Click to jump to specific outing reports
Wednesday, May 5 - Harrison Hills
Friday, May 7 - Sewickley Heights Boro Park
May 7 through May 9, Magee Marsh and Northwest Ohio
60-plus 3RBC Members Had 174 Species in Ohio - Sue Solomon
A Cool and Quiet Island - Joan Tague
“The Best 45 Birding Minutes of My Life” - Donald L. Gibbon
Wow! Tornado Warnings - Virginia McQuown
Species List - Magee Marsh and Northeast Ohio May 6 through May 16, 2010
Friday, May 21 - Sewickley Heights Boro Park
Wednesday May 5 - Harrison Hills
I braved Route 28 out of the city-a sometimes-dangerous highway that my neighbors have cautioned me to avoid-for my first visit to Harrison Hills Park. Once out of the city, the road improved greatly, allowing me to relax and anticipate birding a new area. Fourteen birders arrived to meet leader Paul Hess on a beautiful, pleasant morning. Paul has birded in the park since it was formed in 1970, so he knows the area well.
May offers the chance to spot many first-of-season birds and an opportunity to welcome back migrants that haven't been seen since last fall. Before we left the parking area, the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the day zipped by, and we heard a Catbird making a commotion in a jumble of multi-flora rose bushes. The first of many Baltimore Orioles perched at the top of a tall tree, Chimney Swifts beat the air overhead and Wood Thrushes sang their cheery eee-oh-lay song
Due to the trees leafing out early this spring, we had to work hard to spot many of the birds. Several species were heard but never clearly seen by many in the group. It was a good exercise to hone birding-by-ear skills. Most of the day's eleven Warbler species-Blue-winged, Tennessee, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Yellow Rumped, Black and White, American Redstart, Louisiana Waterthrush, Kentucky and Hooded-were located by ear. A Tennessee Warbler sang loudly at the top of a ridge. As the call is often described, it sounded like a small engine trying to start.
While hiking along the ridge top trail above the Allegheny River, we had the best birding experience of the day. We watched as a pair of Black and White Warblers went about the business of nest building. Fortunately, it was on a wide path and everyone was able to get a good vantage point. The pair took turns flying in low to choose a dead leaf or blade of grass before ducking over the hillside where the nest was under construction.
Flycatchers were well represented. Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird and a Great Crested Flycatcher made appearances at some point in the day.
By noon, the temperatures had climbed into the 70s and the group had thinned out. We drove to the Rachel Carson trailhead for a hike down to the pond in hopes of adding to our list of species. As we reached the bottom of the hill at the wetland, a Red-tailed Hawk dropped out of the sky and pounced on the ground sending several surprised Grackles into the air. We never saw what the hawk was after or if it was a successful attempt but it added some drama to the day. A single Solitary Sandpiper foraged along the shoreline and a Green Heron flew overhead and landed in the tree line near the pond. As we climbed back up the hill, a Blue-winged Warbler called from thick cover, never to be seen. Back at the parking area, we added the last species of the day to our list, a vocal Great Crested Flycatcher for a total of 58. —By participant Sheree Daugherty
| Canada Goose | Red-eyed Vireo | Black-and-white Warbler |
| Green Heron | Blue Jay | American Redstart |
| Turkey Vulture | American Crow | Louisiana Waterthrush |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Tree Swallow | Kentucky Warbler |
| Solitary Sandpiper | Black-capped Chickadee | Hooded Warbler |
| Mourning Dove | Tufted Titmouse | Scarlet Tanager |
| Black-billed Cuckoo | White-breasted Nuthatch | Eastern Towhee |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | House Wren | Chipping Sparrow |
| Chimney Swift | Eastern Bluebird | Field Sparrow |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Wood Thrush | Song Sparrow |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | American Robin | Northern Cardinal |
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Gray Catbird | Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
| Downy Woodpecker | European Starling | Indigo Bunting |
| Hairy Woodpecker | Blue-winged Warbler | Red-winged Blackbird |
| Northern Flicker | Tennessee Warbler | Common Grackle |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Brown-headed Cowbird |
| Eastern Phoebe | Black-throated Blue Warbler | Baltimore Oriole |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | Yellow-rumped Warbler | House Finch |
| Eastern Kingbird | Black-throated Green Warbler | American Goldfinch |
| Yellow-throated Vireo |
Friday May 7 - Sewickley Heights Borough Park Outing
Repeated sightings with good views of Kentucky, Hooded, and Cerulean Warblers plus Scarlet Tanagers and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks marked the outing to Sewickley Heights Borough Park led by Bob VanNewKirk. A fine spring morning was an added treat as 15 birders explored the borough park and later Walker Park. The 53 species of birds we found included a baker's dozen of warblers, the lucky thirteenth being a Worm-eating Warbler, rarely if ever found in Walker Park.
