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Ovenbird



Harvey Neil, birder extradinaire, agreed to go back to the Warbler trail of
the Jackson Park with me and show me some of the warblers that he saw just a
few minutes earlier.  We were able to see a Black-throated Green Warbler, a
Black and White  Warbler, a Northern Parula, a Worm-eating Warbler eating
guess what?  a couple of American Redstart.  Harvey pointed out the black
throat patch on a "female" redstart which made it an immature male.  The
bird that I appreciated the most was an Ovenbird.  We played a screech owl
call 3 times and the ovenbird came off the ground and began hoping on
branches above our heads giving us a beautiful look at the warbler.  We saw
its orange crest all raised up.

I don't think its a good idea to play owl calls around migrants either,
because they are apt to leave the area giving you nothing to see.  Why did
the ovenbird respond?  Could it possibly feel especially vulnerable to
screech owls because it spends so much time and even nests on the ground,
and so over reacts when it hears an owl?

If you are anywhere near Hendersonville be sure to go to Jackson Park
between 9:00 and 12:00pm and watch the warbler parade.

John Lindfors
mailto: JLindfors@msn.com
Hendersonville, North Carolina