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.

Warbler Mania is Headed Your Way!

Magnolia Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Blue-winged Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Nashville Warbler

American Redstart

Stokes Field Guide to Warblers

Here they come! Migrating warblers and other songbirds have gone through FL and southern areas and now are in the middle of the country and beginning to flood into the upper part of the country. Be on the lookout for these beauties at your nearest birding hotspot. For help identifying the warblers you will see, get one of our field guides to birds or our Stokes Field Guide to Warblers, it is super easy to use and the color tabs will help you find your bird. Have fun and tell us what warblers you find!

Tennessee and Blackburnian Warblers, Sanibel Lighthouse Today.

Blackburnian Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Tennessee Warbler

These  showed up today at the Sanibel Lighthouse Park, Sanibel, FL, migrants who crossed the Gulf of Mexico! The Tennessee was eating the fruits of the fig trees there. Birders were thrilled with the beauty of the Blackburnian.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak and warblers are migrating!

Beautiful, male, Rose-breasted Grosbeak at our feeder. Can't get enough of this bird. Attract them with sunflower seed and a feeder with a wide enough ledge or perch to accommodate their size. These birds (as well as many warblers, vireos, thrushes and more) are migrating through many places now. Photo taken with my new Canon SX 40 HS camera.

We've been birding every chance we get, since this is peak migration time for much of the middle and northern parts of the country. In the East, warblers are coming through big time. Get out and go birding, even in between raindrops, as many birds will stay grounded during rain. Check your own property, as well as known birding hotspots near you. Here are some of the beautiful warblers we have been seeing.

Blackburnian Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

Nashville Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

This weekend we are participating in the NH Audubon Birdathon fundraiser, where participants try and see how many species they can see in a day. Hope the skies clear and there are lots of migrants. Wish us luck!