Sunday, December 13, 2015

Friday Bird Walk at Patterson Park

The active Merlin and Cooper's Hawk kept the number of birds spotted to a minimum.

Merlin - a possible second Merlin in the lower left area of the photo.
A few Ring-necked Ducks
A late Common Yellowthroat was spotted near the boardwalk


Bird list:
Mallard  35
Ring-necked Duck  3
Cooper's Hawk  1
Ring-billed Gull  5
Mourning Dove  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Merlin  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
European Starling  4
Common Yellowthroat  1  
Dark-eyed Junco  5
Red-winged Blackbird  2
American Goldfinch  3

The last bird walk of the year will be this Saturday, Dec. 19th.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Kayaking at Mariner Point Park (Harford Cnty)

The rain kept a few paddlers away, but it stopped before the four of us launched our boats.  What a terrific area for bird watching and to view fall colors.  Here are some photos from the trip:

On the channel just after launching.
Our leader, Jack Dettner, an expert paddler.
After turning into Foster Branch
One of many Great Blue Herons
Mallards were the only ducks spotted.
The tide isn't always high enough to go through here.
It was very narrow on the other side.  We had a great look at an immature Red-tailed Hawk.
Of course the fall colors were fantastic from the Black and Sweet Gums, Red Maples, and Oaks.
Jack admiring a Red Maple.
 Bird list:
Canada Goose
Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Cooper's Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning  Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Carolina Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Thanks everyone for a fun paddle!





Sunday, October 18, 2015

Bird Walk at Mt. Pleasant Farms (Howard County Conservancy)

Seven of us enjoyed a morning of birding in Ho County at Mount Pleasant Farm. Chilly at first, but for the most part a beautiful sunny day. We had 9 species of sparrow and a nice variety of birds overall. Some highlights:

Sharp-Shinned Hawk (1)
Cooper's Hawk (1, great looks)
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (2)
Raven (1, maybe 2)
Hermit Thrush (3)
White-Crowned Sparrow (5)
Lincoln's Sparrow (4)
Junco (1)

Tim Houghton
(Glen Arm)

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Friday Bird Walk at Patterson Park

I was hoping the rain would stop as I was driving south on I-95 to lead the bird walk. Even better than that, as the rain diminished a double rainbow appeared!

The first bird spotted was a FOS Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  We saw quite a few, and several Eastern Phoebes also flitted around the park.  A FOS Junco was also briefly seen in the community garden.  Enjoy photos from the walk, and be sure to join us in November.

Can you find the sapsucker?

We spotted quite a few birds in or near the community garden - junco, ruby-crowned kinglet, song sparrow, palm warbler,  towhee, mockingbird, and phoebe.


 
Adult Black-crowned Night Heron at the Boat Lake.  A juvenile wasn't too far away.

Along the boardwalk.  No red-winged blackbirds were found.

 
 
The wetland garden.  We didn't visit the pollinator garden - apparently it had recently been mowed down in error.  At least this area is still available to our late pollinators (like Monarchs!).


  
Bird list:
 
120 Mallard
2 Black-crowned Night Heron
1 Osprey
1 Cooper's Hawk
18 Ring-billed Gull
6 Mourning Dove
5 Chimney Swift
1 Downy Woodpecker
5 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
6 Northern Flicker
8 Eastern Phoebe
6 Blue Jay
1 Carolina Wren
1 Tufted Titmouse
3 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
5 American Robin
1 Gray Catbird
1 Northern Mockingbird
3 European Starling
2 Cedar Waxwing
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Palm Warbler
2 Field Sparrow
1 Dark-eyed Junco
1 Song Sparrow
1 Swamp Sparrow
2 Eastern Towhee
4 House Finch
4 American Goldfinch
 

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Swan Harbor Farm (Harford County) Bird Walk

Eight of us had a great time birding Swan Harbor this morning. A lot of walking AND A TON OF PALM WARBLERS. Not much in or around the marsh--so dry. The new impoundments were nice with sparrows, including several Savannah and one Lincoln's. And the loop trail in the woods was productive in a couple of spots.  Got a winter wren late in the day. Only two shorebirds. The thing we will remember is all the palm warblers--many of both types--and many others we didn't ID b/c so many. 

