Cedar Waxwings

These are such elegant birds….with their black masks and their jauntily tipped headgear, they just exude class. I wondered how it was that they were named….until I had an opportunity to see one close-up. Here’s some pics from the Dayton KOA Kampgrounds. The red tips of their wings acually look like drops of candle wax….they are so aptly named!

Bringing Home the BUgs

I watched this American Robin gather a load ‘o bugs to take back to her brood….
There are at least two (maybe three) damselflies, a slug, an earthworm, and another dragonfly. What a beakful!!

Final Days in the Nest

Magee Kirtland's Warbler

We just returned from a 5 day visit to Magee Marsh, near Oregon, Ohio. This lakeside habitat is a “migrant trap” where birds migrating north to Canadian breeding grounds stop over for feeding before crossing Lake Erie.
A highlight of this visit was our sighting of a female Kirtland’s Warbler. These warblers were thought to breed only in stands of jack pines in Michigan’s lower peninsula. Now breeding populations have been identified in other staes as noted in this article:
A female Kirtland’s Warbler from Magee Marsh….

Nashville Warblers

From the observation tower at Magee, we were at eye-level with some small willows. Several Nashville Warblers displayed their acrobatic skills while foraging in the catkins. Wonderful to watch!

Black Pole Warblers

One of the interesting stories I heard while waiting on birds to work their way into viewfinder range of the Magee Observation Deck, was that of the Blackpoll Warbler.
This tiny powerhouse travels up to 1800 miles over water….according to Cornell’s site, about 88 hours of nonstop flight!

 

 

Magee Woodcock Family

On Saturday, we were able to watch as a Mother Woodcock and her two young foraged at the small loop. Unconcerned about the throng of observers, they strutted along with their amusing “Woodcock Shuffle.”
Using their shovel-tipped beaks, they unearthed several juicy worms. Finally, Mom settled in for a rest, and the babes settled into some debris….becoming virtually impossible to see.
Here’s a video clip of their performance: