Wednesday, May 15, Gunnison Sage Grouse

I arrived at the Waunita lek viewing area at 4:30 am.  There was no one else there.  The website had stated that the viewing area closes on May 15; therefore, I took no chances and went directly to Gunnison first after arriving in Colorado to try for the Gunnison Sage Grouse.  Recent information about the grouse at this lek was that they were leaving the lek before sun-rise.  That's why I arrived a half hour earlier than the latest recommended time of an hour before sun-rise.  It was quite dark as I started to scan with binoculars.  The cloud cover left over from yesterday's thunder showers also reduced the light.  This lek does not get direct early morning light, because there are mountains and hills to the east that keep the direct sunlight off of the lek until the sun rises above the mountains and hills.  I continued to scan with binoculars until about 5:23 am, because I thought that with the higher power telescope, even at 20X, there would not be enough light.  However, at 5:23 am, I decided to scan with my Swavroski 80HD telescope.  I started scanning from left to right and low and behold I found three Gunnison Sage Grouse.  I could see the white breast and throat and the dark/black slit of the face and head in the middle of the puffed out white breast.  As I scanned right, I found another.  When I scanned back to the left again, the original three had disappeared and the fourth one had also disappeared.  Apparently, I started scanning with a telescope just in time as the four birds apparently had left the lek.  I continued scanning and found one more grouse and tried several photos but it was too dark and could not be adjusted in Adobe Photoshop.   As I watched this bird, it started flying out of the lek toward the west and up into the sage covered hills to the west.  As it flew, I could see by telescope view the white banding in the closed tail.  Gunnison Sage Grouse has more white in the tail than Greater Sage Grouse.  In two previous visits in the past to this viewing site, the grouse left the lek in the same manner by flying west up into the sage covered hills.  All of the grouse had left the lek by 5:30 to 5:45 am at least 15 to 30 minutes before sunrise, which was 5:56 am.  However, in previous visits, the birds stayed until at least sunrise or after sunrise.  I felt very fortunate that I succeeded in seeing these birds. 

Before returning to my motel for breakfast, I drove a short distance up the dirt road toward Waunita Springs, and in rapid succession found a singing Green-tailed Towhee, a male and female Mountain Bluebird (see photo, adjusted to reduce shadows) and a Townsend's Solitaire, all new birds for the

year.  On the way back to Gunnison, I stopped and confirmed my previous distant and flying identification of Brewer's Blackbird.  There was a displaying male next to a female along the road.  A great start to this Colorado trip.  I returned to Gunnison to the Super 8 motel for breakfast.  After breakfast, I found a singing male Cassin's Finch (see photo) and a Violet-green Swallow, both new birds for the year, in the immediate vicinity of the motel.  I could see and got a photo of the brown back of the crest, a distinguishing field marks of male Cassin's versus Purple Finch.  Then I drove north on SR 135 to go to Crested Butte to look for other local birds and maybe a late rosy finch or two.  On the way, I stopped at Evelyn Lane to check the feeders.  This location is described on-line at the Colorado Birding Society website, and I had visited this site back in 2009 when I got my lifer Dusky Grouse at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.  At Evelyn Lane, I first found Red-naped Sapsucker in the trees in the neighborhood, then up to four beautiful male Western

Tanagers (See photo), a Broad-tailed Hummingbird giving its metallic wing whistle as it flew and a Rock Wren singing and visible (See distant photo.) on the rocky hillside that borders Evelyn Lane.  I looked at the Red-naped Sapsucker carefully in my telescope and could see that the red on the throat penetrates the black frame, one of the key identification field marks for this species.  All of these are new birds for the year.  I also saw Yellow Warblers, the ubiquitous Yellow-rumped Warblers (Audubon's sub-species with a yellow throat) and Bullock's Orioles at Evelyn Lane.  On the way to Crested Butte, I stopped at the bridge near the Roaring Judy Fish Unit, where in 2009 I saw American Dipper, but dipped this time on the dipper.  I heard and saw a Fox Sparrow singing, the slate colored sub-species of the Rockies, which at some point in the future may be a separate species.  On my way to Crested Butte, I found a very dark grayish tawny hawk the size and shape of a Red-tailed Hawk but without a reddish tail.  The tail had a dark band at the end with a lighter whitish color at the base of the tail. 

