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.