Double Trouble SP 6/16--Acadian Flycatcher

Hearing birds is the theme of the day. I was walking along Gowdy Road, trying to figure out what bird sings "A wee a wee a wee ja too," thinking that I should know the distinctive song while at the same time convinced I'd never heard it before. I was so intent on trying to figure out what the bird was (I never did) that I almost missed the bird I had come to find by hearing, but not having it penetrate, the two explosive notes of "Pizza!" That's an Acadian Flycatcher and every year I seem to get one at Double Trouble. Once I allowed the song into my brain I started looking for the bird. I always look in the easiest places first, like bare branches, figuring I can always get lucky and this time I was--some branches hanging over the path had a little flycatcher that within a few seconds rang out with "Pizza!" again. Very satisfying.

The other notable bird I heard today was a Veery. This is the 3rd year running that I have heard this thrush in the same spot in the park, in the woods near the end of Carriage Road. According to eBird they shouldn't be in Ocean County, but there is no missing that ethereal, Theremin-like song, a "Veer veer veer" with lots of tremolo. Either the area is perfect for the discerning Veery or it is a returning individual. There is no way of me ever knowing. I'm just happy to have the bird in this county.

Lots of the usual warblers in the park today and I managed to pish a few examples of each one out of the trees. For the morning I had 30 species. I wish I knew what that unidentified singer was though.

Turkey Vulture  2
Mourning Dove  4
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1     Heard, recently cut area
Acadian Flycatcher  1
Eastern Phoebe  4
Great Crested Flycatcher  3
Eastern Kingbird  1
White-eyed Vireo  2     Heard
Blue Jay  1     Heard
Barn Swallow  1
Carolina Chickadee  5
Tufted Titmouse  1     Heard
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Veery  1     
Wood Thrush  1
American Robin  2
Gray Catbird  20
Brown Thrasher  1
Cedar Waxwing  2
Ovenbird  7
Black-and-white Warbler  6
Common Yellowthroat  10
Pine Warbler  3
Prairie Warbler  4
Eastern Towhee  3     Heard
Chipping Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  1     Heard
Red-winged Blackbird  10
American Goldfinch  1     on wire near saw mill