This is a potential candidate for a Harlan's Hawk.  I'll have to do some research when I get home.

In Crested Butte, I checked the area around Fourth and Whiterock Streets where there are feeders in the winter time and early spring that attract rosy finches, but not today.  I had seen Brown-capped and Black Rosy Finches at this location in 2009.  It is probably too late in the season.  I did find a large flock of finches up the hill from this area and drove to this development to look for the flock.  The flock had disappeared.  I suspect that the flock was a

mixture of Cassin's and House Finches, which were common at this location.  I found a Steller's Jay, a new bird for the year, in the development up  the hill and at the Fourth and Whiterock Street location (See photo).  Also, a cooperative Green-tailed Towhee in the development (See photo).  I walked around the neighborhood and adjacent location looking for birds and found a beautiful male Lazuli Bunting, new bird for the year, at a back-yard feeder visible from an alley.  I also found a male Evening Grosbeak, a great bird but not new for the year.  In addition, I found a cooperative

Black-billed Magpie, not a new bird (See photo).  Other birds seen  in Crested Butte and not mentioned previously were house Sparrows, American Crow seen carrying a stick and disappearing into a conifer (apparent nest building) Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, House Finch and Red-tailed Hawk (this time a regular one).

I headed back to Gunnison and stopped again at the bridge at the Roaring Judy Fish Unit.  As I walked on the bridge without my camera this time, of course, an American Dipper flew out from under the bridge.  As I returned to my rental car, I heard a mellow warbling song, similar to Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the east and looked up to see a beautiful male Black-headed Grosbeak.  I stopped one more time at Evelyn Lane and found a cooperative male Bullock's Oriole, not new for the year (See photo).   After stopping for lunch, I filled my gas tank and headed to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to try for Dusky Grouse.  There were two construction delays of about 10-15 minutes each on the way to the national park from Gunnison.  I was planning to stay the night in Montrose not far

from the national park and would try for Dusky Grouse at dusk on the western end of the South Rim drive, as stated by Richard Stevens (see Colorado Birding Society and Richard's blog (Coloradobirders.blogspot.com).

I arrived between 4:00 and 4:30 PM with plenty of time for birding until dusk.  I drove the South Rim with my windows down listening for bird song and very quickly found Spotted Towhee (See photo).  I stopped at the Visitor Center and talked to a lady who told me that the best place to see Dusky Grouse is along the early part of the South Portal road near the entrance booth.  I bought a Falcon Guide, Colorado Birding, written by Hugh Kingery for future reference for birding in Colorado.  I met Hugh by letter and in telephone conversations, never in person, when I lived in Norwich, NY.  I was the Region 4 Atlas Coordinator  for the first New York State Atlas

(1980-1986) sponsored by the then, New York State Federation of Bird Clubs.  Hugh and his wife, Urling, visited relatives in Otsego County and participated in the NYS Atlas project.  Soon after leaving the Visitor Center, I quickly started adding new species for the year.  The first was a Golden Eagle soaring quite low and visible just above the canyon rim, showing the dihedral wing position and the golden patches on the upper wings and the golden nape when it turned.  I  

heard a two part call, described in field guides as "chi-wip" and saw the source, a smallish gray flycatcher, and was able to identify this as a Gray Flycatcher, due to its call, gray color and propensity to dip its tail down slowly when perched.  I heard the twittering of White-throated Swifts.  At first they were too high to see the details, but eventually they came low enough to see the white throat and white along the sides of the rump.  Then I picked up on a small warbler that was mostly gray with a white eye-ring.  When it flew I could see the yellow under-tail coverts and caught a glimpse of the

yellow rump--a Virginia's Warbler.  Then I heard a slow vireo song and with some effort was able to find the  source, a Gray Vireo.  The song is somewhat like a Solitary Vireo is structure but the individual notes are more burry for Gray Vireo than for Solitary Vireo, for  which the notes are clearer and more melodious.  The Gray Vireo has a longer tail than most eastern vireos and is all gray (See photo).    (Note:  This will be corrected to Plumbeous Vireo.  It is not a Gray Vireo.  See future blog entry with explanation.)  I chased after and photographed two gnatcatchers, at first mistakenly thinking that they were Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, but discovered later by looking at my photos that they were only Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, not new for the year.  Blue-gray Gnatcatchers breed in the park (I got a bird list at the Visitor Center.) and the birds had the field marks of Blue-gray and not Black-tailed Gnatcatchers.  I also saw a male and female

