May 1, 2009

This morning's walk around the fields and ravines on our farm yielded our first-of-season indigo bunting. Hooded warblers appear to be doing well; at least five singing individuals this morning. Prairie warblers continue to taunt me, making me think that I somehow was blocking this song from my ears all these years. (For those of you keeping score at home, my lifer prairie was a few days ago.)

It is interesting that Charlie noted "too many" house wrens at Hoover. I feel the same way here. A pair seem to have occupied my bluebird box number 4, and I am conflicted about evicting a native bird. I fear for the survival of other nests.

Birds of note now in place or passing through today:

Warblers: Nashville, Blackburnian, hooded, prairie, blue-winged, yellow, yellow-rumped, common yellowthroat, ovenbird, Louisiana waterthrush

Where are the Kentucky warblers?

Still waiting for yellow-breasted chats

Vireos: red-eyed, white-eyed, yellow-throated

indigo bunting
scarlet tanager
rose-breasted grosbeak

Thursday I had a gray-cheeked thrush, my third ever, and my best look ever. My first inclination was Swainson's, but this bird had absolutely no warm tones on it, and almost no eye-ring. It was foraging around on the forest floor, as befits the species.  I'm confident of the ID. A new farm bird, list now at 128.

Wood thrushes were singing everywhere in the woods this morning.

The rain this morning seems to have brought out carpets of spring beauties and other wildflowers. But the forest has now leafed out to a large degree, cutting down on the light passing through to the understory. Soon most of my birding will be by ear.

Bob Evans
Geologist, etc.
Hopewell Township, Muskingum County

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]