Birds of Summer

I awoke in near-darkness to chirping, peeping and tweeting—the “dawn chorus.” I sat up in my sleeping bag where I was camping along the shores of Horseshoe Lake to better hear and identify the avian songsters. The ethereal song of a nearby hermit thrush was flutelike. A white-throated sparrow chirped and elegantly whistled its short tune.

It was time for a dawn birding hike to Horseshoe Bog. The cool air was perfect for active birds and fewer black-flies. I had a quick breakfast and made the short drive to a pull-off at the Department of Environmental Conservation gate. From here, a dirt road leads through various natural habitats, each with different birdlife. On one side of the road is classic mixed woods—a blend of a reclusive American bittern. The road continued into northern hardwood forest, with maple, beech and yellow birch. This is breeding habitat for red-eyed vireo, scarlet tanager, hermit thrush, black-throated blue warbler and ovenbird.