We had 26 folks on the Gorge Overlook field trip on Saturday. Best bird: A very cooperative Canada warbler.
This is how you get warbler neck.We saw nearly 160 species in this fascinating hunk of special habitat (three glaciers met here a few thousand of years ago and made the landforms and subsequent plant and animal life a very north-meets-south feel.)
This river of sycamores (full of yellow-throated warblers) exactly follows the contour of the river itself.I'm home now and weary. But we had us a good old time. Steve McKee lectured about Mohican's birds and plants on Friday. Donald Kroodsma lectured about bird songs and sounds on Saturday. Our brains grew. The coffers of OOS's Conservation Fund also grew by $1,800 thanks to the generous bidding on the silent auction items (and only a little coercion from me while at the podium).
A pair of wood ducks that sat tamely while we took photos from the van.Since I was leading field trips on Sat. and Sun. I did not carry the big Canon camera. It's too heavy and besides, it's hard to lead a field trip AND take photos. So I've got lots of grab shots and a single keeper digiscoped image.
My only decent digiscoped image: a rough-winged swallow photographed from the covered bridge .
While waiting for the veery we lost ourselves in the skunk cabbage.
Group shot of Sunday's field trip. The gorge is in the background.My favorite bird of the weekend? The veery we got last of all this afternoon just near a huge patch of skunk cabbage. He sang and preened and veered. And sat still for me to get him in the spotting scope for my group.
And the sun sets over Mohican's main lake on another great OOS convention.
7 comments:
It was a great weekend! Thanks for all you did to make it so, BT3!
Bill,
What a great experience we all had this weekend. Thank you for the patience, guidance, insight and humor you shared with those of us who were on the trips you led. It was REALLY fun and I can't wait for another one~!
Annie:
It was a treat having you there at Mohican. Ain't Ohio birding fun? We slipped a special tablet into your bottle of water so you won't be able to resist the urge to join the OOS. Hope you'll become a regular. Resistance is futile after all...BOTB
Hey Bill,
It was nice seeing you again. That was a great conference. The humor really added to it!
What a blast! Great birds, good people, and lots of laughs too. Oh. And there were some awesome presentations and talks as well. Thanks so much for your part in it.
S.
I think i see my bird buddy Trish in your group photos, and I hope she behaved! Ohio birding is great - esp. the colorful warblers and tanagers - which i'm missing in the Old World. Spring pilgrimmage might be the ticket!
Well, Canadians do try to be helpful.
Post a Comment