White-winged Scoters
Willets (click to see the larger version)
I went over to Montrose this evening to check the beach for shorebirds and found 8 Willets inside the protected area. They were very close to the fishhook pier. I also had an Olive-sided Flycatcher near the Magic Hedge, among many more common passerines.
There seemed to be more warblers at Montrose today than on previous days. I didn’t count what I heard or saw but that was my general impression. Best was a singing male Hooded Warbler in the grove just east of the meadow. I also had a couple Cape May Warblers, my first of the year.
The Bell’s Vireo was in the peripheral plantings near the water feature. Unfortunately the bird wasn’t singing so it may be difficult to relocate.
I spent a few hours at Montrose this morning. It wasn’t as active as May 8 but I still ended up with 86 species, and I had almost 20(!) birds today that I didn’t see on Thursday. Here are my highlights:
Mute Swan – 3 flew in from the south and landed in the lake just off the beach
Northern Shoveler – 3 flying north over the lake
White-winged Scoter – 1 in the lake off the fishhook pier
Red-breasted Merganser – 11
Great Egret – 11, including a group of 8, all flying south
Northern Harrier – 1 immature flying south high over the point
Ruddy Turnstone – 2 on the beach
Laughing Gull – 1 adult flying south over the fishhook pier
Common Tern – 3
Red-headed Woodpecker – 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 1 female
Yellow-throated Vireo – 1
Philadelphia Vireo – 1
All 5 swallows, with most of the Cliffs and Banks moving south
Marsh Wren – 1
Northern Mockingbird – 1
Blue-winged Warbler – 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler – 1 male
Blackburnian Warbler – 1
Mourning Warbler – 1
Scarlet Tanager – 1 male, flew in off the lake and landed in the dunes
Lark Sparrow – 1, flew in off the lake and landed in the dunes
Dickcissel – 1 singing male
There seemed to be a fair amount of turnover between today and Thursday, with fewer White-crowned Sparrows, Catharus thrushes, Gray Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, Eastern Kingbirds, and Least Flycatchers today. Warblers are still scant.