The following weekend it rained. Still, it was the second weekend in May and I only had one more weekend in Ottawa before my trip to the Bruce Peninsula, so I didn’t want to squander any free time on these last two weekends. I headed out to Mud Lake, still hoping to catch up with a number of migrants reported there. Fortunately only a light misty rain was falling, which was fine for me (no umbrella needed!) and the birds (which were quite active) but not so great for photography.
I walked along Cassels Street, hearing the loud, distinctive three-part song of a Tennessee Warbler. I couldn’t find the Tennessee among the quickly developing leaves, but came up with a Cape May Warbler and a couple of Baltimore Orioles instead! In the shrubs behind the parking area I found a number of White-crowned Sparrows, the first ones I had seen since the one in my neighbour’s backyard on May 8th. Warbling Vireos were singing from a number of trees, and Yellow Warblers had taken over the Ridge.
The Pathless Wood 