About 20 birders joined me this morning at Radnor Lake for the last
Wednesday NTOS walk of the spring season. I was a little concerned that
migrants would be scarce today, but that was not the case.
First bird in the parking lot was a singing Yellow-throated Warbler
observed in one of the tall poplar trees. We the went up to the spillway
and old house, which was very productive with warblers, including chasing
male Yellow Warblers, American Redstart, Black-throated Green, Palm, Bay
Breasted, and Blackpoll. There was also the first of two clearly seen
Philadelphia Vireos of the day.
Over the next three hours, Bay-breasted Warblers continued to be prevalent.
We had multiple up close tanager sightings, Swainson's and Gray-cheeked
Thrushes in good numbers, and one Veery. Everyone got looks at a male
Blackburnian Warbler, which was a mere three feet away from the big
surprise of the day, a late Red-breasted Nuthatch, seen clearly working a
tree near the grassy point. We also had very good looks at 2 Magnolia
Warblers in stunning spring plumage. Myrtle Warblers are still in around in
much lower numbers, and Blackpolls were heard more than seen.
All told, we had 18 warbler species, by my count. Joshua Stevenson and
Frank Fekel also reported Northern Waterthrush and Wilson's Warbler,
however I did not count them in the official list as no one in the larger
group saw or recognizably heard them. Several members of the group got
multiple life birds, and it was a beautiful morning to be outside. Complete
checklist is below.
Graham Gerdeman
Davidson County
Radnor Lake State Natural Area
May 10, 2017
7:07 AM
Traveling
1.50 miles
270 minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments:
NTOS spring walk
4 Canada Goose
2 Wood Duck
3 Mallard
1 Wild Turkey
6 Double-crested Cormorant
2 Great Blue Heron
2 Green Heron
2 Black Vulture
1 Turkey Vulture
1 Red-tailed Hawk
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo -- Seen at spillway by 2 members of group
1 Barred Owl
5 Chimney Swift
3 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
1 Belted Kingfisher -- Heard
5 Red-bellied Woodpecker
3 Downy Woodpecker
1 Pileated Woodpecker
3 Eastern Wood-Pewee
1 Acadian Flycatcher
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Great Crested Flycatcher
2 Eastern Kingbird
2 Philadelphia Vireo -- First by the old house and a second bird further
around near bench 18. Good looks at both birds. Thin bill, yellow wash
below.
9 Red-eyed Vireo
3 Blue Jay
2 American Crow
20 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
1 Tree Swallow
8 Carolina Chickadee
14 Tufted Titmouse
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch -- Very unexpected find. Good looks at small
nuthatch, red breast, dark stripes on head. Seen by several birders.
3 White-breasted Nuthatch
4 Carolina Wren
3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
2 Eastern Bluebird
1 Veery
4 Gray-cheeked Thrush
7 Swainson's Thrush
1 Wood Thrush
3 Gray Catbird
10 Cedar Waxwing
1 Louisiana Waterthrush
2 Black-and-white Warbler
1 Prothonotary Warbler
10 Tennessee Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
4 American Redstart
1 Northern Parula
2 Magnolia Warbler
12 Bay-breasted Warbler -- Still continuing in good numbers. Twelve is a
low estimate.
2 Blackburnian Warbler
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler
3 Yellow Warbler
5 Blackpoll Warbler -- Mainly heard
12 Palm Warbler (Western) -- Conservative count
6 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
1 Yellow-throated Warbler
2 Black-throated Green Warbler
1 Canada Warbler -- Seen by a few in the group
1 Field Sparrow
3 Summer Tanager
5 Scarlet Tanager
9 Northern Cardinal
1 Indigo Bunting
3 Brown-headed Cowbird
3 American Goldfinch
Number of Taxa: 67
