[tn-bird] Phillip Magic

Please pardon my stubbornness. Once again, the last half of the third 
paragraph, was missing from my post. I am beginning to get seriously p****d! I 
promise not to try again, even if it doesn't work right this time. Anybody had 
this happen to them before?

I got a typically irritating e-mail, from my friend Phillip Casteel, yesterday 
evening. Phillip had gotten word of yet another strike on my part, in my effort 
to connect with a, life, Connecticut Warbler. My latest 0 fer, coming 
yesterday, at Radnor Lake. Phillip ordained, that in light of the fact that he 
had gotten 2 Connecticut's already at Shelby Park this spring, he supposed he 
would have to come over to Radnor on Wednesday, and get me one. 

When I read his email, I was equal parts resentment, at his cocky attitude, 
and, hopeful, that he would come over, and give it a try. For those of you who 
don't know, I am 0 for 6 on Connecticut's, in my third year of the search. I 
have been present for Connecticut's singing 6 times, and I have yet to get my 
first sighting. 

Getting back to Phillips cocky attitude, I am reminded of one of my favorite 
lines from an old John Wayne movie, "Listen pilgrim, it ain't braggin if you 
can back it up. No brag, just fact". I met Phillip this morning at around 
8:00am, at the spot where Frank Fekel and I had heard the Connecticut calling 
yesterday. When I arrived, the Connecticut had not been seen, or heard. We 
waited about 20 minutes, passing the time by picking up Blackpoll, Redstart, 
Magnolia and the like, but no Connecticut. Finally Phillip turned around, and 
said, "you know, to see them, they have to be here". He suggested that we go, 
and check on two friends of ours, who were staked out, further down the trail, 
at another favorite spot for Connecticut's. We had walked about 20 feet, when 
Phillip turned around, and said we had to go back, because he thought he had 
heard a Cape May. We walked back to our original position, and listened for 
about 5 minutes, trying to identify the Cape May, amongst numerous songs. 
Suddenly, as clear as a bell, we heard the song of a Connecticut, about 10 feet 
to our right. Phillip looked around at me and said, "That had better not be 
some smart guy with a tape." It wasn't. Phillip immediately spotted a bird, 
flying left to right, in the thick underbrush in front of us. We walked around 
a huge Bush Honeysuckle plant, and Phillip said, "check the bird in the 
grapevine, right in front of us". There, at eye level, about 15 feet in front 
of us, was a little bird having a leaf bath, almost at the top of a grape vine. 
When I put my 10x42's on him, my entire field of view was filled with one 
beautiful Connecticut Warbler, and about 3 big grape leaves. I watched as he 
rubbed against the grape leaves, and shook the water off his back, and repeated 
the exercise. 

After a couple of minutes, I took off down the trail for our two friends, one 
of whom needed the Connecticut for a life bird, just as I had 15 minutes 
earlier. As soon as I delivered them to Phillip, I had to leave the scene, but 
it was one of the most satisfying 30 minutes of birding I have ever had.

David Dortch

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