Hooded Warbler in Jericho!

The Hooded Warbler is, by all accounts, a spectacular bird... one of highlights of my several trips to Cape May, NJ. Up here in Vermont, their smooth whistly song... "twee-twee-twee-teeo" is all but a sound that comes out of a computer speaker as I brush up on songs before a trip out-of-town. This is considered a southern species of warbler, with its range barely penetrating into southern New York. The male Hooded that showed up in Jericho on Friday was a few hundred miles north of where he's supposed to be, and from what I've heard, one hasn't been seen in Vermont in 20 years (and the last time was also in Jericho).

I knew I would try for this bird this weekend, but wasn't sure if I'd make a birthday trip or wait until Sunday. I went Sunday (5/23), and after bumping into Pat Folsom and Scott Sainsbury, they showed me the way to the area it had been seen. It was singing vigorously when we arrived and it wasn't long before I spotted the bird perched in a huge tamarack, offering an extended view of his brilliant yellow plumage, and prominent black ski-mask.

For such a vividly colored bird, it was very tough to photograph, especially since the digi/scope was back at the parking (I did run back to get them at one point). Below are the best images I managed to get, although a great image by Fernando B. Corrada is available here, and if you use your imagination, you can see how my two photos add up to that bird.




The bird wasn't relocated today, although I hope it is so I can milk this rare opportunity to watch a vagrant bird so close to home. Such moments must be cherished while they're available. And technology has allowed unprecedented ability to "twitch" rare birds that would otherwise be nothing more than a story that caught up with you long after taking place.



Thanks to the internet, mainly the VTBird list, I've managed to see rare birds such as Ivory Gull and Great Gray Owl. In the case of the Golden-crowned Sparrow discovered last March in Orwell, I saw the bird at the feeders in the backyard of Norton & Marlene Latourelle (video above; first state record). In at least 10 days, over 100 people made the (in some cases long) drive to see the bird. This sparrow was so consistent, every person who made the trip managed to see it. The Latourelles even had a "sign-in" book for birders to log their visit. Of course, not all birds are seen by many: in the case of this Hooded Warbler, I might end up being the last person to ever see it in Vermont during its short stay.

Of course, beyond the rush of seeing a rare bird, "twitching" a rarity that has already been discovered lacks a certain excitement and surprise. Not everyone can discover a rare bird, so the thrill of excitement for an everyday naturalist can often come in the form of unique encounters with our resident creatures. Tonight, my encounter with butterflies was surprising and exhilarating. That story will need to wait until tomorrow, save for the photo below.