Miyoko Chu and I made a full circuit of the Wilson Trail in Sapsucker Woods on Tuesday morning. We missed several of the more exciting species that Kevin Ripka found, but we did plainly hear a MOURNING WARBLER singing several times between the second footbridge and the pond. In the woods, we saw the pair of Scarlet Tanagers up close, as well as a few brown birds following each other across the bend in the trail between the Wilson/Severinghaus and Wilson/West intersections. We confirmed one SWAINSON'S THRUSH and an Ovenbird by sight here.
I saw Miyoko off to work and then decided to go to the East Trail quickly to look for more Swainson's Thrushes. I found at least two together along the small pond with the shelter; I saw a few other birds here that I think were also probably Swainson's Thrushes. Right around the shelter itself, I found a fine mixed flock of Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided and Yellow-rumped warblers, plus Common Yellowthroat and others. Then came the bird of the morning - another Mourning Warbler, in the honeysuckle under the towering pines between the shelter and the Lucente service building. This bird perched up near the top of a shrub right next to the trail for thirty thrilling seconds, singing and chipping, turning often for fine views from multiple angles. It may have been the most surprising and satisfying warbler sighting I've ever had on the Dryden side of Sapsucker Woods. Mark Chao -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
