Posted by Michelle Davis on August 28, 2002 at 09:31:17:
...go look!
A Black-billed cuckoo was at Lucky Hammock an hour ago. It's probably still there...it flew out of the brushy area across the street and landed in Lucky Hammock proper, and then a shrike chased it back over to that side of the street. David LP and I got great looks at a black bill, no large white tips to undertail feathers,no rufous in the wing, and generally more slightly built than a yellow-billed. the eye ring was a very dull yellowish. David took some pictures which may get posted here eventually. Other highlights were: two Louisiana waterthrushes singing their fool heads off in the Annex, and there are still orchard orioles there. Lucky Hammock also had a yellow warbler, ovenbird and black-throated blue, and there's still a couple of the Alder flycatchers hanging around. I don't think I have ever heard a more vocal group of empids in fall before than these guys- lots of the 'kip' or 'pip' call and one or two of them sang some sections of song. The kip is distinctive for Alder; most of the others have a 'whit'.
Happy birding, y'all!
Michelle