"Relaxing" Local Birding

After an insane 20 park circuit with over 70 miles of hiking and touching the southwest corner of the state and the northeast corner I arrived back home on 5/18, went to bed and promptly got up at 5AM for the Grey Cloud Dunes Big Watch event. This event, now in it's 3rd year, is an all day event coupling a stationary count along with guided efforts on the properly for small groups. I have guided all 3 years and always enjoy the opportunity to see what migrants are present and how many sparrow species we can check off on the day.

For 15 and a half hours I watched, hiked, counted, and socialized at the event. It is a true endurance test that brought us all the day to dark when we moved to another parking lot to pickup the call of at least 3 Eastern Whip-poor-will. I checked off 82 species during the day (10 sparrow species) and guided multiple groups around the property helping to identify birds and even a few flower species.

A nice Grasshopper Sparrow, one of the regular breeders of Grey Cloud Dunes SNA.

Eastern-wood Peewee from Grey Cloud Dunes SNA also. This one must have been tired as it sat on this log just 8 feet away while we observed.

After the Grey Cloud event it would be hard not to admit I was gassed and in dire need of some relaxation time. I mostly birded locally all the way until 6/9 giving me plenty of time off from longer distance travel. I visited Afton State Park along with William O'Brien State Park multiple times each to keep myself in State Park mode and good hiking condition. Afton State Park can really hold the fort pretty well on quality birding options as is evidenced from my pictures of Hooded Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat. The first has been a summer breeder in the park for several years now making it one of the few reliable spots in the state for this species. The second has shown up at Afton State Park 2 years in a row and been one of the few individuals identified in the entire state each year.

My first run in with this bird was shrouded in foliage and tough shots. I came back after a long hike and it decided to set up shop above me and sing for a few minutes. My best looks and pics of Hooded Warbler ever.

This was my first confirmed Lark Sparrow for Afton State Park so it was nice to see potential nesting efforts for the species that is very tough to find breeding in Washington County.

I had this bird on my radar to track down in 2018 hoping for a redux on the bird found last year by Kevin Manley. Another birder beat me to it and refound the bird in the exact same spot. I would go on to see this bird in 4 different months of 2018 trying in vain to call for a mate.

Mostly I wanted to get this post together so I retain knowledge of what I did between large birding trips for the big year. It was important as I finished large circuits to take some time off, but still get quality birding efforts in during the weekdays. Afton is such an amazing place considering it is bereft of any swamp spaces or lakes/ponds it brings an amazing diversity of birds that can rival most other state parks. Being only about 15 or 20 minutes from my home it is a great place to go after work and get a nice strenuous hike or setup for a sky watch in the spring/fall for migrants.