Nic the Birding Chick

05/14/2025

As someone who’s navigated limitations and learned to find freedom within them, this Eastern Whip-Poor-Will reminded me that nature never rushes, and neither should I. Its cryptic camouflage, its dawn-and-dusk serenade that can be heard through a quarter mile of forest, spoke to the power of persistence, of showing up again and again even when the world feels messy and heavy. I felt seen in my own stillness, validated in my choice to slow down, to celebrate the tiny miracles of feather and song; birds.

Tonight, as I slice into a well-deserved “lifer pie,” I’ll hold that moment close: the hush of this beautiful little weirdo, the spangled chatter of birders talking/celebrating around me, and the gentle assurance that every new discovery, big or small, is a testament to the journey itself. Here’s to more celebrating the slow, more life birds, and the quiet alchemy that happens when we learn to listen.

05/13/2025

Day 4 at Biggest Week felt like a giant game of hide-and-seek! Birds were everywhere, and being reported, except the places we were. But the highlight of the day? A perfectly tucked Yellow Warbler nest we stumbled upon in the reeds while on the outside of Magee Marsh. Watching mama warbler fuss over every single strand of moss, grass, spider silk, etc. until it was just right was like a post Mother’s Day hug, I didn’t know I needed.

Fun fact: Yellow Warblers use up to 1,000 individual fibers (think fine grasses and hair) to weave their cup-shaped nests, each one carefully placed to cradle their eggs safely.

05/12/2025

Day 3 at Biggest Week felt more like a slow stroll than a sprint, I blame that on the time change catching up with me. I spent the late morning tootling around solo exploring which included checking out the first War of 1812 battlefield site, history nerd moment unlocked. I even tried hunting down a Confederate cemetery on Sherman Island, but apparently there’s a gate code I don’t have. Oh well.

Here are today’s highlights:
• Black-throated Green Warbler 🌿
• Northern Waterthrush 💧
• American Redstart 🔥

Hope you enjoy these shots!

Back to the Boardwalk tomorrow!

05/11/2025

Look at this little adorable borb!! The Kirtland’s Warbler! A life bird for me, and though this wasn’t technically new for Steve, it’s his first sighting since 1988, so you should’ve seen that grin.

Fun facts: Kirtland’s Warblers nest almost exclusively in young Jack-pine stands and owe their comeback to targeted habitat management and conservation! And!, Kirtland’s Warblers make their spring migration entirely at night, navigating by starlight as they fly over 600 miles non-stop from their Bahamas wintering grounds back to Michigan’s Jack-pine barrens!

That’s pretty amazing! 💚

05/10/2025

Long day, happy heart.

Yesterday, at The Biggest Week in American Birding was one for the books, I finally got some decent shots of a Blackburnian Warbler! Their fiery throats practically glow against the spring greens, and after so many blurry or obstructed tries in the past, seeing them this clearly (and capturing it!), is a win. I’m incredibly grateful to be here, tagging along while Steve works the event. More to come!

05/09/2025

We are in Ohio and looking forward to a great week! It’s a bit chilly today but it should warm up nicely over the next few days. Last year was incredibly slow, so hoping for lots more birdie action this year!

**Biggest Week In American Birding Early Outlook**

We will continue to have detailed reports from the Black Swamp Bird Observatory during The Biggest Week In American Birding which will provide very detailed outlooks for the following day or two. While we can't provide a detailed long range outlook for the entire festival, we do see high confidence in a weather pattern that typically brings in a massive wave of birds. So long story short, if you are making plans to visit Metroparks Toledo or the famous board walk at Magee Marsh this year during the Biggest Week, I think you will have great conditions whenever you go. This weekend's weather will be amazing and there will still be birds around. However, the winds at 1,000 to 4,000 feet above the ground will be optimal for a long period of time next week. I tend to think mid to late next week will bring the highest bird counts...but again each and every day looks great and next week does look like the prime week for 2025. The winds are expected to shift at the very tail end of that outlook around May 18th or 19th which could lead to a few quieter days after May 18th. The timing and details may change between now and then, but that is where things stand at this point in time.

05/03/2025

🤧🌼 Spring allergies are real but so are the wildflower vibes, just ask this chill froggy! Take a moment to breathe deep, slow down, and celebrate the colors all around you.

What blooms are popping up in your backyard right now? 🍃💛

05/01/2025

Monday night, and I drove up to a private residence in Nevada City to meet this one of a mated pair of Spotted Owls. The fading dusk made most of my photos grainy, but sharing that hush, and watching those big eyes glow alongside Steve, felt utterly magical. ✨

Have you ever chased a twilight wonder like this?

04/21/2025

Just your average Western Screech Owl, passed out in a tree while tiny chaos reigns below. Screaming kids, non-stop Pickleball games, squawking birds, and not a care in the world.

Fun fact: despite the name, these owls don’t screech, they make soft trills and whinnies, like a tiny horse with a bedtime routine. Also, that bark-colored camouflage? Elite. Most folks walk right past without even noticing. But not me. I spot an owl, my heart does a happy flip, and I’m in love all over again.

Forever team owl.

04/16/2025

These great horned owlets are giving the exact energy I’ve been feeling lately: alert, unamused, and trying to hold it together while everything around us feels shaky. The world is loud and democracy feels like it’s hanging by a thread. And yet, here they are…perched, steady, & staring it all down.

There’s something grounding about their presence. They’re young but already carry that ancient owl intensity, like they know more than they should and are tired of explaining it all.

Fun fact: Great horned owls are one of the few birds that can take down skunks. They don’t mind the smell. Which, honestly, feels like the kind of grit we need right now.

04/10/2025

The Lepidoptera are back!

This little visitor is Burnsius communis, the Common Checkered-Skipper. A quiet beauty, often overlooked, but look closely and you’ll see those soft blue tones and checkered wings that give it its name.

They’re small, fast fliers, usually found around open fields and garden edges. Males are often seen darting around, while females are more deliberate, laying eggs on mallow plants, because it’s their caterpillars’ food of choice.

I love seeing butterflies and moths return each spring. Even the tiniest ones bring a bit of magic. Bugs, beetles, skippers, they’re all part of the rhythm I look forward to every year.