When I stepped out of my condo on Sunday morning around 5:30 am, I had a
hunch we were in for a fine morning at the Huntley Meadows Big Sit. It wasn't
raining, it was pleasantly mild, and the almost full moon shone thru a light
cloud cover. I met David Buckley in the parking lot about 5:50 and we walked
out to the observation tower. I was surprised how quiet it was, and it took
awhile before the first Canada Goose honked their annoyance at our footsteps in
their world. Once atop the tower, we listened patiently for our Barred Owl, but
would have to wait about 45 minutes before it went off as the sky was starting
to brighten, but it did cooperate.
As the sun came up and theSnipe, Swamp, Song and White throated Sparrows
started to chime in, Bob Ward and Larry Meade joined us. The water was deep in
the beaver pond and there was a very small selection of ducks for us to see -
Gadwall, Green Wing Teal and Mallard. Two Northern Pintails flew in later on,
but that was it for the ducks. One big miss of the day was Great Blue Heron -
almost unbelievable. Two Great Egrets were tallied, but that was it for
waders - NO! shore birds...
We were soon joined by Ray Smith and his wife Ann, "Outdoor Jack"
Carroll, Russ Taylor and Joanna Taylor (no relation). The migrant raptor show
began
and we all had some fun. Merlin harassing Flickers in the dead wood up Barnyard
Run. Coops and Sharpies. A Northern Harrier hunted over the marsh grass and
dropped in, rising up w. a small snake for breakfast. The resident
Red-shoulders chimed in and we had our first Bald Eagle flyover. Raptor action
continued
thru the morning but subsided when the clouds lifted. They may have been
passing by higher up.
Warbler action was limited around the tower - we noted just two - Palm
and Common Yellowthroat. Tree Swallows provided a lot of entertainment as there
was a major push thru in the morning. Try as we might, we could not pull out a
Rough-wing, although Bob Ward did see a Barn Swallow that some others saw as
well. I estimated that as many as 1500 Tree Swallows passed us by during the
morning hours. As the swallow flight cooled down, it was replaced by the
Chimney Swift Show...clouds of swifts passing by - I estimated 1500 for them as
well
- it could be low.
We gave up in the late afternoon. Although we had hit 50 species by 11am
or so (Black Vulture) - the afternoon did not yield up a lot. We wound up w.
54 species on the day. The list follows with some numbers - We had quite an
array of scopes to look thru - tops may have been Bob Wards' 100 mm Pentax -
next
year we may have to promote it as a "stop & shop" for anyone thinking of
making a scope purchase. Thanks to the afternoon Sitters! as well - Suzanne
and
Ramone (newly arrived from Bolivia?) and Heather (from Vienna) - Rich Rieger
who goes round and round and round in the circle game....
Canada Goose - 150
Gadwall - 3
Mallard - 30
Northern Pintail - 2
Green-wing Teal - 3
Great Egret - 2
Black Vulture - 7
Turkey Vulture - 6
Bald Eagle - 8 - ( 2 adults were northbound)
Northern Harrier - 3
Sharpies - 10
Coops - 4
Red shoulders - 2
Red tails - 6
Merlin - 1
Snipes - 2
RB gull - 10
RoPigeons - 30
Barred Owl - 1
Chimney swift - 1500 easy
Kingfisher - 1
RB Wood - 3
Downy WP - 2
Flickers - 12
Pileated - 2
Phoebes - 2
Blue Jay - 18
Am Crow - 20
Fish Crow - just 1
Tree Swallow - 1500
Barn Swallow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 10
Tufted Titmouse - 4
Carolina Wren - 8
Marsh Wren - 1
GC Kings - 2
RC kings - 3
Bluebirds - 3
Robin - 6
Catbird - 5
B. Thrasher - 2
Starlings - 2
Palm Warbs - 6
Com. Yellowthroat - 2
Towhee - 1
Song Sparrow - 4
Swampsparrow - 3
WT Sparrow - 8
(captain Jack sparrow) - Har!
Cardinal - 6
Indigo Buntings - 4
RW Blackbirds - 400
Grackle - 24
House Finch - 2
Goldfinch - 4
