Saturday, August 23, 2014

Prospect on east wind

In my first weekend venture into the park in many weeks, a simple casual stroll to look for some birds despite an east wind. Not much for expectations but anything worth it spending time just at Lookout Hill.

Thanks to Torin Waters, finding a CHESTNUT SIDED WARBLER with a BLACKBURNIAN helps make the morning. Later a report of PRAIRIE WARBLER in the paper mulberry tree above the Maryland Monument steps was reported along with ORCHARD ORIOLES.I got the latter with Gus Keri and Patty O'Kane.Also seen were BALTIMORE ORIOLES. I had a flash glimpse of a shorebird flyover very low at that spot but my guess was likely Solitary Sandpiper.

For me,Patty and Gus, it was the soaring REDTAILED HAWK being harassed by a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS over the summit that delighted us. Later we also saw a soaring OSPREY,a prelude towards fall hawk migration.Earlier at Butterfly Meadow,AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES were active; I saw a GNATCATCHER being harassed by a Hummingbird at one of the low branches of the Pin Oak.

A list later after some Saturday errands.

Observers met: Joshua,Rachel,Torin,Patty,Gus