Warbler Central

Fall migration! Yeah!

I am so looking forward to this. I nearly missed all of the fall migration of 2008, as I was at sea on m/v Ursa Major all of October, and the same goes for the Spring 2009. I was running around Mexico on a cruise in April. So this is my first real migration as a birder. Yeah!

I have recently joined MOBIRD, which allows me a listserv of all the birding action around Missouri. I have loved learning about where and when birds show up around the state and immediate area.

I have learned that one of the migration hotspots in the St. Louis region is the Robert and Martha Gaddy Wild Bird Garden in Tower Grove Park. It is considered warbler central in St. Louis. People sit there for HOURS waiting for new warbler species to show up.

I had to visit. It was killing me that I hadn't visited sooner, but it is nearly 1 1/2 hours to St. Louis City. If I went, I wanted to be there all morning, and I had to have other things going on around the county in order to make the trip worth the gas money. Tuesday...tuesday would be the day.

As a birder, I have learned that warblers gather at dusk, fly during the night and rest during the day. I have also learned to carefully consider weather patterns and how they effect fallout. Late Monday evening a rainy front moved into the St. Louis region.

So, one of two things was going to happen, a) the warblers would take the hint and take off before front moved in and there would be NO warblers at Gaddy Gardens, or b) they would stay put because of the front and I'd see LOTS of warblers. I could have a really great day or a really bad one. Risk, risk, risk!

And the prize for the CUTEST warbler I have ever seen, goes to the Ovenbird. The sweet little ground forager walks like a chicken, bobbing its head back and forth. Too cute!

Well, lucky me. It was a great day! I saw lots of warblers! Yeah!! Here is my bird list for Gaddy Gardens in Tower Grove Park:

• Female Redstart
• Ovenbird- NEW
• Swainson's Thrush
• Nashville Warbler
• Black and white Warbler
• Blue-winged Warbler
• Cardinal
• Female Summer Tanager
• Starlings-duh!
• Robins
• Cooper's Hawk
• Catbird

Another funny moment of the morning was...well, actually it wasn't so funny, because I seriously missed out...was me missing a Golden-winged Warbler because I was in the bathroom. Too much coffee and birding does not mix! Let that be a lesson to ya!