The day began with a Magnolia Warbler and a Yellow-rumped Warbler in the parking lot followed by nice, low views of Cerulean warblers. Indigo Bunting males were competing for territory up in the Meadow, where we also saw a Cooper's Hawk pass over carrying prey. Again and again we passed singing Kentucky and Hooded Warblers in the woods along with musical Scarlet Tanagers and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. A few Baltimore Orioles made up the 'Spring Trifecta' for us. Along the Gravel Road a mixed wave of warblers included an American Redstart, a Black-throated Green, a Cerulean, a Nashville, and a Black-and-White Warbler.
Moving to Walker Park we found a Yellow-throated and two Cerulean Warblers being overly energetic chasing each other repeatedly (at least three different times) around the trees along Little Sewickley Creek. Two other good sightings along the creek were a cooperative Veery and a curious Acadian Flycatcher. Of course, the highlight of the day was finding the Worm-eating Warbler on the hillside above the creek, a life bird for two of the birders left in the group.—By participant Tom Moeller
| Canada Goose | American Crow | Black-and-White Warbler |
| Wild Turkey | Black-capped Chickadee | American Redstart |
| Great Blue Heron | Tufted Titmouse | Worm-eating Warbler |
| Turkey Vulture | White-breasted Nuthatch | Kentucky Warbler |
| Cooper's Hawk | House Wren | Hooded Warbler |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Eastern Bluebird | Scarlet Tanager |
| Mourning Dove | Veery | Eastern Towhee |
| Chimney Swift | Wood Thrush | Chipping Sparrow |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | American Robin | Song Sparrow |
| Downy Woodpecker | Gray Catbird | White-throated Sparrow |
| Hairy Woodpecker | Nashville Warbler | Northern Cardinal |
| Northern Flicker | Yellow Warbler | Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Magnolia Warbler | Indigo Buntings |
| Acadian Flycatcher | Yellow-rumped Warbler | Common Grackle |
| Least Flycatcher | Black-throated Green Warbler | Brown-headed Cowbird |
| Yellow-throated Vireo | Blackburnian Warbler | Baltimore Oriole |
| Red-eyed Vireo | Yellow-throated Warbler | American Goldfinch |
| Blue Jay | Cerulean Warbler |
Friday May 7 through Sunday May 9 - Magee Marsh and Northeast Ohio
Species accounts include birds seen from Thursday, May 6 through Sunday May 16
From Paul Hess: Each spring club members visit Magee Marsh, Ohio, to enjoy the migration bonanza. Sue Solomon, Joan Tague, Donald Gibbon, and Virginia McQuown, tell of this year’s experiences. The photographs are by Chuck Tague
60-plus 3RBC Members Had 174 Species in Ohio - Sue Solomon
May 14 was the day when south winds finally prevailed and the migrants appeared in numbers at Magee. Twenty-plus warbler species that day included Mourning, Hooded, and Canada. Philadelphia and Yellow-throated Vireos were also numerous. A Prothonotary Warbler pair remained in the area, after first a House Wren and then a Tree Swallow evicted them from their nest cavities.
In nearby fields along Stange and Krause Roads, a Marbled Godwit, 5 Black-bellied Plovers, and a female Yellow-headed Blackbird entertained us for hours. The Metzger Marsh area featured a couple of Black Terns, Trumpeter Swans on nests, and several lingering duck species, plus the first male Golden-winged Warbler sighting in the woodlot. But the K-Bird had everyone excited all day long. Kenn twittered the Kirtland's Warbler's location about 9 AM, and the Tropical Birding tour guides alerted the masses. Throngs met in the East Beach parking lot and hiked the 300 yards to see the very cooperative and rare warbler. Waves of birders hiked out in anticipation while those returning offered encouraging smiles.
The “Biggest Week” brought new services and programs to birders visiting the area this year. Great additions were daily bus tours and guided shorebird walks led by 10 bird guides from Tropical Birding of Texas. The guides also conducted informal walks on the boardwalk at 8 and 11 AM daily. They called out their sightings and, when necessary, used a green laser-pointer to locate the bird in question. (They never shined the light directly on the bird, of course).