Western Bluebird (see photo) and at the end of the South Rim road, High Point, a Clark's Nutcracker.   While waiting for sunset at high Point I managed to get a telephoto shot to the northeast toward Pike's Peak, showing some of the awesome scenery of the South Rim (See photo).  I stayed at High Point until all visitors had left and until the sun had set.  I scanned the last 200 yards of the road to the High Point parking lot looking for Dusky Grouse on the road or the sides of the road (as per Richard Steven's description).  No luck.  I had tried this technique back in 2009 and did not have any success then in finding Dusky Grouse at the western end of South Rim road.  Then I drove very slowly toward the entrance but never found a Dusky Grouse.  I drove to Montrose where I stayed the night.  It was only 15 to 20 minutes to my motel from the entrance to the national park.

Gunnison Sage Grouse, Green-tailed Towhee, Mountain Bluebird, Townsend's Solitaire, Violet-green Swallow, Cassin's Finch, Red-naped Sapsucker, Western Tanager, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Rock Wren, Steller's Jay, Lazuli Bunting, American Dipper, Black-headed Grosbeak, Spotted Towhee, Golden Eagle, Gray Flycatcher, White-throated Swift, Virginia's Warbler, Gray Vireo (actually Plumbeous Vireo), Western Bluebird, and Clark's Nutcracker make the total 433.   (The identification of the vireo will be discussed in a future blog entry.)  

Day 1, Colorado, Grouse Trip, Tuesday, May 14

I got no sleep last night before leaving for the Dayton Airport for a 5:23 am flight.  I chose this flight because it was scheduled to arrive in Denver shortly after 9:00 am and it did.  I slept on both legs of the flight from Dayton, OH to Charlotte, NC and from Charlotte to Denver.  After arrival in Denver, I drove to Gunnison, south and west from Denver, to be in position for the dawn display of the Gunnison Sage Grouse the next morning.  I got to Gunnison at about 4:00 pm after several stops in Colorado Springs and in Pueblo to check on a book that I thought I might need about birding in Colorado.  I didn't find it. 

On the way to Gunnison, I saw several Brewer's Blackbirds, mostly flying along the highways.  Brewer's Blackbirds, new for the year, are the common blackbird in the west and in Colorado but are rare in Ohio.  I was able to identify these birds at highway speed, because they are all black, no red on the wing as in Red-winged Blackbirds, also seen along the highways.  They are smaller than Common Grackles, a few of which were also seen flying near the highways on the way to Gunnison, and longer tailed than Red-winged Blackbirds.  Later during this visit, I confirmed that my highway speed identification is correct.

I checked into a motel in Gunnison and then got some dinner to carry with me and went to the Gunnison Sage Grouse viewing site, which is about 19 miles east of Gunnison.  This would also be a trial run for early tomorrow morning.  I had been to this site at least twice before, once in the '90's and as recently as 2009.  I had passed the entry road on the way to Gunnison.  I planned to stay at the viewing location, Waunita Watchable Wildlife site, until dusk to see if the grouse show up at dusk.  Usually, dawn is better, but sometimes they show up before dark in the evening.  I did not see any Gunnison Sage Grouse come to the lek on Tuesday evening.  I was also extremely tired and dozed off several times.  However, I did hear and see Western Meadowlarks, also new for the year, in the meadow at the lek site.

I returned to Gunnison and my motel room.  I needed to be at the viewing site by 5:00 am, and hoped to be there earlier than that to sit in my rental vehicle and hope that the light will be sufficient to actually see any birds that are at the lek.

