The Biggest Week: It's Not Just About the Birds

We all know that birders travel to northwest Ohio to attend the Biggest Week in American Birding (BWIAB) for the amazing views of warblers and other birds that are possible in that area of the country. What few people think about is the human aspect of this event. In my opinion, this is where the real story lies. Whether it be the connections that can be made with birders from around the country and even the world or the economic effects on the local communities, this event is definitely something special.

One of the first things people notice when they arrive at Magee Marsh, other than the awesome birds of course, is the sheer volume of people present at the event. Unless you arrive really early in the morning, which I highly recommend, you will find the parking lot quite full. You will see license plates from all over the country, giving you a feel for how far people are willing to travel to be a part of spring migration at Magee. As you enter the boardwalk, there is usually a pretty good traffic jam at the start because there are always awesome birds to see right from the get go. Many birders that haven't been to Magee before view this as a problem, but I believe it adds to the excitement of the day. Tons of birders ready for a day of birding during the peak of migration is never a bad thing in my opinion. If the birds cooperate, you'll run into many traffic jams along the way and see loads of amazing species.

A large group of birders trying to find a Kirtland's Warbler that had been sighted on the boardwalk.

The level of experience of birders at Magee is as varied as the states they have traveled from. You are sure to find quite a few people out birding for the first time standing right next to Kenn and Kim Kaufman, Greg Miller, and other birding legends. This to me is another truly fascinating aspect of this event. It really doesn't matter who you are, how good of a birder you are, or where you come from - as long as you enjoy birds, you are welcomed with open arms by everyone. Are you new to birding and just really want to see a Northern Cardinal? Let someone know and they'll point one out for you. Are you a very experienced birder that has a few select target species on your trip? Again, let one of the volunteers or guides know, and they will be sure to advise you of any reports of those birds you're searching for.

The theme of birders everywhere continues on into the local restaurants at lunch and dinner. Blackberry Corners is a locally owned restaurant that was one of the first businesses that signed on to the Black Swamp Bird Observatory's Birds & Business Alliance. The decision to support birding and conservation in the region has paid off in a huge way. During the BWIAB, you will find the restaurant packed with birders for both lunch, dinner, and sometimes an afternoon slice of pie! This is true for many restaurants all over northwest Ottawa and Lucas Counties. Check out the list of all the companies that have chosen to support BSBO and conservation here.

Look for this sticker at local businesses to see who is supporting birding and conservation in northwest Ohio.

Of all the great things about the BWIAB, I believe the greatest is the effect the festival (and all birding in the region for that matter) has on the local economy. It cannot be stressed enough that northwest Ohio feels the impact of all birders that travel to the area. In a study that was recently conducted by Bowling Green State University, it was found that birding contributes as much as $26 million and 283 jobs to Ohio's Lake Erie coast. This is a significant impact on the local economy, especially when you consider that much of this money is spent during spring migration, a time when the duck hunters have left the region and the peak of the fishing and beach season has not yet arrived. We are filling a critical gap in tourism that would otherwise threaten to make the local businesses shut down during the downtime.

For all of us that live out of state and have been traveling to northwest Ohio for years, it seems relatively obvious that we are spending a lot of money on our travels. But now we actually have the numbers to back it up. One of my favorite moments of my time at the festival this year occurred at the gas station while I was filling up my car. A local man struck up a conversation and asked what I was doing in Ohio when he noticed my Indiana license plate. I explained that I was there to lead trips for the BWIAB. Much to my surprise, he thanked me for being there to help support the effort to bring more people to northwest Ohio. He personally wasn't interested in going out and looking for birds but was supportive of all of us who were and understood the impact that we are making. I was absolutely blown away by this conversation. The residents of northwest Ohio are recognizing what we are doing. This makes them more likely to support the conservation initiatives that are critical to keeping the birds flowing through the region.

I am already looking forward to being back in northwest Ohio next year for the BWIAB and hope to see many old friends and new birders alike.

I will leave you with one of the most photogenic birds on the boardwalk, Prothonotary Warbler.

-Rob

Mia McPherson in the Spotlight!

We are so honored to have Mia McPherson as a monthly contributor here at "Birding Is Fun!" And I am especially privileged to have her as a fellow Utah birder.

Mia's photography and contributions were recently recognized on the website of BirdWatching magazine (US). Check it out here!

BirdNote.org will also be using one of her images this week on their site.

