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.