The Stroud Preserve, 27 February 2013

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I thought about not heading out today because there was light rain at my house and it just seemed like a rotten day for birds. But then I thought about all those times when I felt this way, then forced myself to go out in the field and found something truly amazing. As it turned out, this wasn’t one of those days. It was rainy and the birding was slow. It might have had something to do with the diminished efforts of the observer having to constantly wipe off his glasses and binoculars combined with the fact that the observer had to leave early to take his child to the doctor, still I managed to eek out 35 species.

I did observe a pair of Red-tailed Hawks copulating. I haven’t seen any nest building activities yet but that is certainly forthcoming. The large number of Red-winged Blackbirds was mostly due to several larger flocks passing by overhead. I also saw a single Common Grackle perched in the top of a tree making the strangest assortment of sounds imaginable. While it was sitting there a Red-tailed Hawk landed in a nearby tree. Most of the birds nearby fled immediately. The Grackle however, dropped down the next branch, then the next and the next like a pachinko ball bouncing down the board. I made it to the last branch and then dropped to the ground and disappeared in the brush. I think they are still one of my favorite birds! Notable absentees were Black Vulture and Fish Crow.

Start time: 8:50

End time: 10:30

Temp: 32-40°

Wind: none

Skies: overcast with occasional drizzle

Species Total: 35

  • Great Blue Heron – 1
  • Turkey Vulture – 1
  • Canada Goose – approximately 60
  • Mallard – approximately 80
  • Red-tailed Hawk – 4, 3 adults 1 immature
  • Ring-billed Gull – 5
  • Mourning Dove – 3
  • Great Horned Owl – 1, still on the nest
  • Belted Kingfisher – 1
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker – approximately 8
  • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 1
  • Downy Woodpecker – 3
  • Hairy Woodpecker – 1
  • Blue Jay – approximately 10
  • American Crow – approximately 15
  • Carolina Chickadee – 6
  • Tufted Titmouse – 3
  • White-breasted Nuthatch – approximately 5
  • Carolina Wren – approximately 8
  • Winter Wren – 1, heard only
  • Golden-crowned Kinglet – 2
  • Eastern Bluebird – approximately 10
  • Northern Mockingbird – 4
  • European Starling – approximately 50
  • Eastern Towhee – 5
  • Savannah Sparrow – 5
  • Fox Sparrow – 3
  • Song Sparrow – approximately 30
  • Swamp Sparrow – 1, heard only
  • White-throated Sparrow – approximately 40
  • Dark-eyed Junco – approximately 10
  • Northern Cardinal – approximately 15
  • Red-winged Blackbird – approximately 400
  • Common Grackle – 3, Bird of the day!
  • House Finch – 2

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