Chirps and Cheeps

I just had two opportunities to go and do a little southerntier birding.

My first trip was a birding quest out of simple curiosity to see how Lake Erie State Park was in the fall. I found it to be quite beautiful and surprisingly "birdy" for this late September date. Warblers were still around, although eBird flagged the Magnolia I found as being a late date. An Ovenbird was the first warbler I came upon and he popped right up in response to a little pishing. I'm including his poor photo only because he was so cute - my photo doesn't do the little guy justice!

I was pleased to find several thrushes and I even managed a poor photo of a Gray-cheeked Thrush - again, only because I was glad to have gotten it!  I totally dipped on the very photogenic Wood Thrush that presented itself right out in the open for several seconds.  I kept hoping he'd stay right there as I fumbled with my camera but alas, he grew impatient with me and left just as I started to raise it!

White-throated Sparrows abounded but no other sparrows of interest (White-crowned, Fox, or Lincoln's).

The next day, coincidentally, I was called upon to babysit my grandkiddies who live down in Angola. After Mom and Dad got home, my daughter, Kate and I birded the woods behind their house. It was a leisurely stroll with several nice finds, including a Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Blue-headed Vireo (life bird for Kate), Purple Finch, and a Gray Catbird (my granddaughter's favorite!).