Where the Warblers are....Chapter Three

The Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge opened up 7 mile drive through the wildlife refuge that isn't open most of the time.  It was open for the Biggest Birding Week in May.  We have taken it before and it is really great.  You never know what you will see.  You beginning the drive from the Visitors' Center.

It is a narrow road but you drive slowly so you don't miss anything and everyone behind you are there for the same reason.  This year we notice this antenna things and figured they must be for weather or other communication.

The first thing we saw was a Great Egret that was flying away from where we were passing.

The scenery is beautiful and something is always flying around.

We saw a lot of Eagles too...

This year there were a lot of Trumpeter Swans.

 Their necks are stained orange from  iron rich water and mud where they forage. The have a wing span of 80 inches (7 feet) They are the largest water fowl in North America.

You have to have binoculars because you need to scan the trees in the distance.

Here we found 2 Eagles in a tree.

Here is another Eagle and we saw several flying around.  It is so amazing to see an Eagle soar!

 One of the many areas where little birds are everywhere!  I finally got a picture of this Yellow Warbler only because he looks like he was interested in what we were doing.

In this one area we saw this little guy just singing his heart out...He was alone so we thought he was calling to his friends.

I believe he is a Horned Grebe.

This one is a Pied-billed Grebe....

The scenery is beautiful.  Of course I have only seen it in the spring.

The other seasons have to be just as beautiful.

And you never know what will be around the next bend in the road.



This Egret was just as surprised as we were.

On this tree there were 3 Double-crested Cormorants.

This area looked like there had been a fire, either natural or man made. We didn't know but gave a eerie look to it.

We pasted by these Swallows and while we watched them we noticed that it was several kinds.
Here are Tree Swallows and Purple Martins.

The brown one is Northern Rough-winged Swallow and the one top left could be a Barn Swallow but not a good enough picture to positively ID him.

Tree Swallows and Purple Martins

 Here they were just sitting on this long branch. These look like Purple Martins and Tree Swallows.

Just before the end of the 7 mile drive we spotted this Eastern Kingbird. 

It was a wonderful drive and we had come prepared this year....we had stopped and got sandwiches that we ate on our drive.  This was our third time to take the drive and every time has been different.
Now we are nearly to the end of the week-end and the fourth and final chapter will be our finding of the WARBLER!!!!   So I hope you will stay with me for one more chapter.

Where the Warblers are....Chapter two

There are two really nice buildings that we spent time in.  One is the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge.  This is where we took the auto tour (more about that in a later update) .  They also have walkways that you can take.  Inside there is a gift shop and meeting rooms and this really great museum.

One can spend all day here too. I especially enjoyed museum..there is a short movie ..

 

I really enjoyed this room

Another great place is at Magee Marsh Wildlife area.

There is a gift shop and this wonderful display of birds and animals...You don't want to miss it.

When you walk in there is so much to see.

It is amazing!!!

Blanding's Turtle

This is the mother Bald Eagle of the famous nest at Vermilion, Ohio

Picture taken May 14, 1926

The nest was destroyed on the night of May 18-19 during

a violent gale.

Three Eagles were in the nest and killed by the fall of 80 ft. to the ground.

I think they have every bird and animal that you might see in the area...

 The day we stopped they were also having an exhibit outside of live birds.

Turkey Vulture....

Peregrine Falcon

HT. 15" - 20"     Wt. 1.6 LB.

American Kestrel 

HT. 12"    Wt. 6 oz.

Wing span  21"

Red Tailed Hawk

HT. 25"   Wt. 3 lbs.

Wing span 4'

Great Horned Owl

Ht. 25"  Wt. 3 1/2 lbs.

Wing span  5'

Barred Owl

Ht. 20"  Wt. 1 1/2-2 1/2 lbs.

Wing span 44"

Barn Owl

Ht. 18"  Wt. 2 lbs.

Wing span 44"

Eastern Screech Owl

Gray Phase
Ht. 10"
Wt. 7 oz.
Wing span 22"

Red Phase

Bald Eagle

Ht. 2 1/2-3 1/2    Wt. 9-14 lbs.

Wing span 7-8'

There were two Eagles.

The snakes were very pretty but I was glad they were in the glass tank!

I just let my pictures do the talking..As you can see it was a great exhibit.  All the birds were injured at one time and are not able to survive in the wild, so they teach us a little about them.  It was amazing to be so close the this wonderful creatures.  The biggest show off was the Vulture...He would look around and then spread those wings like "Hay over here, take my picture!"  

Well hope you will stay tuned for the next chapter of our trip....