Trip leader Win Shafer (pinch hitting for Art McMorris who was returning from banding Perigrine Falcons in Western PA) was joined by five stalwarts on a cool cloudy morning. Although the trees were certainly not dripping warblers we had a good morning with a total of 58 species of birds. Our best bird was a Barred Owl that flew across the trail and perched giving us great close looks. Although many of the warblers were singing high in the tree tops we did manage to see or hear 13 species. We did get excellent views of Scarlet Tanangers and Veerys as well a a female Wood Duck with 8 young swimming up the creek. Although Kentucky Warbler had been previously reported we were unable to find one.

This section of the park has a mixture of habitats including maturing second-growth deciduous forest, scrub/shrub, fields and hedgerows, along Ridley Creek and its tributaries and upland. At this time of year most of the breeders are on territory, while some late migrants are still coming through. The trip started at 6:30 AM and continued until the birds quieted down at mid-day.

Birds seen and heard (58 species):

Wood Duck
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Mourning Dove
Barred Owl
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
White-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Cedar Waxwing
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole