Posts in Category: Magee Marsh
Prothonotary
Prothonotary Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2025 — I had barely stepped out on to the boardwalk on my first day at the Biggest Week in American Birding (after my first Point’nShoot for Warblers workshop) when this Prothonotary Warbler came hopping through the low bushes and landed on the edge of boardwalk right at the feet of a dozen birders (and photographers), in the shade of the bottom rail. Prothonotaries are one of those birds that are just supremely confident of their place in the world. They are willing to share it with us, but it is very much their world. I find it refreshing to be put in my place once in a while. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent and about as close as the lens will focus. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Not a warbler
Scarlet Tanager: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2025 — Though warblers are the stars of the seasonal show at Magee, the tanagers are pretty hard to miss. This is either an immature male coming into its first adult plumage, or an adult male not quite out of eclipse plumage…with a bit of yellow still showing. A stunning bird either way. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Bay-breasted
Bay-breasted Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2025 — I struggled to get my Bay-breasted shot for this year. The first days I was at Magee, they just were not around, and then, when they arrived, the foliage made it very hard to get a good photograph, and I never did see one as close as I would like. Maybe next year 🙂 That is the wonder of Magee. It keeps you coming back, despite the crowds. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Black and white
Black and White Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2025 — There were some rare warblers in the marsh yesterday, along with the highest number of individuals of species I have already seen this year, and several species I had not seen yet. I did not manage to get a photo of any of rarities, but I did manage some decent photos of several of the species missing from my collection for this year. This Black and White Warbler entertained us at one the spots where birders were gathered to wait the resighting of a Hooded Warbler (which I am pretty sure never did reappear). Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Chestnut close
Chestnut-sided Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2025 — Another warbler that is generally cooperative…always available for at least one full frame portrait at Magee, is the Chestnut-sided. A very appealing warbler with its pattern of rust and black and white with yellow highlights. I have not yet gotten a full unobstructed view this year, mainly because the foliage is so far advanced that such views are almost impossible to get, but the warblers are doing their part. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Another most wanted
Magnolia Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2025 — I suppose I do have a most wanted list in my head when I come to the Biggest Week in American Birding on the Erie Shore of Ohio. I am happy to see anything I see, and I would love to see a Kirtlands or a Canada (birds I have rarely seen) or a Worm-eating (which I have never seen) but I don’t really expect to see any of those, so I am not disappointed to come home without a photo. However I would be more than a little disappointed to come home without a new photo of a Magnolia Warbler, or a Blackburnian, or a Chestnut-sided. These regular warblers are on my most wanted list because I do expect to see them and they are often possible to photograph well. I went 3 days without my Magnolia and I was beginning to wonder, but yesterday I walked up on one feeding close and low, without a lot of other photographers in the way, so I could spend some time following along as the bird actively feed and moved down the boardwalk and around the corner where it branches. It was not still for more than a few seconds at a time, but I took about 100 shots and did manage to get a few keepers. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm. Program with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Sing like you mean it!
Prothonotary Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2025 — There are lots of Prothonotary Warblers busy establishing territories and building nest along the boardwalk and Magee Marsh this year. They are such a joy to watch. And, as usual for Prothonotaries, completely un-fazed by all the human appreciation they are getting. This is pretty much a full frame shot from about 6 feet. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio. May 2025 — My first day at the Biggest Week in American Birding…warbler central in May…I only saw half a dozen species of warblers, but the most of the ones I saw were so cooperative…close and so busy feeding that they paid no attention to photographers…that I came back with over 2000 exposures. I even managed to get a few keepers 🙂 …not easy yesterday as the foliage is well developed in the marsh this year and, while close shots are available, clear shots are very rare. This Blackburnian, perhaps my favorite warbler to photograph, fed busily over and on either side of the same stretch of boardwalk all afternoon. There was always a scrum of photographers on hand, and I suspect he features in a 100,000 images by now. I must have taken 200 or more on my three visits to his territory. This shot catches a bit of his abundant energy and amazing color. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm (almost a full frame shot…cropped only for composition.) Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Biggest Week in American Birding! Warbler close-up
Bay-breasted Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2024 — There is nothing like a good close shot of a warbler…in this case a Bay-breasted…like the ones you sometimes get along the Magee Marsh Boardwalk. This shot was only at 538mm equivalent on the M.Zuiko 800mm equivalent zoom, so I was indeed close, zoomed out a ways to fit the bird in the frame. OM System OM-1Mkii in Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Biggest Week in American Birding: Success
Black and White Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2024 — I had only a very tiny window in the foliage to work with here, but the Black and White Warbler was close and very busy finding spiders and (dare I hope) ticks. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.