Hi all,
This morning was the first this year where I really felt like spring had
arrived. 16 warbler species, plus lots of new arrivals, and much bigger
numbers of many migrants than I'd been seeing prior to today. I also
relocated the Prothonotary Warbler at Crosby Farm Park that Scott Loss
reported last week.
I started out birding my way down the Mississippi through south
Minneapolis, stopping at a number of little sites along West River
Parkway between Franklin Ave and 46th St. I usually bypass it
better-known migrant spots, but this morning I was rewarded with lots of
new arrivals. In addition to the main paved path along West River Pkwy,
the area has tons of little trails running along the top of the bluff
and down the slope. In many areas, the steep slope down to the river
puts the treetops right at eye level - ideal for watching migrating
warblers. Highlights and new arrivals (for me) in this area this
morning included:
Gray-cheeked Thrush (1)
Veery (1)
Red-eyed Vireo (1)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (5-10, surprising numbers for this late in spring)
Cape May Warbler (several)
Chestnut-side Warbler (1)
Blackpoll Warbler (several)
Northern Waterthrush (many)
Redstart (3)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (many, in groups of 2-3)
Catbird (my FOY)
Probably the oddest thing I saw all day was a lone Ruddy Duck out in the
middle of the Mississippi River, swimming erratically and feeding on the
surface like a phalarope.
I then headed over to Crosby Farm Park in St. Paul. I made my way down
into the far southeast corner, where I heard and caught a few distant
glimpses of a Prothonotary Warbler (most likely the same one reported by
Scott Loss on Friday). This is along the dirt trail that goes south
from the main paved trail near the east entrance to the park. There's
an area of flooded forest where the Prothonotary was singing constantly.
Other birds at Crosby:
Tennessee Warbler (many)
Golden-winged Warbler (1)
Blue-winged Warbler (1)
Blackpoll Warbler (1)
Northern Waterthrush (15+, all over the place)
Ovenbird (5+)
Redstart (tons, and they weren't there on Saturday)
Baltimore Oriole (ditto)
Yellow-throated Vireo (1)
Warbling Vireo (many, on territory)
I've yet to see or hear an Orange-crowned Warbler this spring. Where
are they? And where are the flycatchers? I've only found Phoebe and
Great Crested so far.
Hooray, spring!
Matt Dufort
Minneapolis
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