Van Courtlandt Bird Walk Report 5-14-2011...

Louisiana Waterthrush

This past Saturday, our group met up at our usual spot, the nature center near the parade grounds.  We did our usual scan of the grounds, then quickly headed out to bird along the Van Courtlandt Lake.  We did not encounter any of the hotbed of activities we had the previous week before, but picked up birds here and there.  We had nice looks at Warbling Vireos, Blue Gray Gnatcatchers and Northern Rough-winged Swallows.   I kept the walk to 2 1/2 hours since I had another walk at the New York Botanical Garden, filling in for NYC Audubon Director, Glenn Phillips.  Next week is the Van Courtlandt Birdathon and I plan on being at Van Courtlandt Park, as early as 4:00 a.m. to get an early start.  Some of my regulars are planning to join me at 6:00 a.m. and others will catchup with us during our regular start time of 8:00 a.m.

Below is a list of the birds seen on our walk.

Mallard - Anas platyrhyncho
Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax
Herring Gull - Larus argentatu
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura
Chimney Swift - Chaetura pelagica
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens
White-eyed Vireo - Vireo griseus
Warbling Vireo - Vireo gilvus
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus
House Wren - Troglodytes aedon
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea
American Robin - Turdus migratorius
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris
Northern Parula - Parula americana
Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia
American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla
Northern Waterthrush - Parkesia noveboracensis
Louisiana Waterthrush - Parkesia motacilla
Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater
Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus

Tags: Van Courtlandt Bird Walk