Kenn and others gave informative evening lectures about birds and birders. Banding demos at Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) and Magee were popular. Boat trips to Point Pelee and Kelley’s Island offered a change of venue. Photography workshops were also offered. Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and Kaufman Field Guides were sponsors. Optics companies Swarovski and Leica gave people opportunities to try out and buy new binoculars and scopes all week. Swarovski reps inspected your equipment on the spot along the boardwalk, cleaned binoculars, and even replaced eyecups and strap connectors as needed.
Kim Kaufman of BSBO is a major force behind these new programs. Kim is also known for her work in forming and nurturing an Ohio young birders club. Two high school boys won the six-hour bird-a-thon on Saturday with over 90 species.
The boardwalk did get congested sometimes when a Mourning or Golden-winged Warbler appeared, but people were polite and everybody got their looks and moved on. Mother Nature gave us two nights of tornadoes, one confirmed 20 miles to the east and another 20 to the west, so our tenting comrades left a day early. One of my fondest memories of Magee 2010 is a flotilla of six White pelicans soaring over the picnic area as we finished lunch in the company of some new birders.The group’s total species was 174.
A Cool and Quiet Island - Joan Tague
The ferry left on the Monday with about 50 people, including four guides, for a full day of rambling around the island. The day was beautiful, the guides outstanding and the birding a little thin, but the island was charming. It was quiet and pastoral, and what it lacked in avian diversity, it made up for in cool geology. Case in point: Glacial Groves. This scarring of the limestone by the glacier left a marvelous raging river pattern in the rock. It looked like a torrent had been solidified. The only other known examples of this formation occur in Finland.
“The Best 45 Birding Minutes of My Life” - Donald L. Gibbon
It was Flat City… boring, boring, boring outside. Boring, that is, until the birds were pointed out to me by an expert birder. Birding transformed our lives. Unbeknownst to us, we had been surrounded by committed birders and some of the continent’s best birding opportunities. Example: An elderly lady librarian and her portly banker husband would drive their big Cadillac out into the hot spots, Bausch and Lomb scopes mounted on their window sills, and get 100 species without ever getting out of the car! It didn’t take long before I was hooked.
I spent a lot of time in the field doing work for my geology thesis in the mountains of far West Texas, over 600 miles from Houston. I carried a Peterson’s Texas field guide in the back pocket of my Levis. I still have it. I wore the covers right off the book! I also got down to the Gulf Coast during migration as often as possible. There are lots of stories from back then, of course, but none was greater than the amazing events at Magee Marsh on May 8, 2010.
When we got to the Marsh, there was a HUGE crowd of people, literally hundreds of cars. We suited up and headed onto the boardwalk. Less than 100 yards in, I paused to follow someone’s excited pointing finger and didn’t move my feet again for 45 minutes. I had a spot on the rail, no one between me and a tangled mass of vines and small trees some twenty yards away.
In that next 45 minutes we saw (among us) 14 species of warblers, a virtual parade of migrants right before our eyes. The first one was a male Bay-breasted, then Chestnut-sided, then in quick succession Magnolia, Black-throated Green, Black-and-white, female Rose-breasted Grosbeak (for a break from the warblers, saw the male later), female Philadelphia Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Waterthrush (two at once, fighting!),Yellow, Palm, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Blue … on and on in dizzying succession.
This was clearly the best 45 birding minutes of my life! I didn’t move or turn around in the whole time! The obvious lesson is that it is clearly worth a try birding on the morning after a wild atmospheric display. And Magee Marsh remains our very favorite place on earth on the first weekend in May!
Wow! Tornado Warnings - Virginia McQuown
Tornado warnings, rain, and gale force winds did not dampen our enthusiasm for birding Magee Marsh. Determined to stick it out, we headed for the boardwalk. Eventually wind and rain drove us to the visitor center at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, where we listened to Major Randel Rogers give the first talk of the birding festival.
Major Rogers, a birder and member of the Columbus Audubon Society, recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. While there, he pursued his passion for birding. He began his talk by discussing the difficulty of finding birding equipment suitable for his military environment; binoculars small enough to fit on a belt, a small sand-proof camera, lightweight scope, tripod, and a field guide for neighboring Jordan (none existed for Iraq).
