Birding by Ear

This morning's SOFO Birding by Ear was probably not scheduled on the best of days: the middle of the July 4th holiday when birders were partying and birds were nesting and falling silent. A small but enthusiastic group turned up for the walk and the birds were relatively quiet. But in spite of all this, it was a productive walk on a pleasant early summer morning with good views of many of the specialties of the Vineyard Field behind the South Fork Natural History Museum.

This field is perhaps notable, above all else, for its Indigo Buntings and both male and female buntings were seen; a few buntings were in song and one nervous male, clearly agitated by our presence; we were apparently close to a nest or, more likely, a fledgling who whose soft chips could be heard as a kind of weal counterpoint to the male's loud alarm calls.

Other observations of note included the Bluebirds using a nest box at the far end of the field; Chimney Swifts; female Orchard Oriole; Red-bellied Woodpecker with young; four species of swallows including Purple Martins, Barn, Tree and Bank.; Turkey Vultures soaring overhead (including one group of three). The only warbler songs heard were the Yellow Warbler and the Common Yellowthroat.

A stunning display of wild flowers included Common Milkweed, Butterfly Weed (another kind of milkweed), St. John's Wort, Deptford Pink, Blue Toadflax, Common Nightshade, Common Mullein, several species of daisy-like composites not to mention the plantings in the Butterfly Garden and around the buildings. A startling sight was a stand of very phallic-looking Stinkhorn mushrooms, probably Mutinus elegans with its orange stem and sticky brown cap; talk about alien species, this one looks like it invaded from another planet but it is, in fact, a native.

Along with the flowers, many butterflies including Silver-spotted Skipper, Spicebush Swallowtail, many Common Wood-Nymphs, a great many American Coppers, one of the Sulphurs (and we weren't even especially looking for butterflies)! Also several large and handsome dragonflies include the Green Darner, a Red or Carolina Saddlebags, and one of the red Skimmers.

In a less happy vein, there was evidence of Box Turtle nests that had been dug up by a raccoon or fox as well as a dead turtle that appeared to have been run over as it attempted to lay its eggs.

The complete bird list:

Double-crested Cormorant (overflights)
Turkey Vulture (soaring birds overhead)
Red-tailed Hawk (soaring while undergoing blackbird attacks)
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker (adult with young bird)
Eastern Phoebe (heard)
Eastern Kingbird
Blue Jay
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Tufted Titmouse (mostly heard)
House Wren
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Orchard Oriole (female)
Baltimore Oriole (great views of active males)
American Goldfinch
    
Eric Salzman