I was in Groton last week for my annual fall trip to visit and help some friends there. Although I wasn't able to visit Stewart Park or Sapsucker Woods etc. since we only had a church van with us, I was able to do a bit of birding on Thursday morning (4 hours) and Friday afternoon, on the old RR trail that leads north from Baker-Miller Lumber Yard, just off the main route through Groton (38/222). Sorry for the late report, but I got back Sunday, and didn't have computer access while in NY.
I observed quite a few birds on Thursday, and found 36 species along the trail. See the species list below from e-bird. Highlights were the first MOCKINGBIRD and PILEATED WOODPECKER that I've seen along the trail in about 10-12 years of visiting. The past few years, I've heard RUFFED GROUSE (single) along the trail, and this day one flushed from just off the trail, so I got to actually see it this time! Many sparrows, especially Swamp, Song and White-throated. A group of at least 12 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS near a residence at the northern section of the trail was nice, and nearby PURPLE FINCHES were a treat, as we don't see many these days in the Chicago area. On my shorter visit Friday afternoon, I added a few species to my week list, albeit common ones - Mallard, Red-winged Blackbird, Red-tailed Hawk and House Finch, plus one nice look at a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK - the robins, sparrows and starlings in the vicinity really flushed quickly when he came through, but no 'catches'. Got to see two CAROLINA WRENS on Friday which was nice (not common in Cook Co. here). TURKEY VULTURES, AMERICAN CROWS and BLUE JAYS really ruled in Groton during the week, and I saw more than 90 TV's along Route 222 north to Cortland on Sunday morning. One group trip to Buttermilk Falls produced a flock of about 5 Red-breasted Nuthatches (do they nest there?). Alan Anderson, Des Plaines, Illinois www.chicagoaudubon.org bankswal...@comcast.net and casresea...@comcast.net -------------------------------------------------------------------- Species list and numbers from Thursdays visit: Location: Baker-Miller Trail, Groton Observation date: 10/15/09 8:45am to 12:25pm Notes: slow walk north from behind Baker-Miller Lumber yard on former RR trail to the end of 'normal trail'; Number of species: 36 **Ruffed Grouse 1 (flushed from side of trail) Turkey Vulture 1 (many more 'in town') Herring Gull 3 Belted Kingfisher 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 6 **Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Downy Woodpecker 3 Hairy Woodpecker 1 **Pileated Woodpecker 1 Blue Jay 14 American Crow 28 Black-capped Chickadee 11 Tufted Titmouse 5 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 5 **Carolina Wren 1 (2 on Friday) **Winter Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 16 **Eastern Bluebird 12 American Robin 70 *** Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 3 (450+ on Friday!) Cedar Waxwing 6 (40+ on Friday) Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 4 Eastern Towhee 1 (male) Fox Sparrow 1 Song Sparrow 18 **Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Swamp Sparrow 23 (probably more) White-throated Sparrow 45 White-crowned Sparrow 4 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 3 Northern Cardinal 3 Common Grackle 10 **Purple Finch 5 American Goldfinch 6 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2( http://ebird.org ) -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
