5/9
On evening before went to Capital City Bird Sanctuary
Upon entering from trailhead immediately across from Hawk Meadow Park, saw small, greenish, white-bellied songbird; I think this might have been a yellow-throated vireo but did not get a good look at it at all to say for certain.
By river, found two orioles and several cedar waxwings, as well as a palm warbler in lower branches.
Found a common merganser still hanging around the river; was on far side and floated down a ways in the current.
Found total of eight wood ducks along river trail: two pairs in a little cove in the near bank, another pair perched in fallen logs in the stagnant pools to inside of trail, another pair swimming upriver along far bank.
Found another palm warbler in a tree over the path.
When passing through field upon leaving river, spooked pair of mallards from a puddle next to path.
Herd of deer were present throughout field and woods late in evening.
Found bush full of white-crowned sparrows. Heard song of a wood thrush, but did not see.
Spotted female red-breasted grosbeak in trees on north edge of field.
Found an ovenbird crawling through stick litter near path out of sanctuary to the road. Didn’t get a great look all the time, due to sticks in the way and the fact that it was getting dark in the woods, but was able to watch it move along, bobbing like a pigeon, for several minutes.
5/10 - morning
Morning of Big Day proper went to Player’s Club Park with my father, where we’ve been lucky with warblers in the past.
Upon entering trail, we found that many of the small walnut trees were still without leaves. We traversed the first stretch of trail without my seeing anything of note (besides orioles, which are my favorite local songbird, but which also come to my feeder at home), though my father spotted a scarlet tanager that briefly paused there; I missed this bird, and was quite disappointed.
In trees just before first pond, Merlin app reported hearing a northern parula; listening, we heard distinctive, zippery weezweezweez-wizwizwiz song. We scanned the upper branches and eventually spotted the parula; having seen it from below, through leaves, I’m not certain whether this was a male or female, but the yellow chest and throat and dark face markings were visible. This is the first parula I’ve seen.
I’d like to thank Richard Wagner and the rest of the Eaton County Drain Commision for whatever they did to Carrier Creek that has prevented the first pond from flooding over the path. Drain from pond was dredged well; spotted pair of mallards at the outlet.