I birded the river portion of the White Trail and the powerline cut at Botgarden this morning. It was a pretty slow morning: no owls, no thrushes, no titmice (???), no sparrows, few warblers, few tanagers. The only thing of major interest is a possible Yellow Warbler in the powerline cut in the usual warbler spot by the river, but I could not get a good enough look to confirm. It was not calling, though the American Redstart nearby was doing a pretty good imitation of the Yellow Warbler song. I've listed a few highlights below:

Wood Duck (2)
Green Heron (1)
Acadian Flycatcher (3)
Eastern Wood-Pewee (3)
Great-crested Flycatcher (4)
American Redstart (3)
Northern Parula (3)
Pine Warbler (4)
Yellow-throated Warbler (1)
Blackpoll Warbler (2)
Hooded Warbler (4)
Kentucky Warbler (4)
Canada Warbler (2)
Common Yellowthroat (4)
Yellow-breasted Chat (1)
Summer Tanager (1)
Scarlet Tanager (2)

Oh, and the Eurasian Collared-Dove in my neighborhood is still hanging around. Anyone else got them?

I've read several posts about the paucity of Yellow-billed Cuckoos at the Botanical Garden this spring. I've been meaning to post that I heard two Yellow-billed Cuckoos at the BotGa on 5/7/08. They were far off, way up river from the powerline cut.

Maybe they're all at Whitehall Forest ;) I was out there this morning (5/14/08) hitting my field sites and I heard six of them, including four at one time, calling back and forth, coming from each of the cardinal directions when I was on the Arboretum trail. That was an awesome experience. Otherwise an average day at Whitehall, although it did seem like every time I turned around, there was a Summer Tanager or two hanging around.

Kayaking the North Oconee River yesterday between College Station and Whitehall Rds. we spotted a tree near the river with 2 active Great Blue Heron nests each with 2 large chicks. Also seen:
3 pairs wood ducks
2 pairs Canada geese
2 male kingfisher
(and also a doe laboring to give birth by the water's edge)
If you have access to the river and want better instructions on finding the great blue heron nests, just email me.
Also, if anyone knows of an active black vulture nest please email me.
lisafvogt@yahoo.com

Karla and I went to the Bot Garden this morning. It was an interesting morning, with fewer of the garden's dominate species (Cardinals, Titmice, Carolina Wrens, etc.) singing. As a result, it was much easier to hear (and, as a result, see) some of the birds who frequently get drowned out by the "cacophony of the woods." We spent most of our time on the White and Orange Trails along the river.

We had a great look at a male Hooded Warbler while on the short trail than connects the White Trail with the greenhouses. It was one of the few not singing, but came in and practically sat in our laps. It hopped around within three to four feet of us for at least two minutes. All the while another Hooded was singing about 20 feet away.

There's still a Worm-eating Warbler hanging around. Karla spotted it on the powerline cut, in privet just below the gate. The Yellow-breasted Chat was in the powerline cut, hanging out on the tower guide wires and singing (if that's what it's called) with vigor. It was visible for a long time and repeatedly flew back and forth across the cut. All of the Canada Warblers were near the bridge leading to the White Trail and on the White Trail near the bridge (we saw three of them). They appeared to be hanging out together. One of the Pileated Woodpeckers discovered the #25 sign atop the power line tower and decided it made a wonderful drum. He pounded on it for 30 to 45 seconds and then flew to #24, gave it a try, rejected it (perhaps it was a bit flat) and flew off. Finally, it was good to hear multiple Eastern Wood-Pewees; they have been in short supply this Spring.

Below are highlights of our eBird report:


Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 3
Acadian Flycatcher 7
Eastern Phoebe 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Brown-headed Nuthatch 1
Wood Thrush 2
Cedar Waxwing 5
Northern Parula 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 2
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 2
American Redstart 8
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Louisiana Waterthrush 3
Kentucky Warbler 5
Common Yellowthroat 1
Hooded Warbler 6
Canada Warbler 4
Yellow-breasted Chat 1 (15 warbler species)
Summer Tanager 5
Scarlet Tanager 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 4
Eastern Meadowlark 1

I had a new visitor to my neighborhood this evening: a Eurasian Collared-Dove 'hoo hooo hoo'ing at me. I visited 30+ neighborhoods around (mainly) Clarke and Oconee counties last summer doing bird surveys (including my neighborhood) and this is the first one I've heard in a residential development. I'll keep an eye out for them and see if there's evidence of breeding. I'm in what I would characterize as a medium-to-high development intensity townhome development in an agriculture/remnant forest matrix between Bogart and Watkinsville in Oconee Co.

