With autumn upon us (and finally feeling like it), we returned to our favorite fall patch to bird the garden, fields, and edges. We began and ended, however, at the mudflats of the cove, with a tally of 18 LAUGHING GULLS, 36 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 11 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 6 SNOWY EGRETS, 6 LESSER and 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, at least 2 BELTED KINGFISHERS, 3 GREAT BLUE HERONS, 1 GREAT EGRET, and one lone but confiding LEAST SANDPIPER.
The edges of the fields hosted the likes of 7 CEDAR WAXWINGS, 5 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 3 EASTERN PHOEBES, and one EASTERN BLUEBIRD. Overhead, we had 3 migrant NORTHERN FLICKERS, 2 OSPREYS, 1 hunting COOPER'S HAWK, and a stunning view of a juvenile NORTHERN HARRIER coursing low over the fields.
But it's the weedy farm, fields, and gardens that offer the most allure at this productive spot. Between two main sections of activity, our guesstimates included 100 SONG SPARROWS, 100 SAVANNAH SPARROWS, and 25 SWAMP SPARROWS. Other birds counted included 4 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 4 PALM WARBLERS, 3 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, and 3 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS. The looks at Swamp Sparrows were particularly good today, and direct comparison between many of the species were frequent.
And happily, we didn't find any bird strikes today at the still-unprotected glass wall of death at the Smith Center building. What a travesty nothing has been done about this yet.
댓글