I birded close to home today for variety. I arrived at Cook’s Landing at 7:15. I followed what has become my standard route of down the backwater to the river then along Pfeiffer Loop trail for a bit until it connects back to the River Trail then that to where it meets Campbell Lake Trail then that until it meets the Isabella Jo Trail then immediately back onto the Pfeiffer Loop trail until it comes very close to (but does not connect to) Isabella Jo again then back along the back water to my car. About a 4 mile loop with a good variety of habitat although admittedly very little time on Isabella Jo.
Probably my best bird of the day was a Warbling Vireo. I heard his frenetic warble that seemed to be falling all over itself. I couldn’t see what it was but I knew it wasn’t the Mockingbird or Gnatcatcher that I could see. Finally I was rewarded with a look before he flew deeper into the woods.
I noticed two hybrid Canada Geese there today that were hanging together they way they were the last time I saw them. I wonder if they realize that they are a little different than the others? I’ve seen them about three times now and even when they are with other Canadas they seem to hang together.
I noticed that some of the recently abundant birds were absent of in decline. I saw no Dickcissel or Eastern Meadowlark and the Indigo Buntings and Eastern Kingbirds were far fewer than say a month ago.
I did see a white orange billed AFLAC style goose on the river but I don’t get to count him.
Species seen or heard:
- Canada Goose
- Green Heron
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Killdeer
- Rock Pigeon
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo
- Chimney Swift
- Belted Kingfisher
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Northern Flicker
- Eastern Kingbird
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
- White-eyed Vireo
- Warbling Vireo
- Blue Jay
- American Crow
- Fish Crow
- Purple Martin
- Tree Swallow
- Carolina Chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
- Carolina Wren
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
- American Robin
- Northern Mockingbird
- European Starling
- Northern Cardinal
- Indigo Bunting
- Red-winged Blackbird
