May 29, 2007 Fooling a Hooded Warbler

Yard work delays my walk. Cutting the grass and trying to get the Glossy Buckthorn, in the yard under control. I spy a Twelve-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly. In is just getting its’ black and white wing spots.

My hike is abbreviated. After bonking so hard yesterday, I don’t want to push it. The visibility is a little hazy but about 40 miles. I stop by the spot where I had the encounter with catharus enigmus, Sunday. The Chipmunk who was my only co witness is in the same spot, but pishing does not turn up any birds.

On my side of Gildersleeve Mountain, there are a lot of Hooded Warblers singing. One is close to the path and singing clearly. I whistle an imitation of its song. Wheety wheety wheet e Oh! To my surprise this fools the warbler and he comes in for a closer look. Anyone who as ever tried to track down a singing a Hooded Warbler in the understory knows it can be astoundingly difficult. The bird hides and flits. Wont sit still or give you a good look. So imagine my surprise when this bird spirals in from a higher branch and lands a few feet away. It sings back. I respond, we go back and fourth as I usually do with Cardinals. This is perhaps the best naked eye look I have ever had at a Hooded Warbler. So yellow with his black hood and black eyes. Olive green back. Just beautiful. I had no idea you could fool them like this with just a whistled imitation of their song.