Boring Birding

Is anybody out there?

2011-12-11T13:48:00.002-05:00

Hello? Knock knock? Anybody there?

Over the last few years I’ve come to notice a rather disturbing trend among Audubon chapters and bird clubs, the sound of silence.

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.

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.

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cases there is no information about the upcoming monthly meeting on the website and the newsletter that is posted is out of date.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.

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.

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.

Real Men Love Chickadee's

2011-04-02T16:38:00.006-04:00

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.

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.

These are all un-edited photos taken with my iPhone. Next time I'll take a better camera.

Happy Birding!!!

Birding Pet Peeves - Number 2

2011-02-26T15:07:00.001-05:00

Time for pet peeve number 2....

Birders who judge other birders based on the price of their gear.

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.

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.

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.

Take the time to ask a question or two and you’ll learn a lot more.

Birding Pet Peeves - Number 1

2011-02-20T14:24:00.002-05:00

I 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.

So on to pet peeve #1.....

Birders who don't pay attention to their electronic devices.

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.

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".

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.

OK, that sounds petty and whiney, but I feel better.

Cleaning out the cameras

2010-11-07T17:19:00.008-05:00

If I’m not on a trip somewhere, I’m notoriously bad at cleaning out the memory cards 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.

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.

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.

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.

Just a random shot of a trail in Caley Reservation.

I love this bark pattern.

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.

Muddlety

2010-05-05T20:42:00.007-04:00

OK, enough purple birds. Back to WV.

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.

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.

A bad photo of the Common Yellowthroat.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Finally, i couldn't resist this really pretty fungi growing on a stump. I don't the species but I will find out.

The day wrapped up nicely. The next day featured a hunt for a rarity.

Ohio Purple Gallinule

2010-05-03T19:32:00.006-04:00

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:

This pair of Killdeer also came in with one choosing a spot for a bit of a bath.

New River Birding and Nature Festival Day 3

2010-04-28T16:20:00.004-04:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Louisiana Waterthrush was a nice find. It responded to a short blast of song from an iPod.

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.

Although the numbers were down and the weather was cold, everyone had a great time. Tomorrow I’m off to a place called Muddlety.

West Virginia’s New River Birding and Nature Festival - Days 1 and 2

2010-04-27T16:33:00.005-04:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

For comparison there are the bands that would be used on larger birds like robins and towhees.

Because the bands are so small, a special tool is needed to form the band.

Here is a photo of the formed band in hand.

To hold the hummingbird while working, it is inserted into a tube head first. The tube is made from an index card.

The little hummer is banded.

The hummingbird is measured and weighed and given some food before being released.

Here is a close up the hummer before release.

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.

We were rewarded with more great birds including Worm-eating Warbler which only netted bad photos and a very cooperative Yellow-throated Warbler.

Here is a raw photo of the Yellow-throated Warbler.

And here it is cropped and zoomed.

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.

Rio Grande Valley Species Seen List

2009-11-30T18:03:00.003-05:00

The 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.

Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mottled Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Masked Duck
Ruddy Duck
Plain Chachalaca
Wild Turkey
Least Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
American White Pelican
Brown Pelican
Neotropic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Reddish Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
White Ibis
White-faced Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
Wood Stork
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Hook-billed Kite
White-tailed Kite
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Gray Hawk
Harris's Hawk
Red-shouldered
White-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk,
Crested Caracara
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Aplomado Falcon
Sora
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Black-bellied Plover
Wilson’s Plover
Piping Plover
Killdeer
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Willet
Spotted Sandpiper
Long-billed Curlew
Marbled Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Sanderling
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Dove
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Inca Dove
Common Ground-Dove
White-tipped Dove
Green Parakeet
Red-crowned Parrot
Greater Roadrunner
Barn Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Common Pauraque
Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Ringed Kingfisher
Belted Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet
Eastern Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Vermilion Flycatcher
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Brown-crested Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
Tropical Kingbird
Couch's Kingbird
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Loggerhead Shrike
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Green Jay
Chihuahuan Raven
Tree Swallow
Cave Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-crested Titmouse
Verdin
Cactus Wren
Carolina Wren
Bewick's Wren
House Wren
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Clay-colored Robin
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Long-billed Thrasher
Curve-billed Thrasher
European Starling
American Pipit
Sprague’s Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Tropical Parula
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Olive Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Pyrrhuloxia
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Bronzed Cowbird
Brown-headed Cowboy
Altamira Oriole
Audubon’sOriole
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Other
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.

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.

Altamira/Audubon Oriole Hybrid - “Smudgy” - These hybrid orioles have become quite common in Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park.

Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival Day 4

2009-11-15T21:10:00.002-05:00

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.

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.

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.

Thanks to Tom, Peggy, Kim, and Justin for leading the trip. Once again, outstanding trip leaders made for a memorable event.

