What a thrilling tale! An unlikely hero stumbles upon a rare and coveted creature in a mythical forest… will he get the word out before the (insert fantastic phrase to represent cell phone) dies???
But seriously, Crouse Run is so underrated! From now on, I’m dedicating every visit to that pond: the magical warbler (and kinglet) spot. It’s had all the activity the past couple times I’ve gone!
You really had such a great find. I think a lot of people would’ve missed the Prothonotary. I’m glad he popped back up before the 30 seconds ran out! He seemed a little fickle after that, lol. I swear he knew how badly everyone wanted to see him.
What a dramatic reporting experience too! Your phone dying and the run to the car put the peak right on Freytag’s pyramid. I’m so glad you were able to get the coveted (and earned!) first eBird report! We all pretend we don’t care, but let’s be honest, we definitely do.
John really is such a great photographer. I could totally make an equally embarrassing side-by-side of our Northern Shrike pics. And I could do the same with my Prothonotary shots next to Dan’s; he and I were right next to each other taking photos, lol. I’m the same way though; I love your philosophy! For me, it’s about enjoying the bird--I’m definitely not a photographer.
Also, thank you so much for featuring my Instagram! It’s an honor to be in such great company in that section.
We definitely do care. I'm sure there are a few truly zen birders out there. I think most of us get caught up in the thrilling not-so-zen parts. Especially during migration.
I've had some embarrassing side-by-side moments with Dan too. I'd like to chalk it up to a difference in equipment, but let's face it...I have nice equipment. It's the user.
I'm SO glad you got the Prothonotary. Who knows when we'll get one again. Could be years. Could be tomorrow at Frick. Elusive bird in these parts.
Thank you for all the kind words my friend. Your support always means the world.
Whenever I venture into the woods without my camera, a conga line of rare birds parades in front of me. But half the time I drag my camera with me, I see nothing, like all the birds are shushing themselves as they hide in the bushes and mock me.
I think I may have seen a Prothonotary Warbler in Ontario once but it was before I was keeping track, so I'm not sure. I'm really hoping to see one next week when I'm in Point Pellee/Rondeau/Long Point in Southern Ontario. I hate your friend John a little bit. My photo would definitely be closer to yours. I bird with a super-zoom bridge camera, which also acts as my scope. It's great for identifying birds I can barely discern with the naked eye, but getting it to focus on command is a crapshoot. Sometimes a bird will sit nicely for a good minute and I can't get the damn thing to focus. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I haven't been patient enough to figure it out yet.
I've had a gang of Yellow-rumped Warblers and a couple Palm Warblers in my yard so far this year, but hoping to spot many more in the weeks to come!
Hahaha, we miss so many birds by making the mistake of bringing our cameras.
A Prothonotary in Ontario must be a real special sighting, I'd think, and good luck at those spots. Those strike me as the most likely spots for them to occur.
"I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I have been patient enough to figure it out yet" so perfectly describes my relationship with my camera.
Not a single Palm Warbler for me yet this year. That's pretty odd. In fact I've only gotten a small handful of warblers period. Some catching up to do.
Excellent post, and congratulations on the Prothonotary! I’ve only seen them on birding trips, never in the northeast. Any photo where a bird species is discernible is a win. "I accept my limitations and focus on the bird…the beauty of these incredible winged creatures who live among us.” That’s the name of the game.
I already planned to bird early tomorrow morning but this really lit a fire under my ass. I want a Blackburnian, which I doubt I’ll see tomorrow--though they're hard to miss. It's been years. A Nashville is a possibility per eBird and tentative song ID the other day, I’ve heard some Prairie and have been in pursuit of a nice Magnolia photo. It's such an excellent time of year.
It really is the best time of year, though fall migration brings some stiff competition. I hope you get your Blackburnian! I haven't seen one yet but it's definitely one of the biggest highlights each migration. *Update* Merlin picked up a Blackburning while typing out this reply. Gotta run!*
I've seen a Prothonotary maybe a dozen times in my life, in spite of all the time I've spent in North Carolina, where they breed. There's a sort of balance with some birds that strikes me ideal--seeing a certain bird seldom enough that it's special, but often enough that we get to actually enjoy it once in a while.
Fall brings competition but I’ve always preferred spring, feels more like a beginning. I hope you got to see that Blackburnian Merlin picked up! Prothonotary is a nice balance—scarce enough to remain special, but not scarce enough that we never get to see them.
Oh gosh the blurry pictures are real 😂 it’s why I have over a 1000 pictures each time I go out, in the hopes that at least 10 of them are in focus and not blurry.
Loved the post, it was such a delight to read! Also, I don’t even know how to pronounce quinquagenary. My iPhone doesn’t even recognize the word 😂
oh my word. 50 year old guy in boots so overjoyed as he ran to recharge his phone avoiding heart failure . NOW that is bird love; and of course a tad of ego.. Happy for you
Always enjoy your birding/not birding stories, Nate! Love the photo of your "dance" and the comparison of your photo vs. John's. Happy BirthSEASON to Alex. I just added toward that 1000 goal. Miss you all!
