May 2002
Synopsis of Outings
(May 4-5, May 12, May 14, May 21, May 25, May 28)

Saturday & Sunday, May 4-5 — Birding Festival Outings at Frick Park
[20 birds added to 3RBC Life List - noted with an *]

Participants in the Birding Festival outings May 4 and 5 found 101 species at Frick Park, Homewood Cemetery, Nine-Mile Run and Duck Hollow:


Great Blue Heron Canada Goose Mallard Turkey Vulture Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper’s Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk *Broad-winged Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Merlin Wild Turkey Killdeer *Spotted Sandpiper Ring-billed Gull Rock Dove Mourning Dove Black-billed Cuckoo Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird Belted Kingfisher Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker *Acadian Flycatcher *Least Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Tree Swallow *Northern Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow Blue Jay American Crow Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Carolina Wren House Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Eastern Bluebird Veery *Gray-cheeked Thrush Swainson’s Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird

Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing European Starling *White-eyed Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo *Warbling Vireo Philadelphia Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue-winged Warbler *Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Yellow Warbler *Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Palm Warbler * Bay-breasted Warbler *Cerulean Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart *Worm-eating Warbler Ovenbird *Northern Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler *Common Yellowthroat Hooded Warbler Wilson’s Warbler Scarlet Tanager Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak *Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird *Orchard Oriole *Baltimore Oriole Purple Finch House Finch American Goldfinch *Evening Grosbeak House Sparrow

Sunday, May 12 — Harrison Hills Park (By Trip Leader Jim Valimont)
[2 birds added to 3RBC Life List - noted with an *]

After scheduling an outing on Mother's Day (unintentionally), I expected a rather low turnout. But I received a double surprise when I found the gate to the park already open at 8:00 AM and 24 people ready to see the birds of Harrison Hills. I received another surprise (this one not so pleasant) when I opened the trunk to my car and realized I had left my boots at home. This after I explicitly warned everyone in my outing description to be prepared for mud! We started the outing walking toward the barn, since some of the group thought they heard a Northern Waterthrush in the nearby patch of skunk cabbage. Although the singing bird turned out to be an Indigo Bunting, the walk up the road did produce nice views of Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow-rumped and Blackburnian Warblers. The first Eastern Wood-pewee of the year for many of the group perched directly over the road and sang. After a brief walk around the barn, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird was spotted sitting on the telephone wire patiently for all to see.

As the group got strung out at times, the trailers often saw birds that the leaders had missed. Such was the case of the White-crowned Sparrow spotted by Eric Marchbein. As we walked closer to the stream that we usually follow on this walk, I kept thinking about my sneakers and decided to take the high trail with part of the group while others took the path by the stream. Neither group saw much other than Red-eyed Vireos and Scarlet Tanagers, which were abundant in the park this day. A patch of Fire Pinks greeted the group along with a very cooperative pair of Scarlet Tanagers as we came up out of the ravine and approached the picnic area.

Along the bluff, we had many frustrating attempts to get everyone a chance to see a Cerulean Warbler. Many were singing, but few were seen for any length of time. A light shower brought out the rain gear and sent a few people home, but those that stayed got great looks at a very cooperative Hooded and Black and White Warblers. Still later as the group was then about half the size of the original, we found two Worm-eating Warblers that stayed long enough for everyone to get a good look. On our return to the cars, a Wood Thrush sang long and hard directly over the trail for all to enjoy. We ended the day with 59 species, including 15 species of warblers with several in the group getting life birds. Red-eyed Vireos and Scarlet Tanagers were the dominant birds of the day. Surprising by their absence were Yellow-throated Vireos. The hard rain held off until early afternoon, allowing us all to enjoy the morning at Harrison Hills.

