Margaret Bain reports:
Morning was cold and very windy at Lone Pine this year, though it did warm up by late afternoon, which is when we found a Pied-billed Grebe and heard the Least Bittern calling for several minutes, though we only caught a quick glimpse of it at the edge of the cattails. Apart from the usual hordes of Red-winged Blackbirds and grackles, the marsh was very quiet – we could not find a single rail, nor any coots or gallinules, and only a few Marsh Wrens were singing. A beautiful Great Egret flew in just as we had decided we wouldn’t see one that day. Swallows were active around the nest boxes so there must have been plenty of insects in spite of the chilly weather. But we were very disappointed not to see any Bobolinks or meadowlarks even though the grassland looked lush and healthy. No bluebirds this year, and we missed the Hooded Warbler in the woods just north of Lone Pine, where there was very little birdsong in the windswept trees. The best bird of our visit was probably the unexpected American Woodcock which startled us, suddenly flushing from under our feet as we first approached the marsh.
The cold north winds undoubtedly kept many birds under cover this year so we’ll hope for sunnier, warmer weather for the next Summer Count!
List of birds:
| Canada Goose | 2 adults with 4 half-grown young |
| Wood Duck | 5 adults, 4 young |
| Mallard | only 3 in the marsh |
| Pied-billed Grebe | calling loudly from marsh |
| Least Bittern | very vocal at edge of cattails – seen only briefly |
| Great Blue Heron | one flying over the marsh |
| Great Egret | one flying in from the south |
| Green Heron | one flyover |
| Turkey Vulture | 3 in flight |
| Red-tailed Hawk | soaring overhead |
| American Woodcock | flushed from edge of marsh |
| Ring-billed Gull | flock foraging in ploughed field and small numbers flying over |
| Mourning Dove | several on hydro wires |
| Northern Flicker | 1 |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | 1 singing in woods at north edge of marsh |
| Alder Flycatcher | 2 singing from edge of marsh |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | 1 calling loudly at north end of marsh |
| Eastern Kingbird | 3 in open areas |
| Warbling Vireo | one 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 and entering nestboxes |
| Barn Swallow | one pair |
| Black-capped Chickadee | several in treed areas |
| House Wren | 2 singing along road |
| Marsh Wren | a few singing out in the marsh |
| Veery | 1 calling from woods at the north end |
| American Robin | fairly numerous |
| Gray Catbird | 2 mewing in roadside vegetation |
| Brown Thrasher | one singing from treetop |
| European Starling | small flocks here and there |
| Ovenbird | one singing in the distance |
| Mourning Warbler | one singing in hedgerow |
| Common Yellowthroat | at least 3 singing at marsh edge |
| American Redstart | one heard |
| Yellow Warbler | 2 or 3 in meadow and marsh edges |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | one male seen |
| Chipping Sparrow | several on roadside verges |
| Savannah Sparrow | 2 at edge of field |
| Song Sparrow | several in small trees and bushes |
| Swamp Sparrow | numerous on south side of marsh |
| Northern Cardinal | one male at roadside |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | 2 or 3 singing from taller trees |
| Indigo Bunting | fewer than usual |
| Red-winged Blackbird | numerous in cattails |
| Common Grackle | lots everywhere |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | only a few this year |
| Baltimore Oriole | 2 singing in roadside gardens |
| American Goldfinch | several flying over |
