Dripping w/ warblers? - 09 May 2007


Or just dripping? After reading post after post today about trees dripping with warblers, I decided to run out to UM-Dearborn to get in on the action. Unfortunately, the only thing the trees were dripping was water. 
Thinking that the torrential rains from earlier this afternoon were over, I took the chance of driving over to the Natural Area. Unfortunately for me the closer I got to the Natural Area the harder it seemed to rain. I walked the lakeside trail this afternoon around 4:30 PM with camera and binoculars tucked under my jacket, trying to keep the water out. 

As I approached the Interpretive Center from behind the parking structure I was able to photograph a White-crowned Sparrow feeding off dandelion seeds in the grass. 


A single Mallard paid no attention to the rain as it rested in a puddle in the middle of the lawn. 



As I walked the trail toward the lake a Veery appeared for brief moment. 


A few moments later the first of several Swainson's Thrush was seen. A few Catbirds later, I was at the south end of the lake, and soaking wet from the rain. A pretty male American Redstart appeared overhead. 

A quick walk through the Rose Garden yielded a singing Carolina Wren, and two pair of Swainson's Thrushes chasing each other around the ponds. A Least Flycatcher perched momentarily on a dead snag, but flew off before I could get within camera distance. An American Toad hopping across the path seemed to be enjoying the moisture-fest. 


Back at the south end of the lake a lovely Canada Warbler appeared, followed by a Magnolia Warbler and yet another Swainson's Thrush. As I walked back to the car a Nashville Warbler broke the silence with its 'seebitz-seebitz-see' song. And, as all things end, I got into the car just as the rain ended...

UM Dearborn/Rouge River Bird Observatory, Wayne, Michigan, US
May 13, 2007 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Heavy rain the entire time
11 species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  1
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  2
Veery (Catharus fuscescens)  1
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)  6
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)  1
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)  1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  1
Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S172669482

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