While on base, he became the unofficial naturalist for his unit. In an attempt to answer nature questions from his colleagues and share his experiences with family members at home, he published a newsletter called “Al-Asad au Natural.” These newsletters are archived on the Columbus Audubon website at www.columbusaudubon.org.
Inspired by Major Rogers’ talk of birding in adverse conditions, we intended to go back to the boardwalk and bird until supper time. Instead, rumors of tornado warnings sent us running to the campground to pack up our tents and seek alternative shelter for the night. The only shelter available on the campground was a dark, dusty room, furnished with army bunk beds and curved mattresses. Not wanting to spend any more time than necessary in this space, the eight of us headed into Port Clinton for supper and the evening talk.
He defined a dabbler as one who will take four international birding trips in a lifetime. At the other end of the spectrum is the obsessive traveler. A person in this category will spend up to $90,000 traveling while building an extensive life list.
Midway through Keith’s talk, tornado sirens wailed. All were ushered out of the conference room and into the hallway. Some continued informal birding discussions, while others tracked the path of the tornado on the motel TV. Once the all-clear was sounded, Keith finished his talk with breathtaking worldwide photos of birds.
The guides from Tropical Birding are self-described as “compulsive birders from around the world.” I think all would agree that their knowledge and approachable personalities on the boardwalk, have added much to the Magee Marsh birding experience.
Species List - Magee Marsh and Northeast Ohio May 6 through May 16, 2010
Grand Total - 174
| Canada Goose | Forster's Tern | Blue-winged Warbler |
| Mute Swan | Black Tern | Golden-winged Warbler |
| Trumpeter Swan | Rock Pigeon | Tennessee Warbler |
| Wood Duck | Mourning Dove | Orange-crowned Warbler |
| Gadwall | Black-billed Cuckoo | Nashville Warbler |
| American Wigeon | Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Northern Parula |
| Mallard | Great Horned Owl | Yellow Warbler |
| Blue-winged Teal | Common Nighthawk | Chestnut-sided Warbler |
| Greater Scaup | Chimney Swift | Magnolia Warbler |
| Lesser Scaup | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Cape May Warbler |
| Bufflehead | Red-headed Woodpecker | Black-throated Blue Warbler |
| Hooded Merganser | Red-bellied Woodpecker | Yellow-rumped Warbler |
| Ruddy Duck | Downy Woodpecker | Black-throated Green Warbler |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | Hairy Woodpecker | Blackburnian Warbler |
| Pied-billed Grebe | Northern Flicker | Pine Warbler |
| American White Pelican | Eastern Wood-Pewee | Kirtland's Warbler |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Least Flycatcher | Palm Warbler |
| Great Blue Heron | Eastern Phoebe | Bay-breasted Warbler |
| Great Egret | Great Crested Flycatcher | Blackpoll Warbler |
| Snowy Egret | Eastern Kingbird | Cerulean Warbler |
| Cattle Egret | White-eyed Vireo | Black-and-white Warbler |
| Green Heron | Yellow-throated Vireo | American Redstart |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | Blue-headed Vireo | Prothonotary Warbler |
| Turkey Vulture | Warbling Vireo | Ovenbird |
| Osprey | Philadelphia Vireo | Northern Waterthrush |
| Bald Eagle | Red-eyed Vireo | Kentucky Warbler |
| Northern Harrier | Blue Jay | Mourning Warbler |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | American Crow | Common Yellowthroat |
| Cooper's Hawk | Horned Lark | Hooded Warbler |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Purple Martin | Wilson's Warbler |
| American Kestrel | Tree Swallow | Canada Warbler |
| Peregrine Falcon | Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Summer Tanager |
| Virginia Rail | Bank Swallow | Scarlet Tanager |
| Common Moorhen | Cliff Swallow | Eastern Towhee |
| American Coot | Barn Swallow | Chipping Sparrow |
| Black-bellied Plover | Black-capped Chickadee | Field Sparrow |
| Semipalmated Plover | Tufted Titmouse | Vesper Sparrow |
| Killdeer | Red-breasted Nuthatch | Lark Sparrow |
| Greater Yellowlegs | White-breasted Nuthatch | Song Sparrow |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | Carolina Wren | Lincoln's Sparrow |
| Solitary Sandpiper | House Wren | Swamp Sparrow |
| Spotted Sandpiper | Winter Wren | White-throated Sparrow |
| Upland Sandpiper | Marsh Wren | White-crowned Sparrow |
| Marbled Godwit | Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Dark-eyed Junco |
| Ruddy Turnstone | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Northern Cardinal |
