Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Oct. 1, 2014

21 birders enjoyed the fourth Radnor Walk of Fall 2014 on a beautiful day. Highlights of the 35 species seen and heard were male Black-throated Blue Warbler and Solitary Sandpiper. Magnolia Warbler continued to be the most numerous Warbler species.

Leader: Danny Shelton

Wood Duck 8 Wild Turkey 13 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Great Blue Heron 2 Black Vulture 5 Solitary Sandpiper 1 Chimney Swift 50+ Red-bellied Woodpecker 6 Downy Woodpecker 6 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 2 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Eastern Phoebe 2 White-eyed Vireo 1 Philadelphia Vireo 1 Blue Jay 5 American Crow 4 Carolina Chickadee 8

Tufted Titmouse 7 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Carolina Wren 5 Eastern Bluebird 1 American Robin 3 Cedar Waxwing 40+ Black and White Warber 2 Tennessee Warber 2 Common Yellowthroat 1 Northern Parula 1 Magnolia Warbler 14+ Bay-breasted Warbler 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 1 Palm Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Northern Cardinal 10+ Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1

Kevin Bowden

Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Sep. 24, 2014

32 birders enjoyed a gorgeous morning birding Radnor Lake today. 46 species and one taxa including 14 warblers were seen. Among the highlights : the elusive Black-throated Blue, one Hooded Warbler, several Magnolia Warblers, a lone sighting of an Orange-crowned warbler, and several American Redstarts. Below is the cumulative list:

Wood Duck - 12 Mallard - 1 Blue-winged Teal - 3 Wild Turkey -10 Great Blue Heron -2 Green Heron -1 Barred Owl-1 Chimney Swift -42 (conservative) Ruby-throated Hummingbird -2 Belted Kingfisher -1 Red-bellied Woodpecker-7 Downy Woodpecker-6 Northern Flicker-1 Pileated Woodpecker-1 Eastern Wood Pewee-8 Empidonax species -1 White-eyed Vireo-2 Red-eyed Vireo-1 Blue Jay-15 American Crow -10 Carolina Chickadee -15 Tufted Titmouse -9 White-breasted Nuthatch -4 Carolina Wren -9

Swainson's Thrush -1 Wood Thrush -1 American Robin -9 Cedar Waxwing - 47 Northern Waterthrush -1 Blue-winged Warbler -1 Black and White Warbler -2 Tennessee Warbler -9 Orange-crowned Warbler -1 Nashvile Warbler -4 Hooded Warbler -1 American Redstart -23 Northern Parula -3 Magnolia Warbler-17 Bay-breasted Warbler -3 Yellow Warbler -2 Chestnut-sided Warbler -1 Black-throated Blue Warbler -1 Black-throated Green Warbler -8 Summer Tanager -3 Northern Cardinal -11 Rose-breasted Grosbeak -3 American Goldfinch -3

Steve Routledge

Shelby Park, Davidson County
9/20/2014

Today's field trip to Shelby Park and Bottoms was pleasant, with wonderful weather and nice birding. Fourteen birders participated in the walk, and we observed forty-one species. Magnolia Warblers and American Redstarts were extremely abundant, seeming to be at nearly every corner. A Least Flycatcher perched briefly on a low branch provided the first empidonax challenge of the day. Finally, we had simply fantastic looks at a Philadelphia Vireo (a great spot by Joshua Stevenson!) at Mission Hill. A huge thank you to NTOS member Frank Fekel for leading the trip! A complete species list is below:

41 species (+1 taxa.)

Mallard - x Turkey Vulture - 3 Killdeer - 1 Mourning Dove - 4 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1 Chimney Swift - x Ruby-throated Hummingbird = 4 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2 Northern Flicker - 2 Hairy Woodpecker - 1 Downy Woodpecker - 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 3 Acadian Flycatcher - 1 Least Flycatcher - 1 Empidonax sp. - 1 White-eyed Vireo - 5 Philadelphia Vireo - 1 American Crow - 3 Blue Jay - 3 Carolina Chickadee - 14 Tufted Titmouse - 8

White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 House Wren - 1 Carolina Wren - 6 Eastern Bluebird - 7 American Robin - 100+ Swainson's Thrush - 1 Gray Catbird - 3 Brown Thrasher - 12 Northern Mockingbird - 4 European Starling - 175+ Yellow Warbler - 1 Common Yellowthroat - 1 American Redstart - 13 Magnolia Warbler - 15 Wilson's Warbler - 2 Eastern Towhee - 1 Northern Cardinal - 6 Indigo Bunting - 5 Common Grackle - 14 House Finch - 4 American Goldfinch - 8

