VA Birders,
This morning the migrants did not come into my yard quickly in a large flock
as they usually do. They came in several at at time spaced a few minutes
apart. Actually this made it easier to get a more accurate count. Even then
I know several warblers slipped by me, or they flew by so high overhead that
I coudn't identify the species.
Even so they kept me busy with the binos, the micro-cassette recorder (which
is how I keep my count), or the video camera.
The TENNESSEES were the most numerous as they usually are with a count of
31. They were in the trees, the shrubs and especially bowing down the
Goldenrod plants as they searched among the blooms for insects. At one
point, as I was watching through the binos, one bird flew directly at me
from only a few yards away. I thought for a moment he was going to collide
with my glasses. Fortunately he zipped about a foot or so above my head.
Next came the HOODED WARBLERS with 3 males and 3 females. One male was
really striking as his bright yellow and black contrasted with the dark
green of the Cedar he was hopping about in.
The BLACKBURNIANS, the BLACK-THROATED GREENS, and the YELLOW-THROATED
WARBLERS all had a count of 4 each. 3 of the 4 BLACKBURNIANS looked to be
1st. year females with the 4th. being an adult female. This species seems to
prefer the Cedar tree to the other trees around the yard. 2 of the
BLACK-THROATED GREENS had adult male plumage while the other two appeared to
be females.
I think I have mentioned this before, but it seems that the YELLOW-THROATED
WARBLERS love to hang around the electrical pole, the transformer and the
electrical wires. These birds also seem to like large dead trees, so I
wonder if that is why they seem attracted to the poles.
The MAGNOLIAS and the PINE WARBLERS were 3 each. This is the first time this
fall that PINE WARBLERS have shown up among the migrants. The MAGNOLIAS seem
to prefer to feed within 3 or 4 feet of the ground among the tops of flowers
and weeds. Sometimes they will feed within 4 or 5 feet of me if I remain
still.
There were 2 each of the CAPE MAYS and the CHESTNUT-SIDEDS. The CAPE MAYS
were both females, though I have been seeing several males recently. They
are almost always found feeding in the large Cedar tree. The CHESTNUT-SIDEDS
were both 1st. year females. In fact I have seen only a couple of males this
fall. They were of course in nonbreeding plumage.
There was one BAY-BREASTED that I had to take a close look at because at
first I thought it was another PINE. There was also one Northern Parula and
one WORM-EATING that made a brief show then moved on.
For you avid listers the complete list follows.
Enjoy the migrating birds,
Roger Mayhorn
Grundy, VA
Buchanan County Bird Club
38 species
American Crow 1
American Goldfinch 1
Baltimore Oriole 1( adult male)
Barred Owl 1 (heard after dark)
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Blackburnian Warbler 4
Black-throated Green Warbler 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Brown Thrasher 1
Cape May Warbler 2 (females)
Carolina Chickadee 2
Cedar Waxwing 10
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Chipping Sparrow 3
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Towhee 3
European Starling 3
Gray Catbird 2
Hooded Warbler 6 (3 males, 3 females)
House Finch 5
Magnolia Warbler 3
Mourning Dove 7
Northern Cardinal 3
Northern Parula 1
Pine Warbler 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Scarlet Tanager 2
Tennessee Warbler 31
Tufted Titmouse 1
Song Sparrow 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
White-eyed Vireo 1
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Yellow-throated Warbler 4
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