On Saturday, April 18, David Raines led a bird walk in the Breaks Park that
started at 8:00 a.m. Nine birders participated some of which were Breaks Park
guests. Early in the day when the number of warbler species began to mount, it
became apparent it was going to be a great birding day. The count was eleven
warbler species by the end of the walk including a brilliant male Blackburnian
Warbler singing on territory just outside the Visitors Center where the first
recorded Blackburnian nest in the park was found in 2013 by David Raines. This
gave us hope that a pair might nest there again this year. Another great find
was a FOS male Swainson's Warbler singing near a picnic area not far from the
entrance to the Nature Drive. The other warbler species and numbers were 5
Northern Parulas, 8 Black-throated Greens, 10 Yellow-throated Warblers, 3
Pines, 9 Black-and-whites, a FOS Worm-eating Warbler, 11 Ovenbirds, 2 Louisiana
Waterthrushes and 11 Hooded Warblers.
The birders also found Yellow-throated, Blue-headed and FOS Red-eyed Vireos
The FOS Scarlet Tanagers were singing from the treetops and their signature
call of "chick burr" could be heard from time to time. While scanning the
treetops near the lodge for passerines the group was treated to a flyover by a
Common Merganser and later on the Russell Fork River Wood Ducks and Mallards
flew by.
After the bird walk Don Carrier, Daryl Owens, David Raines and I, Roger
Mayhorn, with some difficulty made our way to a spot where we could observe the
nesting Peregrine Falcons in the park. Just as we reached a point where the
eyrie came into sight an adult Peregrine flew downriver away from the nesting
sight. With the help of Daryl Owens trusty scope we watched an adult Peregrine
inside a shadowed stone nesting cavity on a cliff face where the pair nested in
2013. Their nesting site in 2014 wasn't found, though they were seen with a
juvenile Peregrine later in the season. The falcon remained on the nest for the
hour or so that we observed. It sometimes would rise and shift its position but
never left the nest. It could also often be seen bending or dipping its head
downward, though we saw no obvious signs of feeding and saw no chicks; however,
the cavity was a bit dark.
While watching the Peregrine we saw an Osprey flying downriver, and it was soon
followed by another. A Broad-winged Hawk also circled overhead. We ended the
day with 53 species.
It was one of those magical spring days when the weather is beautiful, the
birds are plentiful and cooperative, and the fellow birders are fun to be out
with, except for Don, David and Daryl of course. lol
Below is the day's complete list.
Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
53 species
Canada Goose 1
Wood Duck 2
Mallard 4
Common Merganser 1 (flyover)
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 2 (over Russell Fork River)
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Peregrine Falcon 2 (1 on nest on cliff face)
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Downy Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 4
Eastern Phoebe 4
Yellow-throated Vireo 3
Blue-headed Vireo 4
Red-eyed Vireo 1 FOS
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 2
Common Raven 1
Purple Martin 1
Tree Swallow 3
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
American Robin 4
European Starling 2
Scarlet Tanager 3 (2m, 1f)
Northern Parula 5
Black-throated Green Warbler 8
Blackburnian Warbler 1m
Yellow-throated Warbler 10
Pine Warbler 3
Black-and_white Warbler 9
Worm-eating Warbler 1 (FOS)
Swainson's Warbler 1 FOS - near Nature Drive entrance
Ovenbird 11
Louisiana Waterthrush 2
Hooded Warbler 11
Eastern Towhee 3
Chipping Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Common Grackle 2
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
American Goldfinch 3