Chloe Walker
NTOS Field Trip Coordinator

Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Sep 10, 2014

Slow birding this morning for the first NTOS Wednesday bird walk for this fall, with just 6 species of warblers tallied. Sixteen people enjoyed the breezy conditions, and what birds were around. Our best small flock was in the big timber along the lake trail between the old lake platform and the long bridge. The Wilson's warbler was seen at the point by the spillway.

34 species

Double-crested Cormorant  1 Great Blue Heron  2 Green Heron  1 Turkey Vulture  6 Cooper's Hawk  1 Red-tailed Hawk  1 Chimney Swift  1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2 Red-bellied Woodpecker  4 Downy Woodpecker  4 Pileated Woodpecker  1 Eastern Wood-Pewee  4 Acadian Flycatcher  1 Empidonax sp.  1 Eastern Phoebe  1 White-eyed Vireo  1 Red-eyed Vireo  1 Blue Jay  1

American Crow  8 Carolina Chickadee  8 Tufted Titmouse  2 White-breasted Nuthatch  1 Carolina Wren  10 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  2 Swainson's Thrush  1 American Robin  8 Cedar Waxwing  20 Black-and-white Warbler  1 American Redstart  1 Northern Parula  1 Magnolia Warbler  1 Black-throated Green Warbler  2 Wilson's Warbler  1 Northern Cardinal  6 American Goldfinch  3

Richard Connors

Radnor Lake State Natural Area, Davidson County
Aug. 8, 2014

Despite the humid weather throughout the trip, eleven birders attended today's walk at Radnor Lake. A total of 32 species were observed (list below), and we had several interesting sightings - most notably an early male Black-throated Green Warbler singing pitifully on the Lake Trail just past the construction area where the old platform once was. Our group had wonderful looks at a male Summer Tanager, two noisy Eastern Phoebes (one adult; one juvenile), and four fly-over Double-crested Cormorants on the Spillway as well. Thank you to all who participated, and we hope to see everyone at next month's field trip!

32 species

Wood Duck - 4 Double-crested Cormorant - 4 Great Blue Heron - 2 Green Heron - 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1 Chimney Swift - 3 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 3 Red-headed Woodpecker - 1 (Heard) Red-bellied Woodpecker - 4 Downy Woodpecker - 3 Pileated Woodpecker - 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 6 Eastern Phoebe - 2 Great Crested Flycatcher - 2 empidonax sp. - 1 White-eyed Vireo - 2

Red-eyed Vireo - 1 Blue Jay - 5 American Crow - 3 Purple Martin - 4 Carolina Chickadee - 9 Tufted Titmouse - 11 White-breasted Nuthatch - 6 Carolina Wren - 15 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2 Eastern Bluebird - 11 American Robin - 5 Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 Eastern Towhee - 1 Summer Tanager - 1 Northern Cardinal - 7 American Goldfinch - 6

Chloe Walker - NTOS Field Trip Coordinator

Bowie Nature Park, Fairview
July 12, 2014

It was a wonderful morning for birding at Bowie Nature Park in Fairview, with a total of five birders who saw/heard 43 species. The Red-headed Woodpeckers stole the show today, for we observed eleven, stunning individuals throughout the park. A special surprise was a Willow Flycatcher flycatching in the willow trees near the pond. We enjoyed watching Pine Warblers forage for insects to give to their young, and we got decent looks at a Yellow-throated Warbler in a Sweet Gum. A pair of Hairy Woodpeckers was also a nice treat. Thank you to all who participated in today's walk. A complete checklist can be found below.

