14 people in warm jackets with binoculars on a paved path in front of trees and shrubbery.

words by Kris Hansen

The plum and buckeye trees were in full bloom on a crisp and sunny Friday morning, May 9, as 14 birders gathered at Montrose Point and Dunes. Both Orchard and Baltimore Orioles jockeyed for position in the hawthorn at the entrance, where they drank nectar from the flowers, explained trip leader and COS board member Vinod Babu.

"While looking at the orioles feeding on the buckeye flowers, I noted the bases of their bills were yellowish, which is unusual. Looking at the photos of the birds explains why—their bills are plastered with pollen from the flowers. They are probably performing a pollinating function for the flowers as they feed on the nectar,” explained Babu after the walk.

Robin-sized bird with bright yellow head, shoulders, breast and belly, dark wings and chin, and smudgy yellow long, pointed bill, sitting on a cluster of white flowers. — Orchard Oriole. *Photo by Vinod Babu, Montrose Point, May 9, 2025.*

The plum trees and their white flowers proved equally irresistible to a pair of Cap May Warblers just a few yards further in. While technically a shrub, plum trees can be trained to a tree shape, and their blossoms are quite fragrant, Babu noted.

A cooperative Ovenbird worked its way along the water feature in the “clump.” A large flock of Blue Jays sailed overhead, continuing their migration. A Merlin also streaked past but was only seen by a few.

Small, round yellow bird with black cap, black line through a dark eye, and black streaks on breast, with a reddish orange patch above and below the eye, perched on a twig among white flowers. — Cape May Warbler. *Photo by Shelley Weinberg, Montrose Point, May 9, 2025.*

We wove in and out of the dirt trails on the southeast side of the sanctuary, first spotting a Red-headed Woodpecker with the help of a young birder who was not in our group. We also turned up Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets, and Warbling Vireos.

Dropping down to the walkway near the beach, we admired a large flock of Bank Swallows who already had set up housekeeping for the year. We continued out on the sand and were treated to nice views of Piping Plover Imani, who was making nest scrapes and piping loudly. A number of Spotted Sandpipers ambled by, and a mixed flock of Ring-billed Gulls and Caspian Terns were visible along the protected beach.

Gull-sized white bird with long, angled wings, black cap and orange bill soaring in front of blurred trees. — Caspian Tern. *Photo by Matt Zuro, Deer Grove East, July 8, 2023.*

We returned to the sanctuary and scanned the the undergrowth in hopes finding leaf-kickers, but only found White-crowned and White-Throated Sparrows. Returning to the entrance, we dispersed to bird other locations. We saw and heard a total of 48 species.

Field Trip Recap: Montrose Point and Dunes