Missed the Before Work group as usual. Highlights were a catbird between
the parking area and the beginning of the boardwalk, long and close
observation of a very curious ovenbird at eye level between the boardwalk
and the creek, a blue jay that seemed to be imitating a cuckoo, the occupied
vireo nest (with a cowbird lurking above), a female wood duck with 7
ducklings in the pond (I think 7-they move like they are in a blender!),
singing prothonotaries, and very plucky male redstart joining a blue jay and
a male cardinal in mobbing a red-shouldered hawk about 30 feet from me while
the other hawk screamed off in the woods somewhere. Best of all were the 2
empidonax flycatchers by the bridge between the pond and the golf course.
One was very vocal and sang "pit-see", the other had less intense wing bars
and when it finally sang it was saying "fee-bee-oh". I'm guessing they are
not a pair. The area matches another where Acadians nested on the other
side of the park, so it bears watching. There was also a pileated WP
exiting a fresh hole facing the trail on the way back to the meadow from
that bridge. No owls seen or heard-hope the WBW group had some luck with
them. Have a great day!
Jan
Richmond
