Birding TIoga County

Well, we were supposed to have our Audubon Society's annual picnic today but...well, we had what you would call a failure to communicate. While several folks showed up (some well past the noon hour), the gal who usually does the purchasing of dogs, burgers, buns and condiments did not. Our president apparently didn't call her after our April meeting to confirm she would handle that chore (she was absent from that meeting) or he would have discovered she was not going to be around...she was out west until late this afternoon. And the president was one of those who didn't show up at Hills Creek at all.

We were to go out on our own in the morning and bird, bringing our lists to the picnic where they would be compiled. I chose to go to the Lamb's Creek Recreation Area just north of Mansfield and walk the bike path. (It had rained heavily during the night and other places may have been either soaking wet or muddy. They would certainly be further from the Aerie!)

I actually did two walks of 1 and 1.25 miles each. Starting at the porta-potty on the boat launch road, I first walked north along the bike trail until it met up with the road again and then walked the road back to the porta-potty. Then I walked south along the bike trail until it met up with the road again and then walked the road back to the porta-potty.

The northward walk yielded 23 species. There were lots of Red-winged Blackbirds, Song Sparrows and Robins but a few surprises such as the Alder Flycatcher, the two Eastern Kingbirds and the six Baltimore Orioles.

Here's the full list from that particular loop:

Canada Goose 3
Mallard 1
Green Heron 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Mourning Dove 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Alder Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
American Crow 3
Veery 1
American Robin 16
Gray Catbird 5
European Starling 2
Yellow Warbler 10
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 6
Song Sparrow 16
Swamp Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 23
Common Grackle 5
Baltimore Oriole 6
American Goldfinch 11

The second loop to the south had pretty much the same birds as might be expected from two adjacent areas, but there were some differences. This walk yielded 22 species. The list:

Canada Goose 8
Wood Duck 2
Mallard 1
Turkey Vulture 2
Blue Jay 12
American Crow 5
Tree Swallow 2
Tufted Titmouse 2
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 5
European Starling 1
Yellow Warbler 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 3
Palm Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 4
Song Sparrow 12
Northern Cardinal 5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Red-winged Blackbird 11
American Goldfinch 2

If you lump them together, I had a total of 31 species. (There were eight birds in the second walk that were not there on the first. Some of that had to do with the little extra warmth and sunlight that had burned away the earlier fog.)

When I finished my walks, I made my way to Hills Creek SP to find my buddy Gary photographing the Barred Owl...again. He has found the nest that anchors the owls to this grove of trees so he feels he has a captive model or whenever he wants to take pictures of a Barred Owl. I'll have to ask him if this doesn't violate his priciple of not counting "domestic" Rock Pigeons. Or maybe I'll wait until after I catch Gary staking out a mouse for the owl to pounce upon.