Birding with Joanna and her Dad

Definitely the most frustrating part of Finals period is not necessarily the stress and the busyness, but the fact that I have to miss spring migration! Finally, I got a chance to head into the Crum this morning with Joanna and her dad, which was a nice treat. We headed out around 1030 am, which is a bit of a late start for me, but it didn't matter as we found some great birds!

Alligator Rock was the most productive I've ever seen it, as I got great looks at most of my warblers there. On the way down to the creek, a crow raucously attacked a Sharp-shinned Hawk that had strayed into its territory, and the hawk settled into the forest edge by the Science Center parking lot. At the creek itself, I found my very first Spotted Sandpiper for the Crum! The other highlights include several great looks at a Veery, two Great Blue Herons soaring over the meadow and perching together, and getting to share the birds with two other people!

1. Great Blue Heron - 2, flew over the meadow and settled into a tree. Probably a mated couple.
2. Turkey Vulture - 1
3. Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1, behind Science Center
   
4. Spotted Sandpiper - 1, new for the Crum! Middle of creek, at upper pipe creek crossing
5. Mourning Dove - 7
6. Red-bellied Woodpecker - heard only
7. Downy Woodpecker - heard only
8. Hairy Woodpecker - 1, gorgeous male, Hemlock bluffs
9. Northern Flicker - 4, great looks at several flying birds in the Holly Collection
10. Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1, sallying at Alligator Rock, caught a yellow butterfly (a sulfur?)
11. Acadian Flycatcher - 1, upper pipe creek crossing
12. Blue Jay - heard only
13. American Crow - several
14. Tufted Titmouse
15. Carolina Chickadee
16. American Robin - innumerable
17. Wood Thrush - 1, heard only at trestle
18. Veery - 2, behind Science Center and at Hemlock bluffs, latter calling
19. Gray Catbird - 1, heard only, across from rhododendrons
20. Northern Parula - heard only, Alligator Rock and Holly Collection
21. Chestnut-sided Warbler - possibly heard behind Science Center
    
22. Black-throated Blue Warbler - heard only, Alligator Rock and above Holly Collection
23. Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2, Alligator Rock
24. Black-throated Green Warbler - several heard, one given great looks at Alligator Rock
25. Black-and-white Warbler - 1, great looks at Alligator Rock. Still can't hear these guys.
26. American Redstart - 1, great looks for Joanna at Alligator Rock.
27. Ovenbird - 2, below amphitheater
28. Northern Cardinal - 1 bright male by Lang
29. White-throated Sparrow - 5 above Holly Collection. Still here?!
30. Song Sparrow - 6, singing around Crum Meadow
31. Brown-headed Cowbird - 8 in Crum Meadow, both male and female
32. Common Grackle - 2 at Holly Collection entrance