I'm not a real avid birder in the summer any more. Hot, sticky and few birds
out doing things. When there is a break in the humidity, like this AM, I
still get out there and immediately get reminded why I don't like summer.
The Poison Ivy that was barely noticeable a month ago now hangs precariously
out over the trail and dodging it can require your full time attention. Long
pants would help but this time of year I feel suffocated in them and wear
shorts. So now that I've had my Tecnu shower as a precaution just to make
sure, some highlights.

    I went to one of the more reliable warbler spots around here - near
Hashawa, but not actually part of it. A month ago the Worm-eaters were still
singing. None today. However, 2 Kentuckies and 4 Hoodeds were. Had one nice
look at  female Hooded. Maybe 3 Ovenbirds were still looking for their
teacher, teacher, teacher. If they don't find one soon their brats will grow
up as ignorant as humans. As usual, a few Yellowthroats. Also among the
missing: Black-and-white, Prairie, Redstarts, Blue-winged and Parula. But
maybe I just didn't happen to time my walking past with their one
vocalization for the day.
    The most numerous vocalizers were Veery, heard singing and veering on
many occasions. Acadians are still hiccupping and flutter-calling all over
the place. Red-eyes are still the all-day, all-summer bird.

    Yes, it's summer. That time of year when birds shut up and if they do
sing, they do it   fifty yards before you get to them and shut up while you
stand there waiting for them to do it again. After you've given up and
walked fifty yards down the trail you hear the song back there again. I
think they watch us more than we watch them.
    I don't think any warblers are particularly numerous to begin with. They
are crowded into narrow strips and fragments of habitat that they often have
to share with more numerous birds like Catbirds. Consequently you see/hear a
couple dozen of those before you finally get that elusive Hooded or other
warbler thrill.
    If warblers were as numerous as Catbirds would we get bored with them?
    I thought of this while I was out on Presque Isle on a trip home to NW
PA at Memorial Day weekend. We happened to be out there during a mass
movement of Yellow Warblers. We did find a few other sp, but it seemed that
every bird we got binocs on turned out to be another Yellow. We almost got
bored with them.
    But not quite.
    Jerry