Stokes At Biggest Week in American Birding, Magee Marsh, OH, May 16th!

Black-throated Green Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Golden-winged Warbler

Nashville Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

Birders on boardwalk at Magee Marsh

We have been seeing beautiful migrant warblers coming into Florida for weeks and they and we are headed to The Biggest Week in American Birding Festival, Magee Marsh, Ohio "the warbler capital of the world." The festival is organized by Black Swamp Bird Observatory. Beautiful eye candy warblers gather on the south shore of Lake Erie before crossing and birders view them at close range from a boardwalk that runs through the important stop-over habitat at Magee Marsh woods.  We are giving a keynote talk there on Sat. May 16th at 4 pm and we will lead a special bird walk on Sun. May 17th at 8 am (for which you can register now). The festival runs from May 8-17th with lots of trips, speakers, birding vendors, warbler viewing and fun. We hope to see you there.

Flyover Land in FL, Migrants heading to TX

 Cape May Warbler

 Tennessee Warbler

 Worm-eating Warbler

 Indigo Bunting males

 Blackburnian Warbler

Black-billed Cuckoo, not usually seen here

Down here in SW FL we are in flyover land, since good weather and southerly winds give neotropical migrant birds no reason to land and linger here. Many birds are flooding into the upper Gulf Coast and TX and, due to some of the storms and rain there, some of the birds are landing, giving birders in places like High Island, TX some nice views. Above are some of the photos taken at the Sanibel Lighthouse Park, Sanibel, FL, last April when weather conditions favored more birds landing here. Good weather is good for the birds, not so much for birders. Next week, if there are some storms and northerly winds some migrants may stop at Sanibel Lighthouse and other SW FL migrant traps, to rest and refuel. Maybe then we will see more birds. Meanwhile, we are glad for the bird that have the good weather that speed them to their northern breeding grounds.

Waiting for Migrants

Blue-winged Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Summer Tanager

Waiting for more migrants to arrive in Florida. Migration has just begun. Photos are from last April at Sanibel lighthouse park, Sanibel, FL.

Happy Easter Bunnies!

The Eastern Cottontail lives mainly in the eastern two thirds of the U.S.

The Marsh Rabbit is found in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains of the U.S. and throughout Florida. It is a strong swimmer and found close to water.

Happy Easter!!

Swainson's Warbler Bonanza, and Young Birders!

Swainson's Warbler

They forage for insects under leaf litter

Ben, Nathaniel, Lillian

Can you get enough of seeing Swainson's Warbler?s I don't think so. It may not be as pretty as other warblers, but it is a hard one to see and at least three were at the Sanibel Lighthouse park, Sanibel, FL as of yesterday, a near record for there. This Swainson's Warbler was there this morning making many birders happy including these avid young birders and photographers, Nathaniel (age 14) and Ben (age 12) Abrahams who told me they have our The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region field guide. I love meeting young birders who are enthusiastic and excited about seeing birds, these young birders are the future of birding and bird conservation! For the ground level photo, I was sitting on the ground next to Ben and Nathaniel trying to get some shots of the bird as it foraged in the dark shadows. Cool fun!

Great Migration Sanibel, FL already, eye-candy warblers

Prothonotary Warbler, male

Prothonotary Warbler, female

Hooded Warbler, male

Hooded Warbler, male

Northern Parula Warbler, female

White-eyed Vireo

Cave Swallow

White-eyed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Eye candy migrant warblers and more have come into the Sanibel Lightouse park on Sanibel Island, in SW Florida already. Still so many more to come.