43 species

Canada Goose - x Mallard - x Killdeer - 1 Mourning Dove - 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 2 Red-headed Woodpecker - 11 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2 Downy Woodpecker - 2 Hairy Woodpecker - 3 Northern Flicker - 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 2 Acadian Flycatcher - 2 Willlow Flycatcher - 1 Great Crested Flycatcher - 2 Eastern Phoebe - 1 Eastern Kingbird - 2 Red-eyed Vireo - 1 vireo sp. - 1 Blue Jay - 2 American Crow - 2 Purple Martin - 45+

Carolina Chickadee - 9 Tufted Titmouse - 6 White-breasted Nuthatch - 4 Carolina Wren - 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2 Eastern Bluebird - 1 American Robin - 15 European Starling - 30 Northern Parula - 2 Yellow-throated Warbler - 5 Pine Warbler - 12 Eastern Towhee - 2 Chipping Sparrow - 2 Field Sparrow - 1 Summer Tanager - 2 Northern Cardinal - 7 Indigo Bunting - 1 Common Grackle - 1 Brown-headed Cowbird - 1 House Finch - 1 American Goldfinch - 3

Chloe Walker

Rutherford and Wilson Counties
June 7, 2014

Nine birders showed up for the Rutherford/Wilson county field trip this morning, Saturday June 7th. Fortunately, the morning wasn't too hot and was free of rain showers. The target birds cooperated nicely, several of which were life birds for many of the participants.

We began by taking a brief walk around the Discovery Center Wetlands. This was somewhat successful; we found several muskrats, a raccoon, Wood Duck and Mallard ducklings, and an agitated Green Heron. Next we drove along Florence Road and found two Scissor-tailed Flycatchers at two different locations. After Florence Road we checked the speedway in Wilson county and were happy to find two Lark Sparrows and had wonderful looks at a Cliff Swallow. We moved on to Simmons Bluff Road and found a Red-headed Woodpecker in a stand of trees. At the corner of Simmons Bluff Road and Cedar Forest Road, we were thrilled to see three additional Lark Sparrows, one of which appeared to be a recently-fledged juvenile. Several participants were fortunate enough to see a fly-over Cattle Egret on Cedar Forest Road as well. On Barlow Lane, we had outstanding views of both a Dickcissel and a Grasshopper Sparrow on electrical wires. Finally we checked Middlepoint Landfill and saw a handsome male Blue Grosbeak that was wonderfully colored against the purple Thistle.

A big thanks to Terry Witt for co-leading the trip. Also, thanks to those who joined us on this wonderful outing. A complete checklist can be found below.

67 species

Canada Goose - 15+ (some w/ducklings) Wood Duck - 15+ (some w/ ducklings) Mallard - 15+ (some w/ ducklings) Northern Bobwhite - 3 Wild Turkey - x Great Blue Heron - 4 Green Heron - 1 Black Vulture - 100+ Turkey Vulture - 20+ Red-tailed Hawk - 6 Killdeer - 2 Rock Pigeon - x Mourning Dove - 20+ Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 2 (heard) Chimney Swift - x Belted Kingfisher - 1 Red-headed Woodpecker - 2 (one seen; one heard) Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2 Downy Woodpecker - 1 Northern Flicker - 1 American Kestrel - 3 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1 (heard) Eastern Phoebe - 3 Great Crested Flycatcher - 1 (heard) Eastern Kingbird - 4 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - 2 Blue Jay - 2 American Crow - 8 White-eyed Vireo - 2 (heard) Yellow-throated Vireo - 1 (heard) Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 20+ Purple Martin - 1 Barn Swallow - 40+ Cliff Swallow - 1

Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 2 Carolina Wren - 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2 Eastern Bluebird - 20+ (one juvenile) American Robin - 20+ Brown Thrasher - 1 (heard) Northern Mockingbird - 6 European Starling - x Kentucky Warbler - 2 (heard) Common Yellowthroat - 3 (heard) Prairie Warbler - 3 (only one seen) Yellow-breasted Chat - 3 (heard) Eastern Towhee - 4 Chipping Sparrow - 5 Field Sparrow - 20+ Lark Sparrow - 5 (four adults; one juvenile) Grasshopper Sparrow - 10+ (one seen) Song Sparrow - 2 Summer Tanager - 2 (heard) Scarlet Tanager - 1 (heard) Northern Cardinal - 11 Blue Grosbeak - 6 (only two seen) Indigo Bunting - 20+ Dickcissel - 10+ (only one seen) Eastern Meadowlark - 20+ Red-winged Blackbird - 10+ Common Grackle - 20+ Brown-headed Cowbird - 10+ Orchard Oriole - 5 House Finch - 9 American Goldfinch - 6 House Sparrow - x

The following pictures were taken by Chloe during the field trip. Lark Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Raccoon.

Chloe Walker - NTOS Field Trip Coordinator