Groppers

The Grasshopper Warbler or 'Gropper' as they are known locally, tend to arrive on the scrub areas behind the local coast around the third week in April where they take up residence in local bramble bushes. Over the years I have good success with my photography of these birds, that many people have never seen or heard. It is funny business bird photography as you seem to have an affinity for certain species while others you can completely fail to capture a single image. A good example of this for me is the Dotterel that despite numerous attempts I have never managed to put before the camera.

The Grasshopper Warbler derives its name from its insect like song which is also known as 'reeling' as it sound a bit like a fishing reel. To give you a better impression of these wonderful little birds a video can be seen by clicking this link to You Tube video Singing Gropper . There are a couple of things to note from this video. Firstly the bird as it sings rotates its head to broadcast the sound which can make locating the bird quite difficult as it creates a ventriloquist effect and the the song seems to be coming from everywhere. Secondly, to aid the broadcast the bird will often move up to the highest part of the bramble bush.

This is the only time you will get a good view of this species as it spends a good deal of time deep in the vegetation. However, this behaviour seems to be limited to a couple of weeks after their first arrival back from Africa and so the window for photographic opportunity is small.

An interesting part of the song is that those, how can I put it politely, lets say of more mature years really struggle to hear the song due to the loss of high frequency hearing that comes with old age. I remember a couple of pensioner bird watchers once asking me while photographing these birds if I had seen or heard any. At the time there was one 'reeling' out its song, which to me seems to travel long distances, about 20ft away but they could not hear it at all.

I only found out recently that the birds actually come in two colours morphs with the brown type being more common than the yellow version. The difference is subtle though with the yellow just having a more yellow coloured underside.

Photographing the birds, as long as you have got the timing right and managed to locate a bird by song, is fairly straight forward. As they are up and singing around the end of April if you hear a grasshopper like sound it is most likely to be one of these birds as it is too early in the year for the insects to be around to cause confusion.It requires a visit at first light and standing next to a bramble patch and before long you can almost guarantee that the bird will make its way to the highest perch to embark on a long bout of singing for several minutes before disappearing back into the vegetation. This process is repeated several times until the sun as got up a little. In this singing mode the Grasshopper Warblers seem fairly oblivious to your presence and there is no need for a hide (blind) but there is a need to keep still or they will quickly skulk back down into the tangle of thorns.

When I first started photographing these birds I was a little puzzled why I was getting good detail on the photos in the feathers around the head of the bird but not on the body. It soon dawned on me having spent some time in their presence at very close quarters that the whole body vibrates and quivers as they sing.

Given that I have built up a good library of images of this bird, each year I promise myself that I will ignore them. However, their song seems to have some sort of hypnotic effect on me and each year I find myself drawn back to them for at least one or two sessions when I should be concentrating on other species, like Dotterel! Every encounter with one of these fascinating birds is a joy and it is always a pleasure and honour to be in their company and to be allowed a brief glimpse into their world. No doubt next year the high tempo clicking will draw me in once more and no doubt will until I am too old to hear it.

My two days of The Biggest Week

Since I have never been able to get up to the Lake Erie region of Ohio in the spring, this year I decided to make that happen.  The Biggest Week in American Birding was already going strong, so there were plenty of other birders there with eyes and ears to alert to any good birds.  I really wished that I could of stayed for the entire event, but work wouldn't allow that to occur.  I caught the last couple of days of the event. I had arrived on the lake on a Thursday afternoon having had a six hour drive due to traffic from a automobile accident.  I got there just in time to attend Birdchick's Birds and Beers event.  It was nice to meet many of my online birding friends as well as those that I have not seen in a long while.  Some of which included Birdchick, Janet Kissick Hug, Linda Rockwell, Dawn Simmons Fine, Debbie Miller and Gunnar Engblom.  Since I have seen pictures of the many birders on the boardwalk at Magee, I kind of knew what to expect before hand.  I am not one that likes to bird in big crowds.  I usually bird by myself.  When I finally arrived at the boardwalk however, I found there to be not as many people as I expected.  Most were crowded along the first section to the observation tower.  After that, people were very spread out. Here is a shot of some of the cars at Magee.  I would have taken a picture of the birders, however I want to assure a certain ODNR watercraft officer that I really do take pictures of birds and not people while on ODNR lands (there is a story to it).

This was standing in the middle of the parking lot on one side (there are two sides for those that have never been there).  This is about half way between the two parking lots.  Cars were on both sides the same length as seen here. Once on the boardwalk, I noticed that the most common warbler was Yellow Warbler.  They were everywhere.

 

 

I am used to seeing warblers far and up.  It was hard getting used to seeing them too close to focus my big zoom lens point-n-shoot camera! Here is a very cooperative Chesnut-sided Warbler, almost too cooperative!

