The Stroud Preserve, 6 December 2012

Burrr. Yesterday the starting temperature was 50, today it was 23 degrees cooler! The lower temperature also seemed to lower the bird activity as it was very quiet. It seemed like I had to work extra hard to find each species today. I didn’t think that I broke 30 species, however when I got home and tallied it all up, I ended up with one more than yesterday. Go figure. Still, while I might have had more species, there were definitely fewer individuals.

One surprise did pop out of the woodwork. Since bird activity was lower I spent more time spishing, and I would occasionally play a recording of an Eastern Screech-Owl to try and bring birds into view. While I was play the owl call in the north side of the preserve, a real Eastern Screech-Owl called back at me. This is in the same general area that I found one in October. The trees here are thick with vines and undergrowth, which is perfect habitat for a screech-owl (photo above is the location where I heard it). Plus, it is sure better than the one I came across a few days ago. That one was in two dimensions in the side of the road!

Stat time: 9:00
End time: 11:20
Temp: 27-34
Wind: slight from the east
Skies: clear
Species Total: 35
 
Great Blue Heron – 1
Black Vulture – approximately 40
Turkey Vulture – approximately 35
Canada Goose – approximately 100
Mallard – 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 1
Red-tailed Hawk – 4 adults
Mourning Dove – approximately 30
Eastern Screech-Owl – 1, heard only, Bird of the Day!
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 2, heard only
Downy Woodpecker – approximately 6
Hairy Woodpecker – 1
Northern Flicker – 1
Blue Jay – approximately 15
American Crow – approximately 200
Carolina Chickadee – approximately 10
Tufted Titmouse – approximately 5
White-breasted Nuthatch – 3
Brown Creeper – 1
Carolina Wren – approximately 10
Winter Wren – 1, heard only
Golden-crowned Kinglet – 2, heard only
Eastern Bluebird – approximately 20
Northern Mockingbird – 4
European Starling – 5
Eastern Towhee – 2
Fox Sparrow – 1, heard only
Song Sparrow – approximately 75
Swamp Sparrow – 2, heard only
White-throated Sparrow – approximately 125
Dark-eyed Junco – approximately 15
Northern Cardinal – approximately 10
House Finch – approximately 10
American Goldfinch – approximately 30