The Stroud Preserve, 20 February 2013

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There may have been a lot of birds out today but if there were I couldn’t see them because my head was buried down in my coat trying to keep warm. The wind was challenging today. I’m sure I missed some species that I might have otherwise heard but were drowned out by the wind. Still, I managed to eek out a 35 species including 6 species of sparrows. The best of which was Field Sparrow (I last saw one on 14 January). As best as I can tell, the owl is still incubating her eggs. She does switch positions every once in a while and face the other way. 

I have noticed that White-tailed Deer are getting easier to see. Back during most of January there was hunting going on. I would only catch a glimpse of one or two, which were usually were the hunters were not. My last couple of visits I have seen groups of 6 or 7 deer.

Start time: 9:05

End time: 11:15

Temp: 28-30°

Wind: Very strong from the northwest

Skies: mostly clear

Species Total: 35

  • Great Blue Heron – 1
  • Black Vulture – approximately 20
  • Turkey Vulture – approximately 20
  • Canada Goose – approximately 150
  • Mallard – 12
  • Common Merganser – 2
  • Bald Eagle – 1 juv
  • Red-tailed Hawk – 8, 5 adults, 3 immature
  • Great Horned Owl – 1, usual bird in the usual spot
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker – approximately 12
  • Downy Woodpecker – approximately 8
  • Blue Jay – approximately 5
  • American Crow – approximately 10
  • Fish Crow – 1
  • Carolina Chickadee – approximately 10
  • Tufted Titmouse – approximately 10
  • White-breasted Nuthatch – approximately 10
  • Carolina Wren – 3
  • Golden-crowned Kinglet – 2
  • Eastern Bluebird – approximately 30
  • American Robin – 5
  • Northern Mockingbird – 3
  • European Starling – approximately 50
  • Eastern Towhee – 4
  • Chipping Sparrow – 2
  • Field Sparrow – 3
  • Savannah Sparrow – 5
  • Fox Sparrow – 1
  • Song Sparrow – approximately 30
  • White-throated Sparrow – approximately 50
  • Dark-eyed Junco – approximately 25
  • Northern Cardinal – approximately 10
  • Red-winged Blackbird – approximately 100
  • Common Grackle – 1
  • American Goldfinch – 1