiZlQCttFGQyCHQikpNZJQfXr/s400/Osprey+Zoom.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352468814274411154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></div><p></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, fantasy; font-size: 16px; ">The "Eagle" - using a zoom tool</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He then asked me “What kind of birder are you?” As I walked away I thought to myself “the kind that knows the difference between a Bald Eagle and an Osprey.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">About 150 yards further down the path I passed another birder who asked if the photographer was looking at the Osprey?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“He sure is. Go chat with him about it.”</span></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-89083165507265875292009-06-14T19:11:00.006-04:002009-06-28T15:39:08.794-04:00It takes all types - Part 1<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Earlier this spring I was birding the trails behind the Rocky River Nature Center and I was having a great day. The warblers were back and in good numbers, gnatcatchers were everywhere, and I had already booked 4 different vireo’s. I was in a good mood.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The same couldn’t be said for the angry hiker. First, a little background. I was on one of the hiking trails. The trails are packed gravel and they are 6-12’ wide, averaging about 8’. These are wide trails with lots of room to navigate. They are open to all users except bikes, horses, and motorized vehicles.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmuZC331Z0_L3CvfRD7fRlyko4bVSP10U3uOv00HEeIe5KVMBM0ER2CGkaep0TYNG9QftJ0ei-wJlq0ioF29vS3q0pmHP0G9c9DLeJM5V_KSLsXPbvQi5crQjymXw0HyQUWrYjj0o_O99/s1600-h/Trail+Example.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmuZC331Z0_L3CvfRD7fRlyko4bVSP10U3uOv00HEeIe5KVMBM0ER2CGkaep0TYNG9QftJ0ei-wJlq0ioF29vS3q0pmHP0G9c9DLeJM5V_KSLsXPbvQi5crQjymXw0HyQUWrYjj0o_O99/s320/Trail+Example.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347325799882684962" /></a><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">An Example of the Trail</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, fantasy;font-size:16px;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbvkty3QV7iyd5eaGbew6YV93XgQeKplOFQ-psmSEW-8cODH40-e-dGBeQ4zalXcH6CJUZvO8D9PhoIQsVkkCY4IbkvWveiLTnztjqQmBX_K1mcP1a7MRwrKxG87FcPz6l4LJ7REYHW-M/s1600-h/Trail+Example+with+Group.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbvkty3QV7iyd5eaGbew6YV93XgQeKplOFQ-psmSEW-8cODH40-e-dGBeQ4zalXcH6CJUZvO8D9PhoIQsVkkCY4IbkvWveiLTnztjqQmBX_K1mcP1a7MRwrKxG87FcPz6l4LJ7REYHW-M/s320/Trail+Example+with+Group.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347327563837629938" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">A Group Able to Walk 3 Wide</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">While I was watching and photographing a particularly cooperative Hooded Warbler, I could hear the crunch of the walker's footsteps while he was still 100’ away. I moved all the way to edge of the trail which was about 10’ wide at this point. When the walker was 15’ away, I could hear the distorted roar of music from his iPod headphones. The next thing I know he was standing right next to me.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I’ve often have walkers stop to talk while I’ve been birding here. Most are just curious. As I turned toward this guy, I could tell he wasn’t curious about birding.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Why the <b>bleep</b> do you birders have to be so selfish and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">bleep</span> up the hiking trails?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My response was “Huh?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“You birders stand around and look at birds and block the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">bleeping</span> trails for the proper users. This is a hiking trail, not a standing around trail. Get walking or go find a birdwatching trail. Dumbass!”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My response was “Huh?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He then spun on his heel and stormed away.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, fantasy;font-size:16px;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATEGe0y0Z4Czm78n_epwHCSOVVYV-u6W8-hnD6gBEkCywzHNoEo1KJ69yyCInzBvq2e5wO5A7rUmtEy50VQeJthGpc-D84NWB3C1E1iA_pF9L9rIUNaLll2U5MJ2iTxxM0ezB4yzFte5K/s1600-h/Trail+Example+Angry+Hiker+Leaves.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATEGe0y0Z4Czm78n_epwHCSOVVYV-u6W8-hnD6gBEkCywzHNoEo1KJ69yyCInzBvq2e5wO5A7rUmtEy50VQeJthGpc-D84NWB3C1E1iA_pF9L9rIUNaLll2U5MJ2iTxxM0ezB4yzFte5K/s320/Trail+Example+Angry+Hiker+Leaves.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347329646248358514" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The Angry Hiker Leaves</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I was confused, perplexed, and a little angry. What was up with this guy? He’s lucky I wasn’t carrying my scope and tripod. Bogen makes a sturdy product and I once had to wield it in a threatening manner to scare off a doped up homeless guy. I felt like putting this dolt out of his misery. It probably wouldn’t have been hard to hide a body in that wooded area.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The funny part is that he really didn’t want a debate. He never turned off his iPod. He had it turned up so loud he wouldn’t have been able to hear anything I said. Maybe he’ll have “unfortunate” incident at a crosswalk. It’s the least we can hope for a guy who listens to Metallica while hiking in the woods.</span></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-21409812925090404952009-06-12T21:19:00.000-04:002009-06-12T21:20:23.527-04:00Prairie Spring<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Pete Dunne has done it again. I’ve read everything he has written and I’ve always been impressed. His latest volume, chronicling a 4 month trip across the great grasslands with his wife, really nails the sense of place.