Saturday, April 27, 2013

Turkey Hill, Weir River Farm, Whitney-Thayer Woods on April 27, 2013

On a gorgeous spring day with temperatures around 60 degrees and little wind, ten club members explored these three contiguous properties with the hopes of finding some recent migrants.  Alas, sometimes nicer days don't always portend outstanding birding.  For most of us, a flock of 6 Cedar Waxwings provided the only new species for the year.  A breeding-plumaged Common Loon flew over the top of Turkey Hill as well as a couple of Great Egrets.  At the end of the walk, an American Kestrel flew in and landed on a fence post for a distant look while an even more distant Osprey soared over the water tank.  Eastern Towhees posed for us in several locations while Pine Warblers made us search hard for a decent look.  The Blue-grey Gnatcatcher teased us with his whiny notes, but never put in an appearance in spite of our scouring the area.  A Ruby-crowned Kinglet hopped around some trees and only later serenaded us with his busy song.http://ebird.org/ebird/submit

Sally Avery


36 species (+1 other taxa) total
4
Canada Goose
1
Wild Turkey
1
Common Loon
29
Double-crested Cormorant
2
Great Egret
1
Osprey
1
Sharp-shinned Hawk
4
Herring Gull
1
Mourning Dove
5
Red-bellied Woodpecker
4
Downy Woodpecker
3
Northern Flicker
1
American Kestrel
3
Eastern Phoebe
4
Blue Jay
8
American Crow
6
Tree Swallow
7
Black-capped Chickadee
5
Tufted Titmouse
4
White-breasted Nuthatch
3
Carolina Wren
1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
14
American Robin
8
European Starling
6
Cedar Waxwing
9
Pine Warbler
8
Eastern Towhee
10
Chipping Sparrow
7
Song Sparrow
5
Northern Cardinal
5
Red-winged Blackbird
2
Brown-headed Cowbird
2
House Finch
12
American Goldfinch
20
House Sparrow
3
passerine sp.
birds perched in a distant tree in bad light; could not be identified with certainty