Catching a Bird of the Feathered Variety

 As I was taking pictures of the planes, I noticed some birds nearby.

It wasn't too close but telephoto with some blowing up helps.  I think this is a house finch.

A Couple of Cormorants Fly By

 As I am waiting for boats, these guys always fly by.

I just love the way they skim the surface of the water.

I think they are pretty cool.

This one was making sounds.

Another shot.

One more before the next ship.

 There was one ship that I wanted to catch and that was mainly because she was heading up the Rouge River.  I like catching ships on the Rouge River because it gives a nice backdrop.

While I was waiting for the ship in question, I saw this guy walking around on the ground.

I quickly realized it was a young robin.

I don't think I've seen a young robin like this before.  I know that I've seen them younger but not quite ready to wander around like this guy.

I kind of like how they sort of look like the adult bird, but not quite.

No Dice On the Warbler

 So I decided to head up to Mio today.  I was hoping to catch a Kirtland Warbler.

I thought that I might have one until I looked closer at this guy.  I think I saw a couple fly by but they never landed in a spot where I could get a picture of one.  I'm not sure what kind of bird this is but he looks pretty cool.

A Feathered Bird at the Aluminum Aviary

 I decided to go to the aluminum aviary tonight.  It has been a while since I was there.  There is a new airline servicing Detroit and I had to get pictures.

While I was waiting for the first plane, I saw this guy land in front of me, so I had to get a picture of him.

A Cormorant Comes in for a Landing

 These pictures were taken while I was waiting for the next ship.

The cormorant is one of my favorite birds.  Usually I see them skimming by.  This time I happened to see it starting to land.  I love the way they look when they land.

With a splash of water, the fowl creature lands.

Sandhill Cranes on River Road

 After I got my room, I decided to head up to Bay City.  I heard that there was a bunch of eagles somewhere, so I was hoping to catch them.

I decided to head to Bay City using River Road.  Mainly because I usually see eagles there as well.

I did see some eagles but I was not in a spot where I could get pictures as they were flying over.  By the time I stopped and grabbed my camera, they would be gone.  It was said because based on other pictures I saw, I think one of them may have been a golden eagle.  I'm not sure as I've not heard of goldens in Michigan but you never know.

I went to the spot where people said they were but there were none and the lot was pretty dodgy.  I didn't want to get stuck there.

So I headed back.  I did see one flying over that spot but again, but the time I got my camera out, it would have been gone.

So I used River Road to get back to I-75.  I saw an eagle but it was across the river, so not a very good shot.  As I was about to get back to I-75, I saw some sandhill cranes.  It was pretty cool except they were not in a great spot to photograph.   But I like my pictures though even if you see some of the branches in front of them.

A Feathered Avian at the Aluminum Aviary

 I didn't really feel like doing much for photography today but it was a nice sunny day, so I figured it would be a good day for the aluminum aviary.  While I was waiting for my first plane, I saw this guy.

It turns out that it was a starling.  I liked the way he was reflecting in the little puddle in front of him.

I really liked the way the sun was bringing out all his colors.

A Mourning Dove

 I decided to head up to the Soo for the rest of the weekend.  On the way up, I decided to stop in Mio.  I was hoping to catch a Kirtland's warbler.  Especially since I think my chances of catching one this year becoming slimmer.

I didn't get a Kirtland warbler but I did get this guy.  He's a mourning dove.

Catching a Cormorant

 As I was waiting for the Michipicoten on Belle Isle, I saw this guy passing by.

Sadly, this was the only picture I could get of him.  My autofocus wasn't feeling particularly cooperative.  Oh well.  I was still happy to catch my happy place bird.

Catching a Sparrow

 One of the things I like about boatwatching is the occasional bits of nature.

This sparrow landed near me as I was taking pictures of the Munson.  I had to get a picture of it.

Whereupon I Catch a Scarlet Tanager Instead

 So I went to one of the spots where I could see a Kirtland warbler and I did end up seeing one but I didn't have my camera ready.  By the time I got my camera ready, he flew off.  So I went to some other spots to see if I could find one.

When I came back to the spot where I saw the Kirtland warbler, I didn't see another one but I did see this guy.

This is a scarlet tanager and it turns out that they are fairly rare but I have seen one before.  I saw one at Ottawa Wildlife Preserve a couple weeks ago.

My mom says that many birders will go a lifetime before they see one.  So I guess I'm lucky.

Catching a Robin

 As I was waiting for the next ship, I saw this gal.

At least I think it's a gal.

If I recall, females have an orange breast.  

Males are more reddish.

I'm sure there are some other differences.

But it was nice to catch a robin.

A Cormorant a Day

I saw one of these passing by.  I wish I could have caught it sooner because it was flying the closest I've ever seen one.

 I call them my happy place bird because it seems like the only place I see them are in places that I call my happy places.  They don't venture too far inland, so they usually are just skimming across the river.  Usually where I see these, I catch ships.

A Cormorant Flies By

 I always see these guys fly by.

And I try to get a picture when possible.  They fly by so fast sometimes though.

A Grackle Wanders Around Belle Isle

 I decided to head over to Belle Isle on Sunday.  I saw that I had a chance to catch the ships that I only got drone shots of on Saturday.  Plus it was a nicer day.

As I was waiting for my first ship to appear, I saw this guy just standing around.  Decided to get some pictures of him.  I kind of liked the reflections off his head.

A Grebe

 As I was waiting for the next ship, I saw this guy.  I thought it was a baby cormorant because it kind of looked like one.

I posted a picture on a bird group and I found out that it was grebe.  When I looked up a grebe, I realized this isn't even a baby one.  It still looked like a pretty neat bird.

A Pair of Cormorants

 I love it when I catch these birds.  Since they seem to hang around the spots where I can ships, I call them my happy spot bird.  I think they are even more so of a happy spot bird than seaguls.

Anyway, they weren't skipping over the water like they usually do.  Unfortunately, I was shooting in the direction of the sun in this picture.

My First Cormorant of the Season

 I would have to say that one of my favorite birds is the cormorant.  I love how they just sort of skip along the top of the water.  They also look like they are link between bird and dinosaur.  They also have a pretty unique look to them.

When winter hits, they fly down to Florida, northern Mexico and Cuba.  Some of them stick around the southern US states.  When spring comes they head back up this way.  They typically breed in the northern middle states, Lake Superior and around here.  At any rate, I was happy to see my first of the season.

Trying to Catch the Snowy Owls....

 I headed up to Fish Point today.  I was hoping that I would see some snowy owls.  It's getting near the point where I will no longer be able to see them until next year.  There used to be a large group dedicated to the snowy owl on Facebook but it was taken down as too many people were visiting Fish Point to see them.  It's possible that might have spooked them but it's also possible they have migrated back to wherever they come from.  Anyway....

Obviously this is a sparrow and not a snowy owl.  I thought I might have seen a couple snowy owls but if I did they were too far away to get a decent picture of them.  This guy (or gal) was sort of on the side of the road and hamming it up for the camera.  Sadly I think my camera was focusing on the perch and not the bird, so the focus is not the greatest.

I also saw a pair of hawks that was hunting near the road but they kept flying away as I approached them.  I think it would have been a cool picture if I could have got one of them.

I'm pretty sure I saw another hawk but he flew away before I could get a picture of him.  And of course, I saw some lining the freeway on the way up but I couldn't really stop there.

So I guess I'll have to settle for a sparrow.