ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL

After what I thought was the last bit of the front passed through last Sunday afternoon, I decided to head over to Ring Park to see if any interesting migrants had dropped in.  Even though it rained on me nearly the entire trip, it started off nicely with a yellow-throated vireo singing and an ovenbird foraging through leaf litter directly underneath it.  A couple northern parula were singing a short distance down the path.  Then I hit the mother lode about halfway to Glen Springs.  About 25 feet in front of me at eye level was what I almost passed off as a prothonotary warbler, but a closer glanced revealed white wing bars and a black eye stripe...a blue-winged warbler!  This species is a very special treat during spring migration in Alachua County.  It also marked the third straight season I have seen a blue-winged at Ring Park, but the first in spring migration.

Once I got over my excitement, I noticed a pair of adult carolina wrens with four new fledglings flitting to and fro in the understory.  A male common yellowthroat was nearby, scolding away.  Then I heard some more birds overhead and glanced up to see quite a few small passerines flying from tree to tree.  By the time all the excitement and died down and the birds moved away, I had spotted pine, yellow-throated, black and white, and black-throated blue warblers.  A couple american redstarts, another ovenbird, a northern parula, and a red-eyed vireo were also present.  Not believing my luck, I continued down the trail and was lucky to run into a dashing worm-eating warbler a couple feet above my head, gleaning the undersides of some dead leaves.  10 warblers.  The highest number I have seen at Ring Park, and a pretty good number in Alachua during spring migration as it is not nearly as prolific with migrants as is fall migration.

Male Black-throated Blue Warbler

I was somewhat surprised I hadn't observed any thrushes and commented about it to a local bird expert who told me not to fret because thrushes are fairly uncommon to rare during spring migration in the county.  Only a  few sightings of the expected thrush species had been reported and recorded over the years.  I was somewhat surprised, given the amount of decent habitat available and excellent birders located in the county.  Apparently, my luck was about to change significantly.

Perhaps a day or two after the thrush discussion, I had headed out to Loblolly Woods Nature Park in town on my lunch break to see if any interesting warblers were hanging around.  Immediately after heading off on the main trail and headed down Hogtown Creek, a thrush-sized bird flew onto the ground close to me.  After getting my bins on the bird, I noticed it was a thrush.  It was a uniform dull brown on the upper sides, dark spotting on the breast, and lacked an eye ring and buffy facial coloration...a gray-cheeked thrush!

The following day I decided to take another evening stroll to Ring Park before night fell just to see if anything was present.  It was much quieter than Sunday evening as no fronts were passing through.  However, an ovenbird and male black-throated blue warbler were nice sights early on.  As it was getting darker, I saw a thrush-sized bird fly close by.  Again I got my bins on the bird and noted a uniform reddish brown on the upper sides, noticeable eye ring, some buffy coloration on the breast and not the face, and light colored, non-extensive spotting...a veery!  Below is a horrible, blurry photo of the veery, which hung around foraging for a few minutes.  The top photo doesn't truly show the overall reddish brown plumage coloration, but it was unmistakable. 

Veery

Veery

On a side note, the Monday following the front passing through saw a nice little gathering in my yard in the morning.  A ruby-throated hummingbird, a couple of baltimore orioles, a small flock of cedar waxwings, a northern parula, and several cape may and blackpoll warblers made for a fantastic morning in the backyard.  The cape may and blackpoll warblers were definite firsts for our yard.

Well it's been a nice spring migration here in Alachua so far, and I hope it continues.  If any other interesting spring migrants pass through, I'll be sure to write about it here.  Until then...

SOUTH FLORIDA EXCURSIONS

I suppose I could probably write several blog pieces about my time spent in the extreme southern end of the state the last couple of months, but it would likely bore everyone to death.  Instead, I will try to keep it as succinct as possible.

Some of the awesome species I was able to observe the last couple of months were: western spindalis, thick-billed vireo, black-whiskered vireo, lazuli bunting, mangrove cuckoo, neotropic cormorant, purple swamphen, scissor-tailed flycatcher, brown-crested flycatcher, wilson's warbler, swainson's warbler, blue-winged warbler, white-tailed kite, snail kite, and painted bunting.

The western spindalis was observed at the Key West Botanical Gardens.  It may have been the easiest of these species to find.  I pulled into the parking lot and many birders were hanging around and acting very excitable.  I figured they hot spotted the female spindalis as she had been reported there.  Sure enough I park the car and she is just sitting at just above eye level on an exposed perch just posing for everyone.  She allowed for long looks and everyone present seemed very satisfied afterwards.  I felt somewhat bad because the guys I had been birding with early that morning had dipped on her the previous day and they didn't have time to check back when I went down.  But that's how it goes with birding sometimes.  For instance, they had spotted a pair of scissor-tailed flycatchers the previous day, but I dipped on them there.  It's birding for you.

On the opposite spectrum, the thick-billed vireo (at Bill Baggs State Park on Virginia Key) was one of the longest of the aforementioned species I had to wait for to observe.  I believe I ended up waiting around 2 hours for it to make itself known, which it finally did by giving out its slow, deliberate scold call repeatedly.  After a few scolds it finally popped into the open for about a minute before retiring back into the undergrowth from whence it came.

