Margaret Bain reports:
The marsh was very quiet this year, with a total count of only 45 species. Although we went back several times we could not find a single rail or bittern; no Pied-billed Grebe or Great Blue Heron, and no Great Egret, although I had seen one there as early as April 20. It was sunny and warm which may have reduced bird song, but the main factors affecting the low count were probably the late spring after such a severe winter, and also the disturbing pipeline construction just north of the marsh – the noise and vehicle traffic undoubtedly discouraged many of the nesting birds. We missed the Hooded Warbler in the woods just north of Lone Pine, but the woods were altogether very quiet. A lone young turkey was casually feeding in the roadside field – to be expected now that turkeys seem to be everywhere.
But most exciting was a flyover of 11 Black-bellied Plovers in one flock, speeding north to the Arctic – only passersby perhaps, but a great addition to the Lone Pine Marsh checklist.
List of bird species:
| Canada Goose | only a few this year |
| Wood Duck | 3 flying in and out of marsh but no young seen this year |
| Mallard | a few pairs in the marsh |
| Wild Turkey | 1 young male standing in field west of the marsh |
| Black-bellied Plover | 11 late flight of migrants heading straight north to nest in the Arctic tundra! A new bird species for the Lone Pine checklist. |
| Killdeer | one or two calling and in flight |
| Ring-billed Gull | several flying over |
| Mourning Dove | several on hydro wires |
| Northern Flicker | one or two |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | 1 singing in woods at north edge of marsh |
| Alder Flycatcher | several singing from edge of marsh |
| Willow Flycatcher | 1 singing from meadow area |
| Eastern Phoebe | 2 or 3 near houses |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | 1 calling loudly at north end of marsh |
| Eastern Kingbird | 2 or 3 in open areas |
| Warbling Vireo | 2 singing in trees along road |
| Red-eyed Vireo | several singing in trees along road and around marsh |
| Blue Jay | 2 or 3 |
| American Crow | several in fields and flying over |
| Tree Swallow | 8-10 near nestboxes – the only swallows seen this year |
| Black-capped Chickadee | several in treed areas |
| House Wren | 3+ singing along road |
| Marsh Wren | a few singing out in the marsh |
| Veery | 1 calling from woods at the north end |
| American Robin | numerous, as usual! |
| Gray Catbird | 2+ in roadside vegetation |
| Brown Thrasher | 2 singing from treetops |
| European Starling | small flocks here and there |
| Cedar Waxwing | a few flying over |
| Mourning Warbler | only 1 or 2 this year because of pipeline disturbance |
| Common Yellowthroat | 2 or 3 singing at marsh edges |
| Yellow Warbler | 2 or 3 in meadow and marsh edges |
| Chipping Sparrow | several in roadside trees |
| Song Sparrow | several, in trees, bushes, and grassy areas |
| Swamp Sparrow | numerous on south side of marsh |
| Northern Cardinal | 2+ singing in gardens beside road |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | 2 or 3 singing from taller trees |
| Indigo Bunting | fewer than usual |
| Bobolink | several in tall grass areas |
| Red-winged Blackbird | numerous in cattails |
| Eastern Meadowlark | 3+ in grassland area |
| Common Grackle | lots everywhere |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | only a few this year |
| Baltimore Oriole | 4+ in treed areas |
| American Goldfinch | several flying over |
