I finally got to get out this weekend and enjoy spring migration. Both Saturday and Sunday we (Paul, Diana, Pamela & myself) started out at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, one of the famous "hot-spots" for spring warblers (which just happens to be relatively close to us). Saturday morning was overcast and pretty cold, and not nearly as many birders as I expected, but the birds were there. Black-throated Blue Warblers were everywhere (although not as common as the ubiquitous Yellow-rumps.)
We dipped on the Hooded Warbler that was seen near the tower, but managed to find several other target warblers, including Tennessee, Blackburnian, and Cape May. These birds are often a struggle for many as they are often in the very tops of the trees which are now leafing out.
Listening to 6 different people giving directions to a bird that is 50-60 feet up, is both funny and irritating - funny when you've already found the bird, irritating when you're still trying to locate it! Then throw in the constant commentary from those around you...
"OK, I've got it -look for the dead branch at three o'clock, now follow it to the end, it points to another branch that is crossing in front a fir tree. Go up six feet from there and watch for the movement."
"I think I see it - did it move left? Oh wait, it just flew."
"No it didn't, I'm still watching it."
"OK wait... start again, I go left from the dead branch to an opening..."
"Let me try it a different way - follow the main trunk up to where it splits in three directions, go out the left branch all the way to the end... "
Now various other birders start chiming in on how they think one should look, usually accompanied by "Stand here in front of me and look toward..." "It just hopped to the left"
"It just dropped down" or my favorite - "It's right out in the open"
To be fair, many birders are pretty good at giving directions to a bird, it's just when there are such large numbers of birders at a hotspot trying to get on one tiny little half-ounce bird that is 40ft away, well, it's pretty comical to me.
Ovenbirds were very cooperative this weekend. For a bird that is more often heard than seen, this weekend it was the opposite. I saw at least 7 different individuals, and photographed four - the best photo is this one.
Now I know that American Robins are pretty common, even finding nesting robins isn't hard. Nevertheless, when one flies in to feed young at a nest at eye level, it's will still make you stop and take a second look. (And it you happen to have a camera in your hand at the time, so much the better...)
