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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Birding Excursion 21-22 May 2011

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica)

What a most fabulous weekend! We wanted birds, and we definitely got them.
We spent the weekend down at Prince Edward County and Presqu'ile Provincial Park – Ontario, Canada.
11 birders and photographers, extremely enthusiastic with the beautiful weather Saturday morning, left Ottawa 6am, returning Sunday evening with a trip list of 137 species of birds.

Highlights from the weekend included Northern Mockingbird, Orange-crowned Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Orchard Oriole, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Wimbrel, Brant and Blue-winged Warbler.

Although there wasn’t a great diversity of warblers, birds were everywhere, often in good numbers.
I got the total of 6 lifers, including Black Tern flying over the car on the way home Sunday afternoon.

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Dunlin - Calidris alpina
Saturday:
American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Redstart
American Robin
Baltimore Oriole
Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
Barn Swallow
Bay-breasted Warbler
Black & White Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-crowned Night Heron
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blue Jay
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
Blue-winged teal
Bobolink
Brant
Broad-winged Hawk
Brown Thrasher
Brown-headed Cowbird
Canada Goose        
Canada Warbler
Caspian Tern
Cedar Waxwing
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chimney Swift
Chipping Sparrow
Cliff Swallow
Common Grackle
Common Loon
Common Moorhen
Common Raven
Common Tern
Common Yellowthroat
Double-crested Cormorant
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Wood-Pewee
European Starling
Field Sparrow
Great Blue Heron
Great-crested Flycatcher
Green Heron
Grey Catbird
Herring Gull
House Finch
House Sparrow
House Wren
Killdeer
Least Flycatcher
Least Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Longtailed Duck
Magnolia Warbler
Mallard
Marsh Wren
Merlin
Mourning Dove
Mute Swan
Nashville Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Harrier
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Parula
Orange-crowned Warbler
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Orchard Oriole
Osprey
Ovenbird
Philadelphia Vireo
Pied-billed Grebe
Pileated Woodpecker
Purple Finch
Purple Martin
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-eyed Vireo
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Rough-winged Swallow
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Savanna Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Song Sparrow
Spotted Sandpiper
Tennessee Warbler
Tree Swallow
Turkey Vulture
Warbling Vireo
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-crowned Sparrow
White-rumped Sandpiper
White-throated Sparrow
White-winged Scoter
Wild Turkey
Wood Duck
Wood Thrush
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Yellow-rumped Warbler

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Eastern Wood-pewee - Contopus virens

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Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica - Photo courtesy Heather Pickard 

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Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax - Photo courtesy Roger Cobbledick

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Purple Finch, Carpodacus purpureus - Photo courtesy Tony Beck

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 Blue-winged Warbler - Vermivora cyanoptera
Sunday:
American Bittern
Alder Flycatcher
American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Pipit
American Redstart
American Robin
American Kestrel
Baltimore Oriole
Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
Barn Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Black & White Warbler
Black Tern
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-crowned Night Heron
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Blue Jay
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
Blue-winged Warbler
Bobolink
Brant
Broad-winged Hawk
Brown Thrasher
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bufflehead
Canada Goose        
Caspian Tern
Cedar Waxwing
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chimney Swift
Chipping Sparrow
Common Grackle
Common Loon
Common Merganser
Common Moorhen
Common Raven
Common Tern
Common Yellowthroat
Double-crested Cormorant
Downy Woodpecker
Dunlin
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Meadowlark
European Starling
Gadwall
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Blue Heron
Great Eagret
Great-crested Flycatcher
Grey Catbird
Hairy Woodpecker
Herring Gull
Hooded Merganser
House Finch
House Sparrow
House Wren
Indigo Bunting
Killdeer
Least Flycatcher
Least Sandpiper
Lesser Scaup
Loggerhead Shrike
Longtailed Duck
Mallard
Marsh Wren
Merlin
Mourning Dove
Mute Swan
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Harrier
Northern Waterthrush
Orchard Oriole
Osprey
Pied-billed Grebe
Purple Martin
Red Head (Duck)
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-eyed Vireo
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Ruffed Grouse
Savanna Sparrow
Semipalmated Plover
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Song Sparrow
Spotted Sandpiper
Swainson's Thrush
Swamp Sparrow
Tennessee Warbler
Tree Swallow
Turkey Vulture
Warbling Vireo
White-breasted Nuthatch
Wild Turkey
Wilson's Snipe
Wimbrel
Wood Duck
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler

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Overnight excursion organized by Tony Beck ~ Always An Adventure

Monday, May 9, 2011

Spring Birding Mania!



Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia

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Jack Pine Trail
Tuesday 3rd May –
Jack Pine Trail never fails to entertain.
It was a great morning with several highlights. Including Virginia Rail, Ovenbird and a very accommodating Swamp Sparrow.

Day list:
  1. American Crow
  2. American Goldfinch
  3. American Robin
  4. American Tree Sparrow
  5. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
  6. Barn Swallow
  7. Belted Kingfisher
  8. Black & White Warbler
  9. Black-capped Chickadee
  10. Blue Jay
  11. Blue-headed Vireo
  12. Brown-headed Cowbird
  13. Bufflehead
  14. Canada Goose        
  15. Chipping Sparrow
  16. Cliff Swallow
  17. Common Grackle
  18. Common Merganser
  19. Common Raven
  20. Dark-eyed Junco
  21. Downy Woodpecker
  22. Dunlin
  23. European Starling
  24. Evening Grosbeak
  25. Field Sparrow
  26. Great-crested Flycatcher
  27. Greater Yellowlegs
  28. Hairy Woodpecker
  29. House Sparrow
  30. Lesser Scaup
  31. Lesser Yellowlegs
  32. Mallard
  33. Mourning Dove
  34. Northern Cardinal
  35. Northern Flicker
  36. Osprey
  37. Ovenbird
  38. Pine Warbler
  39. Purple Finch
  40. Purple Martin
  41. Red-breasted Nuthatch
  42. Red-tailed Hawk
  43. Red-winged Blackbird
  44. Ring-billed Gull
  45. Ring-necked Duck
  46. Rock Pigeon
  47. Rough-winged Swallow
  48. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  49. Ruddy Duck
  50. Rusty Blackbird
  51. Savanna Sparrow
  52. Song Sparrow
  53. Sora Rail
  54. Swamp Sparrow
  55. Tree Swallow
  56. Virginia Rail
  57. Warbling Vireo
  58. White-breasted Nuthatch
  59. White-throated Sparrow
  60. White-winged Scoter
  61. Wood Duck
  62. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  63. Yellow-rumped Warbler

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Virginia Rail - Rallus limicola

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Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana, Photo courtesy Helena G.

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Female Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus
Thursday 5th May –
Spring-like weather returns with warm sunshine. Yet only a few migrants made appearances today.
Among them included Yellow-rumped and Yellow Warblers.
The highlight of the day, was a long photo session with a very cooperative Eastern Towhee.

Day list:
  1. American Crow
  2. American Goldfinch
  3. American Robin
  4. American Kestrel
  5. Belted Kingfisher
  6. Black-capped Chickadee
  7. Blue Jay
  8. Blue-winged teal
  9. Broad-winged Hawk
  10. Brown Thrasher
  11. Brown-headed Cowbird
  12. Canada Goose        
  13. Chipping Sparrow
  14. Common Grackle
  15. Common Raven
  16. Dark-eyed Junco
  17. Downy Woodpecker
  18. Eastern Bluebird
  19. Eastern Meadowlark
  20. Eastern Phoebe
  21. Eastern Towhee
  22. European Starling
  23. Field Sparrow
  24. Gadwall
  25. Great Blue Heron
  26. Greater Scaup
  27. Grey Catbird
  28. Herring Gull
  29. Hooded Merganser
  30. House Sparrow
  31. Killdeer
  32. Lesser Scaup
  33. Mallard
  34. Mourning Dove
  35. Northern Cardinal
  36. Northern Flicker
  37. Northern Harrier
  38. Northern Showler
  39. Osprey
  40. Ovenbird
  41. Palm Warbler
  42. Peregrine Falcon
  43. Purple Martin
  44. Red-tailed Hawk
  45. Red-winged Blackbird
  46. Ring-billed Gull
  47. Ring-necked Duck
  48. Rock Pigeon
  49. Rough-winged Swallow
  50. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  51. Ruffed Grouse
  52. Rusty Blackbird
  53. Savanna Sparrow
  54. Sharp-shinned Hawk
  55. Song Sparrow
  56. Spotted Sandpiper
  57. Swamp Sparrow
  58. Tree Swallow
  59. Turkey Vulture
  60. Virginia Rail
  61. White-breasted Nuthatch
  62. White-throated Sparrow
  63. Wild Turkey
  64. Wood Duck
  65. Yellow Warbler
  66. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  67. Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Female Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata - Myrtle

