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| A small flock of juvenile Yellow-rumped (or Myrtle) Warblers kept me entertained/constantly moving with the camera; they were just doing what they do: flitting out for groggy bugs between bites of dogwood berries |
Appropriately, northwest Ohio in general and the southwestern shoreline of Lake Erie more specifically receive a great deal of attention from birders (bird and bird watching enthusiasts) during the spring. As soon as the snow melts -- and in truth, even before -- a steady and diverse stream of colorful visitors on-the-wing and equally colorful people behind their binoculars begin their annual right of passage.
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| A rare opportunity to catch a still Yellow-rumped, enjoying some morning sunshine |
This particular pulse of life northward is amplified by our Great Lake and its proximity to the others. Huge expanses of huge water become "pinch points," funneling millions of birds that are often weighed in single digit grams over specific land masses. We are one of the biggest beneficiaries -- witnessing hundreds of bird species as they temporarily stop over to rest, and now (as the word continues to get out) witnessing hundreds of thousands of bird lovers who visit our area to participate in this annual spectacle.
One of the main reasons this news has expanded to an ever-increasing number of people ties back to the tireless efforts of a tremendous grassroots organization that has been very good not only to the birds, but to conservation in general and Standing Rush in particular -- the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.
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| The acrobatic -- and often difficult to photograph -- Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
I've certainly written about the great work of BSBO and our recent and ongoing efforts to collaborate. The Biggest Week in American Birding (or "Biggest Week" as it is affectionately abbreviated) has become the culmination of bird loving fun in NW Ohio in the spring. But it's important to realize: (1) that the spring migrants north come back south -- with nice pulses of new visitors visiting the marsh right now; and, (2) BSBO's work is year-round.
If you want to keep up on daily activities at the Observatory, their Facebook page is a treat. Not only do they update on coming events and tours (again, year round), they also include tons of awesome photos with reliable identification -- especially when they are mist netting and banding birds as they are right now. This is an activity that I hope to bring to Standing Rush soon. Not only does it have significant research implications, but banding also provides an incredible educational opportunity for people to gain up-close and personal experiences with these magical little critters.
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| The tiny Golden-crowned Kinglet; one of my absolute favorites (click to enlarge) |
Also, I received two phone calls from BSBO members while I was walking the dikes with binocs in hand. As it turns out, I am thrilled to report that for the second consecutive year, Standing Rush has been unanimously chosen by the Observatory to be the sole recipient of their Biggest Week Conservation Fund -- an unrestricted monetary gift that will go directly to our restoration and preservation initiatives. We are once again humbled, honored, and just so appreciative of this incredible generosity. Once again, all those involved should rest well knowing their resources will be put to very good use! You can read more through BSBO's beautiful quarterly newsletter here.
Finally, my walk was well-timed because not only was I able to count ~30 species in ~90 minutes of walking, as you see here, I was also able to capture a few of them reasonably well on camera. I won't be winning any photography contests any time soon, but it's always tons of fun to have some visual account of some of what I was able to see. (Other highlights included: Northern Waterthrush, Fox Sparrow, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and Great Horned Owl).
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| Got lucky with how this one turned out -- love how the striking White-throated Sparrow is still identifiable behind the well-focused cherry limb |
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| I love how this image of blackbirds -- a hallmark of the transition that is autumn -- almost appears black and white rather than full color |
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| A slightly more colorful rendition of blackbirds -- obviously this time on the wing (at some point, I need to write a post on "blackbirds" because there are at least a handful of species that qualify in our area) |
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| Another sure sign that we are in the midst of transition; this image also serves as a good reminder of how intertwined marsh management (and in fact, the very existence of coastal wetlands) is with row-crop agriculture |