This morning we launched the H.M.S. Hoover with ourskipper Shaune Skinner at the helm. We were joined by Jeanne Gokcen, a newbirder on her first hardcore outing. It was one of those days we all alwayswant, nice temperature, mild wind, smooth water, sunshine and nicelycooperative birds. I’m fairly sure that by day’s end Jeanne was hooked onbirding.

The action began at the Oxbow Road Boat Launch. The firstthing I heard when I opened the car door was a male Prothonotary Warblergreeting me. Things just got better. I had told Jeanne of the Bald Eagle’s nestso our first stop was to visit the nest area and observe the Bald Eagle Nest.As always Bald Eagles are impressive as is the tree that manages to supportthat huge nest. From there the intention was to concentrate on locatingProthonotary Warbler territories but as is often the case when Shaune and Ilaunch onto Hoover Reservoir the distractions are irresistible. Today weconcentrated most of our efforts on Big Walnut Creek and Little Walnut Creek.We were rewarded with a marvelous list of species with many in very goodnumbers.

Some of the highlights of today’s cruise were a HornedGrebe diving at the upper reaches of Little Walnut Creek (Its brethren longgone north this bird seemed out of place but quite content); a female HoodedMerganser cruising the waters not more than a quarter mile further south onLittle Walnut Creek; 10 Red-headed Woodpeckers, several at new locations forthem bring the number of nest sites to 13 at the preserve; 8 Osprey, the 4 onthe 2 nest platforms at Area M plus 4 near Oxbow Road and White-tail DeerIsland, could this mean more nesting pairs than realized?; 3 Yellow-billedCuckoos; Great Crested Flycatchers all around the reservoir’s shores; and 51Prothonotary Warblers, mainly males as the females generally are either layingeggs or incubating eggs during the morning hours. The males’ color were ondisplay for us all day. Many males came close, landing out in the open glowinggolden-yellow in the sunlight as they sang for us. I never get tired ofwatching them put on a show.

With the addition of the new Prothonotary Warbler territoriesidentified today we have now passed 100 territories in 2013 with severalimportant areas yet to have in depth coverage. 

The last stop was to land back at Oxbow Road where themale Prothonotary Warbler at nest box X-8 put on a show. He sang and flittedalong a low branch over the water. He appeared to be enjoying his own image inthe water and presented great opportunities for taking his picture. With theday we had and this as the ending Jeanne was treated to a nice beginning to herbirding experiences. 

A species list for the day follows.
 
CharlieBombaci
HooverNature Preserve
 
SPECIESLIST
HornedGrebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
HoodedMerganser
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Spotted Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

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