Chirps and Cheeps

A Photo Journal of My Birding Adventures & Observations

My birding blog site


  Summer Tanager at Tifft and My Nemesis Conquered

Published: May 05, 2013
Tags: Life List Happenings, American Woodcock, Summer Tanager, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Cape May Warbler, American Redstart, Savannah Sparrow, Gray Catbird

I just happened to be at the right spot at the right time today! A Summer Tanager, a more southern bird, was found at Tifft Nature Preserve, where I happened to be birding. I came upon the BOS group all looking up into a tree - and there was ONE of today's two lifers! 

What a wonderful find by Joe Mitchell. I got a few photos of this beautiful, young male - but not nearly as nice as the photo Jim Pawlicki captured (with permission: Jim's photo on Flickr).

I had forgotten there was a group trip planned to Tifft - so this was very fortuitous for me! I tagged along with the group and, in addition to the Black and White, Yellow and Yellow-rumped Warblers we found numbers of, I was very happy to see my FOY Cape May Warbler, American Redstart, and Black-throated Blue Warblers. I also found my FOY Gray Catbird and a Belted Kingfisher on my way out of the preserve. It was also very nice to reacquaint myself with some of the great members of the BOS group too!

Later in the evening, after Sammie's (my 6 year old granddaughter) birthday party, I put on my hiking gear and went across the road to the neighboring vineyards.  Kate and I had tried for an American Woodcock out there about a month earlier - and HEARD the peenting of a woodcock, but never got a visual of it.  So, I KNEW it was a good spot to try again. I was hopeful for tonight. After I got out there, I waited and waited and waited... and just as I was heading back to the house, I heard the peent! I stalked the little guy and finally, oh finally, I saw my nemesis bird - an American Woodcock in all its glory!  I tried for some photos but they turned out so grainy, I'm not even going to post them.  But I'm still on a "high" from the find!

Two lifers in one day - it doesn't get much better!  

Oh, and back home, we had a flock of about 30 Pine Siskins stop by for a couple of days over the weekend. Nice treat!

blog photo
Summer Tanager - an immature male

blog photo
Summer Tanager

blog photo
Summer Tanager

blog photo
Summer Tanager

blog photo
American Redstart (male)

blog photo
Warbling Vireo (taken the next morning w Doug Happ)

blog photo
Cape May Warbler

blog photo
Yellow Warbler - one of many that we saw today

blog photo
Black and White Warbler

blog photo
Northern Cardinal (male) - this guy was begging for his photo to be taken!

blog photo
Belted Kingfisher

blog photo
Gray Catbird

blog photo
White-throated Sparrow

blog photo
House Wren singing as I left the preserve

blog photo
Savannah Sparrow (taken the next morning)

blog photo
Savannah Sparrow (taken the next morning)

blog photo
Pine Siskins - surprise visit

blog photo
Pine Siskin



button link to my bird search