[bcbirdclub] Another Birdy Morning on Compton Mt
- From: "Roger Mayhorn" <rmayhorn@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Birding Virginia" <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 22:01:33 -0400
This morning about 7:30 when I stepped outside, the grass was wet, and the tall
stems of the Goldenrod and Queen of the Meadow were bending under the weight of
their blossoms wet with the fresh dew. At first the birds in the yard were all
local residents; Cardinals everywhere, some making trips to the seed feeders
along with the family of titmice, chickadees and nuthatches. Several hummers
were chasing each other as they moved about among the orange blossoms in the
patch of Jewel Weed at the edge of the woods.
Soon the action began to pick up as other species showed themselves. A pair of
Brown Thrashers near the edge of the yard began to give their danger call as
they became aware that I was near. Robins were coming to feed on the Virginia
Creeper berries hanging from the vine high up in a Black Walnut tree near the
road. In the Black Walnut tree in the center of the backyard a Tennesse Warbler
suddenly appeared, then another and another. They were soon followed by a
strikingly bright, male Blackburnian Warbler, one of five that would show up as
the morning progressed. An almost equally bright, male Black-throated Green
Warbler came zipping across the yard and into the same tree as the others. It
was soon followed by a female. Within minutes there were a couple of Magnolia
Warblers that had joined the flock. All were busy moving about in the leaves
searching for food. The were so active it was sometimes difficult to get the
binos on them.
A flash of yellow caught my eye as a male Hooded Warbler flitted about in an
apple tree only a few yards away. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was soon in the same
tree, coming out to the very tips of the branches as it foraged. Bringing my
attention back to the busy walnut tree, I saw that a pair of Northern Parulas
had joined the flock; they were soon joined by a third.
A juvenile Yellow-throated Vireo came flying across the yard being chased by a
Red-eyed Vireo. The juvenile Yellow-throated finally landed in the top of a
cherry tree and within a few minutes there was a colorful adult in the same
tree. Beyond and some distance away in some thick foliage a movement got my
attention, and when I got a close look it turned out to be a male Rose-breasted
Grosbeak. Just to the left of it behind my shed were twelve Cedar Waxwings that
had just flown in to the top of a tree to feed on wild cherries. As I was
taking this in, a small bird flew up to a bare branch in an apple tree. When I
got a good look it became a Canada Warbler. As it turned toward me I could see
the white eye ring and the dark necklace of streaks against the yellow breast.
It soon disappeared back into the thicker shrubs.
A Scarlet Tanager having already changed from his bright summer red to his
muted green plumage flew in to perch for a few moments in the top of locust
tree. Turning my attention to the area near the yard pond I saw a female
Baltimore Oriole feeding among the red Crepe Myrtle blossoms. Not far from her
a few Tennessee Warblers had begun feeding among the heads of the bowing
Goldenrod. A Yellow-throated Warbler came in to drink and bathe in the small
yard stream that flows into the pond. It was soon frightened away by a young
Towhee that had come for the same purpose.
Later, as the action began to slow down, I could hear a Pileated Woodpecker
calling from down in the woods. A Blue Jay called from a different direction.
As the warming sun created thermals a Red-shouldered Hawk climbed up out of the
valley, calling as it rose. I felt that I had had a great morning of birding
with a total of Forty-one species, and the best part was that I was still in my
own backyard. It doesn't get any better than that.
The complete list follows.
Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
Buchanan County
41 species
American Crow 3
American Goldfinch 9
American Redstart 2 (1m juv, 1f)
American Robin 5
Baltimore Oriole 1f
Blackburnian Warbler 5 (3m, 2f)
Black-throated Green Warbler 4 (2m, 2f)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Blue Jay 1
Brown Thrasher 3
Canada Warbler 1
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 5
Cedar Waxwing 17
Chimney Swift 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
Downy Woodpecker 5 (3m, 2f)
Eastern Bluebird 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Eastern Towhee 5 (3m, 1f)
European Starling 2
Hooded Warbler 1m
House Finch 3 (1m, 2f)
House Sparrow 1f
Magnolia Warbler 3f
Mourning Dove 6
Northern Cardinal 10 (3m, 7f)
Northern Parula 3 (2m, 1f)
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 (2m, 1f)
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1m
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 8
Scarlet Tanager 1
Song Sparrow 1
Tennessee Warbler 8
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Yellow-throated Vireo 2 (1 adult, 1 juv)
Yellow-throated Warbler 2
Eastern Cottontail 2
Eastern Chipmunk 1
Eastern Gray Squirrel 1
Gray Fox 3
Woodchuck 2
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