Tim Barksdale led
a walk of just four people. It was cold (40-50) and drizzly after a night of
hard rain. The birds weren't very active. We saw or heard the following 40 species:
| Spring Birdwalks |
Each year in late April
or early May, we take a walk around the PGT land. It's usually a
great time
to catch the peak of the spring warbler migration and enjoy some wildflowers,
too.
|
Tim Barksdale led
a walk of just four people. It was cold (40-50) and drizzly after a night of
hard rain.
The birds weren't very active. We saw or heard the following 40 species:
Canada Goose
Great Blue Heron
Common Bobwhite
Red Tailed Hawk
Mourning Dove
Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Great Crested Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
American Crow
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Wood Thrush
Yellow Throated Vireo
Northern Oriole
Black and White Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler
Blue Winged Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Red-Winged Blackbird
Brown-Headed Cowbird
European Starling
Orchard Oriole
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
Rufous-Sided Towhee
White-Throated Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
| |
Tim Barksdale led a walk with 12
people. Perfect day ended about 11 a.m., with the best birding in the first
90 minutes starting about 7 a.m. as we walked around the lake at H&L's next
to the PGT. Highlights include:
Henslow's Sparrow in the field east of the lake (high, metallic chirp, kind of like a cricket)
Blackburnian Warbler
American Redstart
Magnolia Warbler
It was 35 degrees in the morning
for this walk with about 8 people. Usually by this time of year the leaves are
out a bit and the warblers are in. This year things are late. Still, it was
a great walk and we saw or heard the following 55 species:
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
Blue Wing Teal
Turkey Vulture
Red Tailed Hawk
Common Bobwhite
Wild Turkey
Sora
American Coot
Morning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Barn Swallow
Rough-Winged Swallow
American Crow
Blue Jay
Titmouse
White-Breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher
Brown Thrasher
American Robin
Wood Thrush
Eastern Bluebird
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Solitary Vireo
Worm-eating Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler (a couple at the Lotus and waterlily ponds)
Blue-Winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula Warbler
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-Winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
Rufous-Sided Towhee
Henslow's Sparrow (exciting to see in the 5-acre planting area)
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-Throated Sparrow
| |
Perfect day! It was near freezing when we started but
rose to 65 degrees. Jim D. Wilson led a walk of 22 people (a record turnout).
The season is not as far along as last year; the hickory buds are just starting
to pop and there's not as much green. Although early May is probably the best
time to hold the walk, Jim D. Wilson says that May 10 is the day of the greatest
number of bird species seen in the state. Tim Barksdale, who led the original
walks elsewhere, came to do some videotaping of the birds. We saw or heard the
following 45 species:
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
Common Bobwhite
American Coot
Morning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Barn Swallow
Rough-Winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
American Crow
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
House Wren
Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher (building a nest)
American Robin
Eastern Bluebird
Sharp Shinned Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Red Tailed Hawk
Black capped Chickadee
Swainson1s Thrush
Yellow Throated Vireo
Worm-eating Warbler (heard)
Blue-Winged Warbler
Northern Parula Warbler
Common Yellowthroat (heard)
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Ovenbird (heard)
Palm Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-Winged Blackbird
Summer Tanager
Baltimore Oriole (heard)
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
Rufous-Sided Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-Throated Sparrow
| |
Ten people attended this walk, led
by Jim D. Wilson. The weather looked terrible when we awoke at 4 a.m. to a thunderstorm.
It was drizzling at 6:45 a.m. but then the weather cleared and we had a neutral
temperature, slight breeze and fluffy clouds in a blue sky.
Specks, the dog, treed a woodchuck in a dogwood tree in full bloom. We saw a decay snake, black rat snake and a garter snake, along with lots of three-toed box turtles. Morels were out. Looked at the Devonian reef rock on Hillers Creek. Tons of great flowers (blue-eyed Mary, trilllium grandiflorum, redbuds) in full bloom. We saw or heard the following 43 species:
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
American Coot
Morning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Double Crested Cormorants
Great Blue Herons (bringing sticks to rookery)
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Barn Swallow
Rough-Winged Swallow
American Crow
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
House Wren
Carolina Wren
Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Eastern Bluebird
Sharp Shinned Hawk
Red Shouldered Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk (on nest feediung chicks!)
