A flock of about 20 Pine Siskins flew in to some pines along our driveway this morning around 9:00 a.m. They didn’t stay long and moved toward Anna Page Park. This is the first time we have seen this species this fall.
A big wave of new arrivals apparently came in over night. This morning, the trees around our house were full of Myrtle Warblers, plus both species of kinglets. White-crowned Sparrows were in the garden. Lonely among the Myrtles were 2 Tennessee Warblers and a Philadelphia Vireo.
This morning Kevin was watching a group of warblers pass through his yard. He observed Magnolia, Redstart, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, Blackpoll, Yellow-Rump, Pine, Wilson, Yellowthroat, Tennessee, and Chestnut-sided in a short time before noon.
Jack Armstrong
NCIOS FIELD TRIP- Sept. 26,2015
Kevin Kahltenbach led a morning field trip to Bauman Park, Blackhawk Springs, Deer Run, Oak Ridge and Kishwaukee Forest Preserves. Phil Doncheck, Gary Jahnke, Delsie Gavali, Joyce and Jack Armstrong attended. It was a beautiful, clear day with warm temperatures(70’s). 41 species were observed with highlights of 3 flycatchers – Kingbird, Phoebe and Pewee, 7 warbler species, and 5 sparrow species. Here is a list of the birds observed:
Canada Goose American Robin
Mallard Gray Catbird
Great Blue Heron European Starlling
Turkey Vulture Cedar Waxwing
Bald Eagle Tennessee Warbler
Red-Tailed Hawk Chestnut-sided Warbler
Killdeer Yellow-rumped Warbler
Solitary Sandpiper Black-throated Green Warbler
Rock Pigeon Palm Warbler
Mourning Dove Black-and white Warbler
Chimney Swift Common Yellowthroat
Belted Kingfisher Field Sparrow
Red-bellied Woodpecker Lark Sparrow
Downy Woodpecker Song Sparrow
Hairy Woodpecker Swamp Sparrow
Northern Flicker White-Crowned Sparrow
Eastern Wood-Pewee Northern Cardinal
Eastern Phoebe Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
Eastern Kingbird Red-winged Blackbird
Blue Jay Common Grackle
American Crow Brown-headed Cowbird
Black-capped Chickadee American Goldfinch
Tufted Titmouse House Sparrow
White-breasted Nuthatch
Jack Armstrong
Despite the south winds, we have seen some nice flocks of warblers moving through the woods and into the bird baths around our house. Yesterday, 9/22, around 3:00 p.m., a nice group of warblers all descended into the bird bath at about the same time. We counted 11 Tennessee Warblers (9 in the bath at once), 6 Nashville, 3 Black-throated Green, 1 Black & White, 2 Redstarts, 1 Chestnut-sided and 1 Wilson’s. The Nashvilles and B-t Greens competed with the Tennessees for space in the bath.
This morning, Swainson’s Thrushes are in the back bath and a Blackburnian is gleaning insects in one of the hackberry trees.
Yesterday around noon, Larry Balch called to report a male Black-throated Blue Warbler in his bird bath. That is the 4th B-t Blue at Larry’s this month, and the 3rd male. The male was in a small flock of warblers that included 2 Black & Whites, 2 Redstarts, 3 Tennessees, 1 Wilson’s, 2 Black-throated Greens, 1 Bay-breasted, 1 Blackpoll, 1 Warbling Vireo and 1 Yellow-throated Vireo. There were also Swainson’s and Gray-cheeked Thrushes.
On Monday, we had 2 Philadelphia Vireos and several Red-eyed Vireos moving through. We also had our first fall arrival of Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on Sunday and Monday (an immature) and a Red-breasted Nuthatch was here briefly on Monday morning.