Thank you, Aunt Sue! We had a wonderful Saturday celebrating Alex's actual birthday, and we continue the celebration this weekend in nature, planting flowers, and with friends. Thanks for subscribing. We're getting there!
A fantastic and thrilling tale, Nate! I have yet to see a Prothonotary Warbler this spring. They occasionally breed in this area and I’m always hoping they’ll set up shop in LaBagh woods near me. A male lined all the nest boxes there a few years ago and sang his heart out for a few weeks but never found a mate. Maybe this year!
An early welcome to the half-century club, Nathaniel! Haha, “quinquagenary” is quite the ungainly word. Nice clip of the sound of the Wood Thrush - they remind me of a flute-like instrument.
Congratulations on seeing and being first reporting the Prothonotary Warbler! Never seen one before.
Migration has been steady up here in Ottawa. Last weekend saw several dozen Yellow-rumped Warblers as they're the first to warblers to arrive. Also, about 99% sure of hearing Pine Warblers but did not actually see them. The female Red-winged Blackbirds have begun arriving as well. I'm hoping to see some more of the migrant birds this coming weekend. Thanks for sharing.
I think it’s super rare for a Prothonotary to reach Canada, though I’m sure it happens here and there. That would get the birding community running I’ll bet!
They have nested at Point Pelee National Park and Rondeau Provincial Park in southern Ontario on and off since I began birding 50 years ago (well, obviously before that, but that's how long I remember seeing them there!) -- and eBird says already sighted and continuing (so likely breeding) again this spring. And oh, for the days when a birder's word and written details were enough for a sighting to be accepted...
I really need to put Point Pelee on my list of need-to-visit-soon destinations. I’d love to bird anywhere in Canada, but that’s the bucket list spot.
Yeah, for all the technology making things easier for birders to communicate and report sightings and ID birds in the field, it all seems to have bred quite a bit of suspicion and distrust. You’d think it would be the other way around.
What a thrilling tale! An unlikely hero stumbles upon a rare and coveted creature in a mythical forest… will he get the word out before the (insert fantastic phrase to represent cell phone) dies???
But seriously, Crouse Run is so underrated! From now on, I’m dedicating every visit to that pond: the magical warbler (and kinglet) spot. It’s had all the activity the past couple times I’ve gone!
You really had such a great find. I think a lot of people would’ve missed the Prothonotary. I’m glad he popped back up before the 30 seconds ran out! He seemed a little fickle after that, lol. I swear he knew how badly everyone wanted to see him.
What a dramatic reporting experience too! Your phone dying and the run to the car put the peak right on Freytag’s pyramid. I’m so glad you were able to get the coveted (and earned!) first eBird report! We all pretend we don’t care, but let’s be honest, we definitely do.
John really is such a great photographer. I could totally make an equally embarrassing side-by-side of our Northern Shrike pics. And I could do the same with my Prothonotary shots next to Dan’s; he and I were right next to each other taking photos, lol. I’m the same way though; I love your philosophy! For me, it’s about enjoying the bird--I’m definitely not a photographer.
Also, thank you so much for featuring my Instagram! It’s an honor to be in such great company in that section.
We definitely do care. I'm sure there are a few truly zen birders out there. I think most of us get caught up in the thrilling not-so-zen parts. Especially during migration.
I've had some embarrassing side-by-side moments with Dan too. I'd like to chalk it up to a difference in equipment, but let's face it...I have nice equipment. It's the user.
I'm SO glad you got the Prothonotary. Who knows when we'll get one again. Could be years. Could be tomorrow at Frick. Elusive bird in these parts.
Thank you for all the kind words my friend. Your support always means the world.
Yeah. Better to live your life than just document it
Absolutely! Gotta be in the moment
Whenever I venture into the woods without my camera, a conga line of rare birds parades in front of me. But half the time I drag my camera with me, I see nothing, like all the birds are shushing themselves as they hide in the bushes and mock me.
I think I may have seen a Prothonotary Warbler in Ontario once but it was before I was keeping track, so I'm not sure. I'm really hoping to see one next week when I'm in Point Pellee/Rondeau/Long Point in Southern Ontario. I hate your friend John a little bit. My photo would definitely be closer to yours. I bird with a super-zoom bridge camera, which also acts as my scope. It's great for identifying birds I can barely discern with the naked eye, but getting it to focus on command is a crapshoot. Sometimes a bird will sit nicely for a good minute and I can't get the damn thing to focus. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I haven't been patient enough to figure it out yet.
I've had a gang of Yellow-rumped Warblers and a couple Palm Warblers in my yard so far this year, but hoping to spot many more in the weeks to come!
Hahaha, we miss so many birds by making the mistake of bringing our cameras.
A Prothonotary in Ontario must be a real special sighting, I'd think, and good luck at those spots. Those strike me as the most likely spots for them to occur.
"I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I have been patient enough to figure it out yet" so perfectly describes my relationship with my camera.
Not a single Palm Warbler for me yet this year. That's pretty odd. In fact I've only gotten a small handful of warblers period. Some catching up to do.
Happy migration to you! Let's go get em!!!
