Birding Millbury-Sunday, May 24th

Well it was a day of local birding for me and the first time in close to two months that I have done a full day or birding solo. I was out there bright and early at 6:30am and the first thing I noticed when I went to the power lines was that a lot of birds were singing and I knew most of their calls and songs. I could tell almost immediately what birds were in the vicinity before I even got a look at them. Very cool! I know now why knowing bird songs and calls are so important. In fact at this point I think its more valuable than knowing what they look like because a lot of the birds are harder to see due to the heavy foliage on the trees.

Anyhow, the photo above and below are that of the Blue-winged Warbler. There were quite a few of these gorgeous birds at almost every location I went in Millbury today.

I got this bird to get really close to me by pishing and it worked as evidenced by my first halfway decent shot of this bird.

Song Sparrows were abundant at the power lines as well, but acting very antsy. I kept my distance because I believe they are nesting.

The Prairie Warblers were very vocal this AM and I could see some almost immediately when I went to a different habitat at the end of the lines (more brushy and dry).

This male Baltimore Oriole was perched up in a tree preening itself and was so absorbed in his task that he didn't even notice me very close to him taking his picture.

A picture of a Red-eyed Vireo. The Vireo species of birds are the ones that have me most confused right now. Two weeks ago it was the warblers, and this week its the vireos. You would think it would be easier because they don't really look much alike. An example of my confusion is the fact that when I took this picture I was convinced that it was a Blue-headed Vireo based on its song which was the clear-oh-lee, cheer-yo OR cheerolee, cheerio as I call it because I like to make up my own names for the songs (weird but true). I zoomed in on the bird and got one picture before another bird chased it away. I took about 20 shots of the birds and all came out blurry. I previewed this picture and was totally confused because it didn't look like the Blue-headed Vireo, but the Red-eyed instead.........I am convinced I heard the Blue-headed because I have memorized it song but I didn't hear the Red-eyed the entire time I was at this location! I did hear it somewhere else though. Needless to say I am very confused but what else is new.



The picture below is of a female Scarlet Tanager (thanks for the ID Alan!) This bird had me stumped because I had only seen the male tanager before. Such difference in colors!

Now onto one of my favorite birds which is the Wood Thrush. This is one of the calls I look forward to hearing the most when I am out in the woods. While I am thrilled that the photo came out so well, I am a little disturbed over how I got it. You see the thrush was walking across the dirt path when I noticed her. I immediately stopped dead in my tracks and adjusted my camera settings knowing I had to get a picture quick before she spotted me and flew off. The thing is she did see me and didn't fly off.....She just walked rather quickly into some brush. I don't know if she is hurt or just nesting and that's why she behaved like that, but I am hoping its the later.


The one thing I have noticed over the past few days is the increase in Cedar Waxwings. Sure they have been around as I saw them this winter, but they have been in hiding, at least for me. Here is one I took of in flight.

My first half-way decent shot of an Eastern Phoebe. For some reason the pictures I take of this bird always seem to look washed out.

Now onto some of the more bizarre episodes of the day. I swear word got out in the bird community that I was birding solo today so the birds decided to have a little fun on my behalf. The picture below is that of the oh so innocent American Crow. Or is it?????

When I was walking from the path near the Fire station in Millbury I saw a bird mobbing another bird and I excitedly thought that perhaps it was an owl. I couldn't see that well because of the sun and you will see my predicament in how bad the photo came out. I went over to the other side where the sun was more hospitable and was sure it was an American Crow being mobbed. I waited to see if the bird would mob it another time but it didn't. I now think its a Common Grackle attacking an American Crow but I have never seen anything like it before. To make things even more confusing the crow was making a call that I had only heard once and that was his rattle or comb call. If you want to hear it you can do so in the video I took at the end of my post. Very weird

I went over to the Millbury cemetery and was able to get really close to an American Robin taking a bath in the Blackstone River. So cute and it looked as if it was enjoying itself. I don't think I would ever bathe in that water though. Look at the color, its green! To each their own I suppose. ;o)

Another strange thing was a bird swimming in the Blackstone who was very far away from me. All I can see it is long neck and head above the water and automatically thoughts of Creatures of the Black Lagoon start filling my head. Lighting is terrible again and I manage one quick photo before it flies away.

Okay I needed help with this one and Alan just emailed me to tell me this is a Double-crested Cormorant! What a VERY COOL bird and is now my favorite Cormorant for the month of May! . Seriously! Must go out and find this bird a little more often as I love the way it swims.

Very cool to watch it fly away. Look at that wing span, its breath taking I tell ya! Must sneak up on it tomorrow for a better look and photo if it's still around

So, I managed my first day of birding solo better than I thought. I even decided to do checklists today because its something I hate doing and want to try and get into the habit of it more. I do NOT like eBird at all. The map drives me crazy and it never goes where I want it to, but that's another topic for a different day.

Total Species Count Today:

1 Canada Goose

2 Mallard

3 Great Blue Heron

4 Ring-billed Gull

5 Mourning Dove

6 Chimney Swift

7 Downy Woodpecker

8 Hairy Woodpecker

9 Eastern Wood-Pewee (HEARD ONLY)

10 Eastern Phoebe

11 Eastern Kingbird

12 Blue-headed Vireo

13 Red-eyed Vireo

14 Blue Jay

15 American Crow

16 Northern Rough-winged Swallow

17 Black-capped Chickadee

18 Tufted Titmouse

19 Wood Thrush

20 American Robin

21 Gray Catbird

22 Northern Mockingbird

23 European Starling

24 Cedar Waxwing

25 Blue-winged Warbler

26 Yellow Warbler

27 Chestnut-sided Warbler

28 Pine Warbler

29 Prairie Warbler

30 Ovenbird

31 Common Yellowthroat

32 Scarlet Tanager

33 Eastern Towhee

34 Chipping Sparrow

35 Field Sparrow

36 Song Sparrow

37 Northern Cardinal

38 Rose-breasted Grosbeak

39 Red-winged Blackbird

40 Common Grackle

41 Baltimore Oriole

42 House Finch

43 American Goldfinch

44 House Sparrow

45. JUST ADDED and not in proper order: Double-crested Cormorant

And here is the video of the Crow. When I first heard it I had forgotten it had this strange call. I got excited thinking it was a Fish Crow. It then gave me a break by doing its more famous Caw call and the mystery was solved.