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.

Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival Day 3

2009-11-14T18:57:00.004-05:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

Tomorrow is sadly my last day of birding down here but I'm heading to the King Ranch.

Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival - Day 2

2009-11-14T16:05:00.002-05:00

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.

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.

Tomorrow starts with a field trip to Southmost Preserve, an area not normally open to the public.  More to come.......

Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival - Day 1

2009-11-12T21:46:00.000-05:00

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.

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.

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.

The group managed to record more than 80 species although those taking the long walk missed out on the Masked Duck

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.

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.

I finished the day with a program by Bill Baker on the great Texas Birding Classic.

Big thanks to trip leaders Chris Merkord, Richard Gibbons, and Cameron Cox.

Now it’s time to get some rest as another 6:00 bus awaits.

Great day....bad WIFI

2009-11-08T21:18:00.001-05:00

I 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.

Texas here I come!!!!!

2009-11-06T19:56:00.002-05:00

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!!!

Consolation Prizes

2009-08-16T19:37:00.002-04:00

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.

Shame on me

2009-08-16T12:22:00.001-04:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

It takes all types - Part 2

2009-06-28T15:44:00.004-04:00

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.

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.

“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.

The "Eagle"

The "Eagle" - using a zoom tool

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.”

About 150 yards further down the path I passed another birder who asked if the photographer was looking at the Osprey?

“He sure is. Go chat with him about it.”

It takes all types - Part 1

2009-06-14T19:11:00.006-04:00

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.

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.

An Example of the Trail

A Group Able to Walk 3 Wide

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.

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.

“Why the bleep do you birders have to be so selfish and bleep up the hiking trails?”

My response was “Huh?”

“You birders stand around and look at birds and block the bleeping trails for the proper users. This is a hiking trail, not a standing around trail. Get walking or go find a birdwatching trail. Dumbass!”

My response was “Huh?”

He then spun on his heel and stormed away.

The Angry Hiker Leaves

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.

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.

Prairie Spring

2009-06-12T21:19:00.000-04:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lessons from a Cardinal

2009-05-23T23:14:00.003-04:00

I'm a big fan of the website www.birdingpal.org. 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.

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.

Thar She Blows

2009-05-09T19:21:00.002-04:00

Today was supposed to be the Young Birders Hike at Sandy Ridge Reservation. 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.

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.

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.

Sunday is the 5th of 6 Spring Bird Walks at the Rocky River Nature Center. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

What a difference a week makes

2009-05-05T05:49:00.001-04:00

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.

Sunday was spent at the RRNC and Sandy Ridge Reservation. 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.

On Monday I headed out with Dad. We went to Magee Marsh, Sheldon Marsh, and Mill Hollow Reservation. 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.

Happy birding everyone.

The Spark Bird

2009-04-27T21:55:00.001-04:00

Ask a birder anywhere and they’ll tell you about their spark bird. For some it can be something exciting like a hawk, owl, or eagle. For others it can be something colorful like a warbler or oriole. For still others, it could have been an ordinary feeder bird at a friends house.

A spark bird is the bird that really turns someone into a birder. It’s the gotcha moment that you remember for the rest of your birding like. Even famous birders wax eloquent about their spark birds in their books and articles.

So how come I can’t recall a spark bird? I didn’t get started into birding until I was in college. I was taking a class largely because a girl I was really into was taking the class. It also filled a science elective so I was OK. The prof let you get extra credit if you went birding with him early on Sunday morning. 7:30 AM early. For a college student, that was torture. You know you are in a college town when the local restaurants offer their breakfast specials until 2:00.

The girl suggested we go birding. I spent several weeks earning extra credit using a loaner pair of binoculars. 20 years later, the girl is long gone but the birding remains.

I remember the girls name was Heather. I cannot remember the name of the prof. And I cannot remember a spark bird. I remember really enjoying the time outside, the thrill of the hunt, and using the field guide to sort out new identifications. I also remember the feeling that coursework and science can have real world applications which help me to put my studies in perspective.

So am I missing something by not having a spark bird? I don’t think so. Instead of having a spark to light the birding fire, I prefer to think of myself as a case of spontaneous human combustion.

April 24-27, 2009 - Super Birding and Dancing Extended Weekend

2009-04-27T19:45:00.000-04:00

Every now and then the weather gods smile on us and give us a weekend like the one we just had here in Northeast Ohio. And since I added a couple of vacation days and made it a 4-day weekend, even better. Friday was the “cool day” with highs in the 70’s. Saturday through Monday had highs in the mid to upper 80’s. It was a taste of June in April.

I started my long weekend with a trip to Magee Marsh on Friday. The birding was really good. Southerly overnight winds created the first big migration weekend of the year. Between the marsh and the surrounding areas I managed to find 81 species including 14 warblers. By the end of the day I was tired, happy, and satisfied. Who knew Friday would just be the warm-up for the entire weekend.