The lazuli bunting was a fun bird to wait for because it was being observed in someone's backyard.  Normally I'm pretty hesitant to just go to someone's house to see a bird because I feel I'm intruding on their private space, even when they give everyone permission to do so.  I'm glad I decided to head over because the home owner and his nephew were fantastic people to speak with while waiting for the lazuli to show itself.  This is one of my favorite parts of birding, the interactions with other individuals.  These two guys were really conscientious and welcoming.  We enjoyed some good conversation and at many points I had forgotten to keep my eyes open for the lazuli.  But after many indigo and painted buntings, and great conversation, the lazuli popped up on a gumbo limbo branch for all the world to see.

Did I mention the backyard yet. It was simply amazing.  If you are interested even the slightest in botany, it would thoroughly impress you.  About 98% native south Florida vegetation spread around the yard, with well-established canopy, sub-canopy, and groundcover vegetation present, a surefire reason why the yard was so birdy.  In fact, the yard was an oasis given the surrounding area.  Painted and indigo buntings were present, along with white-winged doves, great-crested flycatchers, ruby-throated hummingbirds, and many, many others.  Simply a beautiful haven.

All the birds were simply stellar to see, but I ended up really just enjoying the places I wound up searching for the birds and specific experiences with some species.  For instance, there was a least flycatcher who was hanging around the Annex for some time.  One day it decided to perch on a branch only 10 feet or so from me.  It called a few times then just kept looking at me and its surroundings.  I probably watched it for at least 10 minutes as we just occupied the same time and space.  A marvelous experience indeed.  I was able to really get fine-tuned looks at plumage, really listen to the call, and just take in the individual.  I was actually kind of sad when I went back another visit to find it had finally moved on.

But I suppose it's these avian and human interactions which at first bait one into birding, then hook you in.  To me it's not about listing or seeing how many birds you can see (not that there is necessarily anything wrong with keeping a list of birds you've seen), it's really observing the birds, seeing their behaviors, watching them forage, attract mates, defend territories, etc.  It keeps me interested and coming back for more, and it always will.

American White Pelicans and Roseate Spoonbills

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME

Well, well, well.  It has been far too long since I've last posted on my blog.  Working yourself to the bones will do it to you sometimes.  I suppose it's best to begin with what's been around the local scene the last day or two since I've been back in Gainesville and work my way backwards.

On Sunday evening I decided to take a stroll over to Ring Park near my home on the off-chance there may be some wood warblers present.  Once I arrived the rains started coming, but it wasn't raining too hard so I decided to forge ahead and see if any bird was out "enjoying" this weather.  I'm sure glad I decided to stay because I was rewarded with one the best wood warbler days I've had at the park.  10 warbler species in all.  It began with an ovenbird foraging around in some leaf litter near the entrance to the park, as a yellow-throated vireo was singing directly above it.

As I entered the main part of the park it was pretty noisy with carolina wrens, northern cardinals, and great-crested flycatchers.  No signs of any warblers though.  I progressed past the butterfly garden and down towards the creek.  However, I was stopped in my tracks about halfway to the creek as I noted some activity in the understory in front of me.  I took a quick look and bam, a blue-winged warbler was foraging about 6-8 feet off the ground, allowing for excellent looks at the telling black eye stripe, yellow head and underparts, and blue-gray wings with two white wingbars.  This is a real treat in Gainesville during spring migration.  This species is more regularly seen during fall migration, but even then it is still uncommon.  I noticed a pair of adult carolina wrens with recent fledglings in tow, along with a male common yellowthroat, so I decided to look around a bit more.

It was a good choice because I noticed all the warbler activity around me.  There were american redstarts, another ovenbird, northern parula, and pine, black and white, yellow-throated, and black-throated blue warblers all around me in the laurel oaks.  Pretty decent numbers, but the diversity was outstanding.  A red-eyed vireo was also present, foraging on a southern magnolia.

A short walk down to the creek provided nice looks at one of my favorite North American wood warblers, the worm-eating warbler.  It just kept on foraging in the thick understory, oblivious to my presence.  I always enjoy having the opportunity to observe this species forage.

Worm-eating Warbler intently foraging

Afterwards it kept pretty quiet, as the mixed warbler flock was apparently the "big" push from the storm front passing through.  A pair of barred owls which breed in the park were present as I was leaving when it was starting to become dark.  I decided to head home and on the walk back, my girlfriend called to let me know the carolina wren fledglings in our yard were about to fly for the first time.  I arrived home in time to see one try out its wings for the first time, while the others remained in the nest.  As darkness set in, only the one had flown.  However, in the morning I woke up to find all had left the nest and were busy flying and chipping all over the backyard.  In fact, the entire yard (and our neighbors) were alive with birds calling and singing.

I grabbed my bins thinking the storm front had possibly dropped some birds our way and I was not disappointed.  Several blackpoll and cape may warblers were feeding in the laurel oaks, as well as a couple of northern parula.  A pair of baltimore orioles were hanging around our yard and the neighbors yard.  A ruby-throated hummingbird was around to  boot.  Along with our usual suspects, it made for a great morning, one that was likely best served staying at home to watch the birds.