Birdwalk Highlights for 6/6: Florida Lake Park and Hidden Pond Preserve, Freeport.

With breeding season upon us, we set out to track down some local breeding species and practice our birding by ear.

At Florida Lake, we finally got a look at one of the 5 CANADA WARBLERS on territory here, and had some really quality time with some low-foraging GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHERS, including one catching and consuming a large dragonfly. Two ALDER FLYCATCHERS were conspicuous today, as was one EASTERN KINGBIRD, 1 YELLOW WARBLER, and 1 BALTIMORE ORIOLE.

Five RED CROSSBILLS were a pleasant surprise, as was spotting a PORCUPINE curled up in a tree, keeping an eye on us. Some of the other species seen today included 2 each of BANK and BARN SWALLOWS amongst the 10 or so TREE SWALLOWS, a pair of BROWN CREEPERS, and a total of at least 22 CEDAR WAXWINGS.

An unexpected WOOD THRUSH was vocalizing tantalizingly close, but we only glimpsed it briefly. We also heard 3 OVENBIRDS, 2 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, 2 BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS, only 2 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, and one each of PURPLE FINCH, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, NASHVILLE WARBLER, VEERY, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, EASTERN WARBLING VIREO, and NORTHEN PARULA.

We finished up at Hidden Pond, where we added to the list with 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 1 CHESNUT-SIDED WARBLER, and 1 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, while adding to our tallies with 6 Bank Swallows, 6 Cedar Waxwings, 5 Common Yellowthroats, 2 Yellow Warblers, and one each of Black-and-white Warbler, Veery, Alder Flycatcher, and Great-crested Flycatcher.