Birdathon 2012

May 27

This year our Birdathon team began the seach for birds at Bombay Hook in Delaware.  We spotted some  beautiful birds such as  Black-necked Stilt, Avocet, Semipalmated Plover, Black-bellied Plover, and Black-crowned Night Heron.  A Seaside Sparrow was a nice bonus and many Great Egrets were found.

Great Egret

Team members Tim and Kye scanning the wetlands.

We headed over to Port Mahon and  came across hundreds of Ruddy Turnstones and some Red Knots.

Horseshoe Crabs

Ruddy Turnstones and Black-necked Stilts

We were hoping for the Sabine's Gull at Dupont Nature Center but it was a no show.  We did get American Oystercatcher.

Entrance to the nature center.

We then headed to Fair Hill Nature Center in Cecil Cnty. MD and saw Yellow-throated Warbler, many Redstarts,  and Orioles.  Harford Glen Environmental Education Center in Harford Cnty. was our last stop where we picked up Least Tern, Wood Duck, and Rough-winged Swallows.  Our final tally was 102 species.  A bit less than last year but it was an enjoyable day and a great way to earn money for Chesapeake Aububon, Pickering Creek Audubon Center, and Patterson Park Audubon Center.  Here is a list of birds seen:

Canada Goose
Tundra Swan
Wood Duck
American Black Duck
Mallard
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Clapper Rail
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
American Oystercatcher
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Greater Black-backed Gull
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Least Tern
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Easter Wood-pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great-crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-breasted Chat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow