A Few Surprises - Oct 11th

My weekend started on Friday when I woke up and decided not to go to work. There was a meeting that morning so with camera and bike in tow I picked up refreshments, dropped them off and headed out to Campau Road. Although I missed the sunrise, it was quiet and that was what I seemed to need more than anything. After awhile I decided to move down the road and after grabbing a few pics of the Yellow-rumped Warblers decided to head over to Lake Erie Metro Park and ride my bike (with camera of course). There was a lot of chattering in the trees and bushes and the only picture I managed was a Gray Catbird and the Greyhounds that someone was training over in the picnic area by the Wave pool.

Plans for going up north Saturday morning had changed so I packed up and headed out to Campau Road once again. As I turned down the road I heard alot of boom boom boom, unaware that it was opening day for duck hunting I traveled the road anyways. The sunrise was beautiful as ususal, and in the fog that rose above the water just along edges of the little islands you could see the silhouettes of the hunters. After watching and waiting for the sun to get to a good height I traveled down Campau Road and watching all of the movement from tree to tree I decided to pull over and walk the road. The Yellow-rumped Warblers were moving from one side of the road to the other while the dear! dear!dear! diddy-dear diddy-dear ji-jiddy-jee-ji-jiddy-jee sounds of a Rudy-crowned Kinglet could be heard in the trees behind me. As I turned to watch the branches bob up and down a Ruby-crowned Kinglet sat on a branch not three feet from me, since she was so cooperative I couldn't help but take advntage of the moment. As I turned my back to her to get some shots of the Yellow-rumped Warbler I heard a russle over my left shoulder, sitting on the wire not ten feet above my left shoulder was a Sharp-shinned Hawk.

When all was quiet I decided to make a stop at Lake Erie Metro Park to see if there was anything exciting out there. I walked down the little boardwalk towards the boat launch. A Kingfisher landed on the railing of the first little stretch where a little creek runs under, across the street there were five Wood Ducks that I managed to get a few shots of. The walk around the path was quiet and serene and now it was time for me to go home. Unfortunately errands were calling my name, so til my next post.