 

 

Seemed to "glow" in the low light like he was radio active.  Such a nice looking bird.  The warbler decided to come close and give some funny expressions.  

I really love the expression here!

Here is a Cape May Warbler that just sat on the edge of the parking lot for a while.  The heavy leaf out made lighting a challenge.  

 I was expecting to see many more Magnolia Warblers than I did, only a handful.  As of this morning, I noticed a good deal of them around still.  I was only able to get the rear end of one.

There were many American Redstarts around.  Again, the lighting was a challenge.

Spied this Hermit Thrush walking around at my feet on the boardwalk.

 

One of my most needed group of birds is shorebirds.  I have a lot of holes in that area, as there isn't much in the way of quality shorebird habitat in this part of the state.  Have I known the area better, I think I could of gotten some that I need.  

Here is a shorebird that was right off the boardwalk.  This American Woodcock was with a baby.  I could not get a shot of the baby, as there were too many people to see it from my position.  

 

After Magee, I decided to head to Maumee Bay State Park.  I have only been here a couple of times and always see good stuff here.  Just as it was getting dark, I saw shorebirds flying around on the beach.  I decided to go check them out and found three Ruddy Turnstones.  I have only seen this bird once, and it was a very brief glimpse at Caesar Creek State Park.

Before seeing the turnstones, I took a walk on the boardwalk.  I heard a Wild Turkey gobbling and a couple of people I passed on the boardwalk said that there was a turkey ahead.  Here is what I found.  A young buck and a Wild Turkey in a standoff.

I decided to end my two day trip on the boardwalk at Magee.  I am glad I did.  There was a report of a Kirtland's Warbler on the new Crane Creek Estuary Trial.  While not a life bird, the one glimpse I had of one was very brief.  This particular female was very cooperative and allowed many people to view her.  This was definitely worth the trip.

Cool looking back pattern

Little bit of streaking on the head.

Had a wonderful time, much needed escape.  Just wish I had more time up there.  Hopefully, I can make it up next year.  Not long after I got back, there was a Least Tern and White-faced Ibis up there.  Happens every time! I will leave you with this sunset from the beach at Maumee Bay State Park.

Evening Grosbeak Weekend Out

Friday May 25th through Monday May 28th is the Evening Grosbeak Weekend Out, one of the celebration events tied to the ABA Bird of the Year program this year. It's an opportunity for birders everywhere to get outside and look for Evening Grosbeaks and all other feathered beings too. More importantly it's an opportunity to introduce others to the wonderful world of birding. Please consider inviting a non-birder to go out birding with you for a couple of hours during that weekend. Show them all the beautiful birds they've been missing out on. Perhaps provide a friend or family member a gift package of a bird feeder, a starter bag of wild bird seed, and a field guide. Help them learn to identify their feeder birds and keep an eye out for Evening Grosbeaks. Take lots of pictures and share them with us. Please write to us and tell us of your experience on the Evening Grosbeak Weekend Out.

Where are Evening Grosbeaks being seen right now nearest you? Check out this eBird map of May sightings from fellow birders like you and me. There are a couple of different apps like Birdseye and Aububon Birds that can help you find the nearest sightings. If no Evening Grosbeaks are within a reasonable distance, no worries. Just go birding anyway! Migration is still underway and there are lots of birds waiting to be seen.

Burrowing Owl juveniles

Three Burrowing Owl juveniles

If you have never had the opportunity to photograph Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) juveniles I would suggest you find a burrow and be prepared to laugh yourself silly. The adult Burrowing Owls are gorgeous but they seem slightly less animated than the juveniles.

The three juveniles above were having a group preening session.

Juvenile Burrowing Owl parallaxing

Juvenile Burrowing Owls appear to parallax more than the adults, twisting, turning and bobbing their heads.  There are times that the juvies look so funny it is difficult to hold the camera and lens still because of laughing.

Winking Burrowing Owl juvie

And they wink.

Juvenile Burrowing Owl parallaxing

They can almost turn their heads upside down.

Yawning juvenile Burrowing Owl

They yawn.

Funny Face

They can make the funniest faces.

Grooming juvenile Burrowing Owl

Look for interesting poses when the juvies groom.

If you need a laugh watching these juveniles for a period of time will provide it, I can almost guarantee that.

As for owls and other nesting birds or young chicks please:

• don't harrass, molest, get too close or disturb them
• being too close can often prevent the adults from feeding the chicks
• be aware that your presence could attract predators
• respect local, state and federal laws concerning wildlife

All of these Burrowing Owl images were taken at Antelope Island State Park in northern Utah. None of them were baited.

