Hi Tweets:
I heard my first of season (FOS) Swainson's Thrush yesterday, Fri, May 15, mid-day in the Des Moines Crk. Woods. It was doing its quer sound, and its whoit sound, but no classic whit call, and not singing yet. There are 2 Pac-slope Flycatchers singing in the woods, 2 Wilson's Warblers, sing, and 2 Blk-thr Gray Warbs, sing. Up on 18th I tried to lure in a Cassin's Vireo that I had heard singing on Wed, May 12, but only succeeded in calling in a singing Hutton's Vireo, and a silent Warbling Vireo. Several Or-crned and Wilson's Warblers and one Blk-throated Gray Warb are singing along 18th. Purple Finches and Black-headed Grosbeaks are numerous and singing. A pair of Purple Finches are chasing each other in the woods. I hope they nest in a fir tree next to the trail. I am not hearing Evening Grosbeaks anymore and they may have moved on. I believe my last sighting of them was on Tue, May 11. There is a singing Yellow Warbler down in a condo complex on 14th here in Des Moines. That's an unusual sighting around here, so he still may be migrating through. I continue to hear a few singing and calling Audubon's Yellow-rumps in the area. Not many hawk sightings, except for a Red-tail every day. One sighting of a Cooper's Hawk, and one of an interesting, possibly 3rd-year Bald Eagle soaring. It had a dirty-white tail, and lots of mottling under the wings.
Carol Schulz
Des Moines
carol.schulz50 at gmail.com