The details about this site, viewing protocol and pictures showing what is actually seen while sitting quietly in your vehicle can be found at http://www.siskadee.org/view.htm, under Gunnison Sage-grouse Viewing.

Brewer's Blackbird and Western Meadowlark increase the year's total to 411.        

Local Birding, May 10 through May 13

I am writing this overdue blog entry from Elkhart, Kansas.  I am in my fourth day of a "chicken trip" to Colorado to look for grouse and chickens, while they are still actively displaying as part of breeding.  More about that in future entries.

Every day since I got home from Florida, I checked the migrant warblers in my neighborhood in the mornings, if I did not go anywhere special to bird.  I had a number of chores to take care of while I am at home and planning things for the next phase of my big year.  For several days, I thought that I heard a singing Bay-breasted Warbler.  Each spring I need to recalibrate my hearing for certain warbler songs, and try to see the singing bird to confirm that my hearing identification is still correct.  For some reason, Bay-breasted Warbler is more problematic for me, I think because I have a recording from Canada which gives multiple songs and the variation in the songs for each warbler species.  For the singing potential Bay-breasted Warbler in this case, I was not able to find the bird high up in the leaves.  Over the past few days, I have studied the laboratory of ornithology CD to confirm the singing bird that I heard.

On Friday, May 10, John Habig, a local birding friend called and left a message about three Black Terns at Ellis Lake and sky-pool fields near Cincinnati.  For some reason, I monitored his message about three hours later.  I rushed over there, only to miss the three Black Terns, which would have been a new bird for the year. 

Today, Monday, May 13, I heard a Bay-breasted Warbler sing again and this time there was no doubt.   Therefore, Bay-breasted Warbler is a new species for the list.   John Habig called me again in the afternoon; this time about a phalarope at Ellis Lake and sky-pools.  I rushed over there to see the Wilson's Phalarope, a new bird for the year, and met Frank Fricke, another local birding friend.  He said that John and he also had a dowitcher there, so we spent time looking over the shorebirds.  I found a Stilt Sandpiper by using feeding behavior and shape to identify this distant bird in not good, too glaring, light.  In my experience, Stilt Sandpiper feeds differently from dowitchers.  Dowitchers feed with a sewing machine motion; the head and bill moving up and down in  relatively long strokes as a sewing machine needle.  However, Stilt Sandpiper puts its head and bill down and then probes rapidly with short repeated strokes before raising its head and bill again for another down stroke.  In addition, Stilt Sandpipers are more slender than dowtichers, which have a relatively rotund body shape, and the long bill of a Stilt Sandpiper is curved downward.  Later, Frank and I were able to confirm that this bird was a Stilt Sandpiper.  We saw it well later with the sun at our backs and could see the incomplete barring on the sides and partial reddish-brown face patch and some reddish brown on the crown of this bird.  This Stilt Sandpiper was in transition to breeding plumage.  Frank and I walked out in the field along a dry raised berm to scan for shorebirds.  We had seen a number of Least Sandpipers present, but Frank had seen a large flock earlier.  We found a flock of "peeps" (small sandpipers) with approximately 100 Least Sandpipers, which also included Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers as well as Semipalmated Plovers and Lesser Yellowlegs.  Frank found a peep with black legs.  We decided that it was a Semipalmated Sandpiper, a new bird for the year.

Before I arrived, John Habig left to take care of some personal business.  John told Frank that he had heard a Willow Flycatcher along the bike path, so Frank and I checked where Willow Flycatcher has bred in this area for the last five years or so.  Eventually I heard the Willow Flycatcher call its sneezy "fitz-bew" song at a distance.  I also heard it give a shorter version, sometimes described as a rising "breeet."  Willow Flycatcher is one of the confusing empidonax flycatchers which are visually very similar and often best identified by their differing songs.  Different species of empidonax flycatchers recognize each other by their songs and calls;  therefore, humans use the same technique after we learn to distinguish the different songs.  Willow Flycatcher is another new bird for my Big Year.