Some birds:

--Sharpie (2)
--Cooper's (1)
--both yellowlegs, one each
--winter wren (1)
--Yellow Palm (20+), Western (10+), not ID'd (10)
--Magnolia Warbler  (1)
--Parula (2)
---Redstart (2)
--Ovenbird (2)
--Savannah Sparrow (4)
--Lincoln's Sparrow (1)
--Swamp Sp. (3)

Tim Houghton
(Glen Arm)
 

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Soldier's Delight Bird Walk

Nine of us had an enjoyable time walking in the cool weather and very light rain--light, that is, until the last half mile, when we got thoroughly drenched. 

We managed a few nice birds, including 6 warbler species. The migrant influx from two nights ago seems to have been modest overall. 

Some birds:
--Cooper's Hawk (1)
--Hummingbird (2)
--Pileated (1)
--Kingbird (5)
--Tennessee Warbler (1)
--Cape May (1, first fall female)
--Western Palm Warbler (1)
--Prairie Warbler (3)
--Scarlet Tanager (2)

Tim Houghton
(Glen Arm)
9/12/15

--

Friday, September 11, 2015

Friday Bird Walk at Patterson Park

I missed being greeted by the Chimney Swifts this morning - they didn't show up at all.  One lone Purple Martin did zip by.  Enjoy photos from walk - join us Oct. 9th - last year the park was packed with birds!
Black-crowned Night Heron juvenile

Black-crowned Night Heron
 


Boat Lake
The Muscovy hybrid ducklings have grown up!
Great Blue Heron
Asters in the pollinator garden
The pollinator garden
In the wetland garden.  We weren't sure what it was but it attracted lots of pollinators.  Erin?
Bird list:

Mallard  60
Great Blue Heron  1
Black-crowned Night-Heron  2
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Ring-billed Gull  2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  2
Eastern Wood-Pewee  2
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)  1
American Crow  2
Purple Martin  1
House Wren  1
Carolina Wren  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Gray Catbird  2
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  12
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Northern Cardinal  4
Common Grackle  2
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  1

Ruth Bergstrom

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Friday Bird Walk at Patterson Park

Enjoy photos from our bird walk at Patterson Park on Friday, August 14th.  Best birds were three Kestrels!  I was too busy admiring their aerobatics to take pictures unfortunately.

If you've never joined us before - we meet at the fountain at the northwest corner of the park.
 
Susie Creamer (carrying the binocular bag), is the Director of Urban Education and Conservation
 at Patterson Park Audubon
The city gardens had tomatoes and peppers,  plus Mockingbirds, Carolina Wrens, and Robins.
This young Red Maple thought it was fall.  Not so fast!
A line-up of our friendly group of birders.
Not native, but you have to admit they are awfully cute - Muscovy X ducklings.
At Boat Lake looking at the Green Heron.
Green Heron - he stayed in that pose for a long time.  We never did see him catch anything.
A gorgeous  Black and Yellow Garden Spider - Argiope aurantia.
 
Marsh Hibiscus along the boardwalk.
The wetland garden.
Elderberry in the wetland garden.
The cannons are back!
The Mockingbirds were taking full advantage of their return.
Bird list:

Mallard  65
Green Heron  1
Osprey  1
Ring-billed Gull  2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  3
Chimney Swift  18
Belted Kingfisher  2
Northern Flicker  1
American Kestrel  3
Eastern Kingbird  1
Carolina Wren  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
American Robin  15
Gray Catbird  1
Northern Mockingbird  12
European Starling  25
Northern Cardinal  2
Red-winged Blackbird  1
Common Grackle  3
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
House Finch  8
House Sparrow  3


Thanks everyone for coming out.   See you in September!