Double Trouble 4/7--Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

I hadn't been to Double Trouble in months, since sometime last year, and, it looks, I'm not going to be birding there for months to come as the governor just closed down all state & county parks, as well as the state forests. Too bad, but no doubt necessary. I thought if I went there early enough I'd be able to avoid the dogwalkers and joggers and that was true up to a point--but as the morning progressed I found myself stepping to the side and turning my back more times than I felt comfortable.

Given the circumstances, my mission seemed silly: I wanted a new bird for the year. But then, given the circumstances, finding momentary relief in something so simple doesn't appear unreasonable at all. And I did find my bird--a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher along the trail coming back from Oar Pond. Along that little canal, around this time of year, Louisiana Waterthrush has been an annual visitor. I looked for it today and didn't find it. When it is there, I won't be. Nor will anyone else.

In addition to the waterthrush, I was thinking of all the birds that migration brings to the park, like the rare Yellow-throated Warbler, or nesting Hooded Warbler, or Summer Tanager, or the Acadian Flycatchers that you hear singing and sometimes catch a glimpse of. I was looking forward to driving the  9 miles to the park and walking around the bogs. Not going to happen this year. It's part of the price we pay to stay alive.

So I'm glad I had a decent day there--5 Great Egrets were a surprise, as were the two Palm Warblers I found. I was hoping for a yellowthroat or an early Ovenbird, but no such luck. Those birds I can find more locally though. And if I don't...

28 species

Canada Goose  4

Mute Swan  1    Oar Pond

Mallard  4    

Great Egret  5

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1

Downy Woodpecker   2

Northern Flicker  1

Eastern Phoebe  4

Blue Jay  2    Heard

Carolina Chickadee  2

Tufted Titmouse  1    Heard

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1

White-breasted Nuthatch  1    Heard

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1

Carolina Wren  3

American Robin  4

American Goldfinch  1    Heard

Chipping Sparrow  1

Field Sparrow  1    Heard near packing house. Ping pong ball

White-throated Sparrow  5

Song Sparrow  6

Swamp Sparrow  2    Separate areas. Clean breast rufous on wings

Eastern Towhee  2

Red-winged Blackbird  4

Brown-headed Cowbird  1    Heard

Palm Warbler  2

Pine Warbler  10

Northern Cardinal  2