June has arrived and the warblers have moved on to their breeding grounds - up
north or on the parkway. Still 21 birders showed up for the regular first
Saturday walk at the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary. The morning was cool and -
after the fog burned off - clear. My thanks to Cherry Pittillo and Kimberley
Childs for finding so many birds while I was running my mouth. The count in
the Sanctuary was 21 species but a small group of 5 birders continued the hunt
along the lake and added 11 additional species. In the Sanctuary, we had good
looks at Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and a Red-bellied Woodpecker feeding a
juvenile. The Brown-headed Nuthatches that nested in the snag across from the
Huisking overlook must have successfully fledged their young as there was no
sign of them. Kimberley heard a Yellow-throated Warbler in the distance among
the pines across from the George Stowe overlook. After listening carefully,
most of the group had a chance to hear its beautiful song but unfortunately we
didn’t see it. Oddly, we did not see a Tree Swallow. The group that continued
along the lake were rewarded with brief views of an Orchard Oriole and an
Eastern Kingbird and we saw a Belted Kingfisher flying along the far shore.
The Full List (* indicates seen later along the lake)
Mallard
Turkey Vulture
Green Heron *
Red-shouldered Hawk
Mourning Dove *
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher *
Red-bellied WP
Downy WP
N. Flicker *
E. Phoebe
E. Kingbird *
Blue Jay
A. Crow
N. Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow *
C. Chickadee
T. Titmouse
C. Wren
H. Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
E. Bluebird *
A. Robin *
G. Catbird
Starling *
Yellow-Throated Warbler
E. Towhee
Song Sparrow
N. Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird *
Orchard Oriole *
