Eaton Birding Society Armitage Road Field Trip

Tschache Pool

The goal for the field trip was to locate and view the breeding Prothonary Warbler.

Checked my computer before I left home this morning and did not see a trip cancellation notice. Arrived at Montezuma Visitor Center around 7:30 AM. Three other birders, Mark Miller, Sheila Ferrari and Dave Snyder were in the parking lot.

After waiting for awhile to see if others might join us we decided to surveyed Seneca Trail. Met Don & Ruth, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge volunteers, near the observation tower.

Returned to cars and did the auto-drive. There was a Bald Eagle perched in a tree on the east bank of the Seneca River.

Another eagle was in a tree near the Spillway.

On to Tshache Pool. There several Black Terns were skimming the water. Stopped at Mays Point, Mark and Dave caught a glimpse of a red-headed woodpecker. Finally Armitage Road where we heard the Prothonotary Warbler but did not see the bird.

On the way home I made my customary stop at South Spring Pool.

There I photographed some wildlife. The lighting had improved somewhat.

Dragonfly

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Phoebe

Blue Jay

Common Yellowthroat

Sheila was kind enough to be our recorder. We collected 54 species today in our travels.

The List:

red-winged blackbirds - 21
purple martins - 16
European starlings - 4
American crow - 2
song sparrow - 13
ruby-throated hummingbird - 2
Canada geese - 150, including 6 family sets holding a day
care center on Wildlife Dr. near Larue Lagoon
chipping sparrow - 1
brown-headed cowbird - 2
barn swallow - 3
tree swallow - 6
grey catbird - 3
blue jay - 1 (being chased by cerulean warblers)
cerulean warblers - 4
common yellowthroat - 3
house wren - 2
marsh wren - 1
great blue heron - 7
Eastern bluebird - 1
willow flycatcher - 3
yellow warbler - 5
great-crested flycatcher - 2
Baltimore oriole - 3 (nest on Seneca Trail)
cedar waxwing - 11 (nest on Seneca Trail)
American goldfinch - 10
northern cardinal - 1
American robin - 3
American redstart - 4
least flycatcher - 1 (unsure, Mark recorded)
northern flicker - 2
osprey - 5
mourning dove - 1
eastern kingbird - 2
downy woodpecker - 1
bald eagle - 5
blue winged teal - 1
common grackle - 5
killdeer - 5
northern harrier - 1
green heron - 3
mallard - 7
double-crested cormorant - 1
savannah sparrow - 1
black terns - 3 (Tshache Pool)
American coot - 15 "
gadwall - 2
pied-billed grebe - 3
turkey vulture - 1
red-headed woodpecker - 1 (Mays Pt. Road)
prothonotary warbler - 1 (heard, not seen)
veery - 1 "
blue-gray gnatcatcher - 2
sharp-shinned hawk - 1
rock pigeon - 1

Another great day for birding.