My last stop on this expedition was the small town of Stannard. I was high up on shoulder of Ide Mountain when the road finally stopped climbing and I suspected I had reached the town line. My DeLorme atlas confirmed I was across the line, so I found a safe place to park, and started walking. It was now 7:20 in the evening, and the sky was beginning to dim. I needed to complete my survey and get down off the mountain and back to paved roads before nightfall, as intersections were not well marked out here in the back country.
Timing can be everything. The darkening skies are a cue to some species to retire for the night, but a cue to begin activities for others. By good fortune, there was a small wetland along my section of Stannard Mountain Road, and I could clearly hear a Canada Warbler singing! I had only encountered a CAWA on one occasion before, so this is still a new bird for me. Unfortunately, the warbler stayed put at the back of the wetland, so I could not see this striking warbler thru my binocs. After a half mile, I began my return to the car, when from deep in the woods behind me I heard the call of a Barred Owl. I enjoyed its calls as I booked back to my car.
Checklist for Stannard:
Barred Owl
Red-eyed Vireo
Hermit Thrush
Mourning Dove
Ovenbird
Canada Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-thro
Timing can be everything. The darkening skies are a cue to some species to retire for the night, but a cue to begin activities for others. By good fortune, there was a small wetland along my section of Stannard Mountain Road, and I could clearly hear a Canada Warbler singing! I had only encountered a CAWA on one occasion before, so this is still a new bird for me. Unfortunately, the warbler stayed put at the back of the wetland, so I could not see this striking warbler thru my binocs. After a half mile, I began my return to the car, when from deep in the woods behind me I heard the call of a Barred Owl. I enjoyed its calls as I booked back to my car.
Checklist for Stannard:
Barred Owl
Red-eyed Vireo
Hermit Thrush
Mourning Dove
Ovenbird
Canada Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-thro