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| Swainson's Warbler singing beside Sparrow Street, west of Jena, La Salle Parish |
I joined Tom Pollock for some birding in wooded rural La Salle Parish on April 15. We planned to visit Snyder Road - a favorite spot of both of ours for Swainson's Warbler and other neotropical songbirds that arrive on their local breeding grounds around this time of year. However, while casually birding as we drove Sparrow Street on the way out there we heard a Swainson's singing right beside the road and stopped to have a listen and hopefully see this typical shy little woodland bird. We weren't disappointed.
The Swainson's Warbler, singing frequently just south of the little Trout Creek bridge, was seen several times and eventually posed for a few minutes on a perch at the edge of the road clearing (junction of Sparrow Street and Ernestine Road). This, we both agreed, was the best view we'd ever gotten of a typically shy SWWA, and the photos and videos that resulted were, while not great quality, quite good for a species which normally seems reluctant to leave the thick underbrush of it's preferred habitat.
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| Swainson's Warbler, Sparrow Street, La Salle Parish |
We did use audio playback a bit at first to try to get the bird to come to us, but not excessively, and the most rewarding period was when we stopped the playback and just let the bird do its thing.
I could go on about the Swainson's Warbler (it's a personal favorite species of mine), but the stop was fortuitous also for being a great spot to get several other neotropical species. Especially some of the SWWA's fellow wood warblers. A male Hooded Warbler - one of several who were singing within earshot of this spot - also put in an appearance, and we heard Black-and-white Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler (FOS), Common Yellowthroat, Prairie Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, as well as the resident Pine Warblers. All were singing, some of them - yellowthroat, Prairie, and Pine - were also seen.
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| male Hooded Warbler, Sparrow Street west of Jena, La Salle Parish |
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| male Prairie Warbler, Sparrow Street, La Salle Parish |
Other recently-arrived neotrops besides warblers that were heard or seen here were Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Thrush, Indigo Bunting, Great Crested Flycatcher (FOS), and Eastern Kingbird (flyover headed north). Eventually, the sporadic sprinkles coalesced into a steady drizzle and we called it quits for the morning after less than an hour at the SWWA spot. We had a fruitful morning without even reaching our intended destination.
Other FOS seen in the Jena area that morning included a male Summer Tanager and a possible (brief glimpse in poor light) Blue-winged Warbler.
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male Indigo Buntings, photo from last year's
spring migration (4/23/15) |
Recently, I've been hearing lots of Indigo Buntings passing overhead during nocturnal outings. These are among the most recognizable and abundant neotropical migrants around and rainy days during mid-April often bring them into yards where they frequent bird feeders while getting a respite from the weather. They seem to be everywhere I look this week! I am certainly not complaining.
This is a great time of year to look for migrants of various sorts and a great variety of birds - some who will be breeding in our area, some who are only stopping by on their way further north - will be showing up in a park or forest or backyard near you. Keep your eyes and ears open; there's no telling what you might find!
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| Palm Warbler, 4/11/2016, Jena, La Salle Parish. |
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