I just returned from The Biggest Week in American Birding, 2013 edition. If you haven't been, this is a wonderful festival on the south shore of Lake Erie in northwestern Ohio, held in May of every year.
The birds are fabulous, and the Ohio birders are wonderful and welcoming. You should go!
Everyone goes to see the many warblers that rest and feed at and around Magee Marsh to prepare to fly north over Lake Erie. They decorate the trees like lovely jewels.
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| Blackburnian Warbler male |
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| Blackburnian Warbler female |
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| Palm Warbler |
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| Chestnut-sided Warbler |
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| Northern Parula |
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| Nashville Warbler |
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| Cape May Warbler |
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| Black-throated Green Warbler |
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| American Redstart |
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| Black-and-white Warbler |
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| Bay-breasted Warbler |
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| Magnolia Warbler |
There were, of course, many other lovely warblers. With some I missed the shot entirely; with others my photos turned out badly. I was disappointed that I saw no Prothonotary Warblers, as they were my favorite warblers last year. Perhaps their arrival was delayed by the late spring. I will look forward to hearing their cheery song next year.
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| Prothonotary Warbler |
Warblers weren't the only birds that attracted attention. One of my favorites was this American Woodhen with chicks. Her nest was near the parking lot. Although this image looks close, I used my enhanced point and shoot at the equivalent of 840 mm. The image is heavily cropped.
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| American Woodhen and chicks |
CBS News Sunday Morning was filming at The Biggest Week. I love this photo of Kimberly Kaufman and Serena Altschul, Contributing Correspondent to CBS Sunday Morning. The story is scheduled to air on May 26, 2013.
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| Kimberly Kaufman and Serena Altschul |
This New Mexican took about 40 pounds of New Mexican food to Ohio. I hosted a New Mexican dinner for The Biggest Week blog team one evening. The following morning I took New Mexico breakfast burritos to the boardwalk at Magee Marsh. You may recognize this birder behind the burrito.
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| Greg Miller y NM breakfast burrito. (Photo credit Donna Madrid-Simonetti) |
The Biggest Week is over for another year. I am already looking forward to next year's festival. If you did not attend this year, you should certainly make arrangements to attend next year. Please be sure to visit me at Casa Nuevo Mexico en Ohio!
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| Lake Erie sunset |
Wonderful images Linda , it really sounds like a great time. I hope to be able to make it in the next year or 2
ReplyDeleteYou really should attend. It's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteNicely done
ReplyDeleteThanks Kerry! :-)
DeleteGreat photos, Linda! I missed the Prothonotary Warblers this year too. The photo of Kim and Serena is wonderful, and Greg is making me hungry for more of your fabulous cooking. xoxo ~Kim
ReplyDeleteIt was such fun meeting you Kim! You're just going to have to come to NM for NM birds and NM food!
DeleteMajestic birds.
ReplyDeleteYes, they are. It's wonderful to see them in the trees!
DeleteLovely photos! Really will try to come next year
ReplyDeleteThank you Nigella. Yes, you should definitely make plans to attend. The Ohio birds and Ohio birders are wonderful!
DeleteHoping for 2014!! But one never knows what's around the bend . . .
ReplyDeleteLove the photos; drooling over the food! - Robin
It's really a wonderful festival. Happy you like the photos. The food was delicious!
DeleteI feel like I attended just from reading your post and viewing the images Linda!
ReplyDeleteI didn't even scratch the surface with that post. The birds! The birders! The fun! The total experience!! You should go Mia. You won't regret it.
DeleteIt was great seeing you again! I think your burritos are turning into a biggest week tradition! Delicious! I really love all these photos, those baby woodcocks really melt your heart! Wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely to see you and Paul at the festival! And those burritos were a good fit for the boardwalk. We'll definitely have to do that again next year. :-)
DeleteGorgeous warblers galore! Sounds like you had a wonderful time at this event. Beautiful images of so many lovely warblers! Love the sweet baby woodcocks nestling with their mom.
ReplyDeleteThank you Julie. It is really an excellent event! I had so much fun seeing the beautiful Ohio birds and the wonderful Ohio birders. Those baby woodcocks melted my heart!
DeleteWonderful! Love your bird photos but...I have to say my very favorite photo is Greg Miller enjoying your breakfast burrito ...pure pleasure!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lovely Dawn. I love that photo too. Makes me smile every time I see it! :-)
DeleteI love your photos of the marvelous survivors of yet another spring migration! Seeing all the weather and the fallouts here on South Padre Island this year, the exhaustion and hunger that these small creatures have to deal with, has left me in awe of the whole experience. By the time they reach Ohio, I'm sure they would have crazy stories to tell if they could talk! Of the huge numbers of warblers this year, Prothonatarys were a much smaller group here, as were the Parulas. Huge numbers of Hooded, Tennessee, and Nashville, with good numbers of the rest. Your New Mexico night sounds way fun and am hoping you reinact in for our Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival! If you want to do it at my house, which is large, you are welcome to do so. Can't wait to see you!
ReplyDeleteThank you Claire. I agree, migration is truly a miracle. I will do a New Mexico night for the RGVBF. If I can't find an appropriate house to rent, I will take you up on your offer to to it at your house, as the casita would be totally inadequate. I'm sure you have appropriate cooking things too, which would make it easier. Can't wait to see you as well!
DeleteTerrific. I can see that you had another great visit to Ohio this year, Linda. You saw and photographed a great diversity of birds. I've got to admit, I'd be a bit excited about the burritos too! I'll soon be visiting the other side of Lake Erie at Long Point, I think. Perhaps I'll see some of those warblers there.
ReplyDeleteI hope those warblers wait for you Scott! All of the New Mexico food was quite well
Deletereceived in Ohio. :-)