Whiting WMA 5/7--Warbling Vireo

I got a late start this morning so I wasn't really expecting much and when I saw a Prairie Warbler fairly early in the walk I thought I might beat the mid-day avian siesta. But I didn't. I did, however, learn the Prairie Warbler's song today (zee-zee-zee-zee-zee on an ascending scale) so that was an accomplishment and I did see my first Warbling Vireo of the year.

I had caught sight of a small drab bird jumping branch to branch when I was walking toward the lake, but I couldn't make it out and had to let it go. On my return trip, in just about the same area, I saw it again and was able to study it, from a distance, for a minute or so. I also heard its song, which was unlike anything else I was hearing--like a warbler, but a lot more complicated. The bird's field marks were that it had virtually no field marks. Put that together with the song and I had my second vireo of the year and the first one since January, when we saw the Bell's Vireo in Cape May (a rarity).

I don't know why, but the sand trails were crowded with robins and Chipping Sparrows today. A few towhees and a cardinal also jumped onto the path as I was walking along. There were lots of butterflies along the trail, but those birds, for the most part, are not insectivorous. It was actually sort of nuisance because I think the bird up the way is going to be something different and it turns out to be yet another chippie.

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When I walk through the woods, I look at all the plants, grasses, mosses, lichens, bugs, trees, stones, dirt and I think: Everything has a name! I don't know what just about anything is called (my brother does) but,still, it has probably been scientifically described and cataloged, with specimens tucked away in drawers in museums all over the world. Sometimes, though, I get curious.

Sarracenia purpurea

I found this plant growing in what I take to be an old cranberry bog on the Crossley Preserve. I thought it was really attractive and of course, I had no idea what it was.

But, if you do a Google search for "red flowers new jersey bog" a few of the hits look like this photo. It turns out to be Sarracenia purpurea, a pitcher plant. Pitcher plants are carnivorous, like the Venus Flytrap you might have had as a kid. This is by no means a rare plant, but hey, it's the first time I've seen one in 61 years. And I'm pretty pleased that I figured out what it was. Only approximately one million more examples in the woods to identify. 
Like this one:

28 species this morning, not bad for a mid-day hike.

Canada Goose  2
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Mourning Dove  10
Northern Flicker  2
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1    Heard
Warbling Vireo  1
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  1
Fish Crow  1
Tree Swallow  4
Carolina Chickadee  5
Tufted Titmouse  5
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
House Wren  1
Eastern Bluebird  1
American Robin  25
Gray Catbird  2
Common Yellowthroat  1    Heard on Crossley Preserve
Pine Warbler  1
Prairie Warbler  4
Eastern Towhee  20
Chipping Sparrow  25
Song Sparrow  1
Northern Cardinal  2
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Common Grackle  5
House Finch  4
American Goldfinch  2