| Least Sandpiper | Eastern Bluebird | Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
| White-rumped Sandpiper | Veery | Indigo Bunting |
| Baird's Sandpiper | Gray-cheeked Thrush | Bobolink |
| Pectoral Sandpiper | Swainson's Thrush | Red-winged Blackbird |
| Purple Sandpiper | Hermit Thrush | Eastern Meadowlark |
| Dunlin | Wood Thrush | Yellow-headed Blackbird |
| Short-billed Dowitcher | American Robin | Common Grackle |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Gray Catbird | Brown-headed Cowbird |
| American Woodcock | Northern Mockingbird | Orchard Oriole |
| Ring-billed Gull | Brown Thrasher | Baltimore Oriole |
| Herring Gull | European Starling | House Finch |
| Caspian Tern | American Pipit | American Goldfinch |
| Common Tern | Cedar Waxwing | House Sparrow |
Sunday May 15 - Bell’s Farm
…and a tribute to the leader: I’ve known Ralph Bell for a number of years, and every time we meet I realize what a honor it is to know and be friends with such a great guy. Ralph has been so important to the birding world. A very modest person, he has a way of making even the budding birder feel important.
I can’t possibly list all that Ralph has done and continues to do at age 95. Here are a few things that come to mind:
* On the farm: Ralph was born at home on the farm and almost seems to have bird records from birth. There are so many records, in fact, that the farm may be nominated for Important Bird Area status.
* Bird outings: The annual R. K. Bell Farm outing is the longest running PA Audubon outing – over 50 years!
* In West Virginia: Ralph started the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory 52 years ago, a bird banding station high in the mountains in the Dolly Sods Wilderness. At Blackwater Falls, the Wildflower Pilgrimage is a wonderful event. It has been held every Mother’s Day weekend for the last 49 years, and Ralph has been a bird leader at the Pilgrimage for 45 of those years.
Thanks, Ralph. It’s nice to know famous people. –by participant Larry Helgerman
Bell's Farm - Total 80 Species
| Canada Goose | Common Raven | American Redstart |
| Wood Duck | Purple Martin | Worm-eating Warbler |
| Mallard | Tree Swallow | Ovenbird |
| Great Blue Heron | Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Louisiana Waterthrush |
| Turkey Vulture | Barn Swallow | Kentucky Warbler |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Carolina Chickadee | Common Yellowthroat |
| American Kestrel | Tufted Titmouse | Hooded Warbler |
| Mourning Dove | White-breasted Nuthatch | Yellow-breasted Chat |
| Chimney Swift | Carolina Wren | Scarlet Tanager |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | House Wren | Eastern Towhee |
| Belted Kingfisher | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Chipping Sparrow |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | Eastern Bluebird | Field Sparrow |
| Downy Woodpecker | Wood Thrush | Song Sparrow |
| Hairy Woodpecker | American Robin | Northern Cardinal |
| Northern Flicker | Gray Catbird | Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Northern Mockingbird | Indigo Bunting |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | Brown Thrasher | Bobolink |
| Acadian Flycatcher | European Starling | Red-winged Blackbird |
| Eastern Phoebe | Cedar Waxwing | Eastern Meadowlark |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | Tennessee Warbler | Common Grackle |
| Eastern Kingbird | Northern Parula | Brown-headed Cowbird |
| White-eyed Vireo | Yellow Warbler | Orchard Oriole |
| Yellow-throated Vireo | Magnolia Warbler | Baltimore Oriole |
| Red-eyed Vireo | Yellow-throated Warbler | House Finch |
| Warbling Vireo | Blackpoll Warbler | American Goldfinch |
| Blue Jay | Cerulean Warbler | House Sparrow |
| American Crow | Black-and-white Warbler |
Friday May 21 - Sewickley Heights Borough Park
Nineteen hopeful birders gathered in the upper parking lot of Sewickley Heights Park on the final spring outing co-sponsored by the Fern Hollow Nature Center and the Three Rivers Birding Club. While we waited for the walk to begin, some of the early birders were briefly entertained by two Pileated Woodpeckers that seemed to be having a tiff over sharing a tree. The birds were batting their wings at each other until one flew off and was quickly followed by the other. A third pileated soon landed on the same tree, but did not linger, and it, too, flew away in a different direction than the first pair. Other parking lot sightings of an Indigo Bunting, Red-eyed Vireo, and a Chimney Swift were hopeful signs that this might be a day for spotting a wide variety of migrants.
