Post by Gord on Sept 5, 2006 20:56:43 GMT -8
Stopped at Island 22 for a quick birding visit this morning before breakfast.
Things were very very busy with action everywhere. Lots of movement and calls that combined with a few falling leaves, had me trying to look everywhere at the same time. Probably a funny sight.
The highlight was finding a lifer bird for me. At the top of the cottonwood I spotted a bird that was not immediately familiar beyond warbler. At first I wasnt sure what it was as it looked 'off' and was also smaller and shorter tailed compared to a nearby yellow-rumped warbler. Soon, I determined this was a Tennessee warbler!! I lost sight of it right about there and I lamented that it would remain a strong suspicion (Im slow to fully ID birds Im not familiar with...sometimes silly to be this way) but happily got more views again soon after. I figured it to be a female. What a white belly and undertail coverts! The tail, while not really that short, sure stuck out compared to other warblers near by.
The species list:
2 Wood Duck
1 Glaucous-winged Gull
3 Downy Woodpecker
1 Hairy Woodpecker
3 Northern Flicker
2 Western Wood-Pewee
2 Warbling Vireo
4 Northwestern Crow
12+ Black-capped Chickadee
6 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
4 Brown Creeper
2 Bewick's Wren
20+ American Robin
6 Cedar Waxwing
1 Tennessee Warbler
5 Orange-crowned Warbler
15+ Yellow-rumped Warbler
5+ Black-throated Grey Warber
10+ Western Tanager
2 Spotted Towhee
1 Song Sparrow (!)
4 Purple Finch
1 American Goldfinch
Now for the 2nd 'goody' I hinted at. Near the start as I was walking out on the equestrian trail south towards the field, I heard this bird. It sounded sort of like a pewee when they're really mad or otherwise excited. But something wasnt right as there was a rythem to this that did not vary much. As pewees have caught my ear before, I listened for it to do something different as they usually do in short order, but no. It kept doing this same call/song quite frequently. It went "Tree stew tree stew tree stew" quite close together. Bad description (I didnt want to use the book's description favouring what I heard) but imagine that with a pewee ring to it. I couldnt see the bird (duh!) but it sounded like it was down quite low, and did not seem to move far if at all the whole 3 or 4 minutes I was listening to it. It was in a grove of decid trees that surrounds a wet area (may be all but dry now) next to a cattle grazed field. This field is private property and there was a group of cattle in there as well who came up to check me out and got in my way. My grumbled threats that Im the president of McDonalds did not send them scampering like I hoped. Soon, the bird went quiet, time was ticking and there were birds (and leaves) everywhere demanding my attention so I let it go. Later, while talking to Jason I remembered this bird and mentioned to him about it and that I had wondered if it could be a pheobe and I had forgotten to listen to my CD to see what a black pheobe and friends sounds like. I listened to the CD and called him back promptly. Sure could be a black pheobe as it sounded disturbingly similar, habitat was not far from right and heck, it even sounded to be perched down quite low.
Now, this is as I described, so it's up to you all. Im always hesitant to report these hunches based on what could be flukes and mistakes (I did see two pewees today, BUT they were both silent!!!
), but that's what this site is about. Share whatever you want, and so long as it's accompanied by all the details available, it's fair game and up to us if we want to check it out so no one needs to fear. I think far too many birds are missed because they were not explored more indepth and shared with others who could check things out as well. And if it was a pewee and I/we went looking, then I'm/we're most happy that you/I got me/us out in the field! 
Any guesses where Ill be first thing tomorrow morning? Time for bed. Im having a bad case of warbler neck from this morning. In fact, I had to sit on the floor looking up at my screen to type this report!!
Hope to have another report tomorrow.
Things were very very busy with action everywhere. Lots of movement and calls that combined with a few falling leaves, had me trying to look everywhere at the same time. Probably a funny sight.
The highlight was finding a lifer bird for me. At the top of the cottonwood I spotted a bird that was not immediately familiar beyond warbler. At first I wasnt sure what it was as it looked 'off' and was also smaller and shorter tailed compared to a nearby yellow-rumped warbler. Soon, I determined this was a Tennessee warbler!! I lost sight of it right about there and I lamented that it would remain a strong suspicion (Im slow to fully ID birds Im not familiar with...sometimes silly to be this way) but happily got more views again soon after. I figured it to be a female. What a white belly and undertail coverts! The tail, while not really that short, sure stuck out compared to other warblers near by.
The species list:
2 Wood Duck
1 Glaucous-winged Gull
3 Downy Woodpecker
1 Hairy Woodpecker
3 Northern Flicker
2 Western Wood-Pewee
2 Warbling Vireo
4 Northwestern Crow
12+ Black-capped Chickadee
6 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
4 Brown Creeper
2 Bewick's Wren
20+ American Robin
6 Cedar Waxwing
1 Tennessee Warbler
5 Orange-crowned Warbler
15+ Yellow-rumped Warbler
5+ Black-throated Grey Warber
10+ Western Tanager
2 Spotted Towhee
1 Song Sparrow (!)
4 Purple Finch
1 American Goldfinch
Now for the 2nd 'goody' I hinted at. Near the start as I was walking out on the equestrian trail south towards the field, I heard this bird. It sounded sort of like a pewee when they're really mad or otherwise excited. But something wasnt right as there was a rythem to this that did not vary much. As pewees have caught my ear before, I listened for it to do something different as they usually do in short order, but no. It kept doing this same call/song quite frequently. It went "Tree stew tree stew tree stew" quite close together. Bad description (I didnt want to use the book's description favouring what I heard) but imagine that with a pewee ring to it. I couldnt see the bird (duh!) but it sounded like it was down quite low, and did not seem to move far if at all the whole 3 or 4 minutes I was listening to it. It was in a grove of decid trees that surrounds a wet area (may be all but dry now) next to a cattle grazed field. This field is private property and there was a group of cattle in there as well who came up to check me out and got in my way. My grumbled threats that Im the president of McDonalds did not send them scampering like I hoped. Soon, the bird went quiet, time was ticking and there were birds (and leaves) everywhere demanding my attention so I let it go. Later, while talking to Jason I remembered this bird and mentioned to him about it and that I had wondered if it could be a pheobe and I had forgotten to listen to my CD to see what a black pheobe and friends sounds like. I listened to the CD and called him back promptly. Sure could be a black pheobe as it sounded disturbingly similar, habitat was not far from right and heck, it even sounded to be perched down quite low.
Now, this is as I described, so it's up to you all. Im always hesitant to report these hunches based on what could be flukes and mistakes (I did see two pewees today, BUT they were both silent!!!
), but that's what this site is about. Share whatever you want, and so long as it's accompanied by all the details available, it's fair game and up to us if we want to check it out so no one needs to fear. I think far too many birds are missed because they were not explored more indepth and shared with others who could check things out as well. And if it was a pewee and I/we went looking, then I'm/we're most happy that you/I got me/us out in the field! 
Any guesses where Ill be first thing tomorrow morning? Time for bed. Im having a bad case of warbler neck from this morning. In fact, I had to sit on the floor looking up at my screen to type this report!!
Hope to have another report tomorrow.
