The Warbler Odyssey

Just returned from a whirlwind warbler roundup with my amazing guides, Greg and Wes. 23 days and 45 warblers photographed, 47 seen, I find myself in desperate need of a nap, a massage, and a body shop...we'll get to that later. A three prong warbler expedition with destinations including Texas, Arizona/California, Michigan/Minnesota resulted in better than expected results.

It isn't uncommon for me to take long trips like this. Rather than deal with crumby accommodations, I prefer the comfort, freedom, and versatility of the spacious rear cabin of the 2010 Honda Odyssey as my residence while traveling. Departing mid-April in my trusted Odyssey, I set out from my base in Northern Illinois to the first stop on this bird excursion, the gulf coast of Texas. It was a 1,000 mile journey interrupted by only an overnight stay in Arkansas. It was that first destination, Piney Woods, Texas, where I met up with Greg Lavaty in search of warblers either nesting in the area or migrating through.