Registrar: Lisa Kroop
Participants: 14
Weather: 48–74°F; clear; calm to light breeze, 2–10 mph SW
Bird Species: 66
Many birds were singing as we gathered for our walk along the Sterling Forest power line cut. Among them were Common Yellowthroat, Northern Yellow Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Ovenbird, American Redstart, Red-eyed Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, Prairie Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, and a blast from a Wild Turkey. We watched and listened to an energetically singing Prairie Warbler that was perched close above us on a crossbar of a power line tower. It was one of the first of many Prairie Warblers that we would hear along our walk. A Cerulean Warbler was also singing loudly, repeatedly. We headed south along the power line trail to try to locate it, following its song as it moved along the forest edge, though most birders, if not all, did not see it.
We turned around and headed into the woods, hearing Chestnut-sided Warblers, American Redstarts, and a Louisiana Waterthrush, and then walked out into the open and up the northern section of the power line cut. There were many more birds singing as we climbed the trail, and overhead we saw a Broad-winged Hawk and a Pileated Woodpecker that flew across the trail. As expected, there were several Blue-winged Warblers both heard singing and seen, but we didn’t find any Golden-winged Warblers or their hybrids.
Perhaps the highlight for many was the surprise appearance of a bobcat that crossed the path in front of some of the group as we were heading back to the cars. Many of those who missed seeing the bobcat crossing the path still managed to catch sight of it moving through the woods beyond us.
Many thanks to Tod and David for leading us on a wonderful walk in Sterling Forest.
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
Wild Turkey
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Eastern Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Northern House Wren
Gray Catbird
Veery
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Cerulean Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Northern Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Herps
Painted turtle
Mammals
Bobcat
