Common Grackles

Since this Blog is suppose to be about birds, I thought I would post this picture from the weekend at Hocking Hills. This was the only bird photo I took.

Conkles Hollow, Hocking Hills Ohio

I have always wanted to make it to Conkles Hollow in the fall. Seems like every year something gets in the way. Well this year we stayed in a cabin with some friends. What a great weekend. The color this year may be the best I've ever seem, and we hit Hocking Hills the perfect weekend.

Normally, I am shooting birds, or if I am lucky, a Buck. :) I must say I was very happy with the outcome.

Nice Deer at Blacklick Woods Metro Park, Cols

I went out to Blacklick Metro parks in Columbus OH last weekend. As the day was ending, here is what show up. This guy is just huge! Not a great photo, but just look at the size of that rack!


Then comes in the challenger. He's really a pretty big buck, but not when standing next to the first guy.

Confrontation

The fight is on!

I know these aren't the best pictures. Shot when the light was really low, through a window and at 1600 iso.

I've seen deeer square off before, but never seen this level of fighting. It was so cool to watch.

Birding with my Wife and Niece

On Sunday afternoon on my way home from the Midwest Birding Symposium, I met my wife and niece at Blendon Woods Metro Park in Columbus. We had a wonderful couple hours. First we got to see a flock of 8 turkeys. I taught my niece how to stock! FUN.

Then at the nature center we got to see a nice first year Bay-breasted Warbler. Just a beautiful bird!After watching the Bay-breasted, we headed out to the blinds.




Thanks for looking
Bruce Miller

Ring-billed Gulls in Flight

This past weekend was the first time I was able to get out and shot at all since I was on vacation in Michigan last month. My camera is broken, so I borrowed a camera for the weekend trip to Lakeside OH.

The event was the Midwest Birding Symposium (MBS). I wasn’t even going to take my camera until I learn of the opportunity to attend a special program with the famed bird Photographer Artie Morris “Birds As Art”. The opportunity was too much to pass up. I’ve been a big fan since I first heard of him! Great guy as well as great photographer. I did learn several tips that I think will improve my photography and I got had a blast shooting gulls.

There were many more neat things going on this weekend, although I must confess, I missed the Kirtland Warbler on Friday. Ugh. Two missed rarities in one week. The speakers were all great. I so enjoyed every program I went to. Kudos to the Ohio Ornithological Society and Bird Watchers Digest. I will definitely be back to the next one and will be looking into other similar events in the future.

Rest of the pictures here

Trip to Northern Michigan

Back from a 10 day trip to Northern Michigan. First we went to Sleeping Bear National Shoreline where we had a wonderful couple days. Then drove up to the Upper Peninsula for 3 days.

On the first day in the U.P. we went to Whitefish Point. The beach here was beautiful! There was a short walk out to an observation tower. Several hawks flew by while we ate our lunch on the tower. I can imagine this spot is awesome in migration! We then headed for the water to fulfill our quest to have put our feet in all five great lakes. The water was cool, but not bad. Quest fulfilled! That afternoon we headed out to Tahquamenon Falls. The upper falls were spectacular! We ran out of daylight and did not have time to hike the trail between the falls. I’m sure it would have been really nice (and buggy).


Next day in the U.P. we went to Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Of course we didn’t get up as early as we would have liked, but it was real foggy and overcast. So the morning was extended for us. I got my first ever look at a American Bittern!


We were just rounding a corner and I was telling my wife that it was ok if I didn’t get one (it was the target bird of the day and I’ve chased reports of these guys all over Ohio) when there he was! He was in his spooked stance when we spotted him. We got out and enjoyed great looks of him as he stood motionless. After a few minutes, he decided everything was ok and resumed fishing. We watched as he caught 3 fish. I took the opportunity to move closer and he was ok with that too. After 30 or more minutes he move back into the weeds and was gone.


The last day in the U.P. was totally Awesome, except that I got wiped out. Over 8 miles of hiking and trudging through deep sand really wore me out. We had a blast though! Hiked to see 4 falls Munising Falls, Miners Falls, Chapel Falls,and Sable Falls. Past Chapel Falls was Chapel Rock. Well worth the hike, which in itself was really nice.




On the way back to Traverse City, we stopped at Sault Saint Marie. There we mostly checked out the Soo Locks. Very Cool! After watching several smaller boats go through we walked a ways along the shoreline and checked out a huge ship. Circling back we stopped for lunch and milled through the shops on the main drag. As we were getting ready to go, we saw a barge going into the Soo Lock. So we ran in to see the event.







Back to Traverse City to stay for 3 more days. The next day found us Kayaking the upper Platte River. Nice journey with more Kingfishers on it than I think I’ve seen in my lifetime! We got poured on from a pop up shower.

On Saturday, we spent a nice afternoon with our host Ellen in the city. While downtown, there was an arts festival going on, so of course we had to stroll through the booths. Several very good photographers there. I’m inspired to print out some prints on Fine Art Paper.