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Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

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American Bittern - Botaurus lentiginosus, Photo courtesy Bill Bowman
Saturday 7th May –
What an awesome day! Birds were everywhere.  And, they just seemed to keep on coming.
The morning at Petrie Island was a warbler paradise including a spectacular male Blackburnian Warbler - A real crowd-pleaser.

Day list:
  1. American Black Duck
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Robin
  5. Bald Eagle
  6. Baltimore Oriole
  7. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
  8. Barn Swallow
  9. Belted Kingfisher
  10. Black & White Warbler
  11. Blackburnian Warbler
  12. Black-capped Chickadee
  13. Black-throated Green Warbler
  14. Blue Jay
  15. Bobolink
  16. Brant
  17. Broad-winged Hawk
  18. Brown Creeper
  19. Brown Thrasher
  20. Brown-headed Cowbird
  21. Bufflehead
  22. Canada Goose        
  23. Chipping Sparrow
  24. Common Grackle
  25. Common Raven
  26. Double-crested Cormorant
  27. Downy Woodpecker
  28. Eastern Kingbird
  29. Eastern Meadowlark
  30. Eastern Phoebe
  31. European Starling
  32. Great Blue Heron
  33. Great-crested Flycatcher
  34. Green-winged Teal
  35. Grey Catbird
  36. Hairy Woodpecker
  37. House Sparrow
  38. House Wren
  39. Killdeer
  40. Least Flycatcher
  41. Mallard
  42. Mourning Dove
  43. Northern Flicker
  44. Northern Parula
  45. Osprey
  46. Palm Warbler
  47. Pied-billed Grebe
  48. Purple Finch
  49. Red-tailed Hawk
  50. Red-winged Blackbird
  51. Ring-billed Gull
  52. Rock Pigeon
  53. Rough-winged Swallow
  54. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  55. Rusty Blackbird
  56. Savanna Sparrow
  57. Sharp-shinned Hawk
  58. Snow Goose
  59. Song Sparrow
  60. Spotted Sandpiper
  61. Swamp Sparrow
  62. Tennessee Warbler
  63. Tree Swallow
  64. Turkey Vulture
  65. Warbling Vireo
  66. White-breasted Nuthatch
  67. White-crowned Sparrow
  68. White-throated Sparrow
  69. Wilson's Snipe
  70. Wood Duck
  71. Yellow Warbler
  72. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  73. Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Osprey - Pandion haliaetus

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Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis

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Sunday May 8th – 
Happy Mother’s Day!
17 participants gathered at Andrew Haydon Park, to enjoy the wonders of spring on this special day. A lone Brant joined the Canada Geese, on one of the small ponds.
We later went for a relaxing hike around Mud Lake, Britannia.
Some of the highlights included Black-crowned Night Herons, Green Heron, White-crowned Sparrow and Rusty Blackbirds.

