Last night while hiking in the CVNP with Karin Tanquist we patiently watched a breeding pair of Louisiana Waterthrushes long enough to locate their nest containing four very young chicks. It was a real treat. 

While watching them we discussed the constant tail/body bobbing of the adults and wondered about the evolutionary roots of it. Since both male and female do it whilst already paired up and also since both seem to do it outside of the breeding season it seems to be unrelated to mate attraction or selection. We wondered if it might serve to confuse potential predators in some way as it does seem to make it more difficult to get a good steady visual fix on the bird, especially from above and without binoculars. In any event, it must have some good purpose as it certainly seems to use up a goodly amount of valuable energy...

This morning I hiked the Kendall Lake Trail and the short loop of Salt Run trail to good effect. I had 46 species including an up close and personal encounter with a tolerant Barred Owl in a hemlock ravine. Other highlights were five species of warblers: Pine Warbler (2), Hooded Warbler (6), Ovenbird (3), Yellow Warbler (5), Common Yellowthroat (4); and a good selection of swallow species, flycatcher species, and vireo species. Complete list follows.  

-Patrick Coy
Peninsula, OH 

 46 species total
X  Canada Goose
5  Mallard
1  Great Blue Heron
1  Turkey Vulture
1  Red-shouldered Hawk
2  Mourning Dove
1  Barred Owl
2  Red-bellied Woodpecker
1  Downy Woodpecker
1  Northern Flicker
2  Pileated Woodpecker
2  Eastern Wood-Pewee
4  Acadian Flycatcher
1  Eastern Phoebe
2  Great Crested Flycatcher
2   Eastern Kingbird
5   Warbling Vireo
7   Red-eyed Vireo
2   Blue Jay
4   American Crow
4  Tree Swallow
6  Bank Swallow
4  Barn Swallow
1  Black-capped Chickadee
5  Tufted Titmouse
1  White-breasted Nuthatch
3  Wood Thrush
10  American Robin
2  Gray Catbird
4  Cedar Waxwing
3  Ovenbird
4  Common Yellowthroat
6  Hooded Warbler
5  Yellow Warbler
2  Pine Warbler
1  Eastern Towhee
4  Chipping Sparrow
2  Field Sparrow
2  Song Sparrow
2  Scarlet Tanager
6  Northern Cardinal
1  Indigo Bunting
X  Red-winged Blackbird
1  Common Grackle
2  Baltimore Oriole
2  American Goldfinch

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