#140

*Ok, I wrote this up last night and didn't feel like going back and switching all the tenses. So here you go!*

Just wanted to let you all know that I got my butt up at 5:45 and it was...disappointing. I was so amped up--- "yes! I'm gonna get up early, and I'm gonna see some wicked birds!" But besides seeing all the same birds as yesterday, it was flippin' cold! I wouldn't have survived without a hot cup of Tim's in my hands, and as soon as my coffee cup was empty my hands got cold and I went home. I don't know if the sun just didn't come up at the right angle or what, but the birds apparently didn't hear the alarm clock go off and I didn't see any advantage at all to getting up that early! Well, ok, I did see one bird that I hadn't seen the day before and that was a new one for 2011: A black-throated green warbler.

Black-throated green warbler. Looks more yellow to me.

Matt got this excellent shot of a chipping sparrow sitting on our fence

I did go out again later in the day and got some great looks at a few black-and-white warblers, which is a bird I was looking for. They were not timid at all, but that doesn't mean they didn't hide under all kinds of brush! They are funny to watch because they behave almost like nuthatches.

I observed them with a woman who was also at Mud Lake; I had my camera (as always). She made the comment that "I see you guys and think you should try and come without your cameras once in a while and just enjoy the birds," which kind of peeved me (I know, we've gone over this before!). But anyways, first of all it annoyed me because it goes back to the birders vs. photographers vs. birder-photographers thing. Secondly, who's to say how you should go about enjoying your birds? You know, it's like coffee; we all take it different. Anyways, it makes me think of one of my fave songs of all time, and I sort of agree in a way, but urgh...I got frustrated. You're not better just because you only carry binos! We're all here because we like birds, we're all enjoying it and experiencing it in our own ways.

Ok, let's get back to what's important here: the bird, and make that a lifer! I just love this little "zebra bird"!
#140: Black-and-white warbler; Mud Lake, Ottawa; May 8, 2011

I also saw lots of palm warblers. I'm letting myself post more pics because these birds are still new to me as of yesterday, so still quite exciting! Not sure how I completely missed them last year!



harooooo!

I also made a stop at Andrew Hayden Park and checked out the ducks in the pond, hoping to bag the two scaups. Saw scaups, but I'm still having a hard time telling lesser from greater. Hopefully they'll be on here soon.

Well, I'm curious to know if anyone out there subscribes to any birdwatching magazines? Because I just found this cool section on Birdwatching magazine's website (especially one article on identifying songbirds from below), but you have to be a subscriber. Does anybody subscribe to this mag and is it good?

Happy mother's day! And it looks like we'll have lots more mothers out there....cuz birds are doin it everywhere!!!

I'm curious to hear how the OFNC outing from Thurso to Plaisance went. I had planned to go to it but had a photoshoot scheduled in the afternoon and wasn't sure I'd make it back in time. However, there are two OFNC outings this weekend. I really wanted to go on the Chaffey's Lock one, but it has limited space and I just got an email that there was no space left for me. I'm very upset...the hope of cerulean warbler, yellow- and black-billed cuckoo, indigo bunting, scarlet tanager, blue-gray gnatcher was too good to be true. :(