Observations: October 8, 1994 Time: 10:30 am Weather: sunny and cool

What happened to the warblers? While walking the nature park trails this autumn you will see a number of small, active little birds flitting between trees and shrubs. Their dull colors and small size help them hide easily in the barren branches. These noisy birds are either immature birds or fully grown birds that have replaced their bright Spring feathers with drab grey and brown. Their spring time musical songs are also replaced with odd chirps for communication during the migration.
Scarlet Pin Cherries In the sunny open fields of the nature park are scarlet, narrow leafed trees known as pin cherries (Prunus pensyvanicum). You can identify these trees because their smooth wine-red bark has orange, raised horizontal spots known as lenticels. In August these wild cherry trees bear tiny red berries that attract song birds, grouse, and animals like fox., deer and skunks who like to eat them. People find pin cherries too sour to eat.
White-Throated Sparrow If you hear scratching among dry leaves on the ground, look for a little brown-backed bird with grey on its under side. As it hunts for seeds and berries you will see its head is black and white striped, and there is a bright yellow spot located between its bill and its eye on each side of its head. This common little bird is the white throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Some varieties of this bird have tan and brown stripes on the head. This sparrow lives in the park all year.

The Naturalist's Notebook is published quarterly. If you have any questions or topics that you would like to see addressed, please call John Gilbert, Manager, Fish and Wildlife, J.D. Irving, Limited, (506) 632-7777.