[texbirds] Utopia - some warblers
- From: Mitch@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 09 May 2012 18:08:35 -0500
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050912 Utopia
Fortunately, miraculously, I just had to run to town for
errands on what looked to possibly be the best day of warbler
migration all spring here. Gollygee look what I saw on the
way. :) 9:30-12:30 incl. 4 chore stops, 4 bird stops (UP 2x).
Couldn't get out yesterday when about 1.5"+ of rain fell,
so can't say for sure but it seems much overnighted as
all concentrated along immediate river where they stack
up. When fallout just hits birds more widely scattered
throughout. No migrants at 354 pecans, away from river,
if fresh fallout it would've had some.
UP=Utopia Park; UR=Utopia on the River (2 mi. S. of town)
1 Blackburnian, male - UR; 1 Chestnut-sided, male UR;
1 Canada recorded singing, UP; 1 Magnolia SY male UP;
(first time I've had those four in same day here, 9th spring)
1 Black-throated Green SY singing, UR; 20 Yellow (6 UP, 12 UR);
8+ Wilson's; 6 Nashville; 2 Common Yellowthroat UP;
1 Northern Waterthrush (white) UP; 1 male MacGillivray's, UR;
= 11 migrant species and 40+ individual migrant warblers seen.
Plus thought I heard a Redstart, glimpsed and heard a Mourning
(flat-ball chup - saw it fly off), and heard a Tennessee sing.
Three of the local breeding sps. seen: the territorial singing
No. Parula for couple weeks now at UP; many Yellow-throated,
and 2 Chat. Didn't go up 1050 to the pass for the drive-by
Golden-cheeks and Black-n-whites since I was there day before
yesterday and had work to do. So settled for fourteen warbler
species seen in about 2.5 hours this a.m., this is one of
the better showings for a morning here, maybe #3-4 or so,
certainly in the best handful. So go ahead, laugh. :) Any
time you get a double digit figure for migrant warbler species
it is a five-star fallout way out west of 99W, and here in the
hills. And did you note the chore to birding ratio? .5 hrs. and
4 stops, faster than a late delivery driver, chores done, leaving
2.5 hrs for you know what. If only I could get back out.....
Additional migrants seen were a singing Philadelphia Vireo
at UP; Warbling Vireo, 1 UP; singing Blue-headed Vireo at UR;
(+ White-eyed, Red-eyed, Bell's, Yellow-throated all singing
breeders - could walk up hill across road for Hutton's but too
old, fat, and lazy - maybe I'll point my mic at the hill,
or drive up it, don't have a close-by stake-out Black-capped)
Alder Flycatcher, 1, UR; 1 Swainson's Thrush singing at UP;
Green Heron and Little Blue Heron at UP were my FOS here.
Female Green Kingfisher at UR.
One probable Baird's Sparrow at north end of town in the
sparrow fields, only sparrow there. I gave up after a fairly
convincing look in a mesquite... I didn't feel like playing
mouse with it, I could smell warblers. It was in an acre plus
of shin-to-knee-high with a few scattered short mesquite, so
odds with bird.
Still no Catbird, Eastern Kingbird, or Least Flycatcher (!)
this spring so far here. Abt. 5 p.m. a female Yellow-headed
Blackbird was on the seed out back, far less than annual event.
Often, the best stuff is later than the most stuff, usually
the reward for the diligent that don't quit early. Now is
the time to pour it on when it comes to casting that visual
blanket over your local patches. Especially when weather
happens at a time it often doesn't, the dogs might get bones.
happy hunting
Mitch Heindel
Utopia
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