Looking at recent sightings up until last night it appeared that the spring so far around these parts wasn't very impressive with low numbers of what were now late arriving Warblers. This though meant that we were hopeful in connecting with a reasonable fall during our time here.
The weather forecast overnight was very promising with NE winds and light rain. This of course yielded the best day of the spring so far at Magee Marsh and throughout the day we enjoyed views of some mouth-watering American Wood Warblers. The day started in fine style, whilst driving towards Magee from our overnight motel (40 mins away) I was half asleep driving and didn't notice until late a rail crossing which was higher than I had anticipated and we lifted into the air slightly and plummeted down the other side, with the only injury being Ian's head.
Most of the day was spent on the boardwalk at Magee Marsh, that by late morning was rammed with people, but with good birds in most places, it was good fun. Probably the highlight was a Prothonotary Warbler that came within a metre of me, just staggering how tame the birds are here despite being surrounded by noisy Americans in their multi-coloured (colored) dream coats. By mid afternoon we were all weary and decided to twitch a female Wilson's Phalarope nearby. Back at the car park I unlocked the car from a distance, and in my very tired state I clambered into a 4x4 that looked very similar to ours, but once in the white leather and strange items in the door got me thinking, and it wasn't until Adam joined me we then realised I had climbed into the wrong vehicle. Very comical, and once in our car we slowly headed out of Magee, via a walk around the info centre and birded Stange Prairie, where we connected with the Phalarope. Absolutely spent, we ended the day back at Dennys and in the hotel room at a sensible time, looking forward to another day.
A superb day and certainly one of my bucket list. Highlights below:
Magee Marsh
Least Sandpiper - 1
Baltimore Oriole - 10
ORCHARD ORIOLE - 1
WARBLING VIREO - 8
Black-and-White Warbler - 7
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER - 5
Yellow Warbler - 40
Blackburnian Warbler - 10
Magnolia Warbler - 10
PALM WARBLER - 15
BLUE-HEADED VIREO - 6
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 5
BLACK-THROATED BLUE-WARBLER - 15
GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER - 1
Grey Catbird - 10
Veery - 2
NASHVILLE WARBLER - 25
Bay-breasted Warbler - 5
Black-throated Green-Warbler - 15
OVENBIRD - 2
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER - 4
Northern Waterthrush - 2
TENESSESE WARBLER - 1
CAPE MAY WARBLER - 2
AMERICAN WOODCOCK - 1
Hermit Thrush - 1
Red-headed Woodpecker - 2
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER - 1
NORTHEN PARULA - 1
SWAMP SPARROW - 1
SWAINSON'S THRUSH - 1
Stange Prairie
Wilson's Phalarope - 1
Greater Yellowlegs - 2
Spotted Sandpiper - 1
TRUMPETER SWAN - 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler - too close
Nashville Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler - this image shows what American Wood Warblers do best......hiding!!
Blackburnian Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
American Woodcock
