Birding the Longpoint Birding Trail

 

Longpoint Campground was full of catbirds.

The next day we were woken at 5 am by a woodcock calling! Later we met a local in the campground who told us that the birds fly into the point at dawn, then up to the campground at eight. Later they get to the Observatory and then further inland.

So we followed his advice and birded the campground for a few hours.

Saw this Kildeer

Merlin said a rose-breasted grosbeak was singing so we called it in.

Voila, lifer!

Next we headed to the  Old Cut Observatory, 

Where the public can watch them band birds, but there was not much action, we had arrived too late.

So we moved further inland to Big Creek Marsh

 where we saw sandhill cranes, black tern, a green heron,

A mute swan,

And a turtle.

We also saw two cinnamon teals, which we thought was no big deal since they are pretty common at home but later found out were rare here.

We continued on to a few sites in the afternoon but by then the birds were hiding in the trees.

The next morning we got up early and headed straight to the banding station.  The place was humming as the volunteers brought in warbler after warbler to be measured and banded.

Measuring a yellow warbler

After measurement they'd bring the bird to the window so we could get a closeup look.

Magnolia warbler in the hand.

They had a volunteer photographer who took their portraits.

Chestnut-sided warbler sits for his portrait

Someone told us there was an eagle nest visible from the parking lot. So before we left we checked it out.

Eagle nest

We wound up sitting under a busy birch tree for over an hour for some of the best birding of our trip.

Here's what we saw in the parking lot:  yellow, magnolia, blackpoll, chestnut-sided, bay-breasted warbler, American redstart, red-eyed video, housewares, catbirds on their nest, cedar waxwings, Swainson's thrush,  common grackle.

Our next stop was Backus Woods, a small section of undisturbed Carolinian forest.  It was quite magical, our favorite place of our trip, despite the rain and mosquitos.

Oh, the wonder!

We ran into a couple of young birders, who called up a hooded warbler.

Haven't seen one of these since 1999 in Mexico!

They told us to check out a trail through a meadow where they'd seen a blue-winged warbler.  We played the blue-winged warbler song and out popped 

Lifer!  And the Bird of the day!

Not a blue-winged but a golden-winged warbler.  It turns out blue-winged and golden-winged warblers "hybridized extensively" so I guess she was just looking for a little interspecific action.

On the south side of Backus Woods was the Backus Heritage Area.  The rain was coming down a little heavily to really explore the heritage so we settled for a photo of the old mill and headed back to camp.