Birding WNY | Chirps and Cheeps

Season Firsts: Warblers and a Gray Catbird Published: April 18, 2014 Tags: General Observations, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Winter Wren, Northern Rough-legged Swallow, Broad-winged Hawk A couple of hikes the last couple of days have brought a few more season firsts. The warblers are beginning to show up and I saw my first Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers just this morning at Bird Song Park. What a joy to finally find these guys after such a long winter. I had a Pine Warbler last Sunday at my feeders at home, so that makes 3 different warblers so far this spring. I also saw my first Broad-winged Hawks of the year, Northern Rough-legged Swallows, two Winter Wrens, and a Gray Catbird. A nice, little flock of Cedar Waxwings was fun to watch too. And Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers continue to show up almost everywhere. I'm always surprised at their loud drumming; they are STRONG drummers! I enjoyed a couple of hours at the Hawk Watch with Jim Landau yesterday too. There wasn't a lot of activity but it was a great opportunity to practice some ID skills. Broad-winged Hawks, Red-shouldered, Red-taileds, and Cooper's all gave us some nice views. The season is gearing up and so many great birds are being found! Palm Warbler - first of the year Beautiful male Palm Warbler Female Yellow-rumped Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler - first of the year Eastern Phoebe - I accidentally came upon their nest site Eastern Phoebe Gray Catbird - first of the year Gray Catbird Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Hermit Thrush Brown Creeper Brown Creeper hard at work Red-winged Blackbird - so common, but so striking Blue Sulpher - first I've seen of one of these this year Add a Comment » Reply from: Andrea Burke on 4/18/2014 8:25 PM Love the bird list and dates. this is a great help for me as a newbie to birding. Would love to go out with you sometime! Reply from: Sue on 4/21/2014 5:32 AM Thanks, Andrea; the dates are very helpful to me as well. I even have the page bookmarked on my phone so I can check a species when I'm in the field. Hope to see you out one day soon again!

Season Firsts: Warblers and a Gray Catbird

Published: April 18, 2014
Tags: General Observations, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Winter Wren, Northern Rough-legged Swallow, Broad-winged Hawk

A couple of hikes the last couple of days have brought a few more season firsts. The warblers are beginning to show up and I saw my first Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers just this morning at Bird Song Park. What a joy to finally find these guys after such a long winter. I had a Pine Warbler last Sunday at my feeders at home, so that makes 3 different warblers so far this spring.

I also saw my first Broad-winged Hawks of the year, Northern Rough-legged Swallows, two Winter Wrens, and a Gray Catbird. A nice, little flock of Cedar Waxwings was fun to watch too. And Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers continue to show up almost everywhere. I'm always surprised at their loud drumming; they are STRONG drummers!

I enjoyed a couple of hours at the Hawk Watch with Jim Landau yesterday too. There wasn't a lot of activity but it was a great opportunity to practice some ID skills. Broad-winged Hawks, Red-shouldered, Red-taileds, and Cooper's all gave us some nice views.

The season is gearing up and so many great birds are being found!

Palm Warbler - first of the year

Beautiful male Palm Warbler

Female Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler - first of the year

Eastern Phoebe - I accidentally came upon their nest site

Eastern Phoebe

Gray Catbird - first of the year

Gray Catbird

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Hermit Thrush

Brown Creeper

Brown Creeper hard at work

Red-winged Blackbird - so common, but so striking

Blue Sulpher - first I've seen of one of these this year

Reply from: Andrea Burke on 4/18/2014 8:25 PM

Love the bird list and dates. this is a great help for me as a newbie to birding. Would love to go out with you sometime!

Reply from: Sue on 4/21/2014 5:32 AM

Thanks, Andrea; the dates are very helpful to me as well. I even have the page bookmarked on my phone so I can check a species when I'm in the field. Hope to see you out one day soon again!

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