After a quick nap, we were off to climb the dunes. They don’t really go on forever... only a couple miles!

Since Kelly knew I really wanted to see a Piping Plover, she suggested we start the last day out looking for them. We were able to locate some and I was very happy! Onwards we traveled to the north in search of rocks. Yes, Kelly loves to look for rocks.

It was an awesome trip! We took lots of photos.

Photos can be viewed here: http://redtail.smugmug.com/Vacation/Michigan-2009/9349775_WZXgs#625582501_mt6fj

Fledglings Fledge

It is truely the dog days of summer. Birding is much slower now, and that's ok there are other things to do. I did go out to check my bluebird boxes this past saturday and got to see my box 10 fledge! Very cool. This guy here was a little more reluctant than the others and possed for me.

One more look around and he was gone.

I missed getting a flight shot as he took off for the very first time ever.

This was the first time I've been lucky enough to see bluebirds take their first flight. So very cool.

At the Monthly Photo Contest at Lens & Leave Photo club, I got 2nd and 3rd place with two of my photos.

This Indigo Bunting got 3rd place.

This Black and White Warbler took second place.

No time to get out and shoot at all, but I took the opportunity when this Cooper Hawk showed up in my yard.

A little more post processing

I posted the previous Pewee picture on Fred Miranda's web site. I got some nice feedback including a recommendation to clone out the leaf on lower right of picture. So I did this and softened the hot line on the left side. I think the new post-processing is worth re-posting.

Next night, not as good

With memories of Wednesday night floating through my head, I headed up to Highbanks Metro Park last night (Thursday). First I checked my Bluebird boxes. Excitingly I have one box with babies in it that are just about ready to fledge. That should happen this next week. Another box has 5 Bluebird eggs in it with the proud parents standing guard. Tree Swallows are buzzing over the paired boxes every time I come out, but no nest yet. I would love to see an active Tree Swallow nest right next to an active Bluebird nest.

So on to taking pictures. With migration pretty much over with, I’m looking to the nesting birds. Easy to find as they are very active and vocal right now. Inspired by Wednesday night I had dreams of grandeur, Bluebirds, Common Yellowthroats, Orioles, Buntings and the like all dancing through my head. I did see an Orchard Oriole (first of the year and nice tick mark for the birding side of me) and a Baltimore made a brief appearance just outside of photo range. This was a sign of things to come as none of the birds I speak of had any interest in having their picture taken. As dusk seemed to be settling over the land I packed up and headed for the car. I should do this much earlier as this seems to be the time when things happen. The light is almost gone, but I’m shooting off a tripod, so I can go to a much lower shutter speed than when hand holding. I’m thinking, maybe I have a chance at something. Hearing Towhees I decide to see if I can sneak up on one. Yea I know, just a towhee, but hey sometimes you get what you can. That’s when I got the chance meeting with the bird that makes my favorite call, the Eastern Wood Pewee! He stops for just a moment, and I snap off a few shoots. Despite the high ISO and the really slow shutter speed, 2 pictures came out pretty nice! Pewees are somewhat plain, but a favorate bird none the less. What they lack in color, they make up in character.

Wonderful Night Shooting Birds

Wednesday night everything seemed to work. I scouted out this little patch of woods/scrubby secondary growth area and noticed that there was an abundance of Indigo Buntings there. Also present there were a few other of my favorite birds like Common Yellowthroat and Brown Thrasher. So with just a spectacularly beautiful evening of weather, I thought it would be a nice night to take some pictures. The buntings were everywhere in this small patch. I would have thought them to be territorial, but they seemed more communal as they zipped to and from. Seemed like every tree had a singing Bunting. This is a very good thing for a photographer/birder! I managed a couple nice shots.



Sometimes they would be low like this guy and sometimes higher in the tree, like this next example. This does cause problems, as it requires different settings on the camera. Sometimes I think, "I'm only going to shoot at one level and if the bird is not at that level, I'm not shooting" So far that has not worked. So, I come home with lots of silhouettes, or blown out pictures. The background is a little blown on this one, but it’s not bad. I think I’ll take it.

So now I'm happy, ready to head home. I'm getting hungry and I'm tired of picking ticks off me! So I head for the car. As I'm almost there I see this little baby Song sparrow, looking closer, there's lots of little baby Song Sparrows. Hopping around on this mulch bed. So I decide, why not set up here. Surly one of these little guys will present a shot. Well this ended up being the place. While I'm watching these little guys move incredible fast, who shows up on a perfect little perch not more than 10 feet from me, but one of the resident buntings!

Then the adult Song Sparrow puts an appearance on this same perch.

I had 2 more memorable visitors while I was sitting here. The first was a Cedar Waxwing, and then a Willow Flycatcher. What a night. I went home very hungry and very happy.

I did not end up getting any great pictures of the baby Song Sparrows. They were moving so fast and blended into the background so well that I never really got locked on, but that's ok!

