Photographing Nature at Cromwell Valley

Led by Fred Brundick and John Landers - April 11

Red-tailed Hawk
photo by Victoria

Photo by Victoria

Eastern Bluebird
photo by Victoria

 

More photos are available on our Meetup site:  http://www.meetup.com/Chesapeake-Audubon-Society/events/221112085/

Wildflower Walk at Susquehanna State Park

I had a small (but elite and companionable) turnout for my CAS wildflower
hike in Susquehanna SP this morning.  Six of us enjoyed early spring
wildflowers on the alluvial flood plain.  Peak bloom is about a week to 10
days away, late this year.  Thanks for coming Tom, DJ, Mary Lynn, Alex and
friend!

Bryan

Bluebells

Trout Lily

Red Trillium

Dutchman's Breeches

Friday Walk at Patterson Park

Despite the drizzles, we encountered lots of newly arrived migrants.  Beginning from the fountain, we spotted Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pine Warbler, Juncos, and many Brown Creepers.  I'm always glad to see creepers north of the city - that means they have dodged the glass and buildings on their way to their breeding grounds.  Numerous Brown Thrashers were seen throughout the park.

Can you see the female Eastern Towhee?  She was searching for a meal in the leaves and mulch
near the community gardens.   Hint - she's on the board.

What a nice welcome at the Boat Lake - three Black-crowned Night Herons!

Notice the difference between the bills in the male and female Mallards.  Did you know only the females "quack"?

A Double-crested Cormorant glided quite close to us.

Yes, it's a terrible picture - but you can see the ruby on the Ruby-crowned Kinglet!

Merlin on the left - Kestrel on the right.  Thank you!

Red Maples flowering

It was a fun morning at the park.  The next walk is Saturday, April 24th, led by Patterson Park Audubon staff.

Species list: 29 species

Mallard  30
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Black-crowned Night-Heron  3
Ring-billed Gull  X
Herring Gull  X
Mourning Dove  2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Northern Flicker  2
American Kestrel  1
Merlin  1
Eastern Phoebe  2
American Crow  1
Fish Crow  3
Brown Creeper  5
Carolina Wren  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2
Hermit Thrush  1
American Robin  35
Brown Thrasher  10
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  10
Palm Warbler  1
Pine Warbler  1
Eastern Towhee  3
Song Sparrow  2
Swamp Sparrow  1
Dark-eyed Junco  6
Red-winged Blackbird  9
House Sparrow  1

North Point State Park - Bird Walk for Beginners

We knew it was going to be an exciting day of birding -  23 species were counted just from the parking lot!   A majority of the participants had just started birding - a few others had only been birding for a few years.  North Point is a perfect place for birders of any level - there are woods, wetlands, fields, and the Chesapeake Bay shoreline.  It's very easy walking, and from Memorial Day to Labor Day, a visitors center is open.


Along the marsh trail we added Gadwall, Mallard, Canada Goose, Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal, Hooded and Common Mergansers, and a Little Blue Heron was tucked in the corner.

Blue--winged Teal 
photo by Marisa Galitz



We got great looks at two Eastern Phoebes - they put on a good "tail pumping" show. 

Osprey
photo by Marisa Galitz
We also saw migrating Northern Harriers - including the "gray ghost" (male)!

Black Vulture
photo by Marisa Galitz



Doris remarked how beautiful this area was -- blue sky, pale tall trees, and green evergreens

. 

Scat from ?

 

The Chesapeake Bay!  Buffleheads and Double--crested Cormorants were spotted from here.  Unfortunately my recently repaired spotting scope is stuck in a California port so we couldn't see what other ducks were floating in the distance.

The refurbished jetty is beautiful.  Wind gusts were so powerful Doris thought we should link arms so we wouldn't be carried off.  A Red-breasted Merganser flew by us here, and Great-blacked Gulls were close by.

