New arrivals for Earth Day

I've been birding Busiek State Forest south of Ozark fairly regularly this spring. Today I had two new warbler species: Blue winged and Prairie, along with American Redstart, Yellow throated Warbler, Northern Parula, Ovenbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Black and White Warbler, Yellow rumped Warbler, and Kentucky Warbler. Thought I heard a Cerulean, but it turned out to be variation on a theme by N. Parula.

I couldn't catch the Blue-winged in a photo, but did get a few shots of other warblers to share.

Northern ParulaNorthern Parula

Anyone know the name of the blue flower?

Rufous sided Towhee (female)

Prairie Warbler

April Showers

For the past four days, I've had an opportunity to get out to enjoy the transitioning seasons. Up until yesterday though, things migration related were dead, but as the winds shifted back to the south, showers popped up, and this weekend the migration appears to be in full swing with new species arriving daily.


Day 1, Thursday, Apr. 16: a trip to the Aldrich arm of Stockton Reservoir yielded few species, no shorebirds, but nice views of Osprey and Lark Sparrow.

Day 2, Friday, April 17: no chance to get out, but late Pine Siskins still visited at our thistle feeder.


Day 3, Saturday, Apr. 18: Short trip to the DeJong Farm on Bull Creek in southern Christian County, Missouri, yielded 7 Yellow throated Warblers, 9 Northern Parula, 6 American Redstarts, 3 Ovenbirds, 1 Kentucky Warbler, 2 Black and White Warblers, 1 Louisiana Waterthrush, 1 Swainson's Thrush, 1 Broad winged Hawk, 1 Sharp shinned Hawk, 2 Eastern Towhee, 2 Eastern Phoebe, 2 Ruby crowned Kinglets and the regulars....

Day 4, Sunday, Apr. 19: After 3 1/2 inches of overnight rainfall, the flood gates erupted literally and figuratively. On a trip down Center Road, Red Bridge Road and into the National Forest, Highlight was 1 Hooded Warbler, but we saw all the warblers from yesterday except for Kentucky, and numbers were way up for Ovenbirds, Black and White Warblers, and Northern Parula, in the 20s and 30s for each of the three species.

Here are a few images from today:

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Pine Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Red-bellied Woodpecker