No Birding this weekend

What's wrong with me. It is still May and I did not go out birding at all this weekend. Normally this is the biggest weekend of the year for me to bird. But I decided to work on my house. Yesterday didn't turn out as planned. I was just getting productive when my brother called. His water heater went out. So, I helped him for the rest of the day. I was planning to go out for a few hours this morning, but just did not make it. I did get some stuff done on the house. A little bit more I suppose and just a little closer to being done with the wiring!

On another note, I listened to the Reds Game as I worked on the wiring today. I haven't paid any attention since the beginning of the season because they sucked and I lost interest. Then, I hear they are doing well, so 3 days ago I start paying attention again, just in time for them to be swept by San Diego. :(

First of Year

This evening I heard that old familiar "Peeeant". Looked up to see a Common Nighthawk. They will be out for my viewing nearly every night, now through the summer. They nest up the street on the roof of Kingsdale Shopping Center.

New Yard Bird!

This morning I step out the door to go to work and what do I hear? The all familiar call "pee-ah-wee". Truly one of my all time favorite calls. The Eastern Wood Pewee!!! Sitting in my neighbors tree. If I can see it from my yard it counts as a yard bird. Very cool new yard bird. That makes two in less than two weeks. Just the other day, same thing happened. As I was leaving for work, I heard a Chestnut-sided Warbler. He was a little harder to find. Way up in the already too leafed out tree. That is now only 3 warblers for the yard, but who knows maybe there will be more.

Here is what a Chestnut-sided looks like. I took this picture last year at Magee.

For those who do not know what a Pewee looks like, here is a link to one. I thought I had a picture, but couldn't find one? http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Wood-Pewee/id

Birds at OSU West Campus Mid-Day

Working over at West Campus today. What a great place to sneak out at lunch time to bird. Was already getting warm by then, but the birds were crazy. In roughly 15-20 minutes, I had Common Yellowthroat (nice view of the ever so pretty female), countless Indigo Buntings (Kelly would have been in heaven), a Philadelphia Vireo (I think), Female Redstart, Song Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, Yellow Warbler (oh gorgeous) and a Tennessee Warbler (singing away)! No sign of the potential Connecticut from yesterday.

Birding news

Maybe I should talk about birding a little as this is my birding blog.

Well, hardly been out, but I did do a drive through at Pizzuro Park at lunch time the other day. Saw the following notable birds:
Great Crested Flycatcher
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Scarlet Tanager
Indigo Bunting
Baltimore Oriole

I did not get any pictures. That might be because I did not even have my camera with me. :)
But here are some older shots of these guys:

















I did hear a Northern Parula, and a Yellow-throated Warbler, but I don't list what I don't see.

Not bad for a quick drive through.

I will be off to Highbanks this evening! I can't wait. Hopefully, the rain will be gone by then.

Dinner with my Mom for Mother's Day.

Last night I had a wonderful time. Kelly and I took my parents out to dinner to celebrate Mother's day. Since we went to Fremont over the weekend, we decided to take my mom out last night. We went to the newly opened Montgomery Inn in Dublin. I of course got ribs, my parents split a combo meal that included ribs, brisket and pulled pork and Kelly had the spinach salad with salmon. Despite splitting a meal, my parents still had leftovers. I tasted the brisket and thought it was good. The ribs were excellent. Kelly's salmon was under cooked but still good. The whole salad looked a bit on the skimpy side and a little bare. Kelly was mildly disappointed. Overall the meal was very good, but really overpriced. The atmosphere was good. The place was crowded, but not too loud. We were seated by the window, and had a very nice view over a pond. The restaurant sits up on a hill, so the view was elevated. It was very nice and added to the experience.

Of course, the company was wonderful. I always enjoy going out to dinner with my parents. We had a nice time!

Happy Mother’s Day!

From Saturday May 9th.
Dinner plans! Kelly (my wife) and I took my mother in-law out to dinner for Mother's day. We had wanted to see her over Easter, but did not get to. So the plan was to go out Saturday night. To our delight, Peg (my Mother in-law) was do very well health wise. Se gave us a little scare a few months ago, when she went into the hospital because she was having so much trouble breathing. Honestly, I thought her breathing was better than in the past.

God Bless Her.

Trip to Magee

This is my first day of blogging. I really don't know what to talk about. This past weekend was amazing. Kelly and I went up to Magee. We left home at 12:40 and showed up at the the Magee Boardwalk around 3:00 or so. Long drive. Getting out of Columbus was a drag. Really set us back.

Once at the boardwalk all was good with the world again. You know pulling in that it's a good day when the road is lined with photographers. Birds were heavy. Greeted by one after the other. One of the first was a Blackpoll. Always good to see these guys. I don't see too many Blackpolls each year, so it's a treat the couple I get. They ended up being everywhere on especially one Sunday. WOW!

We finished with a nice number of warblers for only 3 hours on the boardwalk. Historically short amount of time to be there, but we had dinner plans.