Margaret Bain writes:
It rained most of the day on Saturday, June 12th, but the marsh and surrounding area was lively with birdsong. Sunday, June 13th, was a nicer day but almost the only species we added were Marsh Wren and sapsucker.
A total of 61 species this year during the Summer Count.
List of Species:
Canada Goose | 20 feeding in the marsh + pair with 6 young in the field |
Wood Duck | at least 12 birds, no young seen |
Mallard | one flock of 24, other scattered pairs feeding on duckweed |
Hooded Merganser | 2 females flying out of marsh |
Pied-billed Grebe | only 1 seen and heard this year |
American Bittern | one flying out of northeast comer of marsh |
Least Bittern | one calling male on west side of marsh |
Great Blue Heron | 1 |
Green Heron | 2 single birds flying over |
Cooper’s Hawk | one nice adult flying south along west edge of marsh |
Virginia Rail | 3+ noisy birds, one coming right out on the south road |
Sora | 1 heard |
Common Moorhen | 1 or 2 birds heard but none seen this year |
Killdeer | several calling and in flight |
Ring-billed Gull | many flying over |
Mourning Dove | several on hydro wires |
Belted Kingfisher | 1 |
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | ad. carrying food to nestlings in woods n. of marsh |
Downy Woodpecker | 1 on roadside bushes |
Northern Flicker | 2 |
Pileated Woodpecker | 1 on hydro pole south end of marsh |
Alder Flycatcher | several singing from edge of marsh |
Willow Flycatcher | 1 singing from meadow area |
Least Flycatcher | 2 singing from edge of meadow |
Eastern Phoebe | at least 1 heard |
Great Crested Flycatcher | 2 calling from trees at north end of marsh |
Eastern Kingbird | 2 or 3 in open areas |
Warbling Vireo | several singing in trees near marsh and along road |
Red-eyed Vireo | several singing in trees along road |
Blue Jay | 2 or 3 |
American Crow | several in area |
Tree Swallow | only 1 or 2 this year, numbers have really dropped |
Barn Swallow | 2 or 3 over marsh and meadow |
Black-capped Chickadee | several in treed areas |
House Wren | 3+ singing along road |
Marsh Wren | only a couple of birds heard this year |
Veery | 3-4 singing in treed areas |
Wood Thrush | 1 singing in trees at south edge of marsh |
American Robin | everywhere, as usual! |
Gray Catbird | 2+ in bushes along road |
Brown Thrasher | 2 singing from treetops |
European Starling | small flocks |
Cedar Waxwing | numbers seem up this summer |
Yellow Warbler | common in meadow area |
Chestnut-sided Warbler | 2 or 3 in trees along the road and edge of marsh |
Black-and-white Warbler | 1 singing in trees south of marsh |
Mourning Warbler | 3+ singing in brushy areas |
Common Yellowthroat | 4+ singing at marshy edges |
Chipping Sparrow | several in roadside trees and on lawns |
Song Sparrow | several singing from trees and grassland |
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 | several on wires and roadside trees |
Bobolink | several in grassy areas |
Red-winged Blackbird | numerous in cattails |
Eastern Meadowlark | 3+ in open grassland |
Common Grackle | numerous in all areas |
Brown-headed Cowbird | several (too many?) |
Baltimore Oriole | 5+ in gardens and treed areas |
American Goldfinch | several in open areas |