Bay-breasted warbler, Wilson's Phalarope, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Willow Flycatcher yields a total of 409 for the year.   Very early tomorrow morning, Tuesday, May 14, I leave for Denver, Colorado to find grouse and chickens. 

Adams County, OH, Thursday, May 9

I contacted my buddy, Randy Lakes, who is still working at P&G, to ask about potential drumming Ruffed Grouse in Adams County.  Adams County is closer to my home than driving to Shawnee State Forest again to try for Ruffed Grouse.  Randy has contacts at the Edge of Appalachia Nature Conservancy in Adams County.  I met Randy at P&G and discovered our mutual interest in birds and nature.  Later, I joined Randy and the late Karl Maslowski, nationally and world famous nature and bird photographer, in the Cincinnati Bird-a-Thon, an effort to raise money for the Oxbow, an area conserved in the extreme southwest corner of Ohio.   Karl's sons, Steve and Dave are continuing the photography business that Karl started.

Randy made contact with Mark Zloba, Ecological Manager, Cincinnati Museum Center, Edge of Appalachia Preserve System.  I got good information from Mark about a spot where he had heard Ruffed Grouse drumming the day before, Wednesday.  Consequently, I headed for that spot, but arrived somewhat later than I wanted to, because I did not first check on the time of sunrise, which is now somewhat later than the first time I tried for Ruffed Grouse at Shawnee State Forest back on March 30. 

I arrived at the Picnic Shelter on Abner Hollow Road at 6:45 am and should have been there at sunrise.  As I walked up the road to the shelter, I heard a distant and faint Ruffed Grouse drumming a few times.  I did not count the previous Ruffed Grouse that I saw briefly in a drive-by, budding in a tree in Minnesota at Sax-Zim Bog in January, because at that time I did not believe that I could distinguish if from Sharp-tailed Grouse with the brief view of it out of the corner of my eye.  Now I can count it.  Thanks Mark for the information and Randy for the initial contact.  There were two male Blue-winged Warblers singing aggressively and chasing each other around at the shelter, a dispute for breeding territory.   Blue-winged Warbler is a new bird for the year.  See photos. 

The first photo shows a Blue-winged Warbler in display with its tail spread showing the white and with wings spread and looking up to locate the other male.    The second photo shows a male singing.  I also heard and saw Chestnut-sided Warbler and heard Blackburnian Warbler, both new for the year.  Two male Indigo Buntings were also in dispute of this territory.  A White-eyed Vireo, a Black and White Warbler and a Prairie Warbler were singing and very visible.   I walked the trail beyond the shelter on the uphill part of the trail and listened and looked for Ruffed Grouse.  On this trail, I had two Red-eyed Vireos, at least three Hooded Warblers and two Kentucky Warblers singing as well as two vociferous Worm-eating Warblers singing in opposition on both sides of the trail.  I drove east on Abner Hollow Road and stopped at a local old cemetery, where I heard another Blackburnian Warbler singing.  Also, in the area, I heard at least three Louisiana Waterthrushes singing as I drove slowly with my windows down as well as several Yellow-

throated Warblers, multiple Prairie Warblers and Common Yellowthroats as well as at least one Northern Parula.  None of these are new for the year.

I also checked out the area near the Nature Conservancy Eulett Center on Waggoner Riffle Road and on Cole Road near Cedar Mills to look for and listen for Henslow's Sparrows.  I found Eastern Kingbirds in the Henslow's Sparrow field near the Eulett Center and on Cole Road a calling Northern Bobwhite but no Henslow's Sparrows.  I left the area and sopped at Adams Lake State Park to listen for warblers and vireos, but found only another Eastern Wood Pewee singing and a Tennessee Warbler singing on the right side as I exited the state park.  I drove Wheat Ridge Road to Tater Ridge Road to check out a location where we have found both Grasshopper and Henslow's Sparrows on previous Bird-a-Thons, but without success.  It was almost noon; thus, it might have been too late in the morning.  I did see Eastern Bluebirds and heard Blue Grosbeaks singing along Tater Ridge Road.

Ruffed Grouse, Blue-winged Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler and Blackburnian Warbler raise the total to 405.                

