As much as I love it when the big, beautiful, loud and flashy migrants start
coming back (think Baltimore Oriole, Yellow-breasted Chat, Scarlet and
Summer Tanager, Great-crested Flycatcer, just to name a few), I especially
enjoy the month of April, when we have a nice mix of early migrants as well
as wintering birds who haven't made their way north yet.

This weekend we welcomed Blue-gray Gnatcatchers back to our neighborhood.  I
almost wonder if a front blew them in, because one day there were none, and
the next day I was hearing them all over the place!  Also heard the first
Louisiana Waterthrush along the ravine on our property this weekend (they
were heard in other places along our road the previous weekend).  Saw our
pair of Eastern Phoebes making regular trips to a nest built (but then
abandoned) last year.  Unfortunately, it is in a location that could easily
be accessed by snakes, which is perhaps why it was abandoned last year.

There are still plenty of juncos and White-throated Sparrows around in these
parts, and I especially enjoyed watching a Brown Creeper make its way up,
up, up a huge tree yesterday.  I think it was preparing me for the upcoming
season of "warbler neck."

Good birding!

Heather Aubke
Albany, Athens County

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