4.16.2011

Nasty Weather!


Yellow-rumped Warbler looking for insects.

Chilling winds carried a vile mixture of rain, sleet, and snow for most of the day. Overnight weather was unfavorable for bird migration. I anticipated that a mixed songbird flock I saw yesterday along the creek corridor near the Parmenter Street bridge would still be there today. But going against my usual rule of digiscoping only on sunny days, I decided to bring my gear along.


Black-capped Chickadee watching the snow.

Not surprisingly, most of the warblers (and other birds) were foraging on or near the ground because there were very few insects to be found up in the trees. There were dozens upon dozens of Yellow-rumped Warblers flitting around. Sorting through them, I also found an Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, and two Pine Warblers:


Pine Warbler


Getting pelted with rain, sleet, and snow.



The birds had it a little rough today, but I feel confident they'll endure. Stalled at Pheasant Branch isn't such a bad fortune for them; it's a very suitable migratory stop-over point while they wait for favorable weather so they can continue north.


Hermit Thrush

I was getting soaked from being pelted with sleet, so I went under the bridge to wipe the water droplets from my glasses, binoculars, camera, and spotting scope. To my astonishment, I discovered I had company. Several Yellow-rumped Warblers were searching for insects around the rocks:



Location: Pheasant Branch
Observation date: 4/16/11
Number of species: 38


Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch

All images & video © 2011 Mike McDowell