Jeanette's Big Blog of Animals: Warbler City!

Hallett / Pond:

I started out at the pond, where I saw quite a few things. There was a common yellowthroat flirting with me, and a black-crowned night heron refusing my camera's autofocus.

Gadwall

This gadwall has been here once in a while, hanging out with the mallards. I don't know if there is a female here also, I can't really tell them apart from female mallards yet.

Canada Goslings

The goslings are still cute! And I saw a Northern Waterthrush in tree, I guess it went up there to try to fool me.

Female Baltimore Oriole

This female Baltimore oriole flew in a spent some time by the mudflat, she was absolutely gorgeous! On that note, I headed up to the ramble and out onto the point. In the trees near the boathouse I saw a Maggie, a Black and White, and a Common Yellowthroat, all just working their way through the area, pretty quickly. Next was an American Redstart, of course he was quick, they always are!

Magnolia Warbler

Green Heron. You know, for variety.

This green heron just flew over and settled onto this treetop branch, apparently surveying his domain. Someone told me about a green heron nest, and even showed me the nest when I couldn't find it, but the bird in it sure looked like a grackle to me. So...... maybe it was a grackle nest found by an optimist? Or, actually, the nest was pretty big - maybe a green heron nest raided by a grackle? I don't know. But the bird in there was hanging out, looked like it might be incubating something, and looked quite grackle-ish to me.

Female Common Yellowthroat

This female common yellowthroat was so cute! They are so round and sweet looking, and this one was just as coy as can be. There's something so charming about her in this picture, she was a joy. A great egret flew nearby and landed across from the point, that was cool. They are huge, I love to see them in flight!

Wilson's Warbler

Hello Wilson! :-) And with that, I headed over to the oven, where there was a gorgeous male Baltimore oriole bathing. And making a bit of a splash, I don't mind saying. But that was it, he was outta there quickly, and it was quiet, quiet, quiet. So I headed over to the stream where it was a bit more active.

Yellow-throated Vireo

There was a group looking at this yellow-throated vireo, and who can blame them - beautiful! There was also a black-throated blue teasing me. Last year they seemed fine to pose, but this year, they have avoided my camera with disturbing skill.

Ovenbird

This ovenbird needed to go. And so did the flicker and the downy. :-) I did get a fairly good look at a female eastern towhee, it took me a bit to figure out what she was. That was cool.

Northern Parula

This norther parula was just gorgeous in person. So vivid and lovely.

Female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

Hahahaha, whatever this grosbeak is looking at, she is ~not~ impressed! And with that I headed over to the upper lobe, where there was yet another black-crowned night heron, this one roosting fairly high up in a tree.

I headed towards home on the west side park road, where I saw (thanks to an urban non-birding guy in a do-rag) - guess what? Yes! Another black-crowned night heron! This one was not just hanging out, however. It had a massive task. Check out the size of the fish it's trying to swallow!