Non-Warblers Ohio 12th May 2014

Spotted Sandpiper

Killdeer at nest

Great Blue Heron



Male Scarlet Tanager

Male Scarlet Tanager

American Robin

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Eastern Kingbird, only the second time I had seen one ever, I was to see plenty more during the trip.

Grey Catbird

Swainson's Thrush

Veery

House Wren

Swamp Sparrow

 

Red-eyed Vireo

 

Ohio Warblers 12th May 2014

I spent eight days between Ohio and Michigan on a Birdfinders trip in mid May. North-West Ohio and in particular Magee Marsh are often referred to the Warbler Capital of the World. It certainly lived up to its reputation as we recorded twenty-four species of warbler alone on the first day at the site. We checked the East Beach and the West Beach/Estuary Trail before going near the famous boardwalk. The former sub-site was particularly quiet and for most of the time we appeared to be the only birders on it! The boardwalk especially during the Biggest Week in American Birding Festival, which was on-going at the time, can have several hundred birders crammed onto it. So prepare yourself for an overload of photos. I've just kept it to the warblers in this post, lots more to come!

Male Cape May Warbler

 

Male Cape May Warbler

 

Female Cape May Warbler

Palm Warbler

Male Magnolia Warbler

Male Magnolia Warbler

Male Magnolia Warbler

Male Magnolia Warbler

Male Black-throated Blue Warbler

Male Chestnut-sided Warbler

Male Chestnut-sided Warbler

Male Chestnut-sided Warbler

 

Female Yellow Warbler collecting nest material.

Male Yellow Warbler

Male Northern Parula

Male Northern Parula

Male Blackburnian Warbler

Male American Redstart

Male American Redstart

Male Wilson's Warbler

 

Male Black-throated Green Warbler

Female Black-throated Green Warbler

Male Prothonotary Warbler

Male Prothonotary Warbler

Male Blue-winged Warbler

Male Blue-winged Warbler

Male Blue-winged Warbler

Male Blue-winged Warbler

 

Ovenbird

Northern Waterthrush

 

White-tailed Eagles, Rock Doves & more Ravens

A few random shots from the last fortnight or so. Aonghus and myself had D-Bar the young male White-tailed Eagle flying over Oughterard town about two weeks back (nice office tick!). He was initially very close but was a bit more distant by the time I got the camera out. He was receiving a lot of unwanted attention from the local corvids and gulls. I followed him using the radio receiver and  had him arriving at one of his favourite spots fifteen kilometres away exactly twenty minutes later. That's an average speed of 45km per hour. Just shows what little effort it takes these birds to cover big distances.

D-Bar with Rooks, Jackdaws & Black-headed Gull.

D-Bar with Rooks & Jackdaws.

I was surprised to come across this freshly fledged Rock Dove with its two parents out the Sky Road. I've also had juveniles already at another section of cliff while looking for nesting Kestrels. These were quite vocal when begging from the parent birds. I hadn't realized Rock Doves can breed so early in the season.

 

Just to finish up on the Raven season here's a few shots of adults. Most Raven chicks should be in the process of leaving the nest at the moment.