[mou] Hooded Warbler - Battle Creek Park, Ramsey Co.

[Julian Sellers]

Pursuant to the Maistroviches' mention of a female Hooded Warbler, I went to 
Battle Creek Park today to look for evidence of nesting.  I found no 
evidence.  I did not see or hear any Hooded Warblers in the southern part of 
the park, so I walked up the hill and through the woods to check on the one 
that had been singing near the north end of the woods.  I did not see or 
hear one at the north end either, but on the way, I heard one sing briefly 
near the center of the hilltop forest.  This was all between about 9:00 and 
11:00 a.m.

Then I drove a half-mile east on Lower Afton Road to the woods of Battle 
Creek Park East, and walked there until about 12:45.  At 12:30, I heard a 
Hooded Warbler sing the typical wee ta-wee ta-wee-ti-tew song about four 
times.  The location was as follows:  from the parking lot on Lower Afton 
Road, take the paved trail north from the northwest corner of the lot (go 
past the start of the trail to the off-leash dog area).  After you go north 
a few hundred yards, the paved trail bends to the left, and a dirt trail 
goes straight ahead.  Take the dirt trail for a little over 100 yards until 
a trail goes off to the right.  It was from this trail intersection that I 
heard the Hooded Warbler singing pretty far away on the right while a 
Broad-winged Hawk was screaming its disapproval from overhead.

Next year, I hope to check all of Battle Creek Park earlier in June (and 
earlier in the day).

Julian
St. Paul

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "A.Maistrovich" <amaistro@earthlink.net>
> To: "MOU" <mou-net@cbs.umn.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 12:34 PM
> Subject: [mou] Hooded Warbler - Battle Creek Park, Ramsey Co.
>
>
> We found the Hooded Warbler at 10 am this morning. This was our fourth
> attempt. While we heard them on earlier tries, today we were rewarded
> with good views of both the male and female. We followed Bill's
> directions. At the north end of the ravine the "road" takes a
> right-angle turn towards the west and goes up a steep hill. A
> hiking/biking trail crosses the "road" about a third of the way up the
> hill. We went right (north) on this trail about 100 feet. There is good
> visibility here as this glade in the ravine is fern-covered . While we
> first spotted a Hooded Warbler foraging on the ground, out best views
> came when they flew into the lower branches of the tall trees. We
> recommend you listen to a Hooded Warbler recording before going out.
> Most of the ravine has restricted visibility because it is rather
> heavily wooded.
>
> We thank Julian Sellers for finding the bird and Bill Litkey for his
> excellent directions; the Hooded Warbler is new to our life list.
>
> Tony & Alice Maistrovich
>
> On Jun 16, 2006, at 5:31 PM, Bill Litkey wrote:
>
>> As per several requests for directions, they are as follows.  Battle 
>> Creek
>> Park is located in SE Ramsey Co.  From Hwy. 61 running along the eastern
>> side of the Mississippi River valley turn eastward onto Lower Afton Road.
>> Go about ½ mile to Winthrop St.  On either side of Winthrop along the 
>> north
>> side of Lower Afton there is clearing back off the shoulder so you might 
>> be
>> able to park there.  North of Lower Afton only about 100 ft. hike the ski
>> trail that goes west from Winthrop and parallels Lower Afton.  Hang left 
>> on
>> this trail at any trail junctures.  Eventually the trail curves northward
>> away from Lower Afton into a ravine.  At the curve there was a Mourning
>> Warbler as a bonus.  Listen for the Hooded Warbler throughout this 
>> ravine,
>> which isn't very long.  It seemed to spend more time towards the north 
>> end
>> of the ravine, but it certainly moves around in there.
>>
>> Bill Litkey (Oakdale)
>>
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