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Posted by Alex on 17:25:03 10/05/04
Since I guess no one will post the trip report from the latest TAS walk, I guess I will. Joe Barros led the walk with about 12 other birders, including Paul Bithorn, John Boyd, Brian Rapoza, Raul Rock Jetty, Susan Shneider, Felipe Guajardo, and myself. The walk started at the parkinglot near the ballfields, and I spotted 2 kingbirds flying across the field, only to be snagged by a Merlin. What a way to start the walk. On the way to Homeless Hammock, Northern Parula, Prairie and Black-throated Blue Warblers, Red-eyed Vireo, and a Spot-breasted Oriole were spotted. Finally at Homeless Hammock, we gained Ovenbird, American Redstart, and 2 Spotted Skunks. A waterthrush species called. Felipe and I had a thrush species that looked more like a Gray-cheeked than a Swainson's, but the light was too poor to call it anything. It did have a light cheek, and I didn't see any spectacles, but I am still cautious. On the other side of the hammock, a male Orchard Oriole flew over, but only I saw it. A Yellow-throated Vireo, Merlin, Eastern Kingbird, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, and 10 Orange-winged Parrots were just outside the hammock, as well. At the pond, Little Blue, Tricolored, and Great White Heron, as well as a Great Egret were seen. On the way the the nature center, we encountered a juvenile Spot-breasted Oriole, our only Black-and-white Warbler, Gray Kingbird, and another thrush species. At the visitor center, Pine Warblers were abundant, and we got looks at THREE Tufted Titmice, atleast a dozen Pine Warblers, a Yellow-throated Warbler, and Brown Thrasher flew by.
Our next stop was the fountain. By now, some of our group had left. The main event at the fountain were the thrushes. All Swainson's that I could see, but some called Veery and Gray-cheeked. I did see a thrush that looked like a GC, but it turned out to be a scruffy Swainson's. A Scarlet Tanager was seen in the area. At the boardwalk, a Cooper's Hawk, more Swainson's Thrush, and a Worm-eating Warbler were seen. By now, John Boyd and Brian Rapoza left for the Thick-billed Vireo. Towards the chickee, we managed to find a White-eyed Vireo, and Felipe had a Veery. In the pineland habitat area just west of the fountain, we gained an Eastern Wood-Pewee, and 2 Acadian Flycatchers. By now, the day was getting very hot, and we stopped to talk between the fountain and the visitor center, and we found 3 more migrants for the day: Painted Bunting, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and a female Baltimore Oriole. Here is a list of migrants for the day:
Both accipiters
Merlin
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern and Gray Kingbird
Eastern Wood-pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Great-crested Flycatcher (heard)
Swainson's Thruah- at least 12
Gray-cheeked Thrush- possibly 1 or 2
Veery- 1 or 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Northern Parula
Prairie Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Ovenbird
waterthrush spp
Worm-eating Warbler
American Redstart
Scarlet Tanger- 4 in basic plumage
Orcahrd Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
I managed to get 2 year birds and 2 county birds, and Felipe got 3 lifers and 4 state birds.
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