washed away

I had hoped to get out early today to try and track down some of the uncommon breeders, but a pretty substantial storm system scrubbed the morning birding.

It didn't clear until mid-afternoon and didn't cool in the least, hot and very humid. I decided to try Warren Dunes for the summer tanager or worm-eating warbler. I walked out from the easy prairie spot and quickly heard a chattering call. It unfortunately was clearly not the summer tanager, instead this kingfisher gave me best photo-op for the species...

I walked the length of the Mt Edwards trail hearing a few hooded warblers, possibly a black-and-white, but nothing that could even be considered for a worm-eating. I was surprised to find this egg in the middle of the trail unbroken. I would assume that it's a turkey egg washed away from a nest somewhere up the hill onto the trail during the storm's onslaught overnight.

Finally a field sparrow sang prominently from the summer tanager blow-out. Prairie warbler, brown thrasher, bluebirds, and a sing-songing bird that was probably a funny oriole song were also heard.