Eat more cookies

On Friday morning (9/14), I was making my way back home from a run and was suddenly met with a blast of cool air. Quite unexpectedly, a cold front had pushed through Stillwater that morning, and Friday was blissful relief from summer’s heat. I noticed four white pelicans flying south over the house. Could this mean that birds were finally on the move around here? The cool air persisted, and Saturday morning too was refreshing and brisk. I knew that this – unlike the front that came through last Monday, would be sure to have dropped in some migrants.

I decided to bird Sanborn Lake, a mix of riparian forest, shrubland, and tallgrass prairie (and a small lake!) out near the Stillwater airport. I had barely gotten out the car when the sounds of chips and the dashes of movement made by foliage-gleaning songbirds confirmed my prediction!

In about 40 minutes, I made my way around the lake, and counted the following (numbers approximate):

Canada Goose: – 20
Northern Cardinal – 12
Carolina Chickadee – 13
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 1
Warbling Vireo – 2

A very bright Warbling Vireo:

Brown Thrasher – 17
House Finch – 2
Tufted Titmouse -1
Painted Bunting – 1
Field Sparrow – 6
House Wren – 6
Bell’s Vireo – 1
Northern Mockingbird – 1
Barn Swallow – 2
Blue Jay – 2
Mourning Dove – 3
Downy Woodpecker – 2
Bewick’s Wren – 6

A Bewick’s Wren too close to focus (I pished him in):

Northern Flicker – 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 1
White-breasted Nuthatch – 1
Belted Kingfisher – 1
Gray Catbird – 3
White-eyed Vireo – 2 (both 1st winter birds)
European Starling – 50
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 1
Green Heron – 1
American Robin – 1
American Crow – 1
Carolina Wren – 4
Eastern Bluebird – 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler – 1

That’s right – a good flight, but still only 1 warbler!