Chirps and Cheeps

I had a little bit of time between work and meeting my sister out for dinner and a movie (yippee!) - so, of course I spent it birding.  Tifft seemed the obvious choice for location and, since I hadn't been there at all this fall, I was looking forward to seeing some warblers.

The first thirty minutes of my walk was unusually quiet.  Other than some Great Egrets, Mallards, a Pied-billed Grebe, and a handsome pair of Northern Shovelers, there was hardly a bird in sight.  I even thought about leaving and going elsewhere - but then I saw a Philadelphia Vireo and then a thrush.  Well, those were both cool!  Someone else came walking up the path and flushed the thrush before I could get my bins on it for an ID.  It took awhile for me to track it down, but I eventually did and found the bird to be a Swainson's Thrush.

While I was searching for the thrush, I came upon a nice, little flock of warblers.  I found 2 Cape Mays, a Blackpoll, and a Northern Parula mixed in together, and a Magnolia who seemed to be traveling alone.  A short while later, I came upon another small pocket of warblers where I found a couple of Yellow-rumpeds, another Magnolia, and I think some Pine Warblers - but I couldn't get a good enough look at them before they flew out.

I soon had to leave but was happy to find a Veery on the way out.  I only got through the south end of the preserve, so twenty-seven species and at least six species of warblers wasn't too bad for that quick walk!