The New, Improved Indian Trail Swamp 05/17/2010
 Indigo Bunting (Photo: USFWS) I'll never be better than a C+ birder for a number of reasons. First, my hearing is pretty well shot when it comes to many of the high-pitched bird songs. And I hate waking up early. But I've been promising myself a spring fling at Indian Trail, and the weather finally cooperated so this morning I bit the bullet, woke up at 5 and hit the trial at 6. It was just after daybreak, and apparently the Great Horned and Barred Owl and the Whippoorwills had gone in for the morning. But everyone else was wide awake and singing. This was the first time I've been here since the Great Indian Trail Cleanup of April 3, and what a treat it was to walk up the powerline trail and not see all the trash, plywood, tires, bottles, etc.! It just made for a much more enjoyable atmosphere in general.. Many many thanks to all who helped on that day. I was on a mission today to see if I could scare up one or both of two elusive warblers: Prothonotary and Kentucky, both of which have bred down in the wet, swampy areas in the past. The Kentucky in particular has become scarce, so I wasn't really all that confident. But I knew there would be lots more to see. I was right. Here's my list for the morning: IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: EASTERN TOWHEE WHITE-EYED VIREO CAROLINA WREN OVENBIRD MOURNING DOVE WOOD THRUSH WILD TURKEY INDIGO BUNTING COMMON GRACKLE NORTHERN CARDINAL HERRING GULL (FLYOVER) CANADA GOOSE SCARLET TANAGER RED-TAILED HAWK RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER WOOD DUCKS (BREEDING PAIR) AMERICAN GOLDFINCH LAUGHING GULL (FLYOVER) RED-WING BLACKBIRD BLUE JAY DOWNY WOODPECKER COMMON TERN (FLYOVER) YELLOW-BELLIED CUCKOO (BREEDING PAIR) RED-EYED VIREO CAROLINA CHICKADEE BLUE GROSBEAK (BREEDING PAIR) COMMON TERN (FLYOVER) COMMON CROW GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER PINE WARBLER RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (WITH A RUBY THROAT!) SPOTTED SANDPIPER GLOSSY IBIS (FLYOVER) AMERICAN ROBIN SUMMER TANAGER (FEMALES ONLY TODAY; MALES WERE HIDING) TUFTED TITMOUSE HAIRY WOODPECKER BLACK AND WHITE WOODPECKER BLUE GRAY GNATCATCHER BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD BUTTERFLIES: LITTLE WOOD SATYR RED ADMIRAL OTHER: GREEN FROGS WHITE-TAILED DEER This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar. CommentsLeave a Reply |  Birds &
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