Sunday, April 29, 2012

Migration in action

This week's list is brought to you by the letter "T" for "turnover" - daily fluctuations in local numbers indicate that some birds are on territory and many others are still just passing through. "First of season" birds are indicated in bold. First "red racer" (western coachwhip) of the season was on Post Road, as well.

Post Park 8:30-9:45 AM

28 Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
2 American Coot Fulica americana
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
15 White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
3 Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
2 Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri
5 Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons
2 Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris
1 Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya
10 Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
2 Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
4 Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii 
6 Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
5 Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
1 Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus
1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
8 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
1 Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota 
4 Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
3 Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
1 Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris - heard only
2 Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
2 Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre
2 Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
2 Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
1 Hermit Warbler Setophaga occidentalis

5 Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla
2 Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus
6 Canyon Towhee Melozone fusca
1 Cassin's Sparrow Peucaea cassinii - heard only
3 Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
5 Brewer's Sparrow Spizella breweri
1 Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
1 Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata - heard only
1 Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
3 Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
2 Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
2 Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea
1 Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
4 Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
10 Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
5 Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
2 House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus

43 species total

Hermit Warbler























































Gage Gardens 10:30-11:30 am (heat of the day and four people with an unleashed dog)

3 Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
1 Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
2 Rock Pigeon Columba livia
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
6 White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
1 Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
3 Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri
1 Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya
3 Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
2 Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans 
3 Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
1 Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
1 Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
10 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
4 Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
1 Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii
2 Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
6 European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
8 American Pipit Anthus rubescens
4 Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla
1 Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
2 Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
3 White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
4 Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
20 Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
5 House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
20 House Sparrow Passer domesticus

27 species total


Compare to yesterday's highlights (incomplete list from the evening):

7 Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
1 Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius 
1 Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda 
3 Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri
4 Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
1 Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
15 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
5 Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
2 Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis - thinly striped/spotted throat. Narrow supercilium from front to back
1 Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
5 Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla
3 White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
2 Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
1 Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria

15 species total


Just for future reference, a tank (stock pond) ~5 miles west of town has held water since the last rain and today was the first day that there were no birds on it at all. It is drying slightly, but that didn't stop it from intermittently holding, in chronological order: 8 American Avocents, 1 Wilson's Phalarope, 2 "real" Mallards, 2 Mexican Mallards, 7 Blue-winged Teal, 1 'peep' and a good variety of loitering passerines.

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