Friday evening was also very nice. Dad and I attended the Bill Thompson, III (BOTB - Bill of the Birds) late show at the Rocky River Nature Center that was part of the North Coast Nature Festival. Bill really needs no introduction if you are a birder. The hour-plus presentation left people smiling, laughing, and happy. I didn’t know BOTB was a Wilco fan. Not only is he an editor, author, birder, musician, entertainer, and all around nice guy, he is a man of refined musical taste and sensibilities.

Saturday started with a bird walk led by BOTB. There must have been nearly 50 people on the walk but it never felt crowded or overwhelming. It was nice to see so many new birders on the walk. If there is one thing I really enjoy, it’s helping to introducing this wonderful hobby to new people. I think we found more than a few converts in the mix. After the walk I visited the bridle trail in Rocky River Reservation to check out the eagles nest. NASA, we have eaglets!!!! My last stop of the day was a visit to Sandy Ridge Reservation where the wind was brutal. There were practically whitecaps on the marsh. Cowabunga dude! At least the trees in the forest and along the west and north edge of the marsh were full of warblers.

Sunday was the morning of the third Spring Bird Walk out of six at the RRNC. The Spring Bird Walks are in their 76th year at various locations across NE Ohio. BOTB was up early again to join the walk. This walk was a little different as the crowd was huge, 56 birders in total. There was also nice treat with Tom Bartlett banding birds. We had close looks at several species but the star of the show was a Yellow-throated Warbler. After the walk I caught another BOTB program on the Young Birders Guide. I then headed up to Huntington Reservation to see what warblers might be in the trees along the lake.

Monday started without birding. My nephew Aiden is about to turn 3. I was his VIP guest at his preschool this morning. Each child could pick someone and I was honored to be Aiden’s selection. We got to play a while, sing a few songs including the smash hit The Wheels on the Bus, and dance a little. You’ve got to let it all hang out when you do the Chicken Dance, especially in front of a 3 year old. Aiden and I both had fun. After getting my groove on and seeing Aiden off with his Mommy and little sister Nora I headed back to the RRNC for a final round of birding. It felt very strange birding here by myself after the last two days but the quiet was also nice. Field trips are great, but sometimes you need to be alone in nature. I walked the trails again and enjoyed the birds and the solitude.

The totals for the weekend are as follows:

117 species in total

100 plus birders

80 degree temperatures

20 warbler species seen

7 birding sites visited

4 amazing days

2 BOTB programs

1 shameless performance of the Chicken Dance that left Aiden roaring

And a great long weekend with lots of good memories - priceless!

A great weekend of birding and hiking....

2009-04-19T17:38:00.000-04:00

April 18 and 19, 2009

Spent Saturday out in the morning with Dad. We started at Carlisle Reservation on a very sunny and mild day. The temps warmed into the 70’s before all was said and done. There was a very clear indication of migration underway with lots of new species. The highlight bird was a Brown Thrasher actively calling from the top of a tree. We also had some good looks at a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and heard a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

Our next stop was Oberlin Reservoir which was quite slow. Lot’s of Ruddy’s but not much else. We then headed into Wellington for some lunch. After lunch we made a quick stop by Wellington Reservation before Dad had to head home. There wasn’t a lot a variety but there was a pair of Surf Scoters with the males field marks clearly visible. This was a lifer for Dad.

Next I went to Wellington Reservation. There weren’t really any new birds that I hadn’t already seen but there were good signs for the shorebird migration. There was a lot more flooded habitat that should result in some good mudflats. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this will work out.

The final stop of the day was a run up to the Lorain Impoundment. Here is another spot with some very promising shorebird habitat. I did manage to find a Solitary Sandpiper and a Pectoral Sandpiper. I was hoping for Yellowlegs or Dunlin but had no luck.

Sunday was cloudy and cooler but the birds did not disappoint. I joined the Sunday Bird Walk at the Rocky River Nature Center. This weeks walk drew a crowd of 30. We managed 3 hawks, Broad-winged, Red-shouldered, and Red-tailed. We also had more good looks at Gnatcatchers and Sapsuckers. We also managed to get some good looks at a Barred Owl thanks to a man walking his dog. He mentioned to our group that he had seen a large owl. We headed off in pursuit. I was the first to spot the bird in flight and then was able to track it until it moved out of view. That was a nice addition to the mornings activities.

After the group walk I went to explore the bridle trail south of Willow Bend. The wildflowers should be spectacular there next weekend.

This was my favorite sort of birding weekend. It had lot’s of miles on foot. After the winter doldrums and lots of time standing around by the lakeshore, it was nice to bird and cover a lot of ground.

Let’s hope next weekend is just as good.