Fall Migration…the next wave
Migration through Ohio continues to wind down and they are well on their way to their wintering destinations. Some have come and gone already and some are just now arriving in Ohio. Check out these recent photos for some of the action.
Owl Festival
I highly recommend the Kelleys Island Owl Festival, held each year in November to learn more about bird banding and enjoy an amazing experience getting up close and personal with these beautiful Saw-whet Owls. They are later migrants through Ohio and some will stay with us through winter while others will head further south.
Headed for a Party
Sandhill Cranes migrate through Ohio in the fall to their wintering grounds in southern United States and Mexico. If you really want to see a Sandhill Crane migration PARTY, they apparently queue up in Jasper County, Indiana and have been estimated to number in the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS in late November. I hope they have enough snacks to go around.
Les Juncos est arrivé!
Dark-eyed Juncos are welcome visitors to my feeders in November and will stay through the winter. They typically show up in November and can be seen hopping around on the ground. Their plumage is variable across the United States, sometimes showing up with a lot more brown than our Ohio juncos which typically are more gray.
More Warblers
Fall of 2021 was an amazing time for warberling in Ohio. Ok if it’s not a word, it should be.
Never made the cut
I was on quite the mission in the fall to get a better picture of a Nashville Warbler than what I had in the original edition of my Migration book. Despite many attempts, the best one of fall 2021 never turned out better than 2020. Mindfulness at its finest, ladies and gentlemen.
Warbler Mania, again
I was a bit surprised yet grateful to see this Palm Warbler at Kelleys Island when I was there in early November for the Owl Fest. This was the only one I saw but it perched nicely for me for this photo as it was probably warming its feathers in the unusually warm temperatures and sun. As its name suggests, it is probably headed to someplace like Florida to perch in a palm tree. Lucky!
Cool Eyeliner
As with many things in life, I’m still learning, especially how to tell warblers apart. And especially especially how to tell fall warblers apart. A Tennessee has a strong eyeline which I’m starting to recognize more consistently.
Bright and Bold
ln the spring, these guys are even brighter with rufous coloring around their eyes. I’d say this guy is still pretty bright and beautiful, considering. He along with several other warbler varieties were hanging out in berry bushes.
Zorro
Common Yellowthroats were one of the first warblers I learned because the males have the Zorro mask going on. And they are, well, common. I always wonder if birds that have the name “common” in their name take offense. Let’s hope not.
What’s in a Name
In the spring particularly, the male American Redstart has bright reddish orange patches that make them fairly easily identifiable. The “start” part of the name is from old English, the word for tail.