NTOS Field Trips

Radnor Lake State Natural Area
September 12, 2012

Twenty birders gathered this morning to participate in the first regular NTOS Wednesday morning walk at Radnor Lake State Natural Area. Due to the cloud cover, the lighting conditions were not optimal; however, birds were still quite active and put on a good show for the group.

Highlights were a very cooperative CANADA WARBLER seen near the spillway, a GREAT BLUE HERON sitting high overhead in a tree along the dam road, a BALD EAGLE flying towards us from the other side of the lake. Twelve warbler species made for a good count. One of them, a NORTHERN PARULA, was still singing despite the rather late date. Another possible sighting, which is not listed below, was an AMERICAN COOT. Since this species would be rare for this time of year and the bird was seen at a distance without the aid of a scope, it does not appear as a confirmed sighting, although several in the group felt that the bird was likely to be a Coot.

Below is a recap of the group's observations.

46 species

Canada Goose  1
Wood Duck  19
Blue-winged Teal  8
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Great Blue Heron  2
Green Heron  2
Bald Eagle  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Barred Owl  1
Chimney Swift  75
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  2
Eastern Kingbird  1
Blue Jay  8
Carolina Chickadee  8
Tufted Titmouse  7
White-breasted Nuthatch  4
Carolina Wren  7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  4
Eastern Bluebird  1
Veery  1
Swainson's Thrush  1
American Robin  3
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  20
Cedar Waxwing  15
Golden-winged Warbler  1
Black-and-white Warbler  3
Prothonotary Warbler  1
American Redstart  2
Northern Parula  4
Magnolia Warbler  4
Blackburnian Warbler  1
Yellow Warbler  3
Chestnut-sided Warbler  3
Black-throated Green Warbler  3
Canada Warbler  1
Wilson's Warbler  1
Summer Tanager  1
Northern Cardinal  8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  2
American Goldfinch  6

Kevin Bowden