After yesterday's rarity, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, the parking lot at Smith Oaks began filling before dawn in anticipation of catching up with it. A morning went by, with no sightings at all in spite of many patrols on the prowl. I searched several times and came up blank, although late in the afternoon several independent groups had brief sightings, although each time the bird managed to slip away before the masses could get satisfaction. Although much of yesterdays mini-fallout had moved on, a healthy batch of warblers were still in the woods, and Painted Bunting numbers received a bounce today, with mulberries frequently quivering from them. Indeed red mulberries are now prominent in Smith, andwere receiving Swainson's Thrushes, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and gaudy Baltimore Orioles (photo) to name a few. I also encountered a striking Yellow-breasted Chat in the same stand of mulberries as one of these rainbow buntings, and my FOS Bay-breasted Warbler fell in Smith today too. Black-throated Green Warblers were especially conspicuous today, and what with a few Blackburnians thrown in for me too, it was an enjoyable day in the woods, despite the Fork-tailed frustration!
No comments:
Post a Comment