Posts

ASCA had a field trip to Bell Slough (North) today. After covering the area we decided to also go to Two Rivers Park to look for the Clay-colored Sparrow that was seen there on Friday. Alas no Clay-colored Sparrow was seen but we did see plenty of other good birds.

Species seen or heard:
Bell Slough (32 species):
• Great Blue Heron
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Northern Cardinal
• Blue Jay
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Great Egret
• Belted Kingfisher
• American Crow
• Mallard
• Northern Flicker
• Carolina Chickadee
• Mourning Dove
• Killdeer
• American White Pelican
• Carolina Wren
• White-throated Sparrow
• Downy Woodpecker
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
• Turkey Vulture
• Pine Warbler
• Canada Goose
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Black Vulture
• Broad-winged Hawk
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Wood Duck
• Chipping Sparrow
• House Finch
• Northern Mockingbird
• Tufted Titmouse

Two Rivers Park (20 species):
• Blue Jay
• Carolina Chickadee
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Carolina Wren
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Song Sparrow
• Mourning Dove
• Turkey Vulture
• Eastern Phoebe
• Cooper’s Hawk
• American Crow
• Vesper Sparrow
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Northern Cardinal
• Northern Mockingbird
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Eastern Wood-pewee
• Eastern Bluebird
• Fish Crow

After the Provosts reported a Virginia Rail at TRP yesterday I decided to try my luck as well. I arrived at 8 AM, parked at the main parking but then walked the road down to the next area so that I could walk up along the backwater without having to peer into the Sun. I then took the north side field to the horse trail and back. I saw an odd bird with a brown back and a blue belly and figured out it was a non-breeding plumage Indigo Bunting. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen one like that. I heard the Virginia Rail right where the Provosts left it yesterday. Since I had been listing to the call, I recognized it right away. It was a year bird for me. At the horse trail, I saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk in a tree with some Blue Jays. To my entertainment, the jays decided to harass the hawk but he was not having any of it. He harassed them right back. Left the park at 10:07.

Species seen or heard:
• Great Egret
• Blue Jay
• American Crow
• Eastern Bluebird
• Carolina Chickadee
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Canada Goose
• Green Heron
• Blue-winged Teal
• Northern Cardinal
• Indigo Bunting
• Brown Thrasher
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Swamp Sparrow
• Wood Duck
• Gray Catbird
• Virginia Rail
• Mourning Dove
• Great Blue Heron
• American Kestrel
• Killdeer
• Loggerhead Shrike
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Northern Flicker
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Northern Mockingbird
• Tern sp.
• Turkey Vulture

After hearing that a Sora had been seen at the waterfowl protection area of Bell Slough on Thursday, I decided to go there today to see if I could add this to my life list. I arrived at 8:37 AM and walked the perimeter and back. I did hear a call that sounded like the sound of that bird but I did not actually see one. I did see a few first of season Swamp Sparrows and other birds. Left at 10 AM.

Species seen or heard:
• Great Egret
• Great Blue Heron
• Blue Jay
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Carolina Wren
• Belted Kingfisher
• Killdeer
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Carolina Chickadee
• Swamp Sparrow
• Eastern Phoebe