Mia McPherson

Western Burrowing Owls are on the decline in many areas, I was contacted by Alice Wu of S.T.O.P. (Save the Owls Project) in San Diego about their petition to save Burrowing Owls locally. I created a graphic to link to their site and will soon place that on every existing post I have made on my blog to help their Burrowing Owls.

Save the Owls Project

A New Mexican at The Biggest Week in American Birding

I have recently returned from a week at The Biggest Week in American Birding, a ten-day birding festival in Northwest Ohio. Nothing in my experience as a New Mexico birder prepared me for the dazzling array of migratory warblers that I encountered on the boardwalk at Magee Marsh, located on the south shore of Lake Erie. If you're a birder, you MUST go to The Biggest Week. Kenn and Kim Kaufman and their dedicated team put on a wonderful event. I arrived in Ohio practically foaming at the mouth in anticipation of seeing Eastern Wood Warblers. Although we have many lovely birds New Mexico, there is a notable shortage of warblers.

Nothing in my prior birding experience prepared me for the crowds of birders on the boardwalk at Magee Marsh.

Birders and more birders.

I thought I would hate the crowds. In fact, the birders were friendly and helpful, and they were quick to point out tiny warblers to a New Mexican who was accustomed to looking for much larger birds. The boardwalk at Magee Marsh is as much a social experience as it is a birding experience. Kim and Kenn Kaufman, Jeff and Liz Gordon, Greg Miller and many other well-known birders are on the boardwalk, and they are happy to talk to birders from all over the US.

On my first morning in Ohio I took a photography class from Christopher Taylor. I have followed him on Twitter for over four years, and I was delighted to meet him in person.

Christopher Taylor (far right) and members of the photography group.

I saw many beautiful warblers. Despite the fact that they bounce around rapidly in the leaves, I was able to photograph some of them. Here are a few of the warblers that I saw:

A Yellow Warbler hunts for insects in the leaves.

A Palm Warbler flies by. 

A Hooded Warbler hides in the leaves.

A Prothonotary Warbler announces his presence.

A Black-throated Green Warbler sings from a branch above me.

The Northern Parula is one of the prettiest of the Warblers.

The Yellow-rumped Warbler at least was not a new bird for me.

I love the colors of the Chestnut-sided Warbler.

The Blackburnian Warbler is truly a stunning bird.

It was amazing to see many Magnolia Warblers flitting through the trees at eye level.

Of course we saw other birds besides warblers, although warblers were the main attraction.

These Great-horned Owlets were almost ready to fledge.

A male Rose-breasted Grosbeak looks as if he wants to communicate with the birders …

… although his attention was probably focused on this lovely lady in the trees.

We were excited to see a lovely Scarlet Tanager.

Sharon Stiteler, the BirdChick, digiscoped an Eastern Screech Owl for me with my iPhone.

One morning we had a great deal of excitement when a Kirtland's Warbler was spotted near Magee Marsh. Approximately 300 birders rushed to get a look at the bird. Although I did get good looks at the bird through a spotting scope, I did not get a photo of it. I did, however, get a photo of the crowd that came to look at one tiny bird.

Birders. Lots and lots of birders.

Of course we did not spend all of our time birding. It was also a time to reconnect with birding friends and meet new ones.

Birding girlfriends Dawn Fine, Kelly Riccetti, Linda Rockwell, Sharon Stiteler and Debbie Miller on the boardwalk. Photo courtesy of Paul and Debbie Miller.

Sharon Stiteler, the BirdChick, hosted a Birds & Beers event that was THE social event of the festival.

Kim Kaufman and Sharon Stiteler share a moment at Birds & Beers. It was a fun evening!

I enjoyed meeting birding guide Gunnar Engblom, with whom I shared the house on Lake Erie that I rented for the week.

Gunnar's song "Bird Party" became the unofficial anthem of The Biggest Week.

I cannot forget to mention the views from the patio of my rented house on Lake Erie.  This is the patio overlooking Lake Erie.

Patio of the Lake Erie house. Photo courtesy of Dawn Fine.

From beautiful sunrises …

 … to gorgeous rainbow days …

… to spectacular sunsets …

… it was a wonderful place to stay.

The Biggest Week in American Birding is a spectacular festival. There are many fun things to do, many beautiful birds to see and many wonderful birders to meet. If you haven't been to Northwest Ohio for this festival, you should make plans to attend.

 All photos © Linda Rockwell. Contact corralena@gmail.com for permission.