For once these are not in my backyard!
Was taking my daughter out to her Grandparents in Coeymans HOllow, Albany
County, NY and decided to make a couple of stops on the way home. Both Hooded
and Worm-Eating Warblers nest sparingly in Albany County, their locations are
fairly well known as are their arrival dates, but very little has been done to
determine when these birds leave the region. Since both tend to be early
(August) migrants, I first stopped at the Holt Preserve in Coeymans, which is a
known Hooded Warbler location.
Even with a late start (it was about 1pm when I got there) there was a good
deal of bird activity, although mostly common stuff like Black-capped
Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Downy Woodpecker, Cedar Waxwing, Gray Catbird,
Northern Cardinal. There were several family groups of Eastern Phoebes near
the pond and quite a few Turkey Vultures passing overhead. Tried as hard as I
could for Hooded Warbler, but no luck. Did manage to find a nice (quiet!)
Ovenbird and an always pretty male Black-throated Blue Warbler, both likely
residents of the preserve. My time was cut short as once again (seems like
this happens every time I visit this spot) people bring their dogs to run
through the preserve and a squadron of ATV's also passed through. So I left.
On the way out, I managed to flush a bunch of Song Sparrows and a lone
Black-billed Cuckoo working its way through a hedgerow.
Next I stopped at Stanton Pond in Coeymans. Very quiet. A few Mallards, a few
Canada Geese and lone Great-blue Heron who caught a large frog and then spent
the remainder of the time I was there, trying to figure out how to eat it.
There is a lot of standing corn next to the pond, still to be cut. I suspect
it will attract a lot of geese and other waterfowl, very soon. A small wet
area off Tracy Road in Coeymans (I call it the Tracy Road Swamp) was dead,
although the habitat has been good for migrating flycatchers and swamp sparrow
in the pass and the small pond near by (currently choked with cattails, how
often do you get to say that?) has been a good spot for Common Gallinule in the
past. Interestingly just across the street from the cattail pond, the wet area
is full of phragmites and Purple Lustrife.
I then visited Deer Mountain Preserve (also in Coeymans) a known Worm-eating
Warbler spot. As soon as I got out of the car there was a lot of bird
activity. Quickly off the bat was a nice flock of Chickadee's and with them
was an immature Great-crested Flycatcher, still with a significant amount of
white fuzz on the head and neck. The trails are largely overgrown and it was
clear no one had been there in some time. The place has the nickname of "Deer
Tick Mountain", but I didn't find any ticks today, but a ton of spiders (and
webs). By the time I was done, I was covered in spider webs. I tried for
Worm-eating Warbler in its spot, but came up empty. Just for the sake of it, I
tried a Barred Owl call and was a bit surprised when a Red-shouldered Hawk
responded. I've read that they respond strongly to Barred Owl calls (and vice
versa), but this was the first time I've experienced it in the field. I
decided that I didn't want to walk back through the spider webs again, so I
walked back along the road. A small bird flitting across the road caught my
eye and soon discovered a small mixed flock of birds, including a Pine Warbler
(unusual), Red-breasted Nuthatch, Tennessee Warbler and Red-eyed Vireo (near
each other for a nice comparison).
Activity was again noticed in the parking area, where I encountered another
mixed flock including Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler,
Palm Warbler (rather early), Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Wood-Pewee.
Overhead another wave of Turkey Vultures passed over and the last and perhaps
most interesting sighting, was of a recently fledged Indigo Bunting in a rather
confusing plumage, still being fed by a female.
On the way out a small wet area in the woods, held hundred of Common Grackles,
which have largely vanished from many parts of the area.
So even though I struck out on my target species, still not a bad couple of
hours in the middle of the day.
Good Birding!
Will Raup
Albany, NY
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