Blissful Saturday at Bles Park

A flock of 23 birders joined Allison Gallo and Bryan Henson for a bird walk at Bles Park on a comfortable Saturday in September.  When we started, the fog was still settled over the park making few birds visible.  Local mimics, Northern Mockingbirds and Gray Catbirds, provided good views to start our walk.  Shortly after walking down the path around the marsh, we encountered our first flock of migrants.  Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler and Rose-breasted Grosbeak favored us with their presence accompanied by their helpful and vocal companions, Carolina Chickadees and Tufted Titmice.

As we ventured into an open area, we picked up more warblers along with our missing mimic: the Brown Thrasher.  Two Brown Thrashers posed helpfully at the top of a nearby tree.  The marsh was quiet with only a Green Heron visible.  Down the path, we happened upon another Magnolia Warbler that was hanging out with a Common Yellowthroat and a Blue-winged Warbler.   Around the bend, we found a Least Flycatcher.  Along the Potomac Heritage Trail, we found another flock that seemed to move with us for a good portion of the walk.  The flock was high in the trees, but provided glimpses of Black-and-white Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart and Canada Warbler.  Several Swainson’s Thrushes filled out our list of migrants in the mature forest section of the park.  In the parking lot when we were about to leave, we spotted a migrating Broad-winged Hawk high overhead.  What a blissful day!  All told, we found 48 species of birds.  The full list of species (including eight species of warblers) can be viewed on eBird:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S118900041).

The Bles Park walk is usually held on the third Sunday of each month.  New and experienced birders are encouraged to join us for a visit to this wonderful park with its fantastic mix of flora and aquatic habitats.