The Orange-crowned Warbler and the female American Redstart are still at
LBJ Grove. Gerry Hawkins found these two birds on December 18 while doing a
scouting trip the day before the DC Christmas Count. On every day that I
have gone to the grove since then, I have seen either one or both of the
birds. Today, the Orange-crowned Warbler was near the water in the area
between the parking lot and the footbridge to the Pentagon at 2 p.m. The
female redstart was about 120 yards beyond the footbridge at 3 p.m.
Patience is sometimes required to find the birds, because they move around
a lot. They are most often in the low scrubby vegetation by the water,
which can make them difficult to find. Occasionally, you can hear chip
notes, which can be a help in locating the birds. You can also listen for
chickadees and kinglets, because the warblers sometimes join them in feeder
flocks. On Sunday, I saw the redstart feeding in a bush that was about six
feet away, but I did not see the Orange-crowned. However, I ran into a
couple from Delaware who had seen the Orange-crowned near the marina, but
they never found the redstart.
Bill Young
Arlington, VA
