Willow Flycatcher at the Bottom of the Bluffs: May 2021

Today I descended the Bluffs by the Guild Inn and had a great walk.

MYSTERY BIRD

I will identify it at the end of the post.

The Willow Flycatcher likes shrubby vegetation.

Willow Flycatcher

When the new growth exceeds about 10 ft. in height the Willow Flycatchers lose interest and move to younger growth.

Willow Flycatcher

When they stop singing in August they are almost impossible to identify because they look very much like the Alder and Least Flycatchers.

Alder Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher

Their song sounds like “fitz-bew”.

Willow Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher

Other birds:

Baltimore Oriole (male)
Baltimore Oriole (male)
Northern Cardinal (Male)
Downy Woodpecker (male)
Mallard (female)
Yellow Warbler
Red-winged Blackbird (male)
Song Sparrow
Orchard Oriole (juvenile male)
Yellow Warbler
Bank Swallow colony
Song Sparrow
Herring Gull (larger) on left and Ring-billed Gulls
Red-winged Blackbird (male)

These Common Loons are “first summer” birds and do not yet have the breeding plumage of adults.

Common Loon (juvenile)
Common Loons (juvenile)

I surprised a Great Blue Heron:

Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron with gull
Great Blue Heron

Some botany:

Crack Willow (Salix fragilis)
Goat’s-beard (Tragopogon)
Birdfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatis)
Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus)
Apple (Malus)
Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus)
Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)
Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Common Buttercup (Ranunculus acris)
Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
Star-flowered False Solomon-seal (Maianthemum stellatum)
Timothy (Phleum pratense)
Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila)

MYSTERY BIRD

The strong black-bordered white eyebrow stripe identify this as a Red-eyed Vireo.

Red-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo

MAILBOX

Blue bird nest cam.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/georgiabirds/

NATURE POETRY

Calm was the even, and clear was the sky,
And the new budding flowers did spring,
When all alone went Amyntas and I
To hear the sweet nightingale sing.                     – John Dryden (1631–1700)

Miles Hearn

1 thought on “Willow Flycatcher at the Bottom of the Bluffs: May 2021

  1. Lisa Volkov

    I love this place. Beautiful pictures! Wonderful to see the iconic Loon is now here. Thanks, Miles!

    Reply

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