Finally 400!, Wednesday, May 8

Prior to getting my new Dodge Dart serviced after 18,000 miles (already!) and to maintain warranty, I birded in my neighborhood for a short period.  Early at about 6:30 am I walked in my immediate neighborhood and heard a brief song of a Blackpoll Warbler and a Cape May Warbler.  In addition, I can be on my deck and check out my neighbor's large oak trees.  Warblers love the blossoms to find the larva of acorn maggots.  From my deck, I heard the "cinch" call of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak and then a short song for another new bird for the year.  The "cinch" call of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak sounds like the squeaky noise that a sticking door makes when one opens or closes it from the stuck position.  Later, I walked down my street to Camargo Road and walked about a mile south on Camargo Road.  On my way to Camargo Road, I heard a Magnolia Warbler singing from the vicinity of Norway Spruce trees in my neighbors' yards across the street from my house and also heard a Yellow Warbler.  The local Yellow-throated Warbler is still singing in my neighborhood.  Along Camargo Road, I heard a Red-eyed Vireo singing, a new bird for the year and found a second one singing in the mile or so that I walked.  I heard two American Redstarts, one Nashville Warbler, one Tennessee Warbler singing and at least two Louisiana Waterthrushes.  The American Redstarts and Louisiana waterthrushes are on territory, because they breed there.  Also, I heard Great Crested Flycatcher and Wood Thrush along this stretch of road as well as Eastern Phoebe, all of which nest there.         

After completing the car service, I went to Ellis Lake, a local spot where shorebirds feed during migration in the flooded fields.  I have seen White-rumped Sandpipers and Wilson's Phalarope in this spot during spring migration, but not today.  Then I continued west to the Lost Bridge area near Elizabethtown, OH in the southwest corner of the state near the Ohio-Indiana state line to check for Cliff Swallows, which nest under the bridge over the Great Miami River south of the juncture with the Whitewater River.  I was not disappointed.  Cliff Swallow is a new bird for the year.  I got great views of the Cliff Swallows at point blank range from the bridge as they swooped up under the bridge.  It's great to have a recent comparison with Cave Swallows seen recently in Florida.  The rump patch on the Cliff Swallows is a much lighter buff color than the dark brownish-orange color of the rump patch on the Caribbean race of Cave Swallow in Florida.  In addition, the pale forehead of a Cliff Swallow is white or nearly white but that of the Cave Swallows in Florida and the Mexican race in Texas is cinnamon.  I drove Kilby Road to head to Miami Whitewater Park to try for some additional birds.  I intended to stop by a maintenance barn along Kilby Road where Grasshopper Sparrows have bred in the past.  As I was approaching this area, an American Bittern flew over the road heading southwest.  I could tell that it was an American Bittern by the size, largish, medium sized heron-type with short legs, not the long-legs like a Great Blue Heron, with a long bill not the shorter bill of a night-heron, and with the humped posture with the head lower and protruding straight out rather than with the neck kinked.  The wings were pointed and not rounded as in a night-heron.  That's a great new bird for the year, one I was worried that I might miss this spring.  There are multiple old gravel pits in this area with marshy area on the edges, so there is habitat for American Bittern in this area.  I stopped at the maintenance barn but did not find any Grasshopper Sparrows.  They should be back on territory but may be silent due to the earliness in the season or the lateness in the day.  I continued to the Bolles Woods area of Miami Whitewater Park to look for vireos, flycatchers and warblers.

I parked at several areas as I drove up the hill and walked to listen and look.  The first new bird for this area was a Red-eyed Vireo, doing its preacher bird thing, a repetition of the same short phrases, punctuated with a raised inflection at the end as if to say "You see it.  You know it.  Do you hear me?  Do you believe?"  I finally found the bird just before it flew to a new tree.  Vireos can be hard to see, because they are often in the tops of the trees in the canopy of leaves and sitting still or moving slowly.  In comparison, warblers are smaller but move more frequently, and therefore can be found by movement.  Further up the road, near the top of the hill, I heard the distinctive song,  "three-eight" repeated, of a Yellow-throated Vireo, another new bird for the year.  After a diligent search, I found the Yellow-throated Vireo sitting atop a dead snag showing off its bright yellow throat and singing.