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The grasslands of the west are amazing. The wide open spaces and the diversity of wildlife not seen elsewhere is simply spectacular. Most birders think in terms of woodlands, marshes, and beaches. Not enough think of grasslands. I think this book will change that. Pete’s vivid descriptions are as good as photographs, maybe better. You can almost picture yourself riding along in the camper with the Dunne’s, maybe sitting in the back with the dogs.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Pete tells good birding stories but he also tells good stories. The book is as much about prairies as it is the birds as it is about the journey. One minute we’re learning about grass ecology. Then we are studying Longspurs. Then bison. And the belly busting menu at a micro-town bird festival.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If you should decide to explore the prairies, this book will also function as a bit of a travel guide and trip planner. I know it has me thinking about travel. I’m jealous that I can’t take four months to go birding.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The best part? There is more to come. Prairie Spring is supposed to be a series of four books linking places and seasons. I’ll be eagerly waiting for the next installment.</span></p>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-53460841071992957792009-05-23T23:14:00.003-04:002009-05-23T23:22:37.905-04:00Lessons from a CardinalI'm a big fan of the website <a href="http://www.birdingpal.org">www.birdingpal.org</a>. I've used the website to solicit help while traveling and I've been contacted a few times by birders visiting my home area. Most birders just want information on hotspots but I was able to take one couple birding.<div><br /></div><div>They were in town for the wedding of a niece. Carol and George hailed from Seattle. They've been birding for about 10 years but never ventured beyond Washington and Oregon. I picked them up at their hotel. There were many birds singing in the little undeveloped green space next to the hotel. Carol suddenly asked about a distinctive call. My answer was "it's just a cardinal". The next thing you know, I'm practically being trampled by a couple of baby boomers clad in muted colors. That's when it came to me, cardinals aren't found in Seattle. Never get between a birder and a life bird, even when the bird in question is very common to you.</div>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-12665525748996324042009-05-09T19:21:00.002-04:002009-05-09T19:24:14.563-04:00Thar She Blows<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Today was supposed to be the Young Birders Hike at <a href="http://www.loraincountymetroparks.com/sandyridge.htm">Sandy Ridge Reservation</a>. However, there was a problem. For the second month in a row we had a complete absence of young birders. It’s a little disappointing that teens are not coming out for the hikes.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It was tough birding today. The wind was really blasting ahead of the front that is coming through. For most of the morning there were 20-30 MPH sustained winds with occasional stronger gusts. Then there would be periods of calm.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I left the camera in the car today. Big mistake. I missed excellent opportunities to photograph Prothonotary Warblers and Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks. Now that I know where the Prothonotary’s are nesting, I’ll head back out.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Sunday is the 5th of 6 Spring Bird Walks at the <a href="http://www.clemetparks.com/visit/index.asp?action=rdetails&reservations_id=1003">Rocky River Nature Center</a>. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.</span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></div>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1376332726289447897.post-62811277491066284922009-05-05T05:49:00.001-04:002009-05-05T05:54:48.249-04:00What a difference a week makes<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Last weekend was an excellent birding weekend but this weekend also had many nice treats. I wasn’t able to get out on Saturday so I was left with Sunday and a vacation day on Monday.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Sunday was spent at the <a href="http://www.clemetparks.com/visit/index.asp?action=rdetails&reservations_id=1003">RRNC</a> and <a href="http://www.loraincountymetroparks.com/sandyridge.htm">Sandy Ridge Reservation</a>. Orioles and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were suddenly in abundance. So were Great-crested Flycatchers. We found the Hooded Warblers again this year. They've set up residence the last few years. It looks like they’re back. Generally, warbler numbers were down but the weather fronts have not been cooperative. It looks like mid-week might be the best. Too bad I’ll be stuck in the office.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">On Monday I headed out with Dad. We went to <a href="http://www.ohiodnr.com/Home/wild_resourcessubhomepage/WildlifeAreaMapsLandingPage/NorthwestOhioWildlifeAreaMaps/MageeMarshWildlifeArea/tabid/19778/Default.aspx">Magee Marsh</a>, <a href="http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/location/sheldon/tabid/910/Default.aspx">Sheldon Marsh</a>, and <a href="http://www.loraincountymetroparks.com/vermilion.htm">Mill Hollow Reservation</a>. It was a strange day. The winds were from the north and rather chilly. It seemed the warblers have pushed inland. We did manage to find lots of Orioles everywhere, Snowy Egrets at Magee, and Cerulean Warblers at Mill Hollow. That was a nice surprise.</span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Happy birding everyone.</span></div>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01394841842421928795noreply@blogger.com0