Excellent post, and congratulations on the Prothonotary! I’ve only seen them on birding trips, never in the northeast. Any photo where a bird species is discernible is a win. "I accept my limitations and focus on the bird…the beauty of these incredible winged creatures who live among us.” That’s the name of the game.
I already planned to bird early tomorrow morning but this really lit a fire under my ass. I want a Blackburnian, which I doubt I’ll see tomorrow--though they're hard to miss. It's been years. A Nashville is a possibility per eBird and tentative song ID the other day, I’ve heard some Prairie and have been in pursuit of a nice Magnolia photo. It's such an excellent time of year.
It really is the best time of year, though fall migration brings some stiff competition. I hope you get your Blackburnian! I haven't seen one yet but it's definitely one of the biggest highlights each migration. *Update* Merlin picked up a Blackburning while typing out this reply. Gotta run!*
I've seen a Prothonotary maybe a dozen times in my life, in spite of all the time I've spent in North Carolina, where they breed. There's a sort of balance with some birds that strikes me ideal--seeing a certain bird seldom enough that it's special, but often enough that we get to actually enjoy it once in a while.
Fall brings competition but I’ve always preferred spring, feels more like a beginning. I hope you got to see that Blackburnian Merlin picked up! Prothonotary is a nice balance—scarce enough to remain special, but not scarce enough that we never get to see them.
I got the Blackburnian, about 700 feet up in the canopy. Hope for a few closer looks this spring.
Oh gosh the blurry pictures are real 😂 it’s why I have over a 1000 pictures each time I go out, in the hopes that at least 10 of them are in focus and not blurry.
Loved the post, it was such a delight to read! Also, I don’t even know how to pronounce quinquagenary. My iPhone doesn’t even recognize the word 😂
I really need to learn to operate my camera better. If I met it halfway with some effort, I'll bet I could reach that 10 out of 1,000 ratio.
Thank you! It's a terrible word I regret ever having learned. Trying to forget it and have some peace in my life.
Love this! Your story is epic, I can feel your excitement from here!
I just saw my first Prothonotary Warbler, I was so excited I did a painting.
Thank you Scot! It was super exciting.
First ever Prothonotary?? That's cause for a major celebration, and I'd love to see the paining.
Such a plucky post! Congratulations!
Thank you so much! Plucky bird deserves and equally plucky post!
Hahaha indeed!
oh my word. 50 year old guy in boots so overjoyed as he ran to recharge his phone avoiding heart failure . NOW that is bird love; and of course a tad of ego.. Happy for you
Just a tad of ego hahaha. Still trying to slow my heart rate down. That was a mad dash! Worth it for a Prothonotary Warbler though.
Enjoy dear heart.
Always enjoy your birding/not birding stories, Nate! Love the photo of your "dance" and the comparison of your photo vs. John's. Happy BirthSEASON to Alex. I just added toward that 1000 goal. Miss you all!
Thank you, Aunt Sue! We had a wonderful Saturday celebrating Alex's actual birthday, and we continue the celebration this weekend in nature, planting flowers, and with friends. Thanks for subscribing. We're getting there!
A fantastic and thrilling tale, Nate! I have yet to see a Prothonotary Warbler this spring. They occasionally breed in this area and I’m always hoping they’ll set up shop in LaBagh woods near me. A male lined all the nest boxes there a few years ago and sang his heart out for a few weeks but never found a mate. Maybe this year!
Thank you, Kelly!! I feel I'm sending mixed signals, alternately "Always be birding" and "Never be birding" lol.
I had to look it up and it'd been almost three years since my last PRWA!
That's always so sad when a male sets up shop but doesn't find a mate. I hope this is the year for a successful breeding season at LaBagh!
An early welcome to the half-century club, Nathaniel! Haha, “quinquagenary” is quite the ungainly word. Nice clip of the sound of the Wood Thrush - they remind me of a flute-like instrument.
Congratulations on seeing and being first reporting the Prothonotary Warbler! Never seen one before.
Migration has been steady up here in Ottawa. Last weekend saw several dozen Yellow-rumped Warblers as they're the first to warblers to arrive. Also, about 99% sure of hearing Pine Warblers but did not actually see them. The female Red-winged Blackbirds have begun arriving as well. I'm hoping to see some more of the migrant birds this coming weekend. Thanks for sharing.
I think it’s super rare for a Prothonotary to reach Canada, though I’m sure it happens here and there. That would get the birding community running I’ll bet!
They have nested at Point Pelee National Park and Rondeau Provincial Park in southern Ontario on and off since I began birding 50 years ago (well, obviously before that, but that's how long I remember seeing them there!) -- and eBird says already sighted and continuing (so likely breeding) again this spring. And oh, for the days when a birder's word and written details were enough for a sighting to be accepted...
I really need to put Point Pelee on my list of need-to-visit-soon destinations. I’d love to bird anywhere in Canada, but that’s the bucket list spot.
Yeah, for all the technology making things easier for birders to communicate and report sightings and ID birds in the field, it all seems to have bred quite a bit of suspicion and distrust. You’d think it would be the other way around.
Happy migration!
Glad I was there for your big find and to photograph you photographing the bird. At least you weren't blurry! Ha ha. Love you!
This is my neck of the woods! I love this hike!