The Stroud Preserve, 25 April 2013

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The day started out with a first of year Warbling Vireo singing in the big box elder by the bridge over the Brandywine. Shortly after that a Orchard Oriole flew into the downed tree just beyond the bridge. And that was the end of the bird excitement for day. After that it was pretty slow. Swallow numbers were way up with hundreds flying over the fields near the Brandywine. The composition was roughly 70% Tree, 20% Northern Rough-winged, and 10% Barn. I usually spend a fair amount of time scanning big groups of swallows like this looking for Cliff and Bank Swallows, but I always come up empty handed.

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers still seem to be dominating the small tree dwelling birds. They seem to be everywhere. For the most part, however, the woods were very quiet today. I checked the wetland (above photo) where I saw the Rusty Blackbird yesterday and other than 3 male Wood Ducks it was birdless. The wetlands and the wooded drainages in the preserve have some impressive native plant communities. It is a good place to spend your day when the birds are not moving!

Start time: 9:15

End time: 1:00

Temp: 42-55

Wind: 15 mph from the northwest

Skies: clear

Species Total: 53

  • Great Blue Heron – 1
  • Black Vulture – approximately 10
  • Turkey Vulture – approximately 25
  • Canada Goose – approximately 10
  • Wood Duck – 6
  • Mallard – 2
  • Bald Eagle – 1 adult
  • Cooper's Hawk – 1 adult
  • Red-tailed Hawk – 4 adults
  • Rock Dove – 2, a fairly uncommon bird in the preserve. The last ones that I observed were way back on 12 February!
  • Mourning Dove – 4
  • Chimney Swift – approximately 100
  • Belted Kingfisher – 1, heard only
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker – approximately 10
  • Downy Woodpecker – 3
  • Hairy Woodpecker – 2
  • Northern Flicker – approximately 10
  • Eastern Phoebe – 2
  • Warbling Vireo – 1, FOY
  • Blue Jay – approximately 40, small groups mostly flying due east.
  • American Crow – approximately 10
  • Tree Swallow – approximately 500
  • Northern Rough-winged Swallow – approximately 100
  • Barn Swallow – approximately 50
  • Carolina Chickadee – approximately 10
  • Tufted Titmouse – 4
  • White-breasted Nuthatch – 5
  • Carolina Wren – 5
  • House Wren – 1
  • Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 2, heard only
  • Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – approximately 30
  • Eastern Bluebird – approximately 20
  • American Robin – approximately 40
  • Northern Mockingbird – 1
  • Brown Thrasher – 1
  • European Starling – approximately 10
  • Yellow Warbler – approximately 10
  • Common Yellowthroat – approximately 20
  • Eastern Towhee – approximately 20
  • Chipping Sparrow – 3
  • Field Sparrow – approximately 12
  • Savannah Sparrow – 9
  • Song Sparrow – approximately 25
  • Swamp Sparrow – 2
  • White-throated Sparrow – approximately 25
  • Dark-eyed Junco – 1
  • Northern Cardinal – approximately 10
  • Red-winged Blackbird – approximately 50
  • Eastern Meadowlark – 1, singing at the corner of Creek and Strasberg Road
  • Common Grackle – 4
  • Brown-headed Cowbird – approximately 15
  • Orchard Oriole – 1, FOY
  • House Finch – 6
  • American Goldfinch – approximately 35

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