Two pesky TENNESSEE WARBLERS singing in our neighbors' yards foiled my honest but admittedly vulnerable intentions to stay behind my desk all Monday morning.
So I went to Sapsucker Woods, of course. Practically the first bird I saw was an exquisite YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER at eye level right where the Wilson Trail South enters the woods on the way to the Podell Boardwalk. This bird eventually crossed over to the roadside hedgerow of the last house on the street. Then I wandered through the woods. I was surprised almost to miss seeing SWAINSON'S THRUSH, but the trusty stretch I call the Catharus corridor, between the East Trail gate and the green building to the south, came through with one near the ground. This bird seemed to be tipping its bill at an unusual upward angle, maybe to reduce exposure to raindrops as with some shorebirds. It seems that essentially all of yesterday's warblers remain on the Wilson Trail North, including MOURNING (second footbridge again), BAY-BREASTED, BLACKBURNIAN, MAGNOLIA, BLACKPOLL, CHESTNUT-SIDED, YELLOW-RUMPED, TENNESSEE, CANADA, WILSON'S, migrant NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES, and other common expected species. The tree of the day for me was the largest spruce of the lower branch of the trail, where I had dazzling views of male Blackburnian, male and female Magnolia, female Bay-breasted, male Blackpoll (with legs as yellow as a rain slicker), and female Yellow-rumped all at once, with Canada, Chestnut-sided, Yellow, and American Redstart also available for outstanding looks nearby with a mere turn of the head. BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER along the Woodleton Boardwalk brings the day's warbler tally to at least 16 species. 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/ --
