Blackbilled Cuckoo at Battery-Kemble
GAIL@UMDD.UMD.EDU
Sun, 2 May 99 09:30:25 EDT
Barry and I went down to Battery Kemble Park, DC, this early am to look for
a Black-billed Cuckoo that has been hanging around for a few days (found by
Ottavio Janni). We first heard it and then got excellent looks as it sat in
a large cherry tree, calling OO-oo-oo, OO-oo-oo... We got there around 6:30.
If you want to look for this bird, park in first lot and walk north (uphill),
listening for the call. The bird has been in the two very large (huge!) cherry
trees at the top of the hill, very hard to see but we finally saw it fly and
was able to get onto it. Two warnings -- it appears to be rather wary and
too close approach to the trees or even dog-walkers can send it off across
the street to private property, where it sits and calls out of view. Also,
it seems to be an early bird, at least as regards calling -- try to get there
before 7 am. there are tons of web-caterpillars everywhere so hopefully he
will stay around.
Other birds of note at the park were several Blue-headed and one White-eyed
Vireo, Black-and-white and Myrtle Warblers. Not much else.
Migration has been slow the last few days -- unfavorable cold NE winds and
the large storm system to our south has slowed bird movement. The good part
is that some birds are "off-passge" (like our cuckoo) and may stay for a few
days. At Rock Creek, the Golden-winged and Cerulean were seen yesterday, but
not today (we stopped by on way home). As is often the case on cold, NE-windy
nights, there were more birders than migrants this morning. Wait for the
warm Southerly air which is promised later this week!
Yesterday we stopped for a while at Great Falls, VA -- again it was very
slow but we saw Wormeating and Parula (on territory), heard one Cerulean. We
met some other birders who had seen a Brewster's Warbler about 100 yards N
of the northernmost parking lot, in an area where Wisteria has overgrown the
hillside. We went there but no luck, it had gotten sunny and windy. Did find
a Nashville and heard two Orchard Orioles singing.
Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper