Fall Migration at Mead Garden

Now that Fall Migration is kicking in, I decided to take a walk through Mead Botanical Garden, of course. I could not find many birds for the first 15 minutes. Odd. Then I did what I usually do to hopefully break the drought which is get that first photo taken even if it is an easy target like the first bird I did see, a Great Egret.



Even the boardwalk was quiet. Just me and a Cuban Anole.



One of the reasons I headed out was that a fellow birder had reported an Acadian Flycatcher near the creek. I wasn't sure if it would still be there but as I got to the giant cypress a bird flew out to catch an insect, nearly hitting me in the chest. It then settled on a branch just to my right. It was the flycatcher.



You don't see Acadian Flycatchers, or most other flycatchers for that matter, that seem oblivious to humans walking close by. This bird just didn't seem to care about people being in its space at all.



It fed low in the area, zipping back and forth across the path while I snapped photos and other people walked to and fro.



The Acadian Flycatcher flew to the opposite side of the creek for a while and I had gathered enough shots to make me happy.



Just after the flycatcher moved a little higher to search the branches a Carolina Wren came charging in to take its place. It was singing up a storm and posed just as close as the other bird recently had.



I had to move along, though, so I made my way to the spot behind the old amphitheater that typically has some good birds. Today was no exception but the clouds were moving in and rain might be on the way. In the gloom I could make out a small feeding flock and a flash of yellow betrayed a Prairie Warbler snapping up bugs.



Just behind it was a Blackburnian Warbler. First I have seen since last year.



Near the cement bridge, a huge flock of Common Grackles were suddenly swarming the area and making quite the ruckus.



Trying to get a snack below the Grackles, a Red-bellied Woodpecker pounded away on slender branches.



Just before I got to the park exit I heard a call up in the trees. The view was horribly backlit but with a little photo processing I was able to confirm that the songster was a Yellow-throated Vireo.



Not a bad walk on a gloomy morning. Maybe I can find even more on the next visit.

Things from Mead I Forgot

As I was reviewing my latest post from Mead Garden I started thinking, "Hey, didn't I have a bunch of other birds on that card from that visit?" and when I got a chance I dove back into the folder. Oh, yeah. A few more birds that deserved mention. Just as well, that post was getting long enough.

So, here are those other (almost) forgotten birds from a few days ago.

In the oaks next to the azaleas by the pond, a group of us enjoyed watching and listening to a Yellow-throated Vireo. Though it was way up there, you could still feel the cute raining down on you.



Don't know how I forgot to post the Common Yellowthroats. They were the reason I headed down along the creek in the first place. You could hear them back in the woods and when I neared the creek bank they were swarming as thick as the insects they were devouring.



Problem with hungry warblers is that they move even faster than they normally do. Getting clear shots was a fun chore.



Both sexes and all ages were represented in the feeding flock. We have been banding a lot of them the past two weeks out at Lake Lotus.



Dropping in from above were several Yellow Warblers. A couple began to feed at eye level along the Southern Elderberry bushes. I got a few OK shots (and I will probably never best the ones from last week) but I like this shot of one nibbling away on the flower stalks. Different, at least.



Finally, in between American Redstart sightings I had another nice surprise. A shadow moved along the creek and stopped pretty close to me. It was a female Black-throated Blue Warbler! I followed her as she fed among the branches for a several minutes. I pick this shot for show-and-tell.



I apologize to all of you beautiful birds I somehow overlooked in my post the other day! Won't happen again.