May misses and Heard Only Birds

   

The best photo of the best bird I saw over my two days off.
Virginia Rail

   I had Thurs/Fri off from work but I had to work the weekend. For me, that means May is pretty much over. On Wednesday I'm leaving for North Carolina to do some pelagic and land birding for a few days. Between now and Wednesday I have so much work stuff to get ahead on and too much personal stuff to catch up on. So, although I may get out for a couple hours after work the next couple of days, realistically I'm done.

   As I said a couple posts ago, May goes by way too fast. Obviously, missing an entire weekend next week will shorten a month, but I got to tell you, I think migration is about over anyway. For sure there is still a very good possibility for a rare bird such as another Mourning Warbler or Olive Sided Flycatcher to show up. But in terms of big numbers and the trees being covered with bright little birds, we are past the peak. Here is a quick rundown of my two hard days of birding. 

   Thursday morning I got great looks at a Virginia Rail at a swamp in Westerly thanks to my friend Sue. From there, we went to Burlingame north where we saw an Acadian Flycatcher and heard Hooded Warblers and Pileated Woodpeckers. 

   Then Sue and I went Rome Point. There had been two very good warblers there. A Kentucky and a Mourning. We got lucky and heard both. We didn't see either. Though later in the day, my friend Tim and I got a brief look at the Kentucky and he even got a couple photos.

   Friday I birded alone almost all day except at my first stop, Miantonomi. Louise R and I birded there from7-9 am. The woods were quiet. The only birds that we say that weren't residents were a Blackpoll and a Yellow Billed Cuckoo. He had great looks at both birds, but there was a disappointing amount of migrating birds. That theme continued all day.  Other than hearing a couple more cuckoos and finding an Acadian Flycatcher, my day was boring.

   This all leads up to migration being just about over. For me, it is a good thing I am not listing this year. I missed quite a few birds I normally see. I missed the rare Yellow Throated Warbler at Trustom early in migration. However, I missed some expected birds also. I did not see any Cape May, Nashville,  or Bay Breasted Warblers, or Louisiana Waterthrush (I didn't go for the Waterthrush) this spring. Somehow I missed Bay Breasted while others had it at Mia. I did not see any Yellow Throated Vireos. This was a bummer because I don't have any life photos of them. Though I still have a decent shot at the Vireo and the Cape May in the fall, especially on the Block. I'm sure there are probably others I missed but those are misses I never miss.

   Probably more frustrating than missing a few birds is the sheer number of "heard only" birds I have on my list. I have a tough time with songs and sounds. I am not musical at all. Usually I have to relearn all of the Warbler songs every spring because I will forget them by June. Over the last two weeks I have had Black Billed Cuckoo, Mourning Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Whip-poor-wills,  Black Throated Green, Mississippi Kite, Tennessee Warbler, Worm Eating Warbler, Hooded Warbler, and Sora as heard only birds. 

   Right now I am at my "peak" of knowing bird songs and calls. Like I said, I will have forgotten them in the next couple of weeks. That said, hearing birds for me is only a tool to help see them. I'd much rather see a bird than hear it (Wood Thrush and Red Tailed Hawks being exceptions). Some birds like Sora and Mourning Warbler you don't expect to see. However, not seeing Hooded Warbler or Worm Eating is quite a surprise. Both nest in Rhode Island so maybe after I get back from the Outer Banks, chasing them could be a June goal. 

   Why did I write a post that was pretty much negative? Simply because it was honest. I did not see as many migrants as usual. Though part of that was there wasn't any pressure too. However, list or not, I want to see the birds. I still love seeing Bay Breasted and Nashville Warblers.Who wouldn't? I would much rather see the Missisippi Kite soar than hear it. Still, I got to see most of the birds. I found two very good birds on my own this May. I found Eastern Meadowlarks at Franklin Farm in Cumberland. If they are nesting, they most likely are the only ones breeding in the state. I also found Acadian Flycatchers at Weetamoo Woods. So all in all, though it sounds like complaining, May has had far more ups than downs. As Bill Belichick would say...On to shorebirds