These are observations from yesterday (Sat May 5/07), my
first chance this year to bird the trail from Cherry Hill
Rd, past the university, and on to Lake Artemesia. Ryan
Farrell joined me for the first part. Although nothing too
out of the ordinary was seen, it was good to be reminded how
much diversity is on the trail (we tallied 64 species in ~3
hrs of birding). Lots of first-of-year birds for me, since
I was in France for 3 months at the start of the year.
At the lake I missed the Bobolink but saw the WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW and the PURPLE MARTINS. There were a silly number
of BALTIMORE and ORCHARD ORIOLES easily seen everywhere and
up close.
Warblers seen/heard along the trail: NORTHERN PARULA, YELLOW
WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BLACKPOLL WARBLER, COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. (Had Yellow Warbler and
Common Yellowthroat at the lake as well.)
Also of interest: YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (including a pair
mating!), CEDAR WAXWING, SCARLET TANAGER (1 male, 1 female),
and a single RUSTY BLACKBIRD at the swamp.
Here's the eBird report for the trail. Species added at the
lake and not already mentioned: Ruddy Duck, Osprey, Eastern
Bluebird, House Finch.
Location: Paint Branch Stream Valley Park
Observation date: 5/5/07
Notes: My first chance to bird the trail this year. Ryan
Farrell joined me until the golf course entrance (I
continued on to Lake Artemesia and back). Started out
mostly cloudy, cool, and calm; finished partly sunny and
warm with a light breeze. Warblers were scarce, but I added
2 FOY species (Yellow Warbler & Yellow-breasted Chat), plus
plenty of other non-warbler FOY species (since I've mostly
been birding Rock Creek and my backyard since returning from
France). May have heard White-breasted Nuthatch (but it may
have been a mockingbird). Also saw White-tailed Deer and
Eastern Cottontail.
Number of species: 64
Canada Goose 50 includes 3 goslings
Wood Duck 2 FOY
Mallard 6
Double-crested Cormorant 15 flyover
Great Blue Heron 1
Green Heron 1 FOY, may have been 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 3
Buteo sp. 1 Red-tailed?
Killdeer 1 FOY
Solitary Sandpiper 2 FOY, 1 had yellow legs (not greenish)
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 4 1 pair mating with food offering from male
Chimney Swift 2
Belted Kingfisher 2 heard only, may have been 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 5
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 1 heard only
Eastern Phoebe 1 heard only, may have been 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 3 FOY
White-eyed Vireo 3
Red-eyed Vireo 7 heard only
Blue Jay 20
American Crow 1 heard only
Fish Crow 5
Tree Swallow 1 seen by Ryan only
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 6 2 visiting nest cavity
Tufted Titmouse 3
Carolina Wren 7 heard only
House Wren 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 15
Wood Thrush 2 heard only
American Robin 20
Gray Catbird 4
Northern Mockingbird 5
European Starling 30
Cedar Waxwing 10 FOY
Northern Parula 4
Yellow Warbler 1 heard only
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 10
Blackpoll Warbler 3 heard only
Common Yellowthroat 4 heard only
Yellow-breasted Chat 4 FOY
Scarlet Tanager 2
Eastern Towhee 5
Chipping Sparrow 2
Field Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 5
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 15
Indigo Bunting 3
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Rusty Blackbird 1 FOY
Common Grackle 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 15
Orchard Oriole 2
Baltimore Oriole 4
American Goldfinch 15
House Sparrow 4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2
(http://www.ebird.org)
--
Derek C. Richardson, Laurel, PG County, MD
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~dcr/Archives/Photos/birds.html |