Wednesday, April 27, 2011

More Birds Trickle Through

Yesterday morning was the first time this spring that I really felt like the migration floodgates had opened. I birded my patch again. The species diversity was the highest I have recorded all spring, and some numbers were impressive. There were dozens of warblers, including 22 Yellow-rumped Warblers, mostly in one small grove, and 14 Yellow Warblers, spread out around the park. I saw Gray Catbirds there for the first time this year, as well as my first Brown Thrashers of the year. Four catbirds were foraging close together in the same small woodlot.

I also saw my first orioles of the year: this Orchard Oriole and two Baltimore Orioles, all singing loudly.

Song Sparrows are also very vocal in claiming and defending territories around the park.