Although the sky was overcast and the air on the cool side, birds were surprisingly vocal. From the meadow we heard a Hooded Warbler, a Wood Thrush, and a House Wren singing. One sharp-eyed birder saw a Yellow-billed Cuckoo perched in a small opening in the woods. The bird was soon lured to a different perch by playing its call, and this time everyone was able to see it before it flew over the field.
Hopeful to see more warblers, we walked the Chestnut Path. It did not take long until we found Kentucky Warblers, an American Redstart, a Magnolia Warbler, one fast glimpse of a Black-throated Blue Warbler, and heard a singing Chestnut-sided Warbler. Other woodland birds present were Scarlet Tanager, an Acadian Flycatcher, an Eastern Wood Pewee, and Red-eyed Vireos.
The Pipeline Trail and Gravel Road were unexpectedly calm and quiet. Only a Black-throated Green Warbler was heard, but we did get a good open view of a Hooded Warbler. As the group headed back on the main road towards the parking lot, bird activity quickly picked up. A Cerulean Warbler’s buzzy notes gave away its presence in the mid-canopy of a tree. Two Yellow-throated Vireos were spotted chasing each other. We also saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, and a Red-eyed Vireo. A hiker stopped to talk to us and mentioned that he had just discovered a Wood Thrush nest on his walk. He was very willing to show us the nest’s location. One of the birders examined the nest and found it contained three thrush eggs and one cowbird’s egg.
By midmorning some of the group had to leave, and the others traveled to Walker Park. Along Little Sewickley Creek, Cerulean Warblers sang. A pair of Cedar Waxwings sallied off their perches to snatch flying insects. The always dependable Baltimore Oriole and Scarlet Tanager were present along with the usual Northern Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Common Grackle, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, and some soaring Turkey Vultures. Two interesting sightings of the day were provided by a Least Flycatcher, that we caught in the act of making her nest and an Acadian Flycatcher that was seen bringing materials to her nest. The female Acadian would also leave her nest repeatedly and forage for food with her mate. The female would then return to the nest while the male stayed in close proximity.
Our last stop at Wagner’s Hollow on Fern Hollow Road provided us with sightings of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, two soaring Red-tailed Hawks, a fast flyover from a Northern Mockingbird, and our first day’s sighting of an Eastern Phoebe. Yellow Warblers were actively foraging for caterpillars in the small shrubs along the field. As we walked along the shallow stream, we were once again lucky to discover another nest building bird. This time it was a Red-eyed Vireo.
Although it was a slow day for finding total species – 47, it was a great day for reflecting about bird migration and upon the lives of birds. -by leader Bob VanNewkirk
Species List
| Heron, Great Blue | Chickadee, Black-capped | Towhee, Eastern |
| Vulture, Turkey | Titmouse, Tufted | Sparrow, Chipping |
| Mallard | Wren, House | Sparrow, Song |
| Hawk, Red-tailed | Thrush, Wood | Cardinal, Northern |
| Swift, Chimney | Robin, American | Grosbeak, Rose-breasted |
| Hummingbird, Ruby-throated | Catbird, Gray | Bunting, Indigo |
| Woodpecker, Red-bellied | Mockingbird, Northern | Cuckoo, Yellow-billed |
| Woodpecker, Downy | Waxwing, Cedar | Grackle, Common |
| Flicker, Northern | Warbler, Yellow | Oriole, Baltimore |
| Woodpecker, Pileated | Warbler, Chestnut-sided | Red-winged Blackbird |
| Wood-Pewee, Eastern | Warbler, Cerulean | Goldfinch, American |
| Flycatcher, Acadian | Warbler, Magnolia | |
| Flycatcher, Least | Warbler, Black-throated Blue | |
| Phoebe, Eastern | Warbler, Black-throated Green | |
| Vireo, Yellow-throated | Redstart, American | |
| Vireo, Red-eyed | Warbler, Kentucky | |
| Jay, Blue | Warbler, Hooded | |
| Crow, American | Tanager, Scarlet |
Friday May 21 - Whip-poor-wills et al.