Previously, I've only noticed the species downtown.

This is not about birds at all but IS about the Right Whale, topic of our April meeting. Rare birth photos: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/16224878/detail.html

Edited by author 05-11-2008 03:18 PM
Thanks to Bill for posting the negative report on CONWs at Sandy Creek Nature Center. I scoured the area between the end of the longest boardwalk and the bridge on the way in and again on the way out and found nothing out-of-the-ordinary there. I never heard a Connecticut call note nor any accelerating "chippychuppys," "sugar-tweets," or "chip-chupees" anywhere along the trail. If anyone else decides to go searching, I'd advise wearing boots (although the trip back was much less messy than the trip in when there were many sizeable drainage streams crossing and flowing down the trail right after the downpour stopped). Some highlights from my walk there (7:30-10:30 AM):

Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2
Barred Owl 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Acadian Flycatcher 4
Swainson's Thrush 1
Wood Thrush 2
Northern Parula 4
Pine Warbler 3
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 3
Prothonotary Warbler 9
Swainson's Warbler 1 (same spot as usual, deep in thicket across creek)
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Kentucky Warbler 6
Common Yellowthroat 3
Hooded Warbler 3
Yellow-breasted Chat 2 (12 warbler species)
Summer Tanager 2
Scarlet Tanager 3
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
Indigo Bunting 9



Afterwards, I stopped by the botanical garden since I hadn't been there in forever (2 whole days...) and since I didn't think my feet were muddy enough already. The warblers du jour there today had fantastic white eye-rings, but they were all Canadas instead of Connecticuts, with 5 total birds (3 seen well). I walked the river sections of the orange and white trails and had these highlights:


Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 (coming from upper powerline; only 2nd botgarden record this spring)
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 (privet eradication area; very rare there this spring)
Acadian Flycatcher 7
Wood Thrush 1 (near purple trail junction; also rare there this spring)
Cedar Waxwing 35 (still some big flocks around)
Northern Parula 5
Magnolia Warbler 1 (heard on white trail)
Black-throated Blue Warbler 2 (both on orange trail)
Pine Warbler 4 (including one fledgling being fed)
Blackpoll Warbler 2 (white trail)
American Redstart 7 (orange and white trails)
Worm-eating Warbler 1 (privet eradication area)
Louisiana Waterthrush 1 (white trail)
Kentucky Warbler 5 (great look at one 6 ft away next to beaverpond)
Common Yellowthroat 4
Hooded Warbler 10 (males and females foraging for nestlings)
Canada Warbler 5 (2 white trail, 3 orange trail; new botgarden high count for this species)
Yellow-breasted Chat 3 (including one very cooperative bird in dogwoods, redbuds, and weeds in powerline adjacent to native plant garden; this bird once sang on top of a bramble less than 10 ft from me!)
Summer Tanager 4 (entrance rd., upper powerline, white trail)
Scarlet Tanager 2 (both trails)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2 (white trail)
Blue Grosbeak 1 (heritage garden)
Indigo Bunting 7
Eastern Meadowlark 1 (fields along S. Milledge)

Edited by author 05-11-2008 01:50 PM
Where Joel called to report no sign of the CONW is the correct area: heading away from SCNC just after the long stretch of board walks along Big Beaver Swamp end, but before you cross the bridge to the left side of the creek just before the Oxbow. I did note that it was just after ten when I saw the birds. I could not relocate them as I passed the spot again on the return walk at almost noon. Another thing that I'm sure contributed to the delightfully cooperative birds, is that I didn't see a single person along Cook's Trail yesterday until about 11:45 as I was walking back to SCNC.

We just received a call from Joel McNeal (who is currently on Cook's Trail near the Oxbow) and he has had no sign of a Connecticut Warbler. He asked that we post this for him in case anyone was thinking of heading out to Cook's Trail. The trail is a mess and under water in places.

If he has anything of interest he will post it when he dries out.

Hi James. Can you give a more specific location for where you saw the Connecticut Warblers? Which end of which boardwalks?

Nice birds!

I am happy to have heard Prairie Warblers in two different areas off Morton Road (eastern Clarke County) this week.