Finally, just before leaving the area, I heard the "pee-a-wee" song of Eastern Wood Pewee, another new bird for the year.  Before leaving this area. I also heard or saw, Great Crested Flycatcher, Pileated Woodpecker, Ovenbird (about 4), first seen a few weeks ago in Florida, Kentucky Warbler and Cerulean Warbler, singing on territory and first seen in Texas this year and the Kentucky warbler also photographed there, the ubiquitous Red-bellied Woodpeckers, singing Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Summer tanager and at least three singing Scarlet Tanagers, and four singing Wood Thrushes.  These first birds are likely setting up territory to defend against later migrants of the same species.

I continued to the wetlands area to look for and listen for Willow Flycatcher, which breeds there.  The presence of Eastern Wood Pewee suggests that the Willow Flycatchers may be back, except for the fact that the Eastern Wood Pewee, usually arrives on territory a little before the Willow Flycatcher.  I was not successful in finding a Willow Flycatcher, but did see a very close Sora out in the open from the viewing platform.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Red-eyed Vireo, American Bittern, Yellow-throated Vireo, and Eastern Wood Pewee raises the total to 401.  Finally 400 + species for the year!                

Home Again, Tuesday, May 7

My lawn looked like a hayfield with 6-8 inches of growth over the two week period that I was gone.  First I cleaned out my car of the detritus of birding in Florida as well as over the last four months.  Then, after the day warmed up, I cut my lawn.  First, I used my weed trimmer to reduce the height and then I mowed it.  I plan to get a neighbor's son to mow my lawn during my absence.  When I was a kid, I mowed lawns to earn money.  It helped me to develop a work ethic that has never gone away, so far at least.  Can't say that for sure about the rest of my retirement!  :>)  :>)

While I was outside working, I heard and saw Cape May Warbler, a beautiful breeding plumage male.  I usually see them this time of year in the local Norway Spruce trees, probably because they nest in the spruce belt in Canada.  I wonder if this was one of the many I saw at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, just last week?  Later, I heard a Nashville Warbler, first seen this year at the Convention Center on South Padre Island in Texas earlier in April.

When I finished the lawn and had a late lunch, I went birding for some local birds that I still need.  I went to Armeleder Park about 15 minutes from my house in search of Prothonotary Warbler, where they breed.  I got there just after a brief shower and the path to the river was muddy.  However, I heard at least three Prothonotary Warblers singing the emphatic "sweet sweet sweet" song and saw at least one that was making its call note, a new bird for the year.  The call note of a Prothonotary Warbler to my ear is like a mixture of the Louisiana Waterthrush and Northern Waterthrush calls.  I also heard a Nashville Warbler singing in the trees along the river at the canoe launch area.  Indigo Buntings and Warbling Vireos are back on territory and singing at Armeleder Park.  I first saw these in Texas this year.  There are a large number of Savannah Sparrows along the paths through this large grassy area, possibly going to breed there again, and a large number of White-crowned Sparrows, soon to leave for parts far north.  On my way home, I stopped at a location along Camargo Road, just around the corner from where I live, and listened for Wood Thrush.   Right on time, I heard the beautiful "ee-o-lay" song of the Wood Thrush, another new bird for the year.

Tomorrow, I will get my car serviced, finalize plans for Colorado, Texas, Arizona and pre- and post- Alaska birding.  Time is flying, as are the birds and so must this Jay.  Later this week, I will be at Magee Marsh, timing my arrival for the potential appearance of a Kirkland's Warbler.  I will be doing some local birding, and should reach 400 + before I get to Magee marsh and the boardwalk to finalize my eastern warbler list,..... hopefully.

Prothonotary Warbler and Wood Thrush makes the total 395.  No, that's not an error.  See discussion below. 

