Bay-breasted Warbler-Blackpoll Warbler

Today gave us new lifer birds. After birding in Scott Park (which we saw the usual Hooded Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Cedar Waxwing and others) we headed for Fry's Landing on this most beautiful afternoon. We were given a real treat when I spotted the Bay-breasted Warbler. We hadn't seen one before so it was really exciting. Getting a photo was hard with all the leaves out. But I got a few shots from my camcorder that I can share. Then we spotted our first Blackpoll Warbler. At first we thought we were seeing a Black and White Warbler but it wasn't acting like one. When it came out into the open I realized what it was. We saw two working the trees and bushes. With all the leaves out I could only get a tiny picture of one. We also spotted a Wilson's Warbler bouncing around. With all the leaves out now, it is really hard to spot birds. You see movement, a bit of color, and then they disappear in the leaves. So I'm thankful for the look we got at these beautiful birds today. I didn't get any decent pictures of the Blackpoll Warblers but not for the lack of trying.

Bay-breasted Warbler

Wilson's Warbler-his black cap doesn't show too much in this photo but he had a good one.

Our First Cape May and Nashville Warbler

My husband and I went out birding today in Scott Park and Presque Isle. At Scott Park we saw a number of Indigo Buntings, loads of Yellow Warblers, one Hooded Warbler, lots of American Redstarts and what we thought might be a Yellow-Breasted Chat. We just aren't sure and didn't get a picture. It had a yellow breast and a gray top and was a larger size than the warblers we saw. It had a loud not-pleasant call. When we got back to the car we listened to what their call sounded like and it seemed similar. We'll never know. Maybe we will go back and try and find it again. We left and went to Fry's Landing about 4 PM or a little later in the afternoon. Surprisingly, there wasn't anyone else there at first. Then we met Mike and started talking about birds. He was truly an expert on birds. I'm so glad we ran into him. What a nice guy! He walked us around Fry's Landing and pished out a Nashville Warbler and a Common Yellow Throat. He could name birds left and right that he heard. He knew all the birds by their calls. How wonderful to be able to do that! He heard a Scarlet Tanager but it didn't come in close enough to see. Mike also spotted the raccoon in the tree which my husband and I walked right by. Real birders are sharp and nothing gets past them. We learned so much from him on our chance meeting. It was getting late so we left and on the way out stopped at Thompson Circle. It was an evening gold mine. Our first Cape May Warbler and I got pictures! Not good pictures but good enough. We also saw Yellow-rumped Warblers,a Palm Warbler, a Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow Warblers (of course, so many of them) Black and White Warbler and even a Northern Waterthrush. For being past 6 PM and just sitting in the parked car near the brush at Thompson Circle we did pretty good finding birds. Here are my pictures and below them is the video of the birds.

Cape May Warbler (Thompson Circle Presque Isle)

Cape May Warbler (Thompson Circle Presque Isle)

Hooded Warbler (Scott Park)

Indigo Bunting (Scott Park)

Casino-Big, Big Savings

Now the Erie area has its own slots. We'll have to remember with astonishment the "old days" when we actually had to pay airfare and hotel bills to lose our money. Now we can do it with the convenience of a few minute drive from home. You may be flushing your paychecks down the toilet, but think of how much you saved not having to go to Vegas!

Close But No Cigar

I'm one of those people that seem to get names, and for that matter,
expressions wrong. When I say them, they'll be somewhat close to the
way they are suppose to be said, and usually I'll be rescued by a
correction from the person I'm talking to.

One instance is an old expression my mom (born and raised in Minnesota) used to say. I always thought her exclamatory words were, "Atlantic Ocean!" I found out years later (after repeating the wrong words most of my childhood and part of my adult life) that, in fact, what she was saying was "Land of Goshen " which is from the
Bible and was a popular expression back when. Sometimes I'll hear an
expression in the correct version and think, "holy cow!! I've been
saying it wrong all this time."

There are referrals to Jack Nicklaus as Jack Nickloson or visa versa and there is a long list of similar errors on my part. Does anyone else have this problem?

This morning before my husband left for work we (I) was watching a show on
Style network about a house so full of clutter they couldn't walk in
it. It was one of those "clean it up" shows.

• I remarked: That reminds me of that article I read about
  Marjorie-Neil-Armstrong.


• Husband remarks: What?


• You know, how they couldn't get into her house
  because it was so full of clutter, among other
  things.


• I don't know what article you're talking about, Neil
  Armstrong?


• (I'm getting a little
  frustrated that he could possibly forget about that, it was such a big
  deal.)


• Marjorie-Neil-Armstrong, you know, the pizza bomber
  case!!!
  

• Deihl-Armstrong, not Neil Armstrong, he's the astronaut! I was wondering was there something about Neil Armstrong and his house was full of clutter that made the news?

• Oh, I don't know why I said Neil Armstrong, I know who Neil Armstrong is, I wasn't even aware I said Neil, it just came out that way. (I know they have a vitamin for this)

Well, at least we have good laughs about it when it happens.