The Gems of Spring

Warblers are the gems of spring for sure.  They are little and colorful.  We have a love/hate relationship with them.  When we see a warbler it is usually only for a few seconds.  They often perch high in a tree to sing and show us only their belly and legs as they throw their head back to serenade us.  In preparation for spring we listen to Birding by Ear CDs  and the Ohio Warbler Songs CD.  We review past seasons sightings of when and where we saw a particular warbler.  We look online at the sightings reported around the state to find the best spot.  It is a study that consumes late April and early May.  You may ask why not all summer?  Well these little gems are not only hidden by the leaves in the treetops that follow in late May but they are often transient and only in our area for a few brief days and then move north to nest and raise their young.

This week we traveled to several new locations and our old favorites in search of the early warblers.  Spring has been slow developing for us and we impatiently scurry around to our haunts listening and watching the treetops.  On Wednesday we caught the familiar Bee-Buzz song of the Blue Winged Warbler.  He is quite the stunning little fella and with great persistence and a bit of luck we caught him.

While searching for the little gems some of our old favorite non warbler friends welcome us to the woods.  When you speak of gems you cannot over look the Northern Cardinal.  He sings his welcome to all who enter his domain.  Our other frequent woodland distraction is the Catbird.  With his antics he rarely goes unnoticed.

Friday morning was eventful  at Manasquan Reservoir.While we were chasing after a belted kingfisher who never quite landed, we caught a spotted sandpiper on a stump.  He posed only for a second before moving on.  Standing in the very same spot we caught Mr. Mallard who was very friendly and beautiful against in the morning sunlight.  King birds were plentiful and this one was particularly beautiful. The bird of the day on Friday was the Warbling Vireo.  We found him on the trail at Manasquan Reservoir singing and flitting among the trees. 

On Saturday we found ourselves off to Brigantine looking for the plovers and sandpipers of spring.  Apparently they did not get the memo that migration was due and we really only saw egrets, whimbrel, yellow legs and terns.  While on the road leading out of the the marsh we caught a life bird for both of us, a yellow throated vireo.  He was beautiful and we got really good looks at him but the camera was already in the bag so we did not get pictures. 


Our final stop on Saturday was an after dinner stroll through Allaire State Park.  The woods were quiet and bicyclists, joggers, dog walkers and adventure seeking families had found their way home for dinner.  We were left in the woods with only the stillness of the evening and the birds finishing the last bits of food from the feeders and finding a place to tuck in for the evening.  There was a very busy pair of Blue gray gnatcatchers preparing for the arrival of their young.  When we realized that they were nest building, we were able to capture their nesting to share with you here.

Our brains have gone to the birds for the next couple of weeks.  We are planning a return to Garrett Mountain and a trip to Cape May.  It should be a great spring.