New Yard Bird and May Birding

This evening I was out by my car and I heard an odd chip note coming from the cedars.  I knew it was something unique and it sure as heck sounded like the chip note of a Hooded Warbler.  And, yes, there it was on the birdbath!  Hooded Warblers, don't you know, have such a distinctive chip note.

Of course I did not have the camera on hand, but I ran into the house and got a couple record shots through the window.  First time that I have seen a Hooded Warbler in the yard!  It did not stay long.
There has been a good showing of this species this month in both Rondeau and Point Pelee.  Not sure how many I have seen but at least a dozen.

I have always kept track of birds in or seen from the yard, but not so much in recent years.  I used to get lots of variety in the yard each year, and that was one of the key features that got me so interested in birds.  There are far fewer birds coming through recently for whatever reasons.
I have recorded at least 153 species here in town and of course the best being Sage Thrasher (1997).






Migrant birds are moving through quickly now.  This morning at Brander Park, I did not find one bird that I would call a migrant.  More to come no doubt, but the mosquitoes are starting!
With migrants coming late this year, we will see some good birds into June.  Blackpoll Warblers can be quite late, and I recall one year that I had one at Rondeau on June 22 (record late of course).

It has been an interesting month with a number of rarities coming through (most of which I did not catch up with!).  However, there was not a huge number of birds on any one given day.  Weather was a big factor as the lack of rain (especially at key times of the day) did not come.  It is once again terribly dry.  Who knows (weather forecasters sure do not!) when it will rain again as it did not do so this past weekend even though it was predicted.

Mourning Warbler at Rondeau yesterday

(had this species in the yard once too!)

I will be out again this weekend to look for late migrants.  Maybe a Western Kingbird?  (Chances slim as Rondeau already had one!).

(photo courtesy P. Allen Woodliffe)

Due for a Connecticut Warbler.  I had one of these walking around the yard once too, but that was a long time ago....

More pics of the Hooded since it just came back:

splish-spash!