Blackburnian Warbler singing at Rush Creek
July 1st, 2009 by Chris McCreedy and Claire Skinner
Date of sighting: 1 July 2009
Maybe this is the best year for vagrants in the Mono Basin that I have seen. His song at first blended in with the rampages of the Yellow Warbler horde, but I noticed that one song was higher, thinner, and maybe a little faster. Then I saw him foraging high in a black cottonwood on Rush from below – vibrant burnt orange throat blending into a yellow belly, black mottled flanks, huge white patch on the wing. I only got to see him for about 20 seconds, then he blasted down toward the ford.
Kestrel fledgling. Click to enlarge. Photo courtesy of Chris McCreedy.
An otherwise awesome day, I found 10 nests (4 Yellow Warblers, 2 Song Sparrows, 2 Warbling Vireos, 1 American Kestrel, 1 really difficult Dusky Flycatcher nest). 2 YWAR, both SOSP, and both vireo nests were parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds. The flycatcher nest was full of only flycatcher chicks. Yet, it is only 50 feet from an active kestrel nest that just fledged (attached photo).
I know of at least 4 Warbling Vireo pairs on lower Rush this year, the most I have ever found.
This post was submitted by Chris McCreedy and Claire Skinner.
