We arrived at Belle Isle just after sunrise on Thursday, May 6th. The air was brisk as a cold front has blown through the day before. We were hoping that migratory warblers would be hunkering down in the park while the north breezes persisted.
Along the track that took us through open fields, pine forests, marsh and meadow, we heard and saw quite a few warbler species. Some allowed us good views, but others remained more skulky in the dense under story and tall grasses.
A pair of Blue Grosbeak fed along the path allowing us to walk within 5 years before flying to the cover of bayberry on the edge. This is the showier male with his rusty brown female nearby.
We spied Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs probing the muck around the edge of the marsh. Good to see them this time of year as they will migrate to northern Canada.
The unmistakable rising call of the Prairie Warbler greeted us as did this small bird gleaning bits of insects from spider webs. After taking a bite, he would open his beak wide and sing.
Belle Isle SP is in their breeding range and most likely this little fellow will take up residence there.
Along the bayberry edges of the marsh we spied at a distance another yellow-hued warbler. We soon identified the bird as a female Prothonotary Warbler. These birds are cavity nesters preferring swampy flooded areas.
Later in another area of the park Dan saw the male of the species. This was the first time we had the fortune of seeing these bright yellow warblers at Belle Isle.
The meadow before the path ends at the Rappahanock River shore was full of birdsong from Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Indigo Bunting.
In the pines the song of the Eastern Wood-pewee drew out gaze high to see this little somewhat drab flycatcher adding it's distinctive "pee-o-wee" song to the morning chorus.
We drove across the park to the small forested area near the canoe and small boat landing where the squeaky wheel call of the Black and White Warbler greeted us in the shade.
Next we drove to the visitor center where construction was underway to stabilize the shoreline in an environmentally friendly manner, creating a living shoreline rather than piling large rocks creating a rip-rap border which serves no ecological purpose. The path through the meadow was closed but we enjoyed seeing the barn Swallows nest building in the eaves of the visitor center despite the artificial snakes nailed to the rafters.
The light sconces were acceptable perches under the porch roof too!
The four hours in Belle Isle SP yielded 50 different species of birds including three Bald Eagles, two adult and one juvenile soaring and swirling around each other. If you go to Belle Isle, you are pretty much guaranteed to see Bald Eagles and more!
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