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Today’s visit to the Stroud Preserve was chilly as I noted the first frost of the fall. The photo above shows frost on the railing of the parking lot. I did not see any frost on the ground. We may not see it for the next week or so either as the predicted lows for the next five days are all above 45°.

I started out an hour early at about 7:45 today as Mary was home and could take Paddy to the bus stop. I told Mary that compared to yesterday I would need to see a condor for the day to amount to anything. Nonetheless, I headed out under mostly clear skies, a bit chipper, and a light wind. I stayed out until 11:00 AM, the first two hours were slow and methodical birding, the last hour I pick up the pace to get my heart rate up. Here is what I saw. Total species: 52. Notable sightings in bold.

Stat time: 7:45
End time: 11:00
Temp: 32-40
Wind: slight from the southwest.
Skies: high counds
Species Total: 52

Black Vulture – as usual, many 10-15 over head
Turkey Vulture – as usual, 20-30 over head with a few roosting on the power lines
Canada Goose – small groups of 3-4 bird flying over head, approximately 30 total
Wood Duck – a male and two females in the Brandywine as I started out
Bald Eagle – only one adult today
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 3, one roosting in the willows on south side of old farm pond
Cooper’s Hawk – 1
Red-tailed Hawk – 10
Merlin – 1, on the west end of the preserve.
Rock Dove – 1
Morning Dove – approx. 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – Bird of the day! One at the bridge over the Brandywine, very late migrant
Red-bellied Woodpecker – approx. 10
Downy Woodpecker – approx. 10
Northern Flicker – 2
Eastern Phoebe – 1, they seem to be thinning out
Blue Jay – approx. 100, clearly migrating, most moving towards the southwest
American Crow – approx. 150
Tree Swallow – 10-15
Carolina Chickadee – approx. 15
Tufted Titmouse – approx. 15
White-breasted Nuthatch – 3
Red-breasted Nuthatch – 1, heard only
Carolina Wren – 4-5, heard only
House Wren – 1, heard only
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 2
Eastern Bluebird - approx. 80, clearly migrants.
American Robin - approx. 100
Gray Catbird - approx. 10
Northern Mockingbird – 3
European Starling – approx. 100, flocking with blackbirds
Cedar Waxwings – approx. 30
Tennessee Warbler – 1
Nashville Warlber – 3
Magnolia Warlber – 1, getting late
Black-throated Blue Warbler – 1, getting late
Yellow-rumped Warbler – approx. 30
Palm Warbler – approx. 15
Common Yellowthroat – 1
Eastern Towhee – 5
Field Sparrow – 2
Song Sparrow – approx. 75
Lincoln Sparrow – 1
Swamp Sparrow – 5
White-throated Sparrow – approx. 25
Northern Cardinal – 10
Red-winged Blackbird – approx. 300
Common Grackle – 1, probably more in with the Redwings, but only one for sure
Brown-headed Cowbird – approx. 25
House Finch – approx. 75
Purple Finch – approx. 150
American Goldfinch – approx. 75