An Ovenbird
On a cool, clear, sunny October morning, flecks of orange and red here and there among the faded greens, a small, soft-brown bird flew past me and into the tangled branches of a large forsythia bush on the edge of our neighbor’s yard. It might have been a leaf blown by the wind. Several minutes later, after watching and following it from one spot to another, I finally got a good, clear look when it flew back into our yard and walked out into the open, across a bed of mulch and crumpled leaves. A bright and lively Ovenbird!
With a soft, olive-brown back and dark, abundant streaks on its breast, the Ovenbird looked like a small, perky thrush. The crown of its head rose almost into a crest, and was striped in black and soft orange. A bold white ring circled its eye, giving it a wide-eyed, alert appearance. Its small bill was pointed, its tail looked short and was held slightly up, and its looked pink. All in all, it was a crisp and animated little bird, its colors reflecting the hints of autumn in the trees. It stayed on the ground and walked, moving in a kind of jerky way, searching for food in the mulch and fallen leaves and grass for several minutes. It came so close I barely needed binoculars to see it well. After several minutes, it finally flew again, low across the shrubs, back to the neighbor’s yard.
I could not have been more surprised to see an Ovenbird here. Even though they are fairly common birds in their breeding areas, I’ve only seen one twice ever – and once was just this past summer, in the spruce woods along the coast of Maine, near Acadia National Park. Ovenbirds pass through this part of Georgia in Fall migration – and some even nest in the northern part of the state – but I haven’t been lucky enough to see one here in many years.
So this was a delightful surprise, and to watch it so closely and clearly for several minutes left an image that will stay with me as one of my favorite bird sightings ever.
An Ovenbird is a wood warbler. During the summer months in its breeding territory in a large area of the eastern US and Canada, the female weaves a nest with a domed roof and a side entrance that is said to look like a Dutch oven – which is where it got its name.
An Ovenbird is probably heard more often than seen. Its loud and clear song – teacher-teacher-teacher! – is very recognizable and familiar throughout its breeding territory. But the Ovenbird I watched this morning was quiet as it stopped over here on its way further south in fall migration.