A Bird Heard is a Bird Seen

Hooded Warbler
Photo by LLOYD SPITALNIK

Yesterday was a BIG DAY, with most birders reporting at least 18 species of warblers as well as many other songbirds. I personally saw 4 scarlet tanagers within two hours. The day was also notable for numbers of birdwatchers gathered in the park.. At one point I counted 53 birders staring into one tree at the Maintenance Meadow. I have a photo to prove it.

Today seemed a different kettle of fish [a different kettle of kingfishers?]. Fewer birds, fewer birders, although the NY State Audubon was doing a birdathon and had a small herd of bird enthusiasts bopping around the park. Still there was quite a variety of birds to be seen and, in the end, the day may have been almost as good as its predecessor.

At about 9:30 a.m. after a good three hours of birding, [and after three hours of good birding] I was late for an appointment. Just as I approached the Point on my way out of the park I heard a bird song : wee-o wee-o wee-tee-oh. Unmistakable. A Hooded Warbler, always a good sighting in Central Park.

For several minutes it sang its whistled song. I was late and had to keep going but several birders went down to the Oven to try to find it. I hope they did. But here's a reminder: A bird heard is a bird seen. That's the rule on various birdathons, and a good rule it is. For a bird with as distinctive a song as a Hooded Warbler, its song is as good an identifier as its black hood.