Wednesday, May 6, 2009

NEWS FLASH! Robert Downy Evicted!


Poor Robert's been attacked. At least his ego was...


Yes, it's true!



We've been back to check the nest of the Downy Woodpecker I blogged about some time ago a few times now. We haven't seen hide nor feather of our busy little buddy. I thought maybe it was just the timing of our visits.


But wait! A bully bird! This bird with a badd attitude has evicted Robert from his humble abode. After all of the hard work, time and effort, it was all for naught. Poor Robert. I understand what it's like to be pushed around and bullied by someone as intimidating as this cretin. I hope Robert will be fine, wherever he may be...




Here's the home wrecker now. What an awesome beast!



Maybe "awesome beast" isn't the right term for this tiny House Wren. I was just trying to make Robert feel better about getting his butt kicked by this feisty little fellow.

Maybe it was the constant little naggy chirpity-chirp...


Now I shall watch THIS nest for action!

Monday, May 4, 2009

Birds I shot this weekend.

A Blackburnian Warbler where a Blackburnian Warbler should be, far, far away from Dave...

I'll bet that title got the attention of a few kindly birders!

I didn't actually shoot anything, though the thought of popping the Starlings that wipe out my feeders has crossed my mind. This post contains a few of the many birdies we spotted while we were out on the boardwalk at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area. The big fallout hasn't occured yet, it may happen within the next week, just in time for International Migratory Bird Day!

Here's a Black-throated Blue Warbler amongst the spring greenery.

While everyone else waits for the perfect pose, I held my camera and monopod over my head for this Chestnut-sided Warbler. Never wait for the "perfect" shot, the bird will be gone by then. Plus, you can't have too many butt shots from below!



Yellow Warblers don't hide very well...

"Don't call me Butter Butt!" (Butt, you're so cute...)


These are just a few of the warblers we saw on Sunday, I'll have more from Saturday plus some of the woodland buddies in the next post...until then...wait. ha.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Sora luck!

A nice little Sora going for a stroll across the creek.

What a weekend! We spent Saturday and Sunday at the BirdMobile and visited Magee Marsh and the boardwalk at Crane Creek. Lots of great birds with the spring warbler migration beginning. In a future post I'll show you the warblers we spotted and a few others birds we saw.
But First!!!....
Now on the other side .

When you're hiking in a marsh area, you always hope to find a rail or something skulking in the reeds and cattails. While everyone was looking up for the warblers, I was looking down hoping to see a Snipe or a Waterthrush. A friendly birder whispered to us..."There's something coming through the reeds in front of us." Oh my. It was a Sora right out in the open and moving in our direction. We all got a few pics before it went behind a tangle, then flew to the other side of the channel. I took a few more photos of it on the other side when someone else noticed a SECOND Sora coming up in front of us, again, out in the open. What are the odds?



And here's Sora #2. Hard to tell them apart, eh?


Together again, and he's all puffy and impressive.

It soon flew to the other side to be with his friend. Why looky there! Ones a boy, the others a girl and he's preening to impress. They then did a little dance, typical for a nice date, no movies in the marsh you know. After which...they...uh...had a 'very nice time' together (family channel here, ya know).



Soon we will have more Soras to take pictures of! Yeah!

After a little break...again?


After that, I could have gone home a happy boy with those few photos...and the Sora puns ran rampant for the next hour...we'll spare you...

PS-We had the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of season at the home feeder today!