FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Kentucky Warbler @ Hemlock Overlook Regional Park

["Greg/Christi Hays" <cghays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

While hiking part of the Bull Run - Occoquan Trail near Hemlock Overlook
Regional Park on Sunday 6/13 (early afternoon), I had one of those magical
birding moments when, of course, I least expected it.
 

As I scanned a nearby Sycamore attempting to catch a glimpse of an elusive
Yellow-Billed Cuckoo (missed it), I found myself staring at an ACADIAN
FLYCATCHER on nest, not 10 feet in front of me on a horizontally forked
limb.  The female was incubating while the male, emitting successive call
notes, attempted to draw me away.  I'd never seen these birds on nest
before.  Backing off after a minute, I became distracted by an unfamiliar
repeating call note perhaps 20 yards away. Proceeding up the trail, I
quickly located the source of the sound, and had an amazingly close
encounter with a KENTUCKY WARBLER!

 

This bird stayed mostly in plain view of me, never more than 20 feet away,
alternating between walking on the ground and flitting amongst the low
understory.  The bird had an insect in its bill and never ceased to stop
sounding its call.  When I realized the behavior may mean agitation (perhaps
a nest?), I backed away but continued to observe it from varying angles and
distances for maybe 20 minutes - after which I felt obligated to walk away.
I felt like I was ditching a prom date! I never did see signs of another
bird or a nest.

 

Returning back down the trail a couple of hours later, I re-found the
warbler in the same spot, exhibiting the same behavior, but with a different
insect in its mouth.  Savoring a few last glances, I proceeded back toward
the flycatcher nest.  Noticing the pair together but away from the nest, I
took a moment to observe the nest. A close look revealed some movement of
yellowish fuzz through a small hole in the shaggy side of the nest. Now, if
it were only that easy on the Dyke Marsh BBS!

 

Other birds of note observed in the vicinity included WORM-EATING WARBLER
and two NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH pairs, one with a juvenile.  

 

Greg Hays

 

 



You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email 
to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send email to
va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.