“It was a dark and stormy night.” Well, rain threatened, but thankfully held off for most of the evening, giving 20 birders the chance to experience some of the sweetest sounds that the Bavington Gamelands could offer. The heavy cloud cover hindered visibility, forcing us to rely on sound to identify most of the birds that would be along the Pitch Pine Trail. Ovenbirds and Hooded Warblers were audibly front and center, loud and strong. Wood Thrushes accompanied with the familiar rolling ee-oh-lay. The almost percussive yank-yank of Red-breasted Nuthatches punctuated the performances, while Catbirds whined and squeaked. A Blue-gray Gnat-catcher launched into a quick flurry of silky notes, then retreated from earshot. A Swainson’s Thrush whispered in the background. Trills came from the treetops, causing speculation among the birders. Some of the trilling came from Chipping Sparrows, some from Pine Warblers and sometimes we just didn’t know.
A quick run along Raccoon Creek yielded no Barred Owls. In fact, no owls could be found that evening. The impending rain seemed to dampen their enthusiasm for any interaction with our recordings.
The best stop of the evening was on a crest of Haul Road. The sun had just set and Venus could be seen through openings in the cloud cover. As we exited the parked cars, the Whip-poor-wills were calling all around us. To the delight of the crowd, one bird circled around us as we were able to get a flashlight on the bird. For many of the participants, it was a life bird.
Species count for the evening – 30. Leader Chuck Tague was as informative as always. Musical memories – priceless. -by participant Joan Tague
| Ruffed Grouse | Eastern Wood-Pewee | Gray Catbird |
| Wild Turkey | Red-eyed Vireo | Brown Thrasher |
| Great Blue Heron | American Crow | European Starling |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Blue Jay | Pine Warbler |
| American Woodcock | Carolina Chickadee | Ovenbird |
| Mourning Dove | Red-breasted Nuthatch | Hooded Warbler |
| Common Nighthawk | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Eastern Towhee |
| Whip-poor-will | Swainson's Thrush | Chipping Sparrow |
| Chimney Swift | Wood Thrush | Northern Cardinal |
| Downy Woodpecker | American Robin | House Sparrow |
Saturday May 22 - Imperial Grasslands
The best part of the sparrow outing, except for the company, was that we didn’t get soaked. Ten fearless birders cut through the showers and storms with surgical precision. We met at 6:30 AM. The rain began at 6:35. By the time we arrived at the ponds on Bald Knob Road it had slowed to a drizzle and soon stopped. I’d hoped the rains would drop some migrants, but the only shorebirds we found were two Spotted and four Least Sandpipers. At least four Grasshopper Sparrows sang and a male Orchard Oriole landed in an Autumn Olive bush a few yards in front of the group. The dismal color of the grasslands accented the yellow breasts of the Eastern Meadowlarks. Prairie Warblers sang at the second pond. We moved to Beagle Club Road and hiked along the old coal road. The sounds of Grasshopper Sparrows, Field Sparrows, and Willow Flycatchers were the most numerous, but a single Brown Thrasher was the loudest. We heard a single song from a Savannah Sparrow and several Henslow hiccups, but these birds stayed low. The Yellow-breasted Chat also refused to show himself. There was nothing secretive about the two groups of Bobolinks. The sun broke through for a few minutes as we walked back to the cars, accompanied by several ticks. We watch the storm accumulate on the hilltop on Donaldson Road, and we drove out in a downpour. The day’s total: 46 species. –by leaders Chuck and Joan Tague
| Canada Goose | Tree Swallow | Eastern Towhee |
| Mallard | Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Field Sparrow |
| Great Blue Heron | Barn Swallow | Savannah Sparrow |
| Green Heron | Carolina Chickadee | Grasshopper Sparrow |
| Turkey Vulture | American Robin | Henslow's Sparrow |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Gray Catbird | Song Sparrow |
| Killdeer | Northern Mockingbird | Northern Cardinal |
| Spotted Sandpiper | Brown Thrasher | Bobolink |
| Least Sandpiper | European Starling | Red-winged Blackbird |
| Rock Pigeon | Yellow Warbler | Eastern Meadowlark |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Prairie Warbler | Common Grackle |
| Northern Flicker | American Redstart | Orchard Oriole |
| Willow Flycatcher | Common Yellowthroat | Baltimore Oriole |
| Eastern Kingbird | Hooded Warbler | American Goldfinch |
| White-eyed Vireo | Yellow-breasted Chat | House Sparrow |
| Warbling Vireo |
