In the Cliff Fen area of Black Dog Preserve, there were Bell's vireo
present in 3 different locations Saturday afternoon. The one that gave
a view was the first and most easily reached along the path, in the
same location as the last two years, for those familiar with it. It is
just after the first power stanchion under which you pass. If you're
patient, the bird tends to fly back and forth across the path, between
the two tall stands of shrubs on either side. It didn't perch atop any
bush this time, as it sometimes used to do, but it did fly (JUST)
overhead. The other two were located at intervals much farther along
the path, toward but before, the long stand of tall trees to the right
or south of the trail. These two sang tantalizingly close to the path,
but stayed hidden in the dense shrubbery, despite patient efforts to
see them. (Off-trail searching is not for SNA areas like this.)
There were also tens of yellow, and c. yellowthroat warblers, sedge
wrens; warbling vireos; rose breasted grosbeaks; B. orioles; and song
sparrows among others present, as well.

On the way back home, the airport mockingbird showed off his
moxie---tried (though not with great success) to rout a red-tailed
hawk from one of the big trees diagonal from "his" Longfellow Ave.
sign. I guess the only big birds he respects, are those gashawks on
the runway!

Linda Whyte

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