This afternoon (Sunday 18 Sept) I made the pilgrimmage to the FLLT's
Park Preserve (aka Baldwin Tract) to commemorate the sighting of a
Connecticut Warbler which was reported a couple days ago. I was not
surprised not to find that bird, nor the Gray-cheeked Thrush which was
reported later nearby. In fact there were few birds around compared to
the late May mornings when I usually visit. But it was a gorgeous
afternoon and I pretended I was just going out with Laurie for a walk in
a beautiful place. She was grateful for being dragged away from her
computer, and she agreed that it's a lovely spot on this glorious day,
but she was not fooled about me going on a walk with her. She called it
more of an amble, because I moved so slowly trying to find birds.
Eventually when she recognized that we were on the final leg of the
loop, she gave up on me and returned to the car to read and nap while I
stared at the vegetation along the little stream to the sound of faint
call notes. The calls were from BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES up in the pines
along the far bank. But below them in the deciduous trees and shrubs I
slowly started seeing warblers: a probable BLACKPOLL WARBLER poorly
seen, a female COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, a possible ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
very poorly seen, a MAGNOLIA WARBLER, a male AMERICAN REDSTART, a male
PRAIRIE WARBLER, and finally a non-breeding male CAPE MAY WARBLER,
perhaps the best view I've had of this plumage. Also nearby was a
juvenile male RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (speckled throat, notched tail
with white tips) doing something I have not seen before: It was visiting
a honeysuckle bush and aiming its bill directly at the red berries. It
did this many times, slowly and methodically, but I was unable to tell
if it was actually piercing the fruits and extracting juice. If anyone
else is familiar with this behavior, I would be interested in hearing
about it. Another fine bird which both Laurie and I saw and heard was a
croaking, high-circling COMMON RAVEN. Other birds present included
several noisy BLUE JAYS, an invisible calling GRAY CATBIRD, and a
flyover MOURNING DOVE. Across the street from the parking area were
some AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES.
--Dave Nutter
--Dave Nutter
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