Pic of the Day

Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea; Marshall County, AL; USA, Near Guntersville Dam

    I found this Indigo Bunting  along the tree line at the edge of a field this afternoon.  Thought not in prime breeding plumage it gave me the opportunity to shoot lots of images.  this is my favorite of the day.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/t

1/250 sec @ f/9

Pic of the Day

Common Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas

Magee Marsh, Ohio; USA

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm

1/200 sec @ f/8

Pic of the Day

Black-throated Blue Warbler, female; Setophaga caerulescens: Magee Marsh, Ohio

     This female Black-throated Blue Warbler was photographed from the boardwalk at Magee Marsh, Ohio last spring.  Magee is one of my favorite locations to photograph warblers and other neotropical migrant.  Though, it is not even Thanksgiving I am looking forward to spring and the wonderful birds that will once again wing north.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4
1/250 second @ f/7.1

Pic of the Day

Scarlet Tanager, Piranga olivacea

Magee Marsh, Ohio; May 2019

Pic of the Day

Chipping Sparrow, Spizella passerine; Magee Marsh Bird Center, Ohio

     I just finished watching a great DVD called, Watching Sparrows, by Michael Male and Judy Fieth.  Can't wait to get out and photograph some more sparrows.  They are spectacular birds.  Here is a Chipping Sparrow from Magee Marsh.  I photographed this bird from the parking lot at the Magee Marsh Bird Center.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/250 second @ f/7.1; using my van as a blind

Magee Marsh

 Kirtland's Warbler, Setophaga Kirtlandii:  Magee Marsh, Estuary Trail

Bay-breasted Warbler, Setophaga castanet:  Magee Marsh, Estuary Trail

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila cerulean:  Magee Marsh, Magee Marsh Bird Center

      I spent ten days at Magee Marsh earlier this Month photographing spring migrants.  This was not the best year for Magee migrants, but I was able to get a few good images.  Northeasterly winds hindered migration, and most days were cold and rainy. While birds were less numerous I did see 114 different species, about ten less than last year, but I did get a Kirtland’s Warbler!

Kirtland's Warbler - Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/320 second @ f/7.1

Bay-breasted Warbler - Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/800 second @ f/7.1

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/400 @ f/7.1

Pic of the Day

Black-throated Green Warbler, Setophaga Virens; Magee Marsh, Ohio

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm  f/4, Exposure 1/1600 sec. @ f/8

Pic of the Day

Tennessee Warbler, Leiothlypis peregrina:  Magee Marsh, Ohio

                                   Warbling Vireo, Vireo gilvus:  Magee Marsh, Ohio

     With its gray cap, green back and slender bill the Tennessee Warbler is quite a dapper fellow in the tree tops during migration.  This spring I saw an abundance of Tennessee Warblers at Magee Marsh where they stopped to refuel before heading on to their boreal forest breeding grounds. 

     Many people were confusing the Warbling Vireo with this handsome fellow.  Though some may think they look similar, they do look quite different as these two photos show.  The Tennessee has that sleek thin beak where the Warbling Vireo as a stout hooked beek.  The dark eyeline and green back of the Tennessee is also absent in the vireo.

     They are not just different in appearance, but very different in behavior as well.  The Warbling Vireo methodically moves from branch to branch with a fairly  consistent foraging speed, the Tennessee Warbler on the other hand, moves like lighting in comparison.  This behavior easily separates the two species.

     Of course, I love photographing both, and though I have just returned from Magee Marsh I am already dreaming of next spring.  But in the mean time, I’ll prepare to photograph these lovely jewels on their return migration in the fall. 

Top photo: Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/320 sec. @ f/6.3

Bottom photo: Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/640 sec. @ f/8

Pic of the Day

 Blackpoll Warbler, Setophaga striata (Male):  Magee Marsh, Ohio 

 Blackpoll Warbler, Setophaga striata (Female):  Magee Marsh, Ohio 

         Warblers are one of my favorite species of birds to photograph, and I have just spent two weeks in one of my favorite places photographing these spring beauties.     During the month of May and untold number of warblers and other neotropical migrants pass through Magee Marsh on the south side of Lake Erie in the state of Ohio.

         Blackpoll warblers were a plentiful species this year. Along with Cape May and Tennessee Warblers all seem to have had an exceptional 2017 breeding season due to the spruce budworm outbreak last year.  In more than a decade of traveling to Magee Marsh, I have never seen so many Blackpolls at Magee.

         The Blackpoll Warbler is a champion long distance migrant.  Wintering in northern South America it travels north through the eastern United States to it reach its nesting grounds in the northern boreal forest that stretches from Newfoundland to western Alaska. 

         On its return trip in the fall most Blackpolls migrate east across the northern latitudes to the east coast and then turn south crossing the western Atlantic to South America in a non stop 3 to 4 day trip.  Blackpolls make the longest migration of all the warblers, some traveling as much as 16,000 miles round trip.   Nature is truly amazing!

Top photo:  Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f 4,  exposure 1/125 second @ f 8.

Bottom Photo: Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f 4,  exposure 1/200 second @ f 8.

Pic of the Day

Wilson's Warbler, Cardellina pusillanimous:  Magee Marsh, Ohio

    As the days shorten I look forward to the arrival of winter bird, but can't keep the warblers out of mind. I so look forward to their return in the spring.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4; Exposure 1/60 second @ f/8

Pic of the Day

Magnolia Warbler, Setophagq magnolia:  Magee Marsh,  Ohio

      This is another one of the beautiful warblers that can be seen migrating through Magee Marsh during the spring migration.  There were a lot of magnolias this year and this male put on a great show for photography.  I am already looking forward to retuning to Magee next year.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4,  1/640 second @ f/8