Leaders: Bert Hixon, Shaun Bamford, Lynn Pollard
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The first-in-two years Birds of Belleplain State Forest took place in mildly inclement weather and a steady drizzle. The event began in the headquarters parking lot with point-blank, eye-level views of a gloriously fresh-plumaged male Yellow-throated Warbler, a breeding specialty of this established conifer forest. This bird strafed the group with several low-passes!
Participants were also treated to the sight of six American Kestrels at the Sumner Avenue spray fields, with an additional pair working a nest box at nearby Polestar Farm. Additional sightings at the spray fields include a flyover immature Bald Eagle, 5 Horned Larks in the corn field stubble and an amazing 8 Eastern Meadowlarks. These were possibly staging migrants, but the area is well-known for breeding pairs of meadowlarks.
The gloomy weather suppressed bird song but a modest and brief chorus was observed at Belleplain SF’s famous Triangle. A lone Hooded Warbler was heard in addition to Louisiana Waterthrush, Worm-eating, Pine and Yellow-throated Warblers. Eastern Towhees and a White-eyed Vireo chimed in as well.
49 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 4
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) 4
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 16
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) 38
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 7
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 4
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 7
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 3
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 12
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) 2
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) 7
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 12
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) 5
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 2
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 4
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 5
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 2
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) 2
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) 3
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 12
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 4
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 6
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) 3
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) 8 Sumner Avenue Spray Fields, historic breeding location and possible staging migrants, observed by most in group
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 2
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 12
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 1
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 2
Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum) 3
Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) 2
Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) 1
Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) 5
Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) 7
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