I hope that the ORAS field trip to Cochran Shoals was as productive as I expect. I highly anticipate the report. It turns out that 6:30am was too early for me this morning, as I slept through my alarm. However, since I missed the walk down Cook's Trail last week, I thought it might be fun. It turns out it was a great choice. I walked all the way around the Oxbow and back (about 12:30 when I reached the Hooded Warbler Trail), and then around SCNC.

While I was unable to get a visual on the SWAINSON'S WARBLER as I had hoped, I did hear it just before reaching the Oxbow. PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS were everywhere, many giving great views. One enjoyed a HUGE, FAT gray worm almost longer than itself. He had to give it about 10 good whacks against a branch before he could handle it. The highlight, though, was a life bird for me. Just as I had passed the end of the boardwalks, I first heard and then saw a pair of CONNECTICUT WARBLERS. The male gave me wonderful visuals singing from a low branch only about 25 ft away in the sun. I also had a GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH in the open understory area along the Hooded Warbler Trail before reaching the Clay Pits.

Location: Sandy Creek Nature Center
Observation date: 5/10/08
Number of species: 69

Canada Goose 13
Great Blue Heron 5
Green Heron 1
Black Vulture 6
Turkey Vulture 14
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 5
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Mourning Dove 4
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 5
Barred Owl 1
Chimney Swift 5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 9
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 7
Downy Woodpecker 5
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Eastern Wood-Pewee 4
Acadian Flycatcher 9
Eastern Phoebe 9
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
White-eyed Vireo 19
Yellow-throated Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 32
Blue Jay 11
American Crow 9
Fish Crow 4
Barn Swallow 4
Carolina Chickadee 26
Tufted Titmouse 37
Brown-headed Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 42
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 16
Gray-cheeked Thrush 1
Swainson's Thrush 1
Wood Thrush 9
American Robin 2
Gray Catbird 18
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 5
European Starling 1
Cedar Waxwing 2
Northern Parula 9
Chestnut-sided Warbler 7
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 6
Prairie Warbler 1
American Redstart 7
Prothonotary Warbler 17
Swainson's Warbler 1
Ovenbird 1
Kentucky Warbler 8
Connecticut Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 10
Hooded Warbler 2
Summer Tanager 1
Scarlet Tanager 8
Eastern Towhee 14
White-throated Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 48
Blue Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 26
Red-winged Blackbird 17
Common Grackle 2
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
American Goldfinch 14

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Edited by author 05-11-2008 01:26 PM
In response to the discussion about the absence of RHWO at the Bot Garden:

That is sad news indeed. Additionally, the one reported May first was heard across the river, well down the White Trail (not Orange), and a good way back from the river. My hope is that the pair found a better (and less noisy) place to breed. Hopefully the species will return to the beaver pond once the construction is complete.

At 1:30a.m. Friday early morning May 9, I saw a Barred Owl swoop down in front of my car on Cedar Creek Dr. I stopped the car and watched it as it hopped after a frog! Would a Barred Owl actually eat a frog or did it perhaps just see movement and think it was a mouse?
Also, the other day (this may be a first EVER) I saw a male Ruby Throat at my sunflower seed feeder!!! That's right! No, it wasn't eating sunflowers...it was actually trying to eat a male red cardinal but couldn't quite figure out where to stick that long beak into the feathery flower it had found :o)

Need someone to help fledge a titmouse I've raised from a hatchling:
Three weeks ago my husband found a tiny bald fledgling while cleaning the roof (it wasn't in a nest but instead appeared to have been dropped). We've raised it into a healthy young titmouse with a good appetite. Now, however, I'm looking for a person to fledge it in their yard over the next few days. This will involve sitting outside with it, feeding it mealworms, fruits, seeds & nuts while it slowly learns to be on it's own. I have mealworms & a cracked seed & nut mixture purchased from Nature's Outpost to help it fledge into a more adult diet and all this will go with him to his new home. If you could teach it to feed out of your bird feeder this would give him an advantage in life. He also likes suet so a suet feeder would help too, as well as providing a bird bath with fresh water. He's just so excited to be able to fly and my yard has 6 dogs and a cat and I'm afraid he won't make it at my home. He's been learning some adult skills on our large back porch but appears to be ready to head outdoors now. This will take no more than a week, more likely, 3 days, until he's on his own.
I'm at 706-543-9597 and live in the Cedar Creek neighborhood on the East side of Athens.