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Mariton: Tuesday Bird Walks

May 1, 2013

by Tim Burris, Preserve Manager

MEBUS RoseBreastedGrosbeakMariton0430

(A Rose-breasted Grosbeak drying out after a misty morning.  Photo by Carole Mebus.)

We started our weekly Tuesday Morning Bird Walks.  We had a enjoyable group of Birder/Naturalists.  The weather forecasters were wrong, and the weather just  got better and better.  It didn’t take too long for us to dust off our ears and recognize bird songs that we haven’t heard for several months.  I hoped we would be able to see things this week, since many trees haven’t leafed out, but we had a hard time locating birds that should have been “easy to see”. 

One of the most exciting birds was a Yellow-throated Warbler that we heard below the Bird Blind.  We are a little north of its normal range and a little farther from the river than it would normally be found.  I recognized the song from listening to the bird song CD, but didn’t know what bird was singing.  Plus we had never documented one at Mariton.  Thankfully, Ed had bird songs on his phone and played that on a hunch.  (Good hunch, Ed!)  It matched the song perfectly and the bird responded.  We didn’t see the bird, but it was still exciting for me (worth a trip along the tow path to look for it).

We did hear several of the species that are fun to hear first thing in the spring.  The Wood Thrush, Ovenbirds and Black and White Warblers were singing enthusiastically, but we couldn’t find them.  Then we started hearing Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Scarlet Tanagers. 

MEBUS ScarletTanagerMaleMariton0430

(It took awhile, but we got a great view of a very cooperative Scarlet Tanager.  Photo by Carole Mebus.)

E.NORMAN OVENBIRD mariton-2

(An Ovenbird perched at eye level.  Photo by Ed Norman.)

By next Tuesday, several species should be back in town and we expect a busy morning at Giving Pond.