 

Thanks all for a fun morning of birding.  Here is our bird list - 44 species:

 

Canada Goose  6

Wood Duck  2
Gadwall  4
Mallard  4
Green-winged Teal  6
Blue-winged Teal 3
Bufflehead  12
Hooded Merganser  4
Common Merganser  2
Red-breasted Merganser  1
Double-crested Cormorant  6
Great Blue Heron  1
Little Blue Heron  1
Black Vulture  1
Turkey Vulture  8
Osprey  4
Northern Harrier  3
Bald Eagle  5
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Ring-billed Gull  X
Herring Gull  X
Great Black-backed Gull  3
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  4
Northern Flicker  2
Pileated Woodpecker  2
Eastern Phoebe  2
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  5
Tree Swallow  15
Carolina Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  1
Carolina Wren  2
American Robin  8
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  7
Eastern Towhee  1
Song Sparrow  1
White-throated Sparrow  3
Dark-eyed Junco  5
Northern Cardinal  6
Red-winged Blackbird  9

Also - lots of Wood Frogs and Spring Peepers calling

Mourning Cloak Butterfly

? Snake

Signs of Spring Walk at Patapsco

Eight intrepid CAS members braved freezing temperatures for an
incongruously-named :Signs of Spring" walk on March 28, 2015.  The leader
had expected sunny skies, warm temperatures and singing birds, but got
precious few of these.  Nevertheless, a fun time was had by all: Doris,
Diane, Jimmy, Rosemary, Dave, Sandy, Debi and Bryan.  Best bird was a FOY
eastern phoebe, although it was not singing its eponymous song.  Good to
see one of our earliest returning migrants.  Among the other signs of
spring were budding spicebush, leaves of toothwort and spring beauty,
flowering Pennsylvania bittercress and skunk cabbage, and a flock of
opening day trout fishermen.  The leader went directly home after the walk
and took a long hot bath.

Bryan MacKay

Skunk Cabbage flower
photo by Debi MacKay

Marsh Grass Restoration Day with Pickering Creek Audubon

What a fun day we had at Blackwater NWR today.   Students, teachers, and friends of Chesapeake College, and a few Chesapeake Audubon members joined together to learn about problems from sea level rise and land subsidence on the Eastern Shore from the staff of Pickering Creek Audubon Center.

After hiking a short ways on Wolf Pit Pond (where we spotted 2 Brown-headed Nuthatches), we returned to the Education Center to share our experiences and prepared to head out to plant Spartina alterniflora (Saltmarsh cordgrass).

 

 

Samantha Pitts, volunteer coordinator and teacher naturalist (left), and Jaime Bunting, education manager of Pickering Creek Audubon Center (right) guided us out in the field.  Mark Scallion, director of the center, also helped out.

Many trees have already died due to the encroaching salt water.
 This region has some of the highest rates of sea-level rise in the U.S.



A Spartina plug

 

 

 



After eating pizza, compliments of Pickering Creek, and completing a survey, two of us headed out on Wildlife Drive where about 50 White Pelicans were easily spotted.  Greater-yellowlegs, Northern Shovelers, Tundra Swan, Kestrel, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Juncos, Mockingbird, Mallard, Purple Martin, and Tree Swallows were also seen.

 

This Osprey was perched on the platform that can be seen on the Friends of Blackwater
Osprey Cam.  A nest hasn't been started yet - stay tuned!

 

The new visitor's center is beautiful - be sure to visit them and view the exhibits, and browse the gift shop.




Pickering Creek has one more planting event scheduled for April 25th - please contact Samantha at spitts@audubon.org to participate. Not only will you have fun -- but you will learn about our precious salt marshes and help combat sea level rise.

 

Woodcock Watch

Tim Houghton is Chesapeake Audubon's field trip director, and if you've ever been on one of his trips - you know he will find the bird for you!  Tonight we were in search of Timberdoodles, or the American Woodcock.  This is the prime time of year to hear them "peent" and watch them perform their mating display.  They are related to sandpipers, but prefer moist woods where they can eat their favorite food - worms.

We heard many of them in the thicket, one stayed in the mowed grass under the Home Depot parking light so everybody got a good luck.  Two flew just to relocate, and one flew very high, but the wind was brisk so it was not an ideal night to see their "skydance".

Tim remarked that you can see them display for the next few weeks.  Read more about this interesting bird and hear them "peent"  on Audubon's online bird field guide:
http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-woodcock

Tim teaching us about the Timberdoodles

American Woodcock (photo from Widipedi)