Where the Warblers are!

The Biggest Week in American Birding happens in May.  My sister and I just got back from northwest Ohio, the Warbler Capital of the world!  This was our third year to go up for the week-end to see the Warblers!  If you enjoy the outdoors and nature, this is one of the places to go.  The scenery is beautiful.

The Magee Marsh Boardwalk is very easy for anyone to do.  It is flat and wide.  The birds are 

flying around in the trees and sometimes will fly right in front of you.  The first time, I felt like there was someone behind a tree waiting for people to walk by and would then let all these birds go!  The people are so nice and will help you ID the birds and with me, it is almost every bird!  My sister is looking at one and asking me if I am getting a picture and I am looking in another direction trying to get the picture of another bird...LOL...

This year they opened a new are to walk....

At the beginning of this trail is where we saw the Great Horned Owl nest.  I was lucky enough to get this picture of one of the babies.

These next few pictures will be what we saw along the Magee Marsh Boardwalk.

There was a birder that had set up their scope for people to see the Whip-poor-Will and she used my IPhone to take a picture for me....

She did a great job...later you will see how I tried...need to practice that..I got this picture with 

my camera of this cute guy!

We also love Metzger Marsh, which is next to Magee Marsh...we drove down the road and stopped along and  here are some Great Egrets hiding behind the tall grass.

This morning there was a group of Trumpeter Swans.

The one thing you need to have is binoculars.  You don't want to miss anything.

Park in the parking lot and there is a nice area to walk down with Lake Erie on one side and the swamp area on the other...and in between are birds, there was a den of foxes (we didn't get to see them but others told us where they were) .

In this tree on the left, there was a Great Horned Owl.  Some other birders had a scope on him.

This was my first time to use my Iphone to take a picture through their scope of the Owl.

He is hidden behind the trunk in the middle of this picture, if you look closely.

This is the picture I got with my camera after I was able to find him.

This is his back.

There were several different kinds of Swallows flying around this area.  It was amazing...they would pass right over your head or by your side and never touched you (or poop)  They were just getting these tiny bugs.

In the trees were several kinds of Warblers...was an amazing experience.

There is a walkway through the wooded area...

Driving along the road at Magee Marsh, you have to give right of way to the Canadian Geese and their babies....they are along the road to the parking lot of Magee Marsh.

Even in the parking lot, there was a Woodcock nest!

Was she ever hard to find...

The area was roped off.  An other area of the parking lot was roped off because of an Eagle nest.  We never got to see them but the Eagles are everywhere...One day we saw 9.  Along Route 2 there is a tree that they sit in .....

We saw them flying and one evening as we were leaving Magee Marsh we got to watch this one soaring over us (close too) and landed in this tree very close to us!

The tree on right second from the road....

He is giving us the eyeball here...We figured he was hunting for dinner for his family. It was very exciting!

And of course the traditional orange sherbet swirl!  My sister is holding a medium cone! (any it was cold that day)...I remembered how large they are and asked for a small.....LOL

 

Well mine started this slide and had to get a cup to save it! And that was a SMALL!  It is the best orange sherbet I have ever had....

We also had a great view from our lodge room...We stayed at the Maumee Bay State Park Lodge....

We enjoyed staying here..they have a nice resturant and had weddings going on ....we got to watch the guests arrive and picture taking with Bride...while we were having dinner.  

This is my first installment of our adventure....be patient with me...I took over 1400 pictures...so I want to try and give you the best...so the second chapter will be soon!

Just taking a quick break before the next chapter in the adventure of Where the Warblers are.....

Another Birthday

Well yesterday was my birthday and it was a very nice one...was with my Sister going to our favorite places..

First at Charlie's Pond, we only saw this lone Pheasant walking through the grasses.

Then to Canal Rd.  This is a hillside of Virginia Bluebells blooming at the picnic site.

In the tree above us this Yellow-rumped Warbler was flying around.

We drove on down the road and saw this Heron in the grasses beside the road.

 The Heron saw us and after letting me get a couple of pictures, he flew into a tree...

 Below there were turtles sunning themselves...

 Saw a lot of squirrels...

 Then we saw this huge white bird fly up out of the canal!  It was a Great Egret!  We had never seen one on Canal Rd.  He landed in a tree and I was able to get this picture.

 We were having a great time along Canal Rd....We got to the falls and decided to take a small hike

There was a well worn path that we could follow, figured deer and other animals used it.

Birds were chirping and flitting around us.  Then we saw these two tiny birds, making all this noise and flying around us.  As I am trying to get a picture (which was almost impossible) My Sister found out what was going on.....They were building a nest!  Oh the cutest little nest I have ever seen....

These little birds were Blue-gray Gnatcatcher... A first for both of us.  It was quite exciting.

