Black and White Warbler
I met up with Tink Moyer around 9:00 this morning at the old tower on Route 610 just off the parkway. At first, we saw the usual Wood-Pewees, Eastern Towhees, and Chipping Sparrows, and then the avian alarm bell went off. Birds were everywhere! We got a quick look at a Hooded Warbler, as well as quick looks at an American Redstart, a Black and White Warbler, an Ovenbird, and a Worm-eating Warbler.
Black and White Warbler
American Redstart
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Cerulean Warblers seemed to be everywhere we looked. There was at least one recently fledged Cerulean, a first fall male, a first fall female, another female, and more.
Recently fledged Cerulean Warbler
Recently fledged Cerulean Warbler
Recently fledged Cerulean Warbler
First fall female Cerulean Warbler
First fall female Cerulean Warbler
First fall female Cerulean Warbler
Female Cerulean Warbler
Female Cerulean Warbler
Female Cerulean Warbler
First fall male Cerulean Warbler
Two Cerulean Warblers were perched near each other. The one on the bottom branch was a recently fledged warbler.
Cerulean Warblers
Recently fledged Cerulean Warbler
Recently fledged Cerulean Warbler
The Cerulean Warbler on the top btanch was really interesting. It wings looked really dark. Its eye line in front of its eye was bold black, and there was black spotting on its crown.
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
This Cerulean Warbler was clearly not an adult male or adult female, or a first fall female, and its black feathers are unusual for a first fall male. Cerulean Warblers are known to hybridize with Black and White Warblers, and I wonder if this bird is a hybrid or just an extreme variant of a first fall male Cerulean Warbler?
But we weren't done yet. A Red-eyed Vireo showed up.
Red-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
And then, three/four? first year Yellow-throated Vireos were seen.
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Juvenile Chipping Sparrows
Well, that was fun! But we hadn't moved on yet when a Walking Stick showed up and wanted me to take its photo. Unfortuantely, it didn't really understand how my camera worked :-)
Walking Stick
Walking Stick
We continued south on Route 610, and saw/heard more Cerulean, Hooded, Worm-eating, and Black and White Warblers.
Cerulean Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Indigo Bunting
Carolina Wren
Scarlet Tanager
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
We birded up on the parkway between mm. 4 and mm. 8, but didn't see much there, and ended the morning with about 25 avian species.
Pipevine Swallowtail