Today I did atlas work in my Block 58C3NW. Linda joined me as she wanted to
see how the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird was progressing. She’s still sitting on
the nest waiting for the blessed event. If my calculations are correct she
should hatch her eggs this weekend or early next week. She has lots of company
in the maternity ward as there are birds incubating or feeding hatchlings
and fledglings everywhere. I discovered yet another Prothonotary Warbler nest
cavity today, bring the year’s total to 147.
Highlights for the day included locating a Hooded Merganser hen with
fledglings. This is the second Hooded Merganser I have located with fledglings this
year. They are in separate blocks about 5 miles apart. I am aware of 2 other
reports of nesting Hooded Mergansers in Delaware County this year, one is
near Olive Green and the other near Alum Creek north of Route 37. The four
confirmed sightings make me wonder if the species is expanding its nesting
southward.
My next item Linda doesn't think qualifies as a highlight. We were walking
along Big Walnut Creek when we observed a Mallard hen with 6 ducklings. One
duckling wandered from the rest and then suddenly began running along the water
and then down came a Cooper’s Hawk that snatched the duckling off the water
and banked into the woods. This was a well advanced duckling and bigger than I
would have expected a Cooper’s Hawk to pursue.
Linda was hoping to see a cuckoo as I have been seeing and hearing them
constantly at the preserve. During the first 2 hours we heard about 15
Yellow-billed Cuckoos and got fleeting views of about 3. Then as we returned to the car
and were within sight of it I stopped Linda and pointed right ahead as a
Yellow-billed Cuckoo came out onto a branch 10 feet in front of us and began
feeding on caterpillars. It stayed in the open and fed for a good 10 minutes
before moving into thicker foliage.
After things seemed to be slowing down with the Prothonotary Warblers, they
were active today with about 15 males vocalizing in the area we were in.
Several provided us with great views including the newly discovered nest cavity
where we watched the adults coming and going with offerings for the hatchlings.
The dead tree had two close openings, one above the other. The adult male
would enter the lower and exit the upper, whereas the females entered and
exited from the lower opening.
Birds observed with or feeding their young included Canada Geese, Wood
Ducks, Mallard, Hooded Merganser, Cooper’s Hawk, Downy Woodpecker, Northern
Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Tree Swallow, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren,
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Prothonotary Warbler, Northern Cardinal, and
Song Sparrow.
Birds observed included:
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Turkey Vulture
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
Cliff Swallow Barn Swallow
Blue Jay American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
Charlie Bombaci
Hoover Nature Preserve
Delorme 58 C (2) & (3)
Block 58C3NW
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