Posts in Category: Magee Marsh
Biggest Week in American Birding: My favorite!
Blackburnian Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2024 — I had to wait until today to photograph my favorite warbler: the Blackburnian. I found two more or less cooperative individuals on what turned out to be a mostly sunny day on the Boardwalk. Blackburnians are warblers of the high canopy, and I have only ever seen them anywhere near eye-level at Magee. This year, or a least today, they hovered a bit above that and most of my shots are looking up. Still, such a stunning bird! OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Biggest Week in American Birding! Oriole vs spider
Baltimore Oriole: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2024 — The spider, or at least its egg sack, did not stand a chance in the long run against the Oriole, but the sticky thread put up a good fight. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Biggest Week in American Birding! That Song!
Prothonotary Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2024 — This bird was partially obscured by foreground foliage, a real issue this year a Magee with the foliage out way more than usual, but its song, or at least its singing posture, is still worth celebrating. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
The Biggest Week in American Birding: Black and white inside out
Black and White Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2024 — One of the issues for this year’s Biggest Week in American Birding is that the trees are fully leafed out. The Apple along the boardwalk that is normally in full boom, or some years, just coming into bloom, is totally past bloom and the flowers are all gone. The leafy trees make warbler photography particularly difficult as there is almost always something between you and the bird. It makes me very thankful for the bird detection, bird’s eye tracking auto focus, which, at least some of time, gets miraculous shots right through foreground obstructions. This is a case in point…where the bird was almost totally obstructed and yet the OM-1Mkii pulled it off, giving me a rare shot of Black and White Warbler in major preening motion, almost turned inside out. 🙂 OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
The Biggest Week in American Birding: Chestnut-sided
Chestnut-sided Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2024 — It is a nice sunny day on the boardwalk this morning and I am sure the warblers are hopping. Unfortunately I came down with what might be a case of food poisoning last night so I am sticking close to the hotel room. The Chestnut-sided Warbler is one of the friendliest of warblers on the boardwalk, often approaching within feet of birders. This is pretty much a full frame shot at 800mm equivalent. The tricky part is, of course, keeping the bird in frame when it is that close. The only way is just shoot a lot of frames! OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
The Biggest Week in American Birding, Day 1 Warblers
Northern Waterthrush, Palm Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2024 — There were way more people at Magee Marsh today than there were warblers. It happens. Still not a bad haul for my first day, 2024, at the Marsh. I saw one more species that I did not get a good photo of…a Common Yellowthroat, and I was only there for a few hours, in the morning when it was somewhat cloudy and dark. Other warblers were undoubtedly seen, especially as evening came on, but after getting up at 2:30 AM to catch my airplane, I was done by early afternoon. I also saw three snakes and maybe a dozen other passerine species. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Biggest Week in American Birding: making shoulders at me….
Red-winged Blackbird: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2023 — This Red-winged Blackbird was perched right over the boardwalk, just above head-height, and harassing the birders as they passed under him. Perhaps he enjoyed it. I know I did. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent and just about its closest focus (just over 4 feet). Program mode with an early version of my bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.7EV.
Biggest Week in American Birding: Mission Accomplished
Green Heron: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — For the second year in a row a pair of Green Herons is nesting at the end of the pond across from the boardwalk at Magee. They were busy building and repairing the nest while we were there for the Biggest Week in American Birding in May and this gentleman had obviously been sent out for a stick…which he chose to forage within a few feet of the boardwalk rail. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 372mm equivalent. Program mode with an early version of my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 320-500 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.7EV.
Biggest Week in American Birding: Northern Perula
Northern Perula: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — Not a great view of a Northern Perula but the best I could manage from my spot on the boardwalk. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th. -.7EV.
Biggest Week in American Birding: Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — There are always a few Rose-breasted Grosbeaks coming through Magee Marsh in May while the Biggest Week in American Birding is going on, and they are always a delight to see. This year my only encounters were with birds high up in the canopy…or what canopy is left at Magee after the storms. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.7EV.