Together with Adele Gotlib, I spent the day walking the power line cut and the Sterling Valley trail at Sterling Forest today. We were disturbed to see that crews with chainsaws were hard at work along the north right-of-way, usually the more productive direction for Golden-winged Warblers. I understand that the right-of-way needs to be maintained, but the timing seems less than ideal for the warblers. Since the noise was disruptive, we walked south, and saw only one Blue-winged and 2 Golden-winged Warblers. We did see Prairie, Indigo Bunting, Field and Chipping Sparrows, Great-crested Flycatcher and Yellow-throated Vireos, and a pair of Broad-winged Hawks along the power line. We then turned southwest to follow the Sterling Valley trail to the lake. The birding was tough and bugs abundant, but we saw Worm-eating, Cerulean, Black-and-white, Ovenbird, Black-throated Green and Yellow Warblers, and an abundance of Scarlet Tanagers. Wood Ducks were on the pond, and there was a pair of Kingbirds at the lake. I won't list all the birds here, but we concluded with an Eagle flying over. Bald is the expected species. but the bird was completely silhouetted and any markings were obscured. It definitely had no white at all on the head and tail, but it was impossible to see the mottling, if any, on the body. Still, an exciting conclusion to a good day! Dawn Hannay
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