I posted Warbler pix from Up North a couple of weeks ago and since I had seen four different species I was debating driving down to Magee this year as I'd see them there too. But the weather was perfect and I just thought, what the hell, it's usually a good trip.

Normally it's just under a two hour drive but there is a lot of construction. Going South, tho, it was moving OK although the speed limit was slower in the construction zone and this one in the 'burbs West of Detroit is about a five mile stretch.

Got thru that but every time I travel to or thru Toledo it seems that city is never without construction on their freeways! Ever!

That slowed me down too but the topper was when I was about four miles from the Marsh and finding the road was closed for work! Almost there finally and now I have to do a detour...

So that made the trip about three hours but I made it! And what's the first thing I see? The parking lot is already full! It is asses and elbows there at 9:30 AM! That's usually what it's like on weekends!

Then I notice the trees: lots of them are gone! The tall ones are cottonwoods growing in the marsh and I'm like, "where'd they all go?".

Well, apparently that had severe storms last Summer and whether it was straight line winds or tornados, I don't know. But the falling trees took out parts of the boardwalk and some areas haven't been repaired yet and those parts were closed. I'll post some pix of that mess later.

Then I noticed again, like last year, there were not a lot of birds. Since many Warblers like living in the tops of the trees, and there wasn't the same number of trees, that may account for the dearth of birds.

Anyway, different species migrate earlier or later, so the later one goes in May, the more different species one may see. But, I saw no species that I hadn't seen before and I was surprised that I saw these species at our cottage, which is two hundred miles North two weeks ago, that were at Magee this past Tuesday! Maybe they decided they didn't like Northern MI and are heading back South.

But I still like taking the pictures and I do have bird pix that aren't Warblers, but that I haven't seen around my home or at the cottage. So if you will bear with me I'd like to show some.

Always pretty birds, and there were a few at the Marsh although they aren't really common, the Prothonotary Warblers. This one actually held still long enough for me to get this image:



They build their nests in tree trunks a bit off the ground and this one came out of the opening just below the bird:



This next one is a male Bay-breasted Warbler. Always a pretty bird:



One of my favorites is not a Warbler, nor one of the brightly colored birds. But it does stay in one place for a little bit and wiggles and waggles a lot. Here are two images of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher:





Here's a new one to me and the crowd thought it was special even tho it's "only" a Sparrow-it's a Lincoln's Sparrow. And, talk about camouflage...



Next, I got some pix of this next one at my cottage and they were fairly abundant too at the Marsh. A Black-throated Green Warbler:



I have images of this one from earlier visits to Magee but I haven't seen any around my home nor at the cottage. Here's a couple pix of a Cape May Warbler:





And always a handsome guy; a Rose-breasted Grosbeak:



Here's another newbie. And, again, not a Warbler and not very colorful, but it's called a Warbling Vireo because it sings like a Warbler. Also this image shows the diagnostic small hook at the tip of it's beak ID'ing it as a Vireo:



And I guess it's beak itches or something...



Now, here's special image and even tho I have them Up North, I've never gotten an image of a Green Heron and I was lucky to get this:



I wrote that trees were down and in the trees at the entrance to the parking lot there was always an Eagle's nest and that is gone! Of the three I saw last year, there are two left and one is barren of birds. The second has two babies tho:



I saved the best for last! It isn't the easiest to make out detail but there is a Kildeer family on the mud flats at the edge of the Marsh. If you look hard, you can see a few more than two legs under Momma, but you can see one of them trying to hide under Momma's right wing. I think there are three under her!
I saw them heading toward Momma but couldn't shoot the image fast enough to show any babies running to Mom:



So I'm happier that my trip made up for last year's debacle, and I had to deal with the traffic again on the way home but I'm glad I went.

Thx for looking in!

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Independence Day reflected on my British car!






Disclaimer: This post is checked for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Any attempts at humor are solely the responsibility of the author and bear no claim that any and all readers will approve or appreciate said attempt at humor.
My name is DP, and I approve this message.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2022 07:43PM by DP.

Very nice pictures!

Those are great!

We have a neighbor who sets up a blind by the Loop Island Wetlands adjacent to the Ohio River and takes photos, much like yours, of birds I had NO IDEA were in the area. Mile and a half from my house.

In addition to the photos, I am thoroughly impressed by your knowledge of what you are seeing.

great set of pictures!! Killdeer and babbies is priceless!

Please post picture of the boardwalk when you get a chance. We stopped by last summer (well after warbler migration, but we were in the area) only a few days after the storms took the boardwalk out. They closed off all access anywhere near the boardwalk. We birded around the visitor center, saw a few things, but left disappointed.

Great! Thanks for sharing. I’m dying to get out birding but it hasn’t stopped raining for a month.

I’ve been driving around a lot more of late, and I think I’ve been bitten by the birding bug.

I’ve downloaded the Cornell Merlin Bird ID app, and logged my first photo.

Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo

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National Suicide Prevention Hotline tel:1-800-273-8255

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

We have some wild turkeys not far from the house. There is a park adjacent to the highway they spend most of their time and sometimes they decide to cross the highway - which causes a traffic jam.

Thx, all! I just love doing this stuff...

Here are boardwalk images showing the damage and some is not repaired yet. The first shows a closed part of the boardwalk as it hasn't been repaired yet (in the distance). The others you can see fallen then cut up, and repaired sections of the boardwalk.

Then I realized that the skyline looks as if the Marsh was logged!

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Independence Day reflected on my British car!






Disclaimer: This post is checked for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Any attempts at humor are solely the responsibility of the author and bear no claim that any and all readers will approve or appreciate said attempt at humor.
My name is DP, and I approve this message.

Lovely pics, thank you.

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My life goes smoothly and in regular intervals

Quote
Blankity Blank
I’ve been driving around a lot more of late, and I think I’ve been bitten by the birding bug.

I’ve downloaded the Cornell Merlin Bird ID app, and logged my first photo.

Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo

Beautiful! The image to get would be when the male is displaying to a female. Is that bird hanging around?

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Independence Day reflected on my British car!






Disclaimer: This post is checked for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Any attempts at humor are solely the responsibility of the author and bear no claim that any and all readers will approve or appreciate said attempt at humor.
My name is DP, and I approve this message.

Quote
DP

Quote
Blankity Blank
I’ve been driving around a lot more of late, and I think I’ve been bitten by the birding bug.

I’ve downloaded the Cornell Merlin Bird ID app, and logged my first photo.

Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo

Beautiful! The image to get would be when the male is displaying to a female. Is that bird hanging around?

I’ve started doing ‘gig economy’ deliveries, so I’m only occasionally in the exact same area frequently, so can’t say if he’s a regular in the area. Turkeys can be seen in (for me) a surprisingly wide area; usually in clusters of about four to six.

Back in the mists of time I used to be a professional photographer, so I have a very patient shutter finger when it comes to getting “the” shot. I just need to learn the ropes of what they are in this new arena.

Thanks for the inspiring words and images.

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National Suicide Prevention Hotline tel:1-800-273-8255

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2022 12:03PM by Blankity Blank.

Thanks for sharing!