Canada Goose Broad-winged Hawk Mourning Dove Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker *Eastern Wood-Pewee Acadian Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch Carolina Wren Eastern Bluebird Blue-gray Gnatcatcher American Robin Gray Catbird European Starling Cedar Waxwing *Tennessee Warbler

Nashville Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Cerulean Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Worm-eating Warbler (3!) Northern Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler Hooded Warbler Scarlet Tanager Eastern Towhee Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Northern Cardinal Indigo Bunting Rose-breasted Grosbeak Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird Baltimore Oriole American Goldfinch House Sparrow

Tuesday, May 14 — Frick Park (by Jack Solomon)
[1 bird added to 3RBC Life List - noted with an *]

Nine birders came out on this cold, windy, rain-threatening morning, but the rain came too late to stop us from seeing some good birds, including 13 warbler species. Bob Lucas found a *Eastern Screech-Owl, and Scarlet Tanagers put on a show for us. Mabel and Glenn Matteson found an Indigo Bunting, which held still long enough for all to see it well, unlike many of the warblers, except some Redstarts that were pretty friendly and close. Some new birders got looks at Indigo Bunting, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Wood-Pewee, and Hairy Woodpecker. Distant Wood Thrush and Swainson’s Thrush were heard as we roamed the trails. Our warblers were Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, Magnolia, Yellow-rumped, Chestnut-sided, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, American Redstart, Worm-eating, Tennessee, Wilson's, Nashville, and Common Yellowthroat.

Tuesday, May 21 — Frick Park
(by Sue Solomon, who led the walk while Jack took the day off to work at the election polls.)
[4 birds added to 3RBC Life List - noted with an *]

Twelve people braved 32 degree temperatures at 7 am at Frick Park. Everyone, including a few beginners, had clear looks at Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Eastern Wood-Pewee. Sue Solomon led the walk with assistance from Ace Birder, Nathan Hall.

Several warblers cooperated in the good viewing, including American Redstart, Magnolias and Blackburnian. Nestlings chirped as the parent Red-bellied Woodpecker delivered food to them in their cavity in the dead elm in the meadow. Along South Clayton Trail, Nathan Hall found two Philadelphia Vireos and added many warblers: *Northern Parula, Black-throated Green, *Blackpoll, Black-throated Blue, *Canada, Chestnut-sided, Bay-breasted, Tennessee, Nashville, *Mourning and Common Yellowthroat.

To celebrate our good birding, a few of us enjoyed hot coffee and breakfast at Kazansky's deli.

Saturday, May 25 — Bell's Farm
[2 birds added to 3RBC Life List - noted with an *]

Photos from Ralph Bell's farm in Greene County were taken and provided by Pat and Sherron Lynch.


Great Blue Heron Canada Goose Turkey Vulture Red-tailed Hawk Broad-winged Hawk American Kestrel Mourning Dove Chimney Swift Belted Kingfisher Ruby-throated Hummingbird Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Eastern Kingbird Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Acadian Flycatcher Eastern Wood-Pewee Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Purple Martin Blue Jay American Crow Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Carolina Wren Northern Mockingbird Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher American Robin Wood Thrush Eastern Bluebird

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Cedar Waxwing European Starling Yellow-throated Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Worm-eating Warbler Blue-winged Warbler Northern Parula Yellow Warbler Cerulean Warbler *Yellow-Throated Warbler Louisiana Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler Common Yellowthroat *Yellow-breasted Chat Hooded Warbler American Redstart House Sparrow Bobolink Eastern Meadowlark Red-winged Blackbird Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole Common Grackle Scarlet Tanager Brown-headed Cowbird Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak Indigo Bunting House Finch American Goldfinch Eastern Towhee Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Song Sparrow

Tuesday, May 28 —Frick Park (by Jack & Sue Solomon)

16 birders showed up for the last of the Sue and Jack Solomon's Tuesday morning outing of the spring, and saw only a few resident birds.

The Red-bellied Woodpeckers were still feeding nestlings in the big dead elm in the meadow. A flock of Cedar Waxwings adorned the crown of another dead elm. Mountain laurel bloomed behind us as we listened to what sounded like baby birds at Screech-owl bend. Ovenbird and Hooded Warbler sang, but weren't seen. The rain chased us away after an hour or two of birding, but we found a nice new little bakery on Murray Avenue where we and the Lynches saluted the apparent end of Frick's passerine migration with a consoling bit of pastry and coffee.