Turkey
Mourning Dove
American Kestrel
Black capped Chickadee
Worm-eating Warbler (heard)
Blue-winged Warbler
Northern Parula Warbler
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Red-Winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Scarlet Tananger (great look,perfect light)
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
Rufous-Sided Towhee
Field Sparrow
House Sparrow
White-Throated Sparrow
Starling
| |
The weather was perfect: sun, no
wind, 70 degrees by late morning. The walk began about 7:30 a.m. Here are the
45 species we saw (or heard) clearly:
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Giant Canada Goose
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk (nest?)
Broad-winged Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Barn Swallow
Rough-winged Swallow
American Crow
Blue Jay
Titmouse
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Brown Thrasher
American Robin
Eastern Bluebird
Red-eyed Vireo
Palm Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler (this may be a new bird for us here)
Nashville Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler (amazing)
Northern Parula Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Red-winged Blackbird
Summer Tanager
Indigo Bunting
Brown-headed Cowbird
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
| |
Weather was clear and the temperature
pleasant. We saw 47 species of birds:
Great Blue Heron (and rookery)
Green Heron
Giant Canada Goose
Wild Turkey
Common Bobwhite
Turkey Vulture
Mourning Dove (courtship flight)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Pewee
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Chimney Swift
American Crow
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Eastern Bluebird
Cedar Waxwing
Red-eyed Vireo
Bell's Vireo (heard by Jim D. Wilson, ornithologist)
Tennessee Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Common Yellowthroat (Warbler)
Yellow Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush (Warbler)
Red-winged Blackbird
Orchard Oriole
Rufous-sided Towhee
Summer Tanager
Indigo Bunting
Brown-headed Cowbird
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
| |
(See photo) Jim D. Wilson led
about 20 people on a perfect spring day (blue sky, 57 degrees early and mid
-70s at 11 when it ended).
We saw or heard 61 species:
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Great Egret
American Bittern
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Wild Turkey
Common Bobwhite
Turkey Vulture
Red Tailed Hawk
Mourning Dove
Rock Dove (Pigeon)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Pileated Woodpecker
Red Headed Woodpecker
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Rough Winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Chimney Swift
Killdeer
Blue Jay
Black-Capped Chickadee
Eastern Wood Peewee
Eastern Kingbird
Tufted Titmouse
Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Eastern Bluebird
House Wren
Wood Thrush
Yellow Throated Vireo
Black and White Warbler
Worm Eating Warbler (heard)
Tennessee Warbler
Blue-Winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Cerulean Warbler (heard)
Northern Parula Warbler
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Common Yellow Throat Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush (Warbler)
Kentucky Warbler
Yellow Breasted Chat
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-Winged Blackbird
Northern (Baltimore) Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Rufous-Sided Towhee
Summer Tanager
Indigo Bunting
Rose Breasted Grosbeak
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
White Throated Sparrow
Field Sparrow
|
|
7:30 - 11:30 a.m. About 25 people, including a group from Audubon
Society's state meeting being held in Columbia brought out to the walk by Joyce
Bathke. Jim D. Wilson led the birding. Weather cloudy with intermittent rain
showers throughout the morning. Winds southerly ~5 mph. Temperature ~50 degrees
Fahrenheit.We were fairly well soaked at the end.
We saw or heard:
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
American Turkey
Northern Bobwhite
Killdeer
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Whippoorwill
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Myrtle Warbler
Palm Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Orchard Oriole
Field Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
| |
7:30 - 11:30 a.m. About 40 people. (One of largest groups ever.)
Jim D. Wilson led the birding. Weather was pleasant and clear. We saw or heard
about 57 species:
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
American Turkey
Northern Bobwhite
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Brown Thrasher
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-winged Warbler
Northern Parula Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Rufous-sided Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Henslow's Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
American Goldfinch
| |
This was an unusually pretty day with neutral temperatures, rain at first,
then sun. Jim D. Wilson led about 20 people.
