Great Warbler Experience

[Jchat99@aol.com]

Wednesday was just one of those days....At my work at Yates Baptist Church I heard a Blackpoll Warbler calling high up in a tree.  I rushed to the car to get my binocs, came back to the tree, but the bird had stopped singing.  I was about to give up when a small bird flew low into the bottom part of the tree.  There was my Blackpoll, on an exposed branch at eye level, only a few feet away!  They are quite beautiful birds in spring. He stayed (and sung) about a minute.

Later that afternoon I attended the Durham Bulls baseball game.  I was seated in the grandstand when my pastor motioned me down to the walkway where he was standing. By his feet was a lost and slightly injured Ovenbird huddled against the brick wall.  As I tried to pick him up he flew weakly away.

A close encounter with a Blackpoll and a personal encounter with an Ovbenbird made for a very good birding Wednesday.

John Frederick
Durham, Nc
Jchat99@aol.com