Return of Imani, May 26, 2022

Imani, the male Piping Plover and son of Rose and Monty

Imani, the male Piping Plover and son of Rose and Monty (click to see the larger version)

Talk about fortuitous, and funny. Imani, the male Piping Plover and son of Monty and Rose, was feeding on the long fishing pier on May 26. This is common behavior for shorebirds at Montrose (Monty and Rose would do the same thing there). These shorebirds like to feed on the hordes of midges that gather on the pier. Easy pickings. When I saw Imani on the pier I walked out to look at and photograph him. I took lots of pics and the best one happened by accident when he walked across and stopped briefly on one of the “no diving” glyphs painted on the pier.

Rose and Monty are gone but if a female Piping Plover finds her way to Montrose, the cycle could start anew.

Montrose Parking Update, May 23, 2022

You can now park legally on the north side of West Montrose Avenue but the parking ban has been extended to May 27 for the south side of the road. Hopefully the street repair project will be finished by that date. You can still park along West Montrose Harbor Drive but you’ll have to feed a meter for the privilege. This Google Map shows the road system in and around Montrose Point.

Weather and Birding Forecast, May 19 and 20

Weather forecast screenshot for May 19 and 20

Weather forecast screenshot for May 19 and 20. From weather.com. (click to see the larger version)

The forecast for May 19 and May 20 looks good for a push of birds, with warmer temps and sustained southwest winds, ideal spring migration conditions. We’re a little past the peak of migration but we should see an influx of flycatchers, vireos, cuckoos, and “later” warblers like Connecticut and Mourning. As always, check the Montrose Point eBird Hotspot for the latest sightings.

May 12, 2022 – Warblers

Blackburnian Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler (click to see the larger version)

Continuing the migration splendor for the week, Thursday, May 12 was the best warbler day of the spring at Montrose. I ended up with 26 species, which is about as good as we do. If you were at Montrose on that day you couldn’t help but be impressed with the volume and variety of warblers. My best finds include

Worm-eating Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler (3)
Northern Parula (3)
Mourning Warbler
Canada Warbler

Of the regularly occurring warblers, Worm-eating is the rarest and least expected. In addition, the large numbers of Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, and Blackburnian were a joy to look at. We wait all year for a handful of days with color like this. Link to my eBird checklist for the day below.

eBird Checklist
May 12, 2022

May 9, 2022 – Wowza

Songbirds feeding on midges

Songbirds feeding on midges (click to see the larger version)

You know you’re doing well when you see flocks of Eastern Kingbirds and Gray Catbirds feeding in the tops of trees. That’s what it was like at Montrose on May 9. I ended up with 86 species and the eBird total for all observers is over 120. We saw a big influx of migrant passerines, especially flycatchers, Indigo Buntings, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Gray Catbirds. Many of these birds were feasting on midges. The south winds we’re getting are bringing in a lot of birds, and the good news is that these conditions will continue for the rest of the week. The photo I’ve included shows Eastern Kingbirds, Gray Catbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Baltimore Orioles, and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. You can also see a ball of midges in the upper left corner of the pic.