As with yesterday, it was fairly slow for birds, but very warm which made for a good walk. It was a good day for sparrows with seven species total. I saw Savannah Sparrow for the first time since the spring. Starting temperature was 63° and it was 68° by the time I got back to the car! It was overcast skies with a 70% plus chance for rain by the afternoon. In fact, by the time I got home it was raining.
Stat time: 9:00
End time: 10:30
Temp: 63-68
Wind: slight from the southwest.
Skies: overcast
Species Total: 48
Great Blue Heron – 1
Black Vulture – 3
Turkey Vulture – approx. 30
Canada Goose – approx. 50
Wood Duck – 1
Mallard – 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 6
Cooper's Hawk – 1
Red-tailed Hawk – 1
Merlin – 1, Bird of the Day, flying low across a field. Great views.
Rock Dove – 5
Mourning Dove – approx. 30
Chimney Swift – 5
Belted Kingfisher – 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 3
Downy Woodpecker – 1
Hairy Woodpecker – 1, largely absent this fall only the third observation since September 1. They were common in the spring, with at lest one pair nesting on the preserve.
Northern Flicker – 2
Blue Jay – approx. 50, these still appear to be migrating as most birds are flying to the southwest.
American Crow – approx. 50
Tree Swallow – approx. 250!
Carolina Chickadee – 5
Tufted Titmouse – 5
White-breasted Nuthatch – 1
Carolina Wren – 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet – approx. 15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – approx. 10
Eastern Bluebird – approx. 25
American Robin –approx. 30
Gray Catbird – 1, these appear to be thinning out a little.
Northern Mockingbird – 1
European Starling – approx. 50
Cedar Waxwing – approx. 75
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 5
Common Yellowthroat – 1
Eastern Towhee – 1
Field Sparrow – 3
Savannah Sparrow – 2
Song Sparrow – approx. 75
Lincoln's Sparrow – 2
Swamp Sparrow – approx. 10
White-throated Sparrow – approx. 25
White-crowned Sparrow – 3, 2 imm, and 1 adult.
Northern Cardinal – 5
Red-winged Blackbird – approx. 50
House Finch – approx. 50
Purple Finch – approx. 100
American Goldfinch – approx. 75
