I hate being told what to do, to the point where I can't stand it even when I'm the one telling myself what to do. So, even though I told myself what I should do is go to Island Beach, my inner adolescent rebelled--it just wasn't in the right frame of mind to slow walk all those bayside trails peering into leaves at confusing fall warblers. Instead, as a "compromise," I went to Cattus Island CP where I knew I could take a vigorous walk through the marshes and woods and maybe find an interesting bird.
Well, up until the end of my walk, the last part of that sentence didn't work out very well. In fact, I was astounded that in my 3 1/2 hours there I didn't even see robins or towhees, never mind warblers (though, they were there, according to another list contemporaneous with my visit--I just missed them, of course). On my way out, I stopped again at the feeding station by the Cooper Environmental Center. It doesn't look like anyone is filling the feeders, but there is a little water hole. Earlier in the morning, the area was empty, but I saw as I walked along the deck, that a few birds were now around the water. I spotted the usual finches, a catbird, and, somewhat surprisingly, a Red-eyed Vireo (I guess they gotta drink too), and what I at first took to be a Chipping Sparrow in a bush. However, when the sparrow came out to the water I saw that it was no chippie. There aren't too many other choices for a small sparrow in the Spizzela genus--it wasn't a Field Sparrow--so I was pretty sure I had my first Clay-colored Sparrow of the year.
But I wasn't certain. Luckily, it was cooperative enough, or thirsty enough, to hang around the water hole while I took some photos. Because of the bright sunlight they were somewhat overexposed, but the more I looked at the bird, the more confident I became--which I consider a danger signal. In the fall, Chipping Sparrows can look a lot different than they do in the summer. I photographed the preview screen of my camera with my phone and sent the crappy photo to Steve, who said it was hard to tell but looked like it might be.
When I got home, I was able to look at the pictures on the computer and it still looked pretty good to me, but sparrows can be almost as infuriating as warblers or gulls, so I sent 3 pictures to Steve and Scott and when both agreed it was a Clay-colored, I submitted my list. It turns out that the other birder who was there today (somehow our paths didn't cross) also saw the bird in the same spot I did. It isn't rare this time of year, just "infrequent." Interestingly, to me, it was the first time a Clay-colored Sparrow has been listed at Cattus Island. I always enjoy bumping up the list of a hot spot.
I'm glad I saw it, because if I had looked at the other list that was made while I was there, I would have been really frustrated at what I missed, instead of mildly satisfied with what I saw.
Canada Goose 1
Mourning Dove 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Laughing Gull 2
Herring Gull 15
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 7
Osprey 1
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1 Boardwalk
Merlin 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 4
Carolina Chickadee 5
House Wren 1
Marsh Wren 1 Red trail
Carolina Wren 6
Gray Catbird 8
Brown Thrasher 1
Eastern Bluebird 1 First marsh on left
Cedar Waxwing 5
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 4
Clay-colored Sparrow 1 Feeders
Song Sparrow 5
Swamp Sparrow 1
Common Grackle 16
Common Yellowthroat 8
Pine Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 3
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