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May 2011

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From:
Robert Setzer <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Robert Setzer <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 11 May 2011 22:47:44 -0400
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Since I was not deleted from your list by "rambling" on the subject of "pay
as you go", I forward a note I just posted to the Michigan list.

Judy and I had a truly memorable life experience last Sunday and Monday at
Magee and Metzger Marshes. I now know what the guides and others bring to
the "Biggest Week" and will forever want to brave the crowds to participate.
Truly wonderful!

It is obvious that I read your list to anticipate what we might see here in
Michigan, as well as the best times to come down to NW Ohio.

Anyway, it is a small "ramble" - so be it.

The advice is fitting - if y'all do not get out NOW, then you get yard
birds.

Do not miss another fantastic "fall out" at Magee!

"Dr. Bob" Setzer
Streamwood Estates, Rochester Hills (Crooks & Hamlin), Oakland County

"Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day."   Teaching a man to "bird"
is much harder!
Blog: http://drbobsbirdblog.blogspot.com/





-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Setzer [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 10:27 PM
To: 'John Lowry'; [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: [birders] Migration so far

John -

Thanks so much for the reference! For "Kingbird" to reference my words
really made my day!!!

Yes, it has been fantastic for us "newbies" this year - I mean really,
really fantastic! Lifers abound, and I now really know quite a bit about the
warbler section of my field guides. I can identify well over a dozen
warblers based on not only colors and patterns, but also behavior! In the
books they all sort of look the same. Our recent Magee trip added so many
more.

A quick couple of examples I never knew before:
The Black-and-white Warbler acts like a nuthatch on tree trunks.
The Palm Warbler (quite common this year and easily identified) works low in
the bushes and often feeds on the ground away from the trees like a sparrow.



I attribute part of this to a cold "late spring" that inhibited leaf growth.
When the first wave of warblers came through, there were few if any leaves
on the trees. I guess normally the birds tend to migrate heavily when the
leaves - and especially bugs - are coming out. From what I have seen,
sufficient numbers of bugs were out to make stop-over feeding useful, but it
might take a bit longer to store sufficient energy to take flight for the
next leg of the trip. It was great for us!

With the warmer weather - and more bugs - I just wonder how long we will
have to see the "next wave". And the darn leaves are popping so fast as to
make photos or even visuals more challenging, I suspect I will soon have
time to dump my memory cards and post a few pics, but really want more
birds!

I was fascinated by over-hearing a conversation last Sunday at a bait shop
in Port Clinton, Ohio where they moaned the worst walleye season ever
because of the weather. Yup! It was fine for me since now I fish with my
binocs and camera, but very interesting! Cool spring! So very, very cool!!

However, it did put a nix on the scavenging Black-crowned Night Herons we
saw last year on the dumpster at the fish-cleaning station by the Marathon
station west of Port Clinton. I am not sure if the BCNH have not made it
into the area yet or if there is just nothing for them to eat yet.
Interesting.

I suspect that many of the wonderful warblers we have locally seen recently
headed elsewhere with the change in the weather - today was a very slow day
for us on a couple of walks.

Yet, since I rarely even identified a warbler before last year, I have
really been astounded that I really could see and identify them in such
numbers this year - certainly the best for us!

For me, it is interesting reading Ohio list reports, and hoping they drop in
here soon thereafter. It is really interesting hearing about such massive
amounts of migrating birds that they can even be seen on radar! Whew! That
is really a heck of a lot of birds! Based on radar and weather, Ohio (ref
Kenn Kaufman and Mary Warren reports among others) expects a huge drop-out
tomorrow and Friday.

All reports indicate great birding at Magee Marsh tomorrow and Friday -
probably thru the weekend. If it works anything like the "first wave" (who
ever knew birds migrate in two main waves?), we also should pick up some
goodies in our areas in the next few days.

After that, we get mostly our locals.

So, wear out the warbler pages of your field guides now! And, without much
experience, I am guessing for a week or so - everywhere here. If you miss
it, you missed it! And, right now they really do look like the pics in the
books! Cool!

Yes, John thanks ... and an echo of your echo: get out there ... NOW! These
guys are just "fly-bys". Today was slow here, but tomorrow ...? I always
tend to procrastinate, but I learned last year that when flighty things want
to present themselves to you, you only have a very brief window of
opportunity. I really have nothing scheduled for the next week beyond
birding.

Maybe it will not be as fantastic as the last two weeks, yet ...

And, I also encourage everyone to participate in the IMBD (you have seen the
county appeals on the list) this Saturday. Really - even if it is just your
feeder birds, they will all count!
http://www.fws.gov/birds/imbd/
Contact your county coordinator as posted on our list.

As IMBD site suggests:
Go Wild, Go Birding!

And I echo - do it NOW!


"Dr. Bob" Setzer
Streamwood Estates, Rochester Hills (Crooks & Hamlin), Oakland County

"Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day."   Teaching a man to "bird"
is much harder!
Blog: http://drbobsbirdblog.blogspot.com/







-----Original Message-----
From: John Lowry [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 8:28 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [birders] Migration so far

At the risk of "spoiling the no-hitter" (for you baseball fans):

It is my postulate that we are enjoying one of the better spring migrations
in the past few years.  Sure, it's still early, but the timing of weather
events has to be just right for these migrants to fall in our laps, and they
are!

In the words of Dr. Bob, "...get out there!...".  This doesn't happen every
year.

John Lowry


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