Registrar: Suzanne Zywicki
Participants: 14
Weather: 52-62 °F. Overcast and cloudy, with gentle but increasing north winds
Bird Species: 50
Our eager group of Linnaean birders met our leader, Anne Swaim, at the preserve at 7:00 am. We began the walk by scanning the trees along the edges of the parking lot and were quickly rewarded with a nice view of a Chestnut-sided Warbler, the first of seven warbler species we saw throughout the day. Many were seen high up in the trees, making identification challenging. We also observed a pair of Common Mergansers flying by overhead.
As we headed down to Swan Lake, we continued to see warblers, including several Northern Parula (over 20 on the walk), as well as a Blue-Headed Vireo and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. A wooded trail eventually led to a more open, meadow area and one keen-eyed birder spotted a Wood Thrush. We also saw a Red-tailed Hawk fly by very low over the ground as it tried unsuccessfully to catch a squirrel.
While in the meadows, we saw another Red-tail being harassed by an American Kestrel, as well as large numbers of Palm Warblers and Chipping Sparrows. We also got decent looks at a Lincoln Sparrow and possibly a Field Sparrow, although we were not confident enough with respect to the latter to add it to the list for the day.
As we headed back into the woods, the wind was beginning to pick up in advance of the forecasted Nor’easter. We began to see various raptors riding the thermals overhead, including Broad-winged, Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks and both Black and Turkey Vultures. We also saw a Merlin. After over four hours of birding, we ended our walk with many of us looking forward to returning to the Preserve at a future date.
Species List
Common Merganser
Mourning Dove
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Northern House Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Brown-headed Cowbird
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting