Lake Lotus Park, 11/3/2011

Northern Parula

I decided this morning to go to Lake Lotus Park there before work.  So, I arrived there around 8am and spent an hour in the park.  It wasn't long enough--it felt a little like eating only one potato chip.  Nevertheless, for one hour of birding, I had a pretty good time.  The clear highlight of the morning for me was the chance to photograph a couple Northern Parula.  I was looking for Painted Buntings, and I saw none, but I may have heard one.  I don't trust my ear to be definite on that, so I'll wait to see one in person before I put it on my list.  Also fun for me was seeing a Great Egret perched on top of a "no trespassing" sign--it seems to me he may have been a little disobedient.

Great Egret

One more interesting thing happened.  As I was walking on the boardwalk by the gazebo, I saw a flash of a bird dive into a tree after another palm warbler I had seen fly into the bush.  About 15 seconds later, I saw another flash of a bird leaving.  He was so fast I didn't get to see what it was.  All I can say is that it was the size of a sharp-shinned hawk, and I think he got his prey.

Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher

Palm Warblers

Here's the full list of species I saw this morning:

Non-Birds
Raccoon

Birds
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Common Gallinule X
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Eastern Phoebe 1
Carolina Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Northern Parula 2
Palm Warbler 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 2
Boat-tailed Grackle 1