From what I read about them the like to make their nests of plant fibers and bark chips and decorate with lichens and lined with fine vegetation, hair and feathers.

See him peeking at me through the leaves....we didn't stay too long because we didn't want to stress them and more than we had.

The Buckeye trees were beginning to bloom.  There are a lot of Buckeye trees along Canal Rd.

There were violets blooming everywhere.  Two different colors!

This pretty Trillium was blooming everywhere too.  I had never seen this one in the wild before...

 We spotted this groundhog sitting on a hill...looked like he was just enjoying his morning view!.

We also saw our first Indio Bunting of the year at Adam Lake in Adam County.

He was shy...only give me a back pose.... 

And our first baby goslings!  Canadian Geese and their 3 babies...

We also saw 9 Wild Turkey (they ran away before I could get a picture) and a rabbit and the Redbud trees were gorgeous!.

We stopped at an Amish Bakery and got so yummy stuff and they were having a sale on bird feeders, so we each got one!  When I dropped my Sister off, my Niece had me a delicious cupcake for my birthday.  I was tired but very, very happy.  It had been a great day!

But the best was yet to come!!!!!

I had a birthday card waiting for me and here it is....

 Can't get any better than that !!!!!  So I just want to thank everyone that remembered me and wished me a Happy Birthday because it worked....Thanks!

(you can't view the little video on your phone or tablet, must view from PC)

Free Sunday!

Some days it is wonderful to know that you can go places for free and enjoy art and nature in a big city like Columbus, Oh.  My friend planned this day of adventure, first going to the Franklin Park Conservatory.  This time we weren't going in, we were going to walk around the grounds.  I hadn't walked the grounds since Amer-a-flora was there back in the 90's...I went twice and it was beautiful.  We started our walk here....

If you haven't gone to see the butterflies..do plan to...it is fun and pretty.

Daffodils blooming, several different types.

Great old trees!  Love the Sycamore.

This Robin hopping around the ground.

Lots and lots of tulips!!

Just so beautiful!  I found this butterfly on a rather ugly tulip....

Guess the butterfly thought it tasted good.... 

This is the John E. Wolfe Palm House.  

Sculptures...

 From any view there is a different look to these
sculptures.  Was fun walking around and seeing how
they changed.

Another interesting sculpture...Reach Out by Alfred Tibor...

The ribbon of red Tulips was in memory of those
that have died of AIDS and in honor of those
living with HIV/AIDS

The only way to get a close up to the tulips.....

The beautiful Weeping Cherry tree!

Just looking up to the sky I found beauty in the tree branches...

The Japanese bridge area was nice....

Then this inspired me to experiment ....

I guess the want-a-be artist in me just couldn't
resist seeing what would happen....
The pictures turned out ok! LOL!

In the dry creek bed found this bird egg shell...aw spring is here. ;)

Walking in this area found several different kinds of plants.

Grape Hyacinth.

Virginia Bluebells.

May Apples

Continuing our walk.

The small lake.

These beautiful Hellebores.  Wish mine looked like these.

This bird was singing up a storm....I couldn't ID him but enjoyed his song. (and gave my friend his first birding experience!)

We were pretty hungry after our walk and went for lunch!  Our day was only half over...then we headed to the Columbus Art Museum.  On Sundays you can get in for FREE!  They are having an exhibit "Strings Attached" The living tradition of Czech Puppets!  It is a neat exhibit.

Weeping Willow by Monet.  (He is one of my favorite painters)

The ceiling in the museum is beautiful.

They were having music in this area where the Chihuly glass work was.  So pretty.

 

I noticed these stairs in the little restaurant.  Remind me of something that might be in a lighthouse. 

 "Gift Eggs" by Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson.

This little two room fun house...I am sure it was created for the kids....but I loved the colors and the interesting way things were displayed!

The last stop was the gift shop!  I found it to be just as pretty as some of the exhibits.

The next few pictures are of the First Congregrational Church next to the art museum.  

Such a beautiful church.

Now it was time to head to Jeni's ice cream on High St.   Oh my if you haven't had any of her ice cream you need to put it on your list of things  to experience!

I had the Savannah Butternut, Wildberry Lavender, and Goat Cheese with Roasted Red Cherries!  Yummy! 

Then it was time to head home!  I got to ride in the cutest car.
This pretty Fiat!

It was a great day...the only bad thing was the wind!  It was still a cold wind but other than that we had a good time and it was FREE  (except for lunch and Jeni's  )  LOL

This is a picture of me taken by my friend...yes trying to get a picture of that bird... ;)

Just remember that if you are having a boring Sunday...go check out the Art Museum in Columbus and the Franklin Park Conservatory grounds...if you want to go inside, which is really neat, especially the butterflies.