Prothonotary Warbler...

[Scott Manly]

Having declined on a very tempting trek to Berrien County this morning with a friend, I did some birding along the Ionia Rivertrail.  At Dawn, I found SORAS (one very open one at that), and a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON in the Ionia State Game Area on the east end of the rivertrail.  Later, in another part of the SGA, I found a few RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS and a singing PROTHONOTARY WARBLER.  If all that weren't exciting enough, I had a Barred Owl give a loud call behind me and as I went to investigate, I was able to find him.
 
Later, I took my son by bike out to the rivertrail bridge and had another PROTHONOTARY WARBLER singing as well as my first NORTHERN PARULA of the trail.
 
The woodpecker and the Parula bring my "yardlist" total to 151 species in less than 2 years!!
 
I posted a few pictures of today:  
 
http://www.grovestreet.com/jsp/picview.jsp?album=71650&view=detail
 
Also had an American Bittern fly by the house last week.
 
My friend who did go to Berrien County this morning commented again how God has delivered in my request a couple years ago for a place I could walk out my back door and go spend time with Him in nature.  I have had Bald Eagles, Osprey, Merlin, Great Horned Owls, Barred Owls, Common Loons, Blue-winged Teal, breeding Blue-winged Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chats, Prothonotary Warblers (likely breeding here this year), and many other birds, all within walking distance.  What a bananza this place has been!!  And it hasn't cost me any gasoline!!
 
Good birding,
Scott Manly,
Ionia, MI
 
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