Day 1 of MY Biggest Week - Saturday, 5/3: On the way to Magee Marsh, I drove down Krause road (you never know what you'll see) and saw two Immature Bald Eagles PLAYING in the sky. I watched them about 10 minutes and took pictures. They were having so much fun and I enjoyed watching them bump into each other on purpose, try to grab each other, and rise and fall! I also got an awesome shot of one in front of the Moon! Check out the pictures!

I headed to Magee Marsh and birded with new friend Dianne on the Boardwalk from 10am til about 12:45pm. I then headed to Maumee Bay State Park to volunteer with the packet assembly and did lots of name badges! We got done early, so I called Hubby to see if the trailer was set up yet (he had a PET scan in the morning) and he just got finished, so we met in Oregon, OH at B-dubs for a late lunch! I hit Aldi's for some refrigerator stuff, then birded by car til around 6pm. I saw a Mute Swan sitting on her nest, 8 species of Warblers (best was a Blue-winged!), and a Woodcock really close-up, What a day! My husband set up the trailer inside to look just like a hotel, with my PJ's folded on the bed an even my clothes put away! Love him! Our angry Cardinal that we parked next to last year survived the winter and is still beating up our home :)

Day 2 Biggest Week - Sunday, 5/4: Our lovely Cardinal woke me up at dawn hitting the window over and OVER AND OVER :). Time to get up! I had a leisurely morning drinking coffee and updating FB and my website. But on to today...

I never thought today would be a TWO OWL, new bird (Golden-winged Warbler), beaver knock-down fight, kind of day! I did the Ottawa NWR auto tour twice – first thing in the morning and just before it closed at 4pm. I saw the cutest Great Horned Owlets in a tree! I got to see Chestnut-sided, Nashville and 2014 new bird #9/life bird #375 – a Golden-winged Warbler! I looked for one on the boardwalk and saw this one just as I was leaving the auto tour. I also saw an up-close Wilson's Phalarope (female) on the auto tour! Take a look at a couple of beaver-Kung-FU fighting pictures (also on the auto tour).

Early to bed for banding in the morning! Wonder if lots of birds will be banded?

Day 3 Biggest Week – Monday, 5/5:

I beat the Cardinal up this morning LOL! Something to add to last night – David heard a Whip-poor-will in our yard at midnight, so I have a new Yard Bird! Yeah Honey! He also said we got our first Baltimore Oriole at home today! He said “You just crazy”! I saw a Rose-breasted Grosbeak at BSBO. I'm sure they are on their way to our house!

The first bird I heard out the door this morning was an Eastern Meadowlark!

For my friend Rita – Hugh's Eagle was sitting in OUR tree this morning! We banded a good number of birds today and I worked from 7:45am-2pm! I was able to walk 3 times to the back nets (beating last time of 2 runs!). I asked the manager if I could take a picture with my favorite Vireo – a White-eyed and she said yes (they are so small!) See the cute picture (it's a work day, so my hair's a mess :)! We banded a Great-crested Flycatcher today! The BSBO banding station operates under government guidelines (USFWS) and no birds are harmed in the banding process.

After banding, I got some coffee and drove the Auto tour again at Ottawa NWR. This time, I saw American Pipets, an awesome Northern Shoveler duck and the Owlets in a tree (the bigger one is shadowing his smaller sibling). It looked like rain most of the day, but never did! Tomorrow is the day my 3 non-birder friends are coming down so that us Warbler ladies can show them some awesome birds. Can't wait to see their faces!