Day list:
  1. American Black Duck
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Robin
  5. Baltimore Oriole
  6. Barn Swallow
  7. Blackburnian Warbler
  8. Black-capped Chickadee
  9. Black-crowned Night Heron
  10. Black-throated Green Warbler
  11. Blue Jay
  12. Brant
  13. Brown-headed Cowbird
  14. Canada Goose 
  15. Chipping Sparrow
  16. Common Grackle
  17. Common Raven
  18. Common Tern
  19. Dark-eyed Junco
  20. Double-crested Cormorant
  21. Downy Woodpecker
  22. European Starling
  23. Great Black-backed Gull
  24. Great Blue Heron
  25. Green Heron
  26. Grey Catbird
  27. Hairy Woodpecker
  28. Herring Gull
  29. House Finch
  30. House Sparrow
  31. Killdeer
  32. Mallard
  33. Mourning Dove
  34. Northern Cardinal
  35. Northern Flicker
  36. Northern Mockingbird
  37. Palm Warbler
  38. Pine Warbler
  39. Red-winged Blackbird
  40. Ring-billed Gull
  41. Rock Pigeon
  42. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  43. Rusty Blackbird
  44. Song Sparrow
  45. Spotted Sandpiper
  46. Tree Swallow
  47. Warbling Vireo
  48. White-breasted Nuthatch
  49. White-crowned Sparrow
  50. White-throated Sparrow
  51. Wood Duck
  52. Yellow Warbler
  53. Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Brant - Branta bernicla

Malr Rusty Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird - Euphagus carolinus, Photo courtesy Heather Pickard 

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Red Trillium - Trillium erectum
Monday 9th May –
What a fantastic spring day!
Warm temperatures, bright sunshine, and no wind – ideal conditions for comfortable birdwatching.
The Brant was still at Andrew Haydon Park, along with a small family of Canada Geese with 4 tiny Goslings.
At Grand View Trail, Field Sparrows and Brown Thrashers were playing hide and seek.

Day list
  1. American Crow
  2. American Goldfinch
  3. American Redstart
  4. American Robin
  5. Baltimore Oriole
  6. Barn Swallow
  7. Black & White Warbler
  8. Black-capped Chickadee
  9. Black-throated Blue Warbler
  10. Blue Jay
  11. Brant
  12. Brown Thrasher
  13. Brown-headed Cowbird
  14. Bufflehead
  15. Canada Goose 
  16. Chipping Sparrow
  17. Common Goldeneye
  18. Common Grackle
  19. Common Loon
  20. Common Redpoll
  21. Coopers Hawk
  22. Double-crested Cormorant
  23. Downy Woodpecker
  24. Eastern Kingbird
  25. European Starling
  26. Field Sparrow
  27. Great Blue Heron
  28. Greater Scaup
  29. Grey Catbird
  30. Hairy Woodpecker
  31. House Sparrow
  32. House Wren
  33. Killdeer
  34. Lesser Scaup
  35. Mallard
  36. Merlin
  37. Mourning Dove
  38. Nashville Warbler
  39. Northern Cardinal
  40. Northern Flicker
  41. Northern Mockingbird
  42. Osprey
  43. Pileated Woodpecker
  44. Purple Finch
  45. Purple Martin
  46. Red-breasted Merganser
  47. Red-necked Grebe
  48. Red-winged Blackbird
  49. Ring-billed Gull
  50. Ring-necked Duck
  51. Rock Pigeon
  52. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  53. Rusty Blackbird
  54. Song Sparrow
  55. Spotted Sandpiper
  56. Tree Swallow
  57. Turkey Vulture
  58. Warbling Vireo
  59. White-breasted Nuthatch
  60. White-crowned Sparrow
  61. White-throated Sparrow
  62. Wood Duck
  63. Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Gosling - Canada Goose

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Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum

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Warbling Vireo - Vireo gilvus

All excursions organized by Tony Beck - Always an Adventure

Monday, May 2, 2011

Weekend Birding 30th April - 1st May 2011

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Saturday 30th April – this last April morning was most beautiful with green buds sprouting on the trees and bushes with the sun shining in glorious blue skies.
After being under the weather for about a week, it was most rejuvenating to be outside under such perfect conditions.

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12 enthusiastic birders and photographers started the morning excursion at Petrie Island.  Not too many warblers yet. But, Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers were abundant.

