Greeted this morning by fog and the wheezy blue-winged warbler up on its favorite perch at the entrance to the property.
I immediately noticed a difference in the soundscape from yesterday. Overall warbler song (especially yellow-rump) was down. But there in the distance--our old friend the beautiful but musically challenged yellow-throated vireo doing his familiar "vi-re-o" over and over and over. All summer long.
As the yellow warbler density grows and competition intensifies they are becoming more visible. Better photos hopefully when the sun comes out. A couple of Nashville warblers and the Wilson's are still on the scene and it appears that common yellowthroats have also returned.
Most of my morning was spent recording Baltimore oriole songs, at their height as the old-timers fight off newcomers. At three different points on the CRP I witnessed battles between three or more males at one time. I made over 40 separate recordings so that will take some processing before I post about it. But while I was concentrating on the variety of oriole songs, I suddenly got a whiff of something even more exciting.
Bobolinks!
Three males singing up a storm (at one point joined in the same tree by an orchard oriole and a catbird--talk about cacophony!) This time of year the bobolinks usually stay high up in the canopy. These guys were down low and spending a lot of time in the grass.
Hope they stay!
[UPDATE: Northern parula in the neighbor's yard]
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