Speaking of Nature: A record-breaking month of bird-watching: One good thing to come from catching COVID was extra time at the Thinking Chair

This yellow-rumped warbler posed in just such a way that you can see the yellow patches near its “armpits” and a hint of the signature yellow patch on its rump.

This yellow-rumped warbler posed in just such a way that you can see the yellow patches near its “armpits” and a hint of the signature yellow patch on its rump. PHOTO BY BILL DANIELSON

By BILL DANIELSON

For the Gazette

Published: 10-08-2024 2:20 PM

The month of September was one of the most beautiful stretches of solid gorgeous weather that I can remember. There was very little rain last month and whatever rain there was seemed to fall on weekdays. As a result, there was ample time to get out and enjoy the magnificent conditions on the weekends.

The only thing that marred the month of September was a oh-so exciting case of COVID. This, I suppose, was almost inevitable considering the fact that hundreds of people (mostly adolescents) were crammed into classrooms together for the first time in months. I made sure to wash my hands multiple times every day and I kept my distance from people as best as I could, but on Sept. 13 (Friday the 13th) I was in trouble. My voice dropped an octave and I had a slight cough. By the following Monday I had a fever and I wasn’t feeling well at all.

So, I had to stay home. Even worse, I had to stay away from my wife. So, every morning for a solid week, I woke up early, made some coffee and socially distanced myself down to the Thinking Chair.

Each morning was a carbon copy of the day before and the conditions were so sublime that I almost forgot that I was sick. I was also overjoyed that I didn’t have to socially distance from the chickadees, who made regular visits to the top of my head.

Migration was in full swing and the bird species just kept piling up on my September list. The previous record for the number of species that I had observed in my yard was 56, which I set last year.

This was one of those records that I thought might be unbreakable, but after my week of COVID I had managed to tie it. Then, the weather just kept being beautiful and the birds just kept showing up. On Sept. 20 I added the blue-headed vireo and chestnut-sided warbler to the list. On Sept. 22 I saw and photographed a Nashville warbler. On Sept. 23 I heard a pair of great horned owls singing with one another during an early-morning wake-up. The list had expanded to 60 species and there was still one weekend left.

Saturday, Sept. 28 was another sublime morning. The temperature was 55 degrees Fahrenheit and there was little dew on the ground. There was a mix of clouds and sun and hundreds of millions of birds had decided to migrate during the night. So, with a travel mug full of fresh coffee, I made my way down the hill and into the meadow. My pockets were full of peanuts and birdseed and when I arrived at my Thinking Chair the chickadees were already impatiently waiting for me. I set out breakfast for the gang, offered my most sincere apologies and then settled in for a splendid morning of Nature Bathing.

There were so many chickadees, titmice and sparrows in the area that I had a hard time keeping track of everyone, but I did eventually pick up on a bird that was something new. Up came my telephoto lens and there in the reticle was a ruby-crowned kinglet. I was only able to snap two photos of this bird and the second was of the bird taking flight, so neither was publishable. However, species number 61 was added to the list.

Then, the magic happened. While looking up into one of the tall trees that stood just to the west of my position, I saw some small birds fly in. There were three of them and their behavior simply screamed “warbler.” The only question was to which species they belonged and as I focused my attention on them I realized that they were all yellow-rumped warblers (Setophagacoronata). Species number 62 had arrived, but would I get any photos? In short, the answer was a resounding yes! There was one older bird and two youngsters that were making their first southward migration. The young birds were particularly curious about the hustle and bustle down by my position and one of them came very close to investigate.

Wonderful photos started to pile up in the memory card of my camera, but there was a problem. Very young yellow-rumped warblers don’t show much to help with their identification. They do have yellow rumps, but the primary feathers on the birds’ folded wings usually obscure it. The older bird did show more of the field marks, but it was a little more standoffish. It was quite some time before this individual happened to pose in just such a position that offered a great look at some lovely yellow patches of feathers.

Ultimately, I had a choice between a photo of a juvenile bird that was so close that you could count its eyelashes, or a photo of an older bird that was further away, but actually showed more of the yellow feathers for which the species was named. In the end (no pun intended) I picked the photo of the older bird with the rump showing. The previous record had been shattered and the next morning (a Sunday) I gave myself permission to sleep late, feeling that I had earned it.

Bill Danielson has been a professional writer and nature photographer for 27 years. He has worked for the National Park Service, the US Forest Service, the Nature Conservancy and the Massachusetts State Parks and he currently teaches high school biology and physics. For more in formation visit his website at www.speakingofnature.com, or go to Speaking of Nature on Facebook.