Lesser Yellowlegs, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
It happened at the 11th Midwest Birding Symposium this past weekend. I’m sure it wasn’t intentional. Keynote speaker, Jim McCormac, president, Ohio Ornithological Society, author and all-around good guy, had just finished his opening remarks.
Bill Thompson, III, publisher, Bird Watcher’s Digest, and master coordinator of the event, took the stage and calmly announced that a Kirtland’s Warbler on migration had just be seen about five miles from the symposium site.
In a flash, hundreds of people had something to do, other than sit inside an auditorium on a gorgeous late-summer day. Kirtland’s Warbler is arguably the most sought-after of the wood warblers and hardly ever seen in Ohio. An estimated population of 3,600 exists in the world and is rarely seen on migration. The fact that one turned up during a conference of 800 serious birders was amazing—some said too amazing. Rumors (all in good humor) about how our conference fees were being spent circulated as we all dashed for our cars.
This event, co-sponsored by the Ohio Ornithological Society, Birdwatcher’s Digest and Lakeside (Ohio) Association, is the premiere birding event in this region, possibly the entire country. It’s more than three intense days of birding, lectures and rubbing elbows with kindred spirits of the birding world. Field trips helped us experience the remarkable flora and fauna of Ohio, where you could—up close and personal—debate differences between Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs with famous field guide authors, or even movie stars like Jane Alexander.
For some, the three-plus days bordered on the edge of Dreamland. You could talk with tour group leaders about going to exotic places; look through binoculars and spotting scopes that cost as much as your car; or fantasize about seeing a Kirtland’s Warbler in Ohio. Some dreams do come true.
Sunset cruise to protected islands in Lake Erie
3 comments:
Sunset photo: Let me guess ... Davis-Besse steaming in the background taken from just off South Bass Island (Green Island in photo)?
Despite all the clamor to get to the doors and sight or is it site? the elusive Kirtland, I notice that no photos were posted. Actually, you get the same effect if you stand in the back of a slightly overheated lecture hall and yell "free beer".
Slacker
Gorgeous Sunset photo!! The cruise was great fun, but the Kirtland's was even better.
I am glad a few people got photos of it, but it was so high up and jumpy- I didn't even try. But the bird was wonderful, even if it made me miss lunch, it was worth it! Cheryl
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