Recent reports of migrants and Black-whiskered Vireo in City Park

Couturie Forest in City Park (on Harrison Avenue) has yielded various reports of migrants lately- including up to 30 Yellow Warblers in a visit, as well as American Redstart, Prothonotary Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, and Orchard Oriole.  Some of these could perhaps be wanderers from relatively nearby, but this is the month when bona-fide directional migration of songbirds begins to again pick up.  It may not feel like fall otherwise, but some birds are already on their way to their wintering grounds!

If you go, keep your eyes open for a pair of Black-whiskered Vireos that have been seen in Couturie off and on for some weeks now- including a recent flurry of reports ranging from the north end all the way down to the sections along Harrison.  They have sometimes been seen with flocking warblers, and sometimes singing- check out their song at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-whiskered_Vireo/id.  While at that site, notice that the species map shows them no closer than southern Florida.  One or two do wander to south Louisiana annually, but are not usually so convenient as City Park.  Keep in mind that Red-eyed Vireo also occurs in our area (though not reported recently in Couturie)- best to make sure you see the whisker mark!

Peter