Posted by Bill Boeringer on September 06, 2015 at 20:40:18
Approximately 15 birders - experienced and novice alike- met at AD Barnes for the 1st Sunday walk of the Fall. A good portent of the day was a FOTS Cape May Warbler feeding in a fig at our meeting spot. As we rounded in towards homeless hammock, we checked Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Parula, Prairie Warbler, American Redstart, and an Ovenbird. Before everyone got on the Ovenbird, Jack found a Prothonotary Warbler feeding high in Virginia Creeper, which gave some good looks to everyone. As we rounded the hammock, we got good views of several Hill Mynas in an Australian Pine, plus a single Osprey. At the nature trail things were quiet and humid until we got close to the LAC buildings. First we flushed 2 Chuck-will's-widows, one of which flew right over our heads and then circled back and landed, which gave everyone a chance to see it on a branch. As we got behind the LAC buildings, we quickly added Black-throated Blue Warbler, American Redstart, and Yellow-throated Warbler. Several birders noticed an odd looking warbler, and on tracking it down Brian and I found a preening bird which turned out to be a male (immature) Cerulean Warbler! After following it and eventuaklly losing it, Jeanette got back on the bird she had seen earlier, which was a female Cerulean Warbler! TWO Ceruleans made for a banner day......but we weren't done! Making our way back down the unpaved path from the waterfall, Jack & I were following several intriguing birds in the treetops. As we watched, I had a good angle on one as it turned its head----"GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER!" I shouted, and for the next 10 minutes it worked its way down the path, giving everyone great views of this REALLY hard to find migrant. At the end of the trip, we did a brief "extension" back out to homeless hammock, and on the return we added several birds to the day's list, including a FOTS Summer Tanager. The Day's List: Turkey Vulture Osprey Common Gallinule Killdeer Rock Pigeon Eurasian Collared-Dove Mourning Dove Red-masked Parakeet large parakeet sp. Chuck-will's-widow Ruby-throated Hummingbird - FOTS Red-bellied Woodpecker Great Crested Flycatcher Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay Fish Crow Barn Swallow Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Northern Mockingbird Hill Myna Golden-winged Warbler Northern Parula Cape May Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Prairie Warbler Cerulean Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Ovenbird Summer Tanager Northern Cardinal