Day 187 - July 6, 2012

Wow!  I can't believe it's been 23 days since I last wrote anything on this blog but I have not seen anything new in Woodbury.  That is until today.

 I know the hot summer months aren't the greatest for birding since males have already staked out territires,  attracted a female and nested.  Not much for them to do now but to feed the little ones.

But, as always, Nature fooled me again when I went to Flanders Nature Center now for the 3rd time since starting My Big Year.

I started at the Marsh and walked the blue trail down to the Blind that along the Marsh.  So for the Marsh, I saw/heard:  House Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Wood Pewee (H), Cedar Waxwings (5); Catbird (H), Grackle (3), Rose-Breasted Grosbeak (female), Hermit Thrush, Ovenbird, Titmouse (H), Chipping Sparrow, Common Yellow-throat (H), Kingfisher, Goldfinch (H), Red-Winged Blackbird, Hairy Woodpecker, Tree Swallow (2), Chickadee (2), Field Sparrow (H), Redstart (male).

I next went over to the Sap House area with the thought of checking the evergreens for any owls like I did earlier this year.  But when I go to the area, I soon realized that at this time of year, there are plants growing and I did not want to take a chance with any ticks that may be in the tall grass.  So I nixed the owls.  But I did see a Chickadee with young in a nest, Chipping Sparrow, and a male Bluebird.

Red Admiral Butterfly

Next it was off to check out the pond in the woods that is accessible via the Botany Trail.  Right near the little tree farm I heard/saw 3 Crows.  After reaching the Pond, nothing was there, I continued into the woods by taking the trail to the left of the Pond and heard a Red-Eyed Vireo.  I circled around the back side of the Pond and then headed back down the Botany Trail (Orange Trail) to the road.  And that is when I saw it!

Redstart (not too good)

I heard a bird singing in the trees and after a little looking, saw a male Scarlet Tanager.  The bird was in a tree and the way the tree branches were arranged, the bird was in the sun like being in a spotlight displaying the scarlet red of the body against the dark black of the wings.  So I reached for my camera, clicked the shutter button, and NOTHING!  It turned out that I had hit the timer button so the shutter would not open for 10 seconds.  By the time I realized this, the bird, to quote the Beatles, "had flown'  :-(

So I headed down to towards the Marsh and this time went to the left side of it towards the open field.  There I saw a male Blue-Winged Warbler.

Finally, when I got back to the lower parking area, I saw a Phoebe.

So all and all, not a bad 2.5 hours of birding.  I will enter all my sightings onto eBird tomorrow.

Now for the data...
 
DATA:  9:30-11:45 am; 75F-80F; sunny; clear; slight breeze

76)  Ovenbird
77)  Field Sparrow