Jun 5, 2020 11:45 AM - 1:05 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.3 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: I returned to Surrender March Trail for my third attempt to find the Prothonotary Warbler first reported May 30. Lindsey, the original discoverer of the. bird updated the location, placing a pin all the way at the end of the trail. I started to head that way after greeting two birders already there. We heard the Prothonotary sing loudly right by where the trail splits to go to the Southern parking lot and the spur that goes to the end of the trail. As my hearing for high. sounds isn't great, I heard it loud and clear. It crossed over the trail and skulked North in the brush down the trail. Then I lost it. The benefit of looking for a specific small bird, you start taking very close looks at every bird you encounter, with the benefit of really seeing and appreciating common species. I also found a Cedar Waxwing, a bird I have not seen since Winter time. In my three trips, I also saw where three species of Woodpeckers are nesting: Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker.
But back to hunt for the PROW. After waiting at the old spot it was seen last week and at times today, I went down to the ned of the trail and listened. I pished a few times, and suddenly, the Prothonotary was right near me on a small Cherry Tree. I lifted my camera up and took photos. I kept piching in hopes he would be curious. He was there about 15 seconds before taking off into the swamp below to the East. Other birders I know arrived and I waved them up. The bird called often as he worked his way North agin through the swamp. Then he stopped calling for 15 minutes. He started up again back at the old spot and I left, not wanting to inadvertently scare him away for my birding friends. I am thankful to the birder who found the bird and kept. updating through return trips she took.
45 species (+1 other taxa)

Wood Duck 14 Mom and 13 ducklings still swimming around in the swamp. (Saw her and ducklings last trip, two days previous)
Mourning Dove 5
Great Blue Heron 6 Looking and I imagine sounding like Pteradactyls! The rookery is just North of the area I spent time in today and there is a lot of noise from there and from the birds that pass through
Green Heron 1 fly by, making odd call
Black Vulture 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Least Flycatcher 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 4
flycatcher sp. (Tyrannidae sp.) 1 Not sure which Flycatcher this is. It is likely one of the ones I heard, but this is one group certainly more easily identified by call than sight
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 4
Red-eyed Vireo 6
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 2
Common Raven 1 loudly calling at South end of trail
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Tufted Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
House Wren 1
Carolina Wren 1
Gray Catbird 8
Wood Thrush 2
American Robin 7
Cedar Waxwing 1
American Goldfinch 2 Bright yellow male had me fooled a couple of times when looking for Prothonotary Warbler
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 1
Baltimore Oriole 1
Red-winged Blackbird 4
Common Grackle 9
Ovenbird 1
Prothonotary Warbler 1 This is the bird that people have been coming to look for since his discovery a week ago. The habitat is perfect with extensive swamp, lots of trees with holes and low trees to skulk around in. The problem obviously is that he is several hundred miles North of his usual range.
Common Yellowthroat 2
American Redstart 1
Yellow Warbler 2
Northern Cardinal 4
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S70133452

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)