May 6th - wave of warblers after the rain

[Shortsighted]

 Yet another dull, low-light morning that disappoints these old eyes.  I used to think that overcast days brought migratory warblers down from the upper story, especially when there have been many such days in succession and the available light for the buds is the same at both the top and bottom. The sun should come out later and heat-up.
 
 
 I saw a Yellow warbler immediately upon arrival.  Does that mean something?  Probably not, unless you want it to. That initial sighting turned out to be the only one of that species.  Does that mean something?   I can go on being tedious like this all day.  Once again, most sightings were of Myrtle warblers with Palm warblers as supporting actors. These birds were at mid-story.  Above them there were a few Blackburnian warblers and they remained aloof. 
 
 
 I heard the buzzy call of Northern Parula and twice one of these warblers ventured lower, albeit briefly.  No use, the emerging leaves were always confounding a direct line of sight.  Although my AF was doing a pretty good job of finding birds in April, as often found focus between twigs and branches, the emergence of tiny leaves and buds has seriously reduced my success rate.
 
 
 The Myrtle warblers were all over the place, high and low, even deep within a dogwood bush.  I even saw Cape May warblers today.  While trying to photograph a N. Parula, I sensed movement to my right and discovered a male B&W warbler too close to photograph.  Hi there.  No ... don’t go!  Two catbirds were hanging around but remained wary ... all those dogs! The catbird, like the thrasher, is a mimic, but its calls are not quite as bombastic as the thrasher’s chosen repertoire, although I believe they use the same impresario.  Why any agent should want that job is beyond me.  The thrasher never shows up and the catbird mopes around like a sad-sack waiting for the next funeral.
 
 
 Other warblers seen include: Chestnut-sided, Palm, Black-throated green, and Black-throated blue. A Pileated WP flew by, so did a loon, and I heard a Great crested flycatcher but couldn’t see it.

 





Blackburnian ... way up there












Black-throated green







Yellow







Northern parula







Gray catbird







Northern parula







Myrtle







Cape May







Solitary sandpiper




\


Spotted sandpiper







Northern parula







N. parula










White-crowned sparrow

[Dr. John]

Lovely pictures.


We just had our a white crowned in our backyard this morning, the first in over a year.

[Shortsighted]

You have a very interesting backyard.  I saw my FOY many days ago and then they disappeared again.  I almost missed the one in the photo because I'm so used to seeing White-throated sparrows everywhere that it has become my default position.  Even though their respective posture is so different the eyes become jaded and unresponsive after a while.  I heard what I assume is a Field sparrow this morning while walking through a hydro field.  It didn't seem that far away but I still couldn't locate it.  It's sort of a nemesis bird for me.  Far fewer warblers this morning and they disappeared early.  It was also cloudy again.  By the time I hit the hydro field it was quite sunny and feeling hot.  I think I might need to start wearing a wide-brimmed Tilly hat on sunny days instead of my camo cap.  The question is ... will I find it?