Monday, April 13, 2009

Migrating Birds week 3

Brown Creeper found at Fry's Landing: photo by Michele
Saturday was cold but not like last week and the sun warmed our faces every now and then. We have some photos for you this week. Michele was trying out a new lens. I'll let her tell you about it. This week Jerry had us back and forth from the bay and other water ways to the inland trails. My favorites are the trails but after three weeks of looking at water fowl I'm starting to recognize the difference and appreciating their color. Same for the gulls. I wonder if everyone started out like me. You know a bird is a bird and duck is a duck and a gull is a gull. I'll admit I did not know much about our avian friends. Over the years I have become fascinated with their personalities, coloring, and habits. For me there is so much expression in their every move. And to think how far they fly for the summer and winter season. They are amazing.

Red-breasted Merganser: photo by Michele
Jerry has been so kind letting me post the list of birds we see each week. I'm terrible at remembering and should write them all down but we are so busy looking through scopes and our binoculars. So Jerry sends out an email with our list of birds.

We were excited to see our first warbler this year, a Yellow-rumped. We should start seeing more next week. We saw several Brown Creepers and Gold Crown Kinglets and should start seeing Ruby Crown Kinglets next week also.

Osprey seen at Sommerheim: photo by Michele
Michele and I want to make our blog more informed and fun so we are going to start a new weekly post called Ask Joe Root. Who is Joe Root you might ask, well Michele will answer that question in our next blog post. So in the meantime do you have any questions about Presque Isle? If so write them down and you can ask Joe Root. Michele will give you the details and the legendary Joe Root. So stay tuned.

White Birch: photo by Toni (always looking for something to paint)
Here is what you can look for on Presque Isle this week:
We recorded 41 species of birds including the following:

Canada Goose--several at various sites
Wood Duck-- a couple passing by the west pier
Mallard-- a couple of pairs and single males at various sites
Ring-necked Duck-- a couple in Marina Bay and a few in Niagara Pond
Greater Scaup--several off the west pier
Lesser Scaup--several throughout
Bufflehead--several throughout, but mostly off the west pier
Common Goldeneye--several off the west pier
Red-breasted Merganser--common everywhere
Common Loon--three or four off Niagara boat launch
Double-crested cormorant--one off the second parking lot and one or two at the channel
Great Egret--three in Niagara Pond
Turkey Vulture--four over the channel
Bald Eagle--one adult over Long Pond
American Kestrel--one along Pine Tree Trail
American Coot--many off the second parking lot, beach 11, and a couple in Niagara Pond
Killdeer--two in beach 11 parking lot
Bonaparte's Gull--many at various sites
Ring-billed Gull--a few overhead and over the bay
Herring Gull--a few overhead and over the bay
Caspian Tern--one over Misery Bay and four or five at the channel
Mourning Dove--four or five along Pine Tree Trail
Red-bellied Woodpecker--one heard at the west pier
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker--two at Thompson Circle
Downy Woodpecker--three or four at various sites
Northern Flicker--several throughout
Blue Jay--one at Fry's landing
American Crow--several throughout
Tree Swallow--many over Horseshoe Pond
Barn Swallow--one over the channel and two or three over Horseshoe Pond
Black-capped Chickadee--several along Pine Tree Trail and Fry's Landing
White-breasted Nuthatch--one or two at Thompson Circle
Brown Creeper--several at Fry's landing
Golden-crowned Kinglet--several on Pine Tree Trail and Fry's landing
American Robin--several everywhere
European Starling--a few flying over the road along West Fisher Drive
Yellow-rumped Warbler--one at Fry's landing
Song Sparrow--a few at various sites, especially along beach 11 parking lot
Dark-eyed Junco--one at Thompson Circle
Northern Cardinal--one heard singing and another along beach 11 parking lot
Red-winged Blackbird--several throughout
Brown-headed Cowbird--singles heard or seen briefly at a few sites

Jerry McWilliams (Instructor)

Michele, Julie and Julie's nephew Christian saw and photographed the Osprey.

2 comments:

Dawn Fine said...

Very nice post! I agree the more you bird the more you notice detail....and appreciate the whole picture.
All the photos are wonderful.

MicheleRF said...

Yes, Toni, everyone starts out like that...except maybe Jerry:) It really is amazing how much you learn even when you might not think you are. One thing we teach in cognitive therapy: to keep your brain vital and healthy always strive to learn and experience something new (that, and a little red wine:). With birding I know there will be something new to learn until I take my last breath.

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