Downy Woodpecker
Rose-breasted grosbeak
Brown Thrasher
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Kingbird
Rufous-sided Towhee
Carolina wren
Northern Cardinal
Ovenbird
Great-crested flycatcher
Worm-eating Warbler
Baltimore Oriole
Bluejay
American Goldfinch
American Crow
Blackburnian Warbler
Eastern Bluebird
Red-Winged Blackbird
American Robin
Mourning Dove
Yellow-Billed Cuckoo
Black-Billed Cuckoo
Cowbird
Chipping Sparrow
Summer Tanager
Canada Goose
Blue-Winged Warbler
Great Blue Heron
Indigo Bunting
Tennessee Warbler
Northern bobwhite
European Starling
Field Sparrow
Eastern Blue Bird
Housefinch
Purple Martin
Red-Eyed Vireo
Catbird
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Wood Thrush
Tufted Titmouse
Kentucky Warbler
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Black Poll Warbler
Eastern Wood Pewee
Ruff-Wing Swallow
Chestnut-Sided Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Veery
Turkey Vulture
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Nashville Warbler
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Black & White Warbler
Acadian Flycatcher
White-Eyed Vireo
Louisiana Waterthrush
Yellow-throated Warbler
Orchard Oriole
| |
In spite of rain and wind, about 10 hearty souls showed up at 7 a.m. to stroll
around for about 3 hours.
Northern Bobwhite
Canada Goose
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Mourning Dove
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Great Crested Flycatcher
Red-Eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Carolina Wren
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Tufted Titmouse
Tree Swallow
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Blue-Winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Northern Parula
Worm-Eating Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Summer Tanager
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-Headed Cowbird
It was a gray and windy day, but 14 people arrived at 7 a.m. to walk, look and listen for about 4 hours. We saw 48 species:
American Goldfinch
Yellow-throated Vireo
Cooper's Hawk
Eastern Kingbird
American Robin
Barn Swallow
Black-and-White Warbler
Black-capped Chickadee
Blue Jay
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Blue-winged Warbler
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Canada Goose
Carolina Wren
Chipping Sparrow
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Field Sparrow
Great Blue Heron
Great Crested Flycatcher
Great-horned Owl
Green Heron
Harris Sparrow
Henslow's Sparrow
Hooded Merganser
House Sparrow
House Wren
Indigo Bunting
Louisiana Waterthrush
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Parula
Orchard Oriole
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-Eyed Vireo
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Rough-winged Swallow
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Song Sparrow
Summer Tanager
Tree Swallow
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
Wood Duck
Wood Thrush
Worm-eating Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
The weather cooperated
with sun and bright overcast skies instead of rain (which had been in the
forecast). (See photo.) A field trip for 27 people meeting at the Audubon Society
statewide gathering in Columbia, combined with a good turnout of friends,
made this birdwalk one of the largest ever. We split into 3 or 4 groups to
walk along from 7 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. beginning at the "swamp"
and ending up along Hiller's Creek before heading back to the PGT center. The
large group and excellent birders contributed to noting 86 species. The female
hooded merganser with youg was a highlight, along with the American bittern.
Both were in the area of the lotus and water lily ponds (#8 and #9 on our numbered
map). We (Lorna and Henry) have seen the bittern in the area for the past few
weeks. The merganser had raised young in previous years at a pond west of the
house, so this was a new spot. An added benefit to bird ID was the identification
of some unusual plants by Paul Mckenzie, who is with the US Fish and Wildlife
Service.
Acadian Flycatcher
American Bittern
American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Robin
Baltimore Oriole
Barn Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Black-and-White Warbler
Black-capped Chickadee
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blue Jay
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Blue Grosbeak
Blue-winged Teal
Blue-winged Warbler
Broad-winged Hawk
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Brown Thrasher
Canada Goose
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Chipping Sparrow
Common Yellowthroat
Cooper’s Hawk
Dickcissel
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Wood-Pewee
European Starling
Field Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Great Blue Heron
Great Crested Flycatcher
Great Egret
Hairy Woodpecker
Hooded Merganser
House Wren
Indigo Bunting
Kentucky Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Mourning Dove
Nashville Warbler
Northern Bobwhite Quail
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Parula
Northern Waterthrush
Orchard Oriole
Ovenbird
Pileated Woodpecker
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-Eyed Vireo
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Rock Pigeon
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
N. Rough-winged Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Scarlet Tanager
Sedge Wren
Summer Tanager
Swainson’s Thrush
Tennessee Warbler
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-eyed Vireo
White-throated Sparrow
Wood Duck
Worm-eating Warbler
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-breasted Chat
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Yellow Warbler
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