Chasing Away The Chill

Chasing Away The Chill, a photo by JKissnHug - Been busy birding on Flickr.

Warm wishes to all and Happy Holidays

Weeping Willow At The Shores

Weeping Willow At The Shores, a photo by JKissnHug on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
As I walked the trails at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford Estate during the Detroit & Oakland Audubon Society Conservation Symposium, I was captivated by this scene of a Weeping Willow reflecting off the water in a canal off of Lake St. Clair. I imagined myself as a youngster growing up on that fine estate playing in the woods and swimming in the lake on this magnificent property. I am thankful that the Ford Family has preserved the estate for generations of future visitors like myself and others.

Lake St Clair Sunrise at the Edsel Ford Estate

Lake St Clair Sunrise at the Edsel Ford Estate, a photo by JKissnHug on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
I attended the Detroit & Oakland Audubon Societies Conservation Symposium on Saturday, September 29. The first activity of the day was a sunrise bird walk on the estate grounds. We found numerous migrating birds

Busy Shorebird - Short-billed Dowitcher

Busy Shorebird - Short-billed Dowitcher, a photo by JKissnHug on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Being a subscriber to the University of Michigan Bird Listers is a great resource for local rare bird sightings. A birder friend found this Short-billed Dowitcher at our local park and posted it to the e-mail service. I grabbed my gear and off I went to find this shorebird and add it to my life list of birds. With the extreme dry weather we are experiencing, the normally wet pond at Long Park was drying up exposing new mud flats for the migrating shorebirds to probe for food.

Lilly Pads At Dusk

Lilly Pads At Dusk, a photo by JKissnHug on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Severe weather often brings a colorful glow to the evening sky. The sky was alive with color and pattern as a cold front swept out ninety degree temperatures and produced a double rainbow and a magnificent western sky aglow with spectacular color and pattern.

Catching A Few Zzzzs

Catching A Few Zzzzs, a photo by JKissnHug on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
I encountered this male Sandhill Crane while out walking the trails at Kensington Metropark. I watched him as he preened and occasionally nibbled at insects on the ground. What was very surprising when he closed his eyes and took a brief nap while I sat and watched from a few feet away. Here he is catching a few Zzzzs, as I calmly took his photo.

Kirtland Warbler - Female

Kirtland Warbler - Female, a photo by JKissnHug on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
I had the birding experience of a lifetime when a female Kirtland's Warbler made an appearance at the Biggest Week in American Birding at Magee Marsh in Oak Harbor, Ohio. A group of Mennonite birders found her in the willows along Estuary Trail at Magee Marsh. A friend of mine sent out a message, via Twitter, of their discovery and the bird chase was on. Hundreds of birders at the Magee Marsh exited the boardwalk and made a mile long dash to the location of the warbler.

Myself, and two birder friends walked over a mile to find this bird of a lifetime.

I was fortunate be able to get into a spot where I could capture a few open shots of her as she dashed around in the thick understory of the willows.

I have never been in such awe of the patience and kindness of fellow birders who took the time to show all of the birders where to find her in the deep cover of the marsh.

Thank you to my new and old friends who shared in this exciting birding experience at Magee Marsh.