Saturday, May 10, 2014

Big Day field trip!!


I led one of the Big Day field trips at the Biggest Week in American Birding today. 
We were fortunate to have good weather and the birding turned out pretty decent! 





Our first stop at Oak Openings Metropark gave us a good start to the morning. Tufted Titmice, Bluebirds, a few warblers, a flyby Broad-winged Hawk, and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo!! 



The stream at Oak Openings usually provides some good warblers. Today, it was a Hooded, singing his alternate song.

Pearson Metropark is always a beautiful walk and good birding. The window on wildlife feeders are always fun and the mature deciduous forest is always a nice walk.

We finished up the day with a run to Metzger Marsh where we saw this Sora!

Our total ended with 126 for the day which was enough to win the friendy competition between the two Big Day buses and was an awesome day for us! 
We ended with a bus load of happy people! 

Just another day in the life of a tour leader at the biggest festival in the country! 

Biggest Week presentation

Blogging live, sitting at the back of the room, listening to Kenn Kaufman's excellent presentation. He's currently telling us stories about seeing Gyrfalcons and plovers.  He's talking about emotions in birds, instincts, how food drives them and more. 

Kenn is always a superb presenter and it's always a treat to hear him speak. 


There are more awesome presentations in the coming week and always more birds to see! 




Monday, May 5, 2014

Magee Marsh; where you can photograph warblers with your iPod!







Off to Magee Marsh!


What I woke up to this morning after a gorgeous, sunny day yesterday. Heading off to Ohio shortly for The Biggest Week in American Birding! Where Birds Rule! Literally. ;)



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Saturday, May 3, 2014

Could it be? no rain?

Anyone have any idea what that weird bright thing in the sky is? It seems to be giving off quite a bit of heat...




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Friday, May 2, 2014

Broad-winged Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk from Wyalusing State Park today. It's a good time of year to see these small Buteos perched in the early mornings. I just wish the light had been a little better this morning.




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Garganey at Crex Meadows!!

Garganey is a gorgeous duck in the Teal family, from Eurasia. They're readily and easily identifiable as this photo shows. They show up in the US semi-regularly but very rarely in the lower 48. This one, that I saw at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in Burnett County, WI yesterday constitutes the first state record of this species. They are awesome and beautiful birds and it was a treat to see one for the first time. They are occasionally kept in captivity, but most records are considered valid vagrants when they show up in pattern with season, following strong winds.


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