Tuesday, May 10, 2011

I've been getting up at O dark 30 to bird for the past couple of weeks. Trying to listen to warbler songs, getting ready for the big day this saturday in Cape May with the rest of the bird nerds. Went this morning to Peace Valley Park in Bucks County. Learned that I still stink at figuring out who's singing. Stood still at one place because I kept hearing a warbler. One thing I did learn is that if you just stand still long enough, birds start to think you just belong there. I had male and female scarlet tanager hanging around my head, she was getting nesting material, and he kept sitting by me, not up high either. One of my favorite birds. Then a pileated woodpecker landed 20 feet from me, low on a tree, just pecking away. I looked at him, "Really? You're right there, and I can't find a stupid warbler....." Finally, after half an hour, ( mind you a lot was going on at this particular spot.) I spotted my singing warbler. A Redstart. Common warbler, should know his song, but I didn't. Then I heard a song that sounded like a bug, "Oh, worm eating warbler." Go chase down that bird. Norther Parula. Common warbler again. When I say common, it's just that we see these birds a lot. No chestnut sided, no cape may, no bay-breasted, no hooded, no kentucky, not even a magnolia. Did get rewarded with black-throated blue though. I guess I'm getting a little better, at least I know when I'm hearing a warbler. And, I'm able to ignore the catbird.
38 species total.

Lori

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