The Stroud Preserve, 22 February 2013

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With little to no wind, the day ranked as stellar in my book. I noticed today that Turkey Vultures were doing pair bonding rituals. There were several pairs that were flying in unison in tight circles and diving back and forth at each other. I enjoyed watching them interacting so much that I hear by declare them bird of the day! Black Vultures, in contrast, were almost absent as I saw only one. A nice runner up to bird of the day were several singing Fox Sparrows.

The staff at the preserve mowed some of the areas around the former farm pond. My first thought upon seeing it was that the birds would be elsewhere. But I would be wrong as most of the song birds that I observed today were in the mowed areas!

Some of the winter regulars are dwindling down to next to nothing or completely absent. House Sparrow and Gold Finch are becoming difficult to find on my daily walks and Swamp Sparrows and Morning Doves haven’t been seen in the past week at all.

Start time: 8:45

End time: 11:35

Temp: 27-32°

Wind: none to slight from the south

Skies: mostly overcast

Species Total: 36

  • Great Blue Heron – 1
  • Black Vulture – 1
  • Turkey Vulture – approximately 20, Bird of the Day!
  • Canada Goose – approximately 450
  • Mallard – 5
  • Northern Harrier – 1, immature or female
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk – 1
  • Red-tailed Hawk – approximately 6, 5 adults and 1 immature
  • Great Horned Owl – 1, same bird, same place.
  • Belted Kingfisher – 1
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker – approximately 10
  • Downy Woodpecker – approximately 5
  • Hairy Woodpecker – 1
  • Blue Jay – approximately 20
  • American Crow – approximately 30
  • Fish Crow – 5
  • Carolina Chickadee – approximately 10
  • Tufted Titmouse – approximately 10
  • White-breasted Nuthatch – approximately 10
  • Brown Creeper – 1
  • Carolina Wren – approximately 10
  • Winter Wren – 1
  • Golden-crowned Kinglet – 1
  • Eastern Bluebird – approximately 50
  • American Robin – 11
  • Northern Mockingbird – 2
  • European Starling – approximately 100
  • American Tree Sparrow – 1
  • Savannah Sparrow – 6, new high count
  • Fox Sparrow – 5, at lest 2 were singing
  • Song Sparrow – approximately 50
  • White-throated Sparrow – approximately 50
  • Dark-eyed Junco – approximately 12
  • Northern Cardinal – approximately 10
  • Red-winged Blackbird – approximately 50
  • Common Grackle – 1
  • House Finch – at least 2, heard only
  • American Goldfinch – 2

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