Hilights : CONNECTICUT WARBLER, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, AMERICAN BITTERN
Refer to Rob Bate's report on the above 1st two rarities.
From Rob B.
Really good day birding today (for me anyway.) There was a flock of vireos in the Concert Grove as I entered the wooded area which contained a Philadelphia Vireo and a Blue-headed Vireo, all the rest being Red-eyes. The flock melted into the woods and there were few birds evident till I reached Butterfly Meadow on Lookout Hill. More vireos, an Indigo Bunting, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoos. Surprisingly, few warblers at first. 2 Kestrels seem to spook all the birds so I went to Summit Meadow where I hit pay dirt. I saw movement in the Poke weed of what I thought was probably a Common Yellowthroat but the bird popped up for a second or two; bigger bird, distinct eye-ring, complete brown hood - Connecticut Warbler! Unfortunately it dropped right down and disappeared. A number of birders responded to my tweet but no more sightings in the hour and half or so we stayed looking.
52 species, 14 warbler species
Canada Goose 30
Mute Swan 6
Mallard 5
Northern Shoveler 2
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Green Heron 2
Osprey 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 2
Herring Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 4
Eastern Wood-Pewee 3
Eastern Phoebe 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Philadelphia Vireo 1 Concert Grove, by Beethoven Bust
Red-eyed Vireo 11
Blue Jay 11
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Carolina Wren 1
House Wren 1
Swainson's Thrush 2
American Robin 15
Gray Catbird 5
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 10
Northern Waterthrush 2
Black-and-white Warbler 3
Connecticut Warbler 1 Lookout Hill summit meadow
Common Yellowthroat 2
American Redstart 8
Northern Parula 6
Magnolia Warbler 3
Chestnut-sided Warbler 4
Blackpoll Warbler 6
Black-throated Blue Warbler 2
Pine Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Wilson's Warbler 3
Scarlet Tanager 2
Northern Cardinal 3
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow 60
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From Peter:
Hilight at Butterfly Meadow ; a "flycatching" YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO going from among each of the 4 corner Pin Oaks, very cooperative , even out in the open on flower stalks in the meadow. John Ascher took photos , hopefully later posted here. the YBCU was first spotted on the summit , in oak over the double short stairs ( Obs Ed Crowne, Peter Dorosh, John Ascher )
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From Stanley Greenberg:
Hi Peter -
Got out for an hour this afternoon, nothing to add to the other reports for today except for an American Bittern, on Duck Island, visible from the rustic shelter at the end of the Peninsula.
Best,
Stanley
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From Isabel Conte:
Hi Peter,
While returning from the 3 Sisters area of the lake (lotsof warblers there), I observed a yellow billed
cuckoo on a low branch as it reached for insects. Warblers included parulas, yellow w, magnolias,
redstarts, blackpolls, yellowrumps, black-throated blue, common yellowthroats, black & white, and black-
throated green. Closer to the ballfields were ovenbirds, pine warblers, and rose breasted grossbeaks.
Isabel
