Share
In the past I have written about Latta Park in Dilworth and its attractiveness to spring migrants. The creek running through the park is a migrant magnet, drawing treetop birds down into the creekside shrubs and creek itself as tired migrants search for a drink and a bath.
If you have been meaning to get out to this site, I recommend doing so this weekend through this coming week. The birding has been spectacular.
Last weekend a stationary weather front was sitting over our area, resulting in huge numbers of northbound birds being grounded as they suspended migration until winds were more favorable. On Sunday, there was constant movement through the canopy that I have never seen on such a large scale.
The stars of the show; warblers, orioles and tanagers, were everywhere. Many folks I ran into there were adding multiple species to their life-lists at a fast clip.
Immediately after I arrived I heard a snippet of song and was able to track down a gorgeous male Canada warbler, uncommon here at any season. Other warblers seen that day included blue-winged warbler, Northern parula, chestnut-sided warbler, magnolia warbler, Cape May warbler, black-throated blue warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, black-throated green warbler, pine warbler, blackpoll warbler, black-and-white warbler, American redstart, ovenbird, northern waterthrush, Kentucky warbler and hooded warbler.
Brilliant male scarlet tanagers were plentiful and shared the fruiting mulberry trees with the lemon-colored females, gray catbirds, cedar waxwings, Swainson’s thrushes, wood thrushes, rose-breasted grosbeaks and Baltimore orioles. A yellow-throated vireo put in an appearance, another bird that is tough to find here.
The resident pair of barred owls even put on a vocal concert during the middle of the day.
Migration is peaking now and will slowly wind down during the next two to three weeks. Don’t miss your chance to see some beautiful birds that often are in the treetops down at eye level. Bring your binoculars, a field guide, and plan to walk the trails along the creek for best results. And don’t be shy about asking other birders you encounter what they are seeing.
