Our late fall field trip to Battelle-Darby Metro Park started slow, but picked up at the end!
We began our walk checking through some of the lodge and picnic areas, which were fairly blustery and quiet aside from a tricky Blue Jay that sounded like a Robin or some other type of thrush. We headed down the Cobshell trail to get out of the wind, and once we were in sight of Big Darby Creek we found some Warblers and an Eastern Wood-Pewee tagging along with some White-breasted Nuthatches and Chickadees. However, the flocks were so high up in mature Walnut trees that we had trouble identifying the warblers! Our first Warbler near eye level was a beautiful male Black-throated Blue Warbler.
We decided to move out of the woods and hit the Hawthorne trail. A very brushy area bordered with Goldenrod hosted the most migratory birds we had seen all day! Tennessee Warblers, a Magnolia Warbler, Cedar Waxwings and over a dozen Chipping Sparrows delighted us, as a couple of late Chimney Swifts wheeled high overhead, and a small flock of Bluebirds chased each other around in the Oak trees. Even though we didn’t see the sun, it was still a great fall trip with some memorable birds. Please come with us on our next adventures!