May Migration Challenge - Day 12

May 12, 2025 | 5:15pm

Date: May 12, 2025

Location: My Street

Start Time: 5:15pm

Duration: 1 hr, 17 min

Daily Highlights:

• Total species observed: 25

• Warbler species observed: 1

• Notable species: Lark Sparrow

• Merlin’s Bird of the Day: Blackburnian Warbler

Goal Progress:

• Seabrook Town Forest Life List: 138 / 140

• Seabrook Town Forest Species Month Total: 93/87+

• Warbler Species Total: 21/20 COMPLETE

• Single Checklist Record: 69/64+ (May 11th)

• Vagrant Species Found?: No

• Merlin Bird of the Day Streak: 0 (Longest Streak: 4)

Photo of the Day:

Daily Recap:

A miracle happened today—one I don’t think will ever happen again. This was meant to be.

I accidentally slept through my alarm this morning, so I decided I’d head to the Town Forest at sunset instead. I spent the day keeping busy, and around 4 p.m., my girlfriend asked if I could bring her lunch at work. Of course, I couldn’t say no.

I figured I’d just stop at the Town Forest on my way back from dropping off her lunch. I left the house, drove maybe a minute down the road, and realized—I forgot my camera. I paused for a second and thought, “I could always come back and go later,” but something told me to turn around.

I pulled down a side street to make the turn, and that’s when it happened. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of white tail feathers as a bird hopped from the road into someone’s yard. I slowed down and looked—and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I stopped the car just as the bird flew up into a tree.

In my head I thought, “I’m pretty sure that was a Lark Sparrow.”

I drove back and forth down the street at least five times... nothing. I had to deliver the food, so I rushed to my girlfriend’s work, dropped it off, and then sped back home so I could walk to that street on foot and try for a better look.

I walked straight to the exact spot where I’d seen it—and still, nothing. Then suddenly, a bird flew over my head and into a bush in someone’s backyard. It made things tricky—I didn’t want to seem like I was snooping around, so I stood there quietly, hoping the bird would show itself.

Then I heard it. A soft, murmuring song coming from deep inside the bush. Definitely unfamiliar. The bird was singing low and steady, so I pulled out Merlin and started recording, but even Merlin couldn’t identify the song. I let it be, saving the clip just in case.

Moments later, the mystery bird flew out of the bush—and landed right in the front yard of the house beside me. And there it was: an absolutely stunning Lark Sparrow, foraging calmly on a freshly mowed lawn.

After I found it, my friend and respected birder Jim Sparrell said, “It seems like finding a good bird is a lot of luck and knowing it when you see it.” I couldn’t agree more.

If it weren’t for my girlfriend asking for lunch—and me forgetting my camera—I never would’ve found this bird.

As I write this, a high migration night is underway, which gives me even more reason not to sleep through my alarm tomorrow. I plan to be at the Town Forest right at sunrise.
That said... if I hadn’t overslept today, none of this would’ve happened.

Everything happens for a reason.

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