Well, a few Forum Friends have asked me to post the list I compiled on a brief visit to my wooded childhood haunts, in Connecticut. It's not terribly lengthy I'm afraid, as we were on a specific quest for Scarlet Tanager and thus stayed in woodland habitat the entire time (this is the bird that got me hooked as a child -- sadly, we saw none this time around). Still, I seem to remember more numbers, and diversity, as a kid. If anyone has thoughts on passerine population trends in the Eastern US/Canada then I wouldn't mind hearing them. In the meantime:
* = First documented life sighting (12 of 41 species sightings total - repeat species sightings not listed)
30 May 2008
(@ Ron's Farm, Putnam, CT)
*Eastern Bluebird
*Gray Catbird
*Brown-headed Cowbird
*Eastern Wood-Pewee
*Chipping Sparrow
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Cardinal
European Starling
31 May 2008
(@ Audubon Sanctuary / Putnam, CT
*Eastern Kingbird
*Yellow Warbler
Great Blue Heron
Mourning Dove
Barn Swallow
American Robin
*(Yellow Shafted) Northern Flicker
Tree Swallow
Red-winged Blackbird
Sharp-shinned Hawk
American Crow
Northern Mockingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Common Yellowthroat
English Sparrow
Song Sparrow
(@ Ron's Farm)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
White-breasted Nuthatch
01 June 2008
(@ Audubon Sanctuary / Putnam, CT)
Wild Turkey
*Chestnut-sided Warbler
American Goldfinch
*Vesper Sparrow
Winter Wren
*Indigo Bunting
(@ Ron's Farm)
Baltimore Oriole
02 June 2008
(@ Stepney, CT)
Rusty Blackbird
Black-capped Chickadee
Turkey Vulture
(Pileated Woodpecker - sign only, possibly heard)
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
*Tri-colored Heron
(Off I-84, SW of Hartford, CT)
Canada Goose
Hi Robert,
Sorry you did not see a Scarlet Tanager!I got very lucky last year
in some pouring rain at a local park(La Barrier) near Winnipeg!
Here's a lousy video,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpUY4psj60E
Darrell
[QUOTE=borealowl47;1220599]Hi Robert,
Sorry you did not see a Scarlet Tanager!I got very lucky last year
in some pouring rain at a local park(La Barrier) near Winnipeg!
Here's a lousy video,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpUY4psj60E
Darrell[/QUOTE]
Thanks, Darrell ...
That's a striking bird, and fine video. I'd have traded all 12 of my recent "ticks" for a glimpse of that personal Holy Grail from my childhood. Posted below is a Google image for our British friends.
Much appreciated,
Robert