Connecticut Warbler! - 12 Sep 2021

I was hoping to swing by the Detroit River Hawk Watch by about 10 am so I had a good 30 minutes to walk the trails around the Marshland Museum of Lake Erie Metropark. Parking next to the west entrance I headed over and started at the east entrance.

After saying good morning to Luc in his Bald Eagle pen I walked the east trail. Things were a bit quiet for the first several hundred yards, but then the birds started trickling into action. 

Red-eyed Vireos were chattering somewhere in the lower branches overhead while both a House Wren and Carolina Wren were chattering away in the bushes to my left. I couldn't coax either out w/ my pishing, so I continued on. 

Near the 2nd overlook platform a small flock of warblers appeared ahead. A Blackpoll Warbler would be the first bird identified. The faint eye-line, yellow eye arcs, streaking on the flanks, wingbars, and orange feet are diagnostic.

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers appeared, as well!

As I followed the Gnatcatchers in the trees overhead I spotted what I first thought was a Nashville Warbler. That bold eye-ring was very telling. But, the more I looked the more I had suspicions.

Firstly, the bird was a bit chill. Not frenetic like the Nashvilles are. The throat was gray-tan and the overall gray hood extended onto the belly. No yellow throat...Connecticut Warbler!

Ever since the Cyphers reported one last week here I'd been searching the forest floors for the bird, expecting to find it on the ground and scratching away in the underbrush a hundred yards away. Now, I was literally standing 10 feet from one in a tree overhead!

Just to make sure I had to get a tail shot. The Connecticut Warbler has a short, stubby dark tail next to a yellow undertail while the Nashville Warbler has a  longer gray tail next to a yellow and white undertail. Score!

The bird flew off and I continued along the trail. More warblers appeared and I concentrated on the task at hand. More Blackpoll Warblers.

Tufted Titmouse.

And Black-throated Green Warblers nice enough to come lower into the understory! Sorry not sorry for all of the photos; I love these little ones...

I reached the north end boardwalk and was greeted by a lone sentry atop a snag out in the middle of the marsh. Olive-sided Flycatcher! I'd been looking for this bird for weeks. Finally!

Once it flew off I headed down the west side of the trail and ran into another small flock of warblers. My attention was on a Blackburnian Warbler that would NOT give me any attention...

While I was attempting to get some images someone came by and asked if I saw the Great Horned Owl that just flew over my head. Ugh.

I headed back to the car and over to hawk watch. Things were dead both in the sky and in the trees at the back of the parking lot. So, I headed for home.

Lake Erie Metropark--Marshlands Nature Center, Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 12, 2021 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Windy, warm, humid, partial sun. Looped trail from east side to north to west to south.
41 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  12
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)  1
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  2
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi)  1     North end of trail off boardwalk. Perched high in tree. Olive sides, yellow-buff chest, white patch behind wings. Reported earlier.
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  2
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  2
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  12
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)  12
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)  2
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  6
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  1
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)  1     Secretive thrush in undergrowth. Buffy eye-ring diagnostic and buffy spotted chest.
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  24
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  12
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  1
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)  1
Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis)  1     Perched on branch overhead along east side of trail next to 2nd observation deck. Olive-gray bird w/ gray-tan head, bold eye-ring, and gray-tan hood down to middle of chest. That and short, stubby tail eliminate Nashville Warbler. Photos are diagnostic.
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  1
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)  1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  1
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)  1
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)  1
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)  4
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S94708742

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

Traffic was stopped on Gibraltar Rd. when 4 Wild Turkeys decided to wander into traffic. I was able to pull over and get some pics while they moved in and out of moving cars. Luckily, drivers were patient.

Gibraltar Road, Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 16, 2021 10:40 AM - 10:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
1 species

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S159744462

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