Worm-eating Warbler at Ewing Park in Bloomington, IL

On April 20, I saw this Cooper's Hawk in my neighbor's yard as I was leaving to go to Ewing Park late in the morning.



I arrived at Ewing just as Ted and Don Hartzler were leaving after conducting their survey. Ted told me that Don and he had seen a Worm-eating Warbler in Hedge Apple Woods along the trail next to the creek. They also saw a Louisiana Waterthrush, three Orange-crowned Warblers, an Ovenbird, and Yellow-rumpeds.

As I started, down the trail, I ran into an out of town birder I had never met, named Vicki Buchwald. I told her about the Worm-eating Warbler and exchanged phone numbers so that we could split up and look for it. I located the Louisiana Waterthrush at the little bridge furthest away from the creek. I motioned her over, but it flew away before she got to where I was standing. She remained there while I continued through the park, and after a couple of minutes, I got a call from her that she had relocated the "Wormy."

I headed back to the bridge and managed a couple of decent shots. While we were watching this bird, Marty Greenberg walked up and was able to get a look. This rare visitor to McLean County was a lifer for me.



As walkers continued to come by, the warbler flew along the stream toward the football field. We relocated it next to the other bridge with an Orange-crowned Warbler and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, where it appeared to be eating an insect with wings.









The bird eventually flew along the creek back toward the entrance, but Vicki relocated it again between the creek and the trail on her way back to her car, and we all had more great looks until some walkers scared the bird toward the creek. Joseph Phipps was able to relocate the bird later in the afternoon as well as several Pine and Palm Warblers up on the hill across the creek on the other side of the football field.

Marty and I continued and had another Orange-crowned in Hedge Apple Woods and a single Palm Warbler up on the hill. Here is a shot of the Orange-crowned.



There were also plenty of Hermit Thrushes, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Eastern Towhees, Northern Flickers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and Brown Thrashers. Marty even found a dead Brown Thrasher in the grass on the edge of the football field by the creek. It was in great condition so I took it to Dr. Angelo Capparella for the ISU field museum after I left the park.

From Ewing, I went to the Kenneth L. Schroeder Wildlife Sanctuary where I saw this Vesper Sparrow.