Category: Birding

I went to Gillam this morning, keeping close to home so that I could go to Mena Lazuli hunting later. It was kind of slow, I think the migration bump is definitely almost over. However, I did encounter a first of season and a first of life. The lifer, a Blue-headed Vireo, is here in the winter and leaves during the 3^rd week of May so I just barely caught this one. It is “unusual” but still a winter resident, I’m surprised I’ve never encountered it yet. *=First of Season, **=Life Bird.

Species seen or heard:

• Blue-headed Vireo **
• Northern Waterthrush *
• Carolina Chickadee
• Tufted Titmouse
• White-eyed Vireo
• Eastern Phoebe
• Carolina Wren
• Chimney Swift
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Northern Cardinal
• Wood Thrush
• Fish Crow
• Kentucky Warbler
• Acadian Flycatcher
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Indigo Bunting
• Common Yellowthroat
• Great Blue Heron
• Green Heron
• Belted Kingfisher
• Philadelphia Vireo
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Magnolia Warbler
• Orange-crowned Warbler
• Wood Duck
• Blue Jay
• Eastern Wood-Pewee

Plan A had been to drive to Craighead Forest Park this morning but I saw a post from Dick Baxter last night where he and Ron Howard had birded the area yesterday and the list of notables that he provided made me think whether I wanted go there in the rain. As it turns out, all of this birding and these trips I’ve made recently have paid off, I had already seen (this year) every bird on his list except the Caspian Tern. The tern would be nice but I decided against going up there in a driving rain for the chance of seeing him.

I left the house (in the rain) for Bell Slough WMA this morning with the thought that it might well be submerged. Sure enough it was so I went to Plan C. Plan C was Allsopp Park even though I had just been there yesterday. Not surprisingly, mine was the only car at Allsopp since there was a steady moderate rain. I donned poncho and waterproof boots and took off. I went up the main paved trail as usual and then at the top took the trail to the east. This “high” trail seems to pace Cedar Street and then ends up at the softball field. By the time I finished, at 9:10, the rain had stopped so I took off back up the main trail hopping for more birds this time. Once I got to the top this time I veered to the west and walked the biking trails on that side. In all I spent 2:10 there and walked about 3.5 miles.

Species seen or heard:

• American Robin
• Tufted Titmouse
• Northern Cardinal
• Swainson’s Thrush
• Gray Catbird
• Magnolia Warbler
• Carolina Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• American Crow
• Killdeer
• Mississippi Kite
• White-eyed Vireo
• Northern Mockingbird
• Chimney Swift
• Worm-eating Warbler
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo
• Broad-winged Hawk
• Summer Tanager
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Eastern Phoebe

Sam and I joined ASCA today for a field trip to these two urban parks in hopes of spring migrants. Thunderstorms the night before made us hopeful but neither place was particularly birdy. Even so, I did manage to get two FOS birds: Blackburnian Warbler and Spotted Sandpiper (see picture below). Sam may have gotten more. We finished up four hours after starting.

Species seen or heard at Allsopp:

• Blackburnian Warbler *
• Northern Cardinal
• Tufted Titmouse
• Pine Warbler
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Carolina Chickadee
• Red-eyed Vireo
• White-eyed Vireo
• Mississippi Kite
• American Crow
• European Starling
• Summer Tanager
• Green Heron
• Black-throated Green Warbler
• Mourning Dove
• Chimney Swift
• Eastern Phoebe
• Chestnut-sided Warbler
• American Redstart
• Barn Swallow
• Eastern Wood-Pewee
• Great Blue Heron
• Acadian Flycatcher
• Magnolia Warbler
• Common Grackle
• American Robin
• Swainson’s Thrush
• Great Crested Flycatcher
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Eastern Bluebird

Species seen or heard at Murray:

• Spotted Sandpiper *
• Northern Mockingbird
• Eastern Bluebird
• Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Common Yellowthroat
• Chimney Swift
• Northern Cardinal
• Yellow-breasted Chat
• Purple Martin
• Cliff Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• Baltimore Oriole
• Red-eyed Vireo
• American Crow
• Fish Crow
• Great Blue Heron
• Orchard Oriole
• White-throated Sparrow
• Gray Catbird
• White-eyed Vireo
• Warbling Vireo
• Eastern Phoebe
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow
• Eastern Kingbird
• Green Heron

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