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Bitterns, herons and a northern parula Posted on May 21, 2019 at 11:51:59 AM by John Challis
There was quite a riot of birdsong this morning while walking the dogs (we have a guest dog for three weeks) -- was able to make out 4 warbler species by song, and ID'd another 19 bird species.
Something out in the swamp behind our place created a stir, and three American bitterns, a great blue heron and a green heron all flushed up and over us; maybe the 'stir' was just the GBH. The bitterns circled around and came back, and the green heron landed in the top of a dead tree on the edge of the swamp.
Meanwhile behind me, a second ruckus broke out when a red-winged blackbird chased a woodpecker away from his turf; that in turn flushed a second green heron, which perched itself on a dead branch looking quite offended.
A few minutes later while I was trying to chase down a blue-headed vireo's song, a northern parula caught my eye, feeding through the treetops. No song, but the band of yellow up the centre of the throat, grey-blue hood and white wing bars were good identifiers. I think that's the first I have encountered on our street. Replies: There have been no replies.
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