Good day people and too bad for those that had to work today :cry:
Today Margaret Liubavicius joined me on The Islands and a beautiful day it was.
It is always nice to bird with Margaret and today she gave me a break and helped me beat the bushes and kick the birds out as they were not down there in large numbers except for Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Fox Sparrows. It was so nice out today that we almost strolled our way through The Islands.
Following are some of the birds we found - 4 Wood Ducks, 14 Canvasbacks, Great Egret, Cooper's Hawk, Caspian and Common Terns, Common Loons (overhead), 4 Kingfishers, Sapsucker, many Flickers, Brown Thrasher, Carolina and Winter Wrens, Purple Martins and Barn swallow, 43 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped and Pine Warblers, 12 Fox Sparrows, Swamp, Savannah, Field, Tree, and Chipping Sparrows.
We didn't find one E. Phoebe and the Golden-crowned Kinglet and Song Sparrow numbers are declining as they move north but Brown Creepers are still well represented as are the Dark-eyed Juncos.
All in all despite the temporary slump it was a fine day to be out.
For you others that are interested we also found Snapping, Map and Painted Turtles and 3 Red-eared Sliders and surprise finds of 3 or 4 Large Pike, Large Carp, Small-mouthed Bass and hundreds of young (approx. 4" long) Perch in one particular spot. We also spotted Mourning Cloaks, Cabbage White Butterflies and a dozen or so of Spring Azure Butterflies.
Hard to believe that so few people seem to bird The Islands.
Norm
