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DVOC Field Trip Report
by Art McMorris
Sunday May 22, 2010 - RIDLEY CREEK STATE PARK
| Eight members and 4 non-members came out for birding on a fine morning in the bridle trail area north of Gradyville Road in Ridley Creek State Park. It was a little overcast but the weather was otherwise quite good, with temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s and little wind. Most of the birds we found were residents: few migrants were found, probably because of the later-than-usual date of the trip (dictated by the late date of the World Series of Birding) and by the quirkyness of the weather front patterns. We found all of our targets, even if some (e.g. Kentucky Warbler) sang for us but remained famously invisible. The best bird of the morning was undoubtedly the Barrred Owl which gave us great, leisurely looks right next to the trail before finally flushing and then giving us greater, more-leisurely looks a little further up the trail. Other great birds were Hooded and Kentucky Warblers (both well heard but seen only fleetingly or not at all), Blue-winged and Chestnut-sided Warblers, Acadian Flycatcher, and Louisiana Waterthrush, which is a regular breeder here but is usually silent by this date. Another highlight was a little brown bat roosting in a tree, which was seen by part of the party who split off before the end of the trip. |
Birds seen and heard (50 species): Great Blue Heron
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