Field Ornithology 2021 - May 25

Locations:
Rock Creek Park (Peirce Mill)
Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens
Anacostia River Trail

Checklists:
https://ebird.org/vt/checklist/S88949411
https://ebird.org/vt/checklist/S88956159
https://ebird.org/vt/checklist/S88960896
https://ebird.org/vt/checklist/S88964498

I started the morning off at a part of Rock Creek Park nearby where I have been staying since Kenilworth didn't open until 8 am. I started off the morning trying to figure out a strange song that had the tune of a Black-and-white Warbler but the song quality of a COYE or CAWR. See my first audio recording from the day. I'm pretty sure it was a COYE but I had a lot of trouble finding it. I also had some great views of male Wood Ducks which seem much less timid than in Vermont. Perhaps it was because they weren't mate guarding? Or perhaps they are just used to more people? Either way, I wished I had had a good camera because the views of these guys was SPECTACULAR. I also had a Louisiana Waterthrush which I think was a lifer!

After finishing at Rock Creek, I stopped back off at the apartment for a quick bathroom break and then struggled to navigate through lots of construction to Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens. When I finally got there, however, it was wonderful. Highlights were probably the Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a rather unexpected Blackpoll Warbler, Chimney Swifts, and a Yellow Warbler being weird with its song which was good practice. From Kenilworth, I walked along the Anacostia River Trail. Kenilworth was a lot of constructed and natural wetland which included marshes, lily ponds, and open water. From Kenilworth along the River Trail, there was marshy wetland, open river habitat, riparian forest, and shrub-scrub habitats. Two mature male, one female, and one very vocal immature male Orchard Oriole were absolute highlights -- I'd only ever seen them once before in Vermont and never as visible as this. More Indigo Buntings than I'd ever seen were also pretty incredible. I was a bit overwhelmed with all the song I was hearing which is why I didn't think to record it, but upon reflection on a song I heard but didn't circle back to ID, Field Sparrow was a solid grassland/shrubland bird that I observed.

Posted on May 25, 2021 08:45 PM by lizamorse