Today was a bit windy but the sun made up for it, and so did the birds.
We had a great morning walking the paths at Bill Sylvester’s and then
the Benjamin’s in Auburn. Ten people with face masks worked well. It is
hard to say what the highlight was, but we had a large pocket of mixed
warblers all in the sun on the edge of a field of newly planted
potatoes. But 13 warbler species was great. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were
“everywhere” singing. See the list below for details. We thank Bill for
accompanying us, he knew the new birds which were recently in.

Birds seen and heard (H) – 61 species:
Common Merganser – one flew over just at 8am
Mourning Dove
Spotted Sandpiper – one flew by the river briefly
Herring Gull
Common Loon – another quick fly over at 8am
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle – 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 2 another quick flyby
Red-tailed Hawk – 2 around the entire time we were at Benjamin’s
Belted Kingfisher – had a nest hold in a gravel / sand bank
Red-bellied Woodpecker (H) multiple times
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Eastern Kingbird – 2 somewhat accommodating at both locations
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo – 2 or 3 seen well
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow – nesting at Bill’s, 6?
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper (H)
Eastern Bluebird – 2 at Bill’s
Veery – one seen well at Benjamin’s
Hermit Thrush – also seen well at Benjamin’s
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Eastern Towhee
Field Sparrow (H)
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow – 1 at Benjamin’s out back
White-throated Sparrow – 4 at Benjamin’s out back
Baltimore Oriole – 2, maybe 3 at both locations
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird – way too many, everywhere, 10+
Common Grackle
Black-and-white Warbler – 5+
Nashville Warbler – 1
Common Yellowthroat – 3
American Redstart – 2
Northern Parula – 3
Yellow Warbler – 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler – 3
Blackpoll Warbler – 1 seen briefly be few
Black-throated Blue – one M and one F
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 6
Prairie Warbler – 4, seen well, H frequently at Benjamin’s
Black-throated Green Warbler – 1
Wilson’s Warbler – 1 at Benjamin’s
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak – 6+ always singing at both locations.

Stan DeOrsey  [email protected]