The Stroud Preserve, 30 November 2012

Yesterday the skies were filled with so many vultures it was difficult to count them. To day, I didn’t see a vulture until I was almost done with my walk and was heading back to the car! Where did they all go? I checked the deer carcass on the way out and there were only 5 birds feeding on it where as yesterday there were over 30.

Actually, I am always quite surprised at the day to day variation in the number of species I see at the preserve. For example, in the month of November I saw 54 species on seven visits to the preserve. The species totals for each visit were 24, 32, 40, 24, 31, 33, and 37. October was even more pronounced. I recorded a total of 97 species on 19 visits to the preserve and my range of daily tallies was a low of 34 and a high of 54.

Today I flushed up a Wilson’s Snipe from the old farm pond. This was only my second observation of this species from the preserve, however, it is probably here more often but overlooked as I don’t scan the aquatic vegetation in the middle of the old pond bed very often. Here is the run down for the day.

Stat time: 8:45
End time: 12:00
Temp: 63-68
Wind: None
Skies: high clouds
Species Total: 37
 
Great Blue Heron – 3
Black Vulture – 10, where did they all go?
Turkey Vulture – approx. 20
Canada Goose – 800
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 3, immatures
Red-tailed Hawk – 6, 5 adults and one immature
Wilson's Snipe – 1, Bird of the Day! Only my second observation at the preserve
Rock Dove – 2
Mourning Dove – approx. 150
Belted Kingfisher – 2, heard only
Red-bellied Woodpecker – approx. 5
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 1, heard only
Downy Woodpecker – approx. 15
Hairy Woodpecker – 1
Northern Flicker – 2
Blue Jay – approx. 15
American Crow – approx. 300
Carolina Chickadee – approx. 30
Tufted Titmouse – approx. 30
Red-breasted Nuthatch – 1
White-breasted Nuthatch – approx. 20
Carolina Wren – approx. 15
Eastern Bluebird – approx. 25
American Robin – 5
European Starling – 5
Eastern Towhee – 1, heard only
Chipping Sparrow – 11
Field Sparrow – 2
Song Sparrow – approx. 20
Swamp Sparrow – 3
White-throated Sparrow – approx. 50
Dark-eyed Junco – approx. 40
Northern Cardinal – approx. 20
Red-winged Blackbird – approx. 10
House Finch – approx. 25
American Goldfinch – approx. 25