The boon of boreal birds continues in Sapsucker Woods on Sunday morning, apparently with a slightly different species mix from yesterday. I birded first with Jane Graves (6:30-7:00 AM), then John Greenly's SFO group and Laurie Ray, then the Lab's public morning bird walk led by Jill Vaughan and Tom Cowing. Though I had intended also to go into the woods to find Swainson's and Gray-cheeked Thrushes (I feel nearly certain that they're in there today), I ended up never leaving the Wilson Trail North. Rain was posing a bit of a challenge by the time I left at 8:30.
The collective warbler species count just on this trail is at least 16, including the following. MOURNING WARBLER (1 singing and chipping rather frequently around second footbridge; eventual excellent views with John's group) MAGNOLIA WARBLER (5+) CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER (5+, including one singing mostly alternate song by second footbridge) BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (5+; hard to find any spots on trail where song wasn't nearby) BAY-BREASTED WARBLER (1 M and 1 F together at first split in trail; eventual excellent views) BLACKPOLL WARBLER (5+; song as ubiquitous as Blackburnian's) BLUE-WINGED WARBLER (between second footbridge and Sherwood Platform) TENNESSEE WARBLER (1 seen; surprisingly, none heard) NASHVILLE WARBLER (1 heard in Fuller Wetlands by John's group and me) OVENBIRD (brief but dazzling close view shared with Jane at bend in trail after second footbridge; I think this bird was a passage migrant) NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (north edge of pond; also a probable passage migrant) CANADA WARBLER (1+ heard singing at aforementioned bend in trail; it was very close, but Jane and I somehow managed to miss seeing it) plus the usual abundant Yellow Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers (now down in numbers to about 6), American Redstarts, and Common Yellowthroats. Yellow-throated Vireo continues to sing along the south edge of the pond. (Congratulations to Greg Lawrence on his "vireo sweep" yesterday in Sapsucker Woods, as well as his other impressive finds!) Finally, to add to yesterday's prodigious Tennessee Warbler totals from the Hawthorn Orchard and other locations, I'll note that I also heard this species on Saturday at Tutelo Park and Cass Park in Ithaca. I imagine that one could find them all over town even today. Mark Chao -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
