9/4/2023 0 Comments Kal haven trail parkingOn our last stop of the day before returning to the nature center, Kent found an excellent addition to the list. Hoped for a few species of terns but were shocked to find NONE! At Andrews Dairy, usually a premier spot for shorebirds, high water levels covered much of the good mud flats, but we still enjoyed a cute group of foraging Least Sandpipers. In the late afternoon sun at Tiscornia Park we We scoured the area but didn’t find the Kentucky and neither did any other Birdathon team, so perhaps it had continued on migration overnight. Warbler pop out from under their feet along the same boardwalk, giving great looks at eye level. While scouting the day before Birdathon, Kent and Donna had a rare Kentucky At Floral Lane we had brief glimpses of what might have been a skulking Connecticut Warbler, but he was too sneaky for good looks. In addition to the joy there is always a little bit of heartache. As the driver for the day, Donna usually can’t contribute much during our trips from one hotspot to the next, but spied our only Brown Thrasher while checking the sideview mirror during a roadside turnaround! While on the highway, everyone in the car was able to catch a good glimpse of 30 Double-Crested Cormorants flying in a “V”, thanks to Kent’s watchful eyes. We even had a few exciting surprises while driving. The fact that we had several looks AND listens to Canada Warblers throughout the day made us very happy! At Sarett Nature Center, Joanna pointed out a warbler song that she didn’t recognize and, although he was singing way up at the top of an oak tree, our team was able to spy a Wilson’s Warbler practicing his song before he travels further northward. We were so grateful for the view of this gorgeous bird and even got to share the moment with another team. At Floral Lane a crisp male Canada Warbler provided eye-level looks as he hopped through the bushes. Good looks at a Prothonotary Warbler are never guaranteed on Birdathon, so getting to see TWO interacting along the river at Brown Sanctuary was especially satisfying and checked off an important species early in the day. Warbler encounters are always exciting but can be truly magnificent when they are up-close and personal. Even though the afternoon sun was hot, keeping bird activity low, we nabbed a Kestrel resting in the shade, a female Dickcissel watching us curiously from a wire fence, and a Bald Eagle soaring on thermal currents over the farm. But, what a treat when we finally spied it preening on a distant telephone pole! Late in the day we realized we were ahead of schedule and could add in a quick and productive stop at Andrews Dairy Farm. The dove evaded our watchful eyes and, although we caught a glimpse, we almost missed it because we couldn’t find quick parking. We missed the warbler, but what good luck to snag the tanager! On a search for a rare Eurasian Collared-Dove we circled the town of Three Oaks. We still made the sandy trudge out to the dunes and were rewarded with a spectacular Summer Tanager singing conspicuously as a Broad-winged Hawk dove between the dunes. While waiting in the long line to enter Warren Dunes State Park, a reliable location for Prairie Warbler and recent host to a pair of Summer Tanagers, we heard from another team that neither was present. An excellent addition to our short but growing list! This first hour of Birdathon set the tone for a truly great day of birding.īirdathon provides wonderful, unexpected highlights throughout the day, and this year did not disappoint. A close encounter with an incoming Woodcock caused some excitement and (quiet) laughter. As the Tree Swallows chittered in the moonlit sky hunting nocturnal insects and Field Sparrows sang their bouncing song, we heard a pair of Barred Owls “hootin-it-up,” followed closely by the mews of a Yellow-breasted Chat in the brush behind us. Standing in the field at Brown Sanctuary under a nearly-full and magical moon, swatting voracious mosquitos from our faces, we were delighted as Gray Catbirds provided a wake-up call while other birds added their voices to the dawn chorus – each a new species for the day. Compiled by Joanna Sblendorio using highlights provided by Kent Martin, Donna Keller, and Mike Dreibelbis
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