I discovered another error in the list.  I had not included Kentucky Warbler on the official list (or perhaps it got deleted somehow), seen and photographed at the Convention Center on South Padre Island in Texas on April 3, 2013.  I  will not go back and correct this error in all past postings.   I found this error when I looked at my eastern warbler list.  Details!  Details!  I thought that I left hem behind when I retired!!   :>)  :>)      

Paynes Prairie State Preserve, Gainesville, Monday, May 6

I forgot to mention in yesterday's post that Nanday Parakeet is the seventh new bird for my ABA Area list, making my total 797.  It is officially a new Life Bird, even though I saw it first in the early 2000's in Florida near Loxahatchee NWR.  Back then as Black-hooded Parakeet, it was officially still an introduced species, not officially on the list.

Paynes Prairie State Preserve is very close to my motel near Gainesville and is perhaps the most southern breeding area for Mississippi Kite in Florida.  I was not sure that the kite was back on territory, but decided to make a short visit in the morning to try for Mississippi Kite.  The most likely area, according to A Birders Guide to Florida by Bill Pranty, 1996 Edition, American Birding Association, Inc.,  was La Chua Trail on the north side.  I arrived at abut 8:30 am and started down the trail.  The first part of the trail is wooded.  As soon as I got to the edge of the trees, I found Blue Grosbeak, a new bird for the year.  I walked to the end of the boardwalk and on to the grassy trail with a lady who was a relatively new birder and newly retired from the navy.  We met while she was enjoying a Red-shouldered Hawk being harassed by Blue Jays.  There were a lot of migrating Bobolinks on the prairie, as well as Indigo Buntings, which breed there, as well as long-legged waders, Snowy Egrets and Great Blue Herons.  There is a Great Blue Heron rookery visible from a viewing platform near the rim area.  There were fly-by White Ibis and a Wood Stork flew over near the end  of my stay.  Along the grassy dikes beyond the boardwalk, we found Common Moorhen and a Great White Heron, a sub-species of Great Blue Heron.  This is not a new species for the list, but is an interesting white morph of the Great Blue Heron, normally seen only in Florida.  I have seen this only once or twice before; thus, I mention a bird not to be counted on my Big year List.  See photos.

The first photo shows the heavy bill and raised crest feathers and dark on the upper mandible of a Great Blue Heron, a different bill than that of the similar Great Egret.  The second photo shows the yellow legs of the Great White Heron, a distinguishing field mark, because Great Egret has black legs.  When this bird flew, it called like a Great Blue Heron, another distinguishing field mark.
    
I met Mike Mannetz, a local expert birder, who has written a bird guide to the Gainesville area, on the trail.  He indicated that the Mississippi Kites should be back and that scanning the sky near the north area of the trail, the rim, would be a good strategy.  Mike also helped to solve a mystery.  He provided the name of the man I met at Key West Tropical and Botanical Garden, who was also looking for the female Western Spindalis.  The man was Lloyd Davis, who eventually got to see the Western Spindalis.  Congratulations, Lloyd,.....this just in case, you are a reader.  Mike also told me that a Kirkland's Warbler was found yesterday near Gainesville.  He took my cell phone number just in case it was still being seen.  If I did not hear from him, the Kirkland's Warbler was not present on Monday.  I never got a call, but thanks, Mike, for the thought. 

In the last hour or so, I stayed near the north end of the trail where I could view the sky above the wooded area for soaring or flying Mississippi Kite.   I did not find a
Mississippi Kite.  Later in the day is probably better for this bird.  It was quite cool, in the high 60's, and I saw no dragon flies and heard no cicadas, common prey insects for Mississippi Kites, until I got back in the wooded part of the trail, where I saw a few dragon flies and heard a cicada.

As I waked to the parking area, Brown Thrasher, Northern Parula and Yellow-billed Cuckoo were singing.  I left the La Chua Trail area at about 10:30 am. 

Blue Grosbeak makes the total, 392. 

It was a 11-12 hour drive to Cincinnati from Gainesville.  I arrived home at 11:30 pm.  The only problem encountered was a heavy rainstorm near Lexington, KY.  To keep alert during the drive, I kept track of the birds I saw in each state during daylight hours.  Only three hours of the drive were after dark.