Richard Stevens:
September 12, 2008
One of my favorite activities is walking around in the dark; it makes for great and successful owling! Second is walking around in the rain. Not an accomplishment that is easy to do in a state that boasts 330+ sunny days a year.
A Pine Warbler was reported yesterday at Belmar Historic Park and I decided to give the search a shot even though there was a downpour of rain. I put on my waterproof coat and pants and headed west. It rained so hard that eventually I was soaked.
Some of my best and favorite bird sightings have been during a rainstorm. A dozen or so of my lifebirds were seen during such conditions.
Today was no exception as I found a flock of 25-30 warblers fluttering about in the two tallest cottonwoods at the west end of Belmar Historic Park (Jefferson County). The biggest task was not finding the warblers which move around much even in rain, but to keep my equipment dry enough to see the birds.
Yesterdays Pine Warbler was easy to pick out with its white wingbars. The lack of a yellow rump distinguished it from the several Yellow-rumped Warblers.
The wet fall plumaged Tennessee Warbler was a little more difficult to identify from the 2 or 3 Orange-crowned Warblers also in the trees. Eventually I saw the white undertail coverts (yellow on Orange-crowned Warbler).
To my surprise a third uncommon warbler was moving about. It had the facial pattern of a Blackburnian Warbler. Once I was able to see the white streaks on its back, the identification was confirmed. If there are any streaks on the somewhat similar Townsend's Warbler, they would be black.
Other birds included 4-6 Wilson's Warblers, Chipping Sparrows, Brewer's Sparrows, 7 Black-capped Chickadees, and a Clay-colored Sparrow.
Several of the Wilson's Warblers and the Pine Warbler flew to the few fir trees north of the cottonwoods. From there they flew to the locust trees next to the houses west of the park. However, all returned to the fir trees and the cottonwoods. That is where I left them.
On the walk back to the parking area at the east end of the park, a Northern Waterthrush was found walking the roaring creek (next to the playground with the large rocks).
September 12, 2008
One of my favorite activities is walking around in the dark; it makes for great and successful owling! Second is walking around in the rain. Not an accomplishment that is easy to do in a state that boasts 330+ sunny days a year.
A Pine Warbler was reported yesterday at Belmar Historic Park and I decided to give the search a shot even though there was a downpour of rain. I put on my waterproof coat and pants and headed west. It rained so hard that eventually I was soaked.
Some of my best and favorite bird sightings have been during a rainstorm. A dozen or so of my lifebirds were seen during such conditions.
Today was no exception as I found a flock of 25-30 warblers fluttering about in the two tallest cottonwoods at the west end of Belmar Historic Park (Jefferson County). The biggest task was not finding the warblers which move around much even in rain, but to keep my equipment dry enough to see the birds.
Yesterdays Pine Warbler was easy to pick out with its white wingbars. The lack of a yellow rump distinguished it from the several Yellow-rumped Warblers.
The wet fall plumaged Tennessee Warbler was a little more difficult to identify from the 2 or 3 Orange-crowned Warblers also in the trees. Eventually I saw the white undertail coverts (yellow on Orange-crowned Warbler).
To my surprise a third uncommon warbler was moving about. It had the facial pattern of a Blackburnian Warbler. Once I was able to see the white streaks on its back, the identification was confirmed. If there are any streaks on the somewhat similar Townsend's Warbler, they would be black.
Other birds included 4-6 Wilson's Warblers, Chipping Sparrows, Brewer's Sparrows, 7 Black-capped Chickadees, and a Clay-colored Sparrow.
Several of the Wilson's Warblers and the Pine Warbler flew to the few fir trees north of the cottonwoods. From there they flew to the locust trees next to the houses west of the park. However, all returned to the fir trees and the cottonwoods. That is where I left them.
On the walk back to the parking area at the east end of the park, a Northern Waterthrush was found walking the roaring creek (next to the playground with the large rocks).
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