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Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) - Myrtle

The highlight of the day was a self-spotted lifer, a Northern Water Thrush.
At the end of the excursion we had the total of 62 species.
  1. American Black Duck
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Robin
  5. American Wigeon
  6. American Kestrel
  7. Baltimore Oriole
  8. Barn Swallow
  9. Belted Kingfisher
  10. Black-capped Chickadee
  11. Blue Jay
  12. Brown Creeper
  13. Brown Thrasher
  14. Brown-headed Cowbird
  15. Bufflehead
  16. Canada Goose        
  17. Chipping Sparrow
  18. Common Grackle
  19. Common Merganser
  20. Common Raven
  21. Double-crested Cormorant
  22. Downy Woodpecker
  23. Eastern Meadowlark
  24. European Starling
  25. Gadwall
  26. Great Blue Heron
  27. Green-winged Teal
  28. Grey Catbird
  29. Hairy Woodpecker
  30. Hermit Thrush
  31. House Finch
  32. House Sparrow
  33. Killdeer
  34. Mallard
  35. Mourning Dove
  36. Northern Cardinal
  37. Northern Flicker
  38. Northern Harrier
  39. Northern Pintail
  40. Northern Waterthrush
  41. Osprey
  42. Palm Warbler
  43. Pied-billed Grebe
  44. Pileated Woodpecker
  45. Red-tailed Hawk
  46. Red-winged Blackbird
  47. Ring-billed Gull
  48. Ring-necked Duck
  49. Rock Pigeon
  50. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  51. Rusty Blackbird
  52. Snow Goose
  53. Song Sparrow
  54. Spotted Sandpiper
  55. Swamp Sparrow
  56. Tree Swallow
  57. Turkey Vulture
  58. White-breasted Nuthatch
  59. Wilson's Snipe
  60. Wood Duck
  61. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  62. Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Sunday the 1st May – Spring has definitely arrived with the great weather continuing from yesterday.  
12 energized birders and photographers started the morning excursion at Andrew Haydon Park.

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Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Later in the morning we moved over to Shirley’s Bay where we had a flock of Canada Geese flying overhead that included a Cackling Goose and a Greater Snow Goose.

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3 Canada Geese, a Cackling Goose, a Greater Snow Goose, 3 Canada Geese

Other interesting new birds for the season were Horned Grebe, Purple Martin and Chimney Swift.

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Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) Photo courtesy of Helena G.

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Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) Photo courtesy of Helena G.

We ended up with a day list of 56 species:
  1. American Crow
  2. American Goldfinch
  3. American Robin
  4. American Tree Sparrow
  5. American Wigeon
  6. Barrow's Goldeneye
  7. Black-capped Chickadee
  8. Blue Jay
  9. Brown Creeper
  10. Brown Thrasher
  11. Brown-headed Cowbird
  12. Bufflehead
  13. Cackling Goose
  14. Canada Goose        
  15. Chimney Swift
  16. Chipping Sparrow
  17. Common Goldeneye
  18. Common Grackle
  19. Common Merganser
  20. Common Raven
  21. Dark-eyed Junco
  22. Double-crested Cormorant
  23. Downy Woodpecker
  24. European Starling
  25. Great Blue Heron
  26. Hairy Woodpecker
  27. Herring Gull
  28. Horned Grebe
  29. House Sparrow
  30. House Wren
  31. Killdeer
  32. Lesser Scaup
  33. Mallard
  34. Mourning Dove
  35. Northern Cardinal
  36. Northern Flicker
  37. Northern Waterthrush
  38. Osprey
  39. Pileated Woodpecker
  40. Purple Martin
  41. Red-winged Blackbird
  42. Ring-billed Gull
  43. Ring-necked Duck
  44. Rock Pigeon
  45. Rough-winged Swallow
  46. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  47. Rusty Blackbird
  48. Snow Goose
  49. Song Sparrow
  50. Spotted Sandpiper
  51. Tree Swallow
  52. White-breasted Nuthatch
  53. White-throated Sparrow
  54. Wood Duck
  55. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  56. Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

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White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

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Excursion organized by Tony Beck - Always An Adventure