Prescott Peninsula..Red Crossbills and others

Red Crossbill, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

 

Red Crossbill, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

Red Crossbill, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

As it appeared that there was no big push of migrants last night I decided to head onto the permit only Prescott Peninsula to set up my field study sites and check my whip-poor-will route. I spent most of the morning there covering about 10 miles and compiled a nice list of birds with some decent numbers including 13 warbler species. Although active in spots it is still a bit quiet for this time of year.  Hopefully the next couple nights with southerly winds will finally bring us lots of birds.  Highlights were many, with the biggest being four Red Crossbills that were recorded and photographed. The type will be determined after I get that info back from Matt Young at Cornell. I have included the list for the day below:

Purple Finch, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

Nashville Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

Yellow Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

Yellow Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

Tree Swallow, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

Chipping Sparrow, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

Red winged Blackbird, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

Prescott Peninsula (60 species total)

Canada Goose  2
Wood Duck  3
Mallard  2
Hooded Merganser  3
Common Merganser  2   pair on small pond
Ruffed Grouse  7     Drumming
Wild Turkey  16     various small groups
Common Loon  2   calling
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Mourning Dove  6
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  26
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  3
Northern Flicker  7
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Least Flycatcher  9
Eastern Phoebe  10
Eastern Kingbird  6
Blue-headed Vireo  24     Minimum
Red-eyed Vireo  1
Blue Jay  45
American Crow  5
Tree Swallow  16
Black-capped Chickadee  21
Red-breasted Nuthatch  8     Minimum
White-breasted Nuthatch  4
Brown Creeper  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Hermit Thrush  2
Wood Thrush  4
American Robin  29
Gray Catbird  1
Ovenbird  27     Minimum
Black-and-white Warbler  16     Minimum
Nashville Warbler  2
Common Yellowthroat  10
American Redstart  5
Northern Parula  1
Blackburnian Warbler  2
Yellow Warbler  5
Chestnut-sided Warbler  3
Black-throated Blue Warbler  17     Minimum
Pine Warbler  19
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  49
Black-throated Green Warbler  13
Eastern Towhee  47     Minimum count
Chipping Sparrow  46
Song Sparrow  10
Swamp Sparrow  5
Northern Cardinal  4
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1
Red-winged Blackbird  14
Common Grackle  5
Brown-headed Cowbird  11
Purple Finch  14     Minimum
Red Crossbill  4     Photographed and recorded
American Goldfinch  11

Beaver with ear tags, Prescott Peninsula, May 5, 2013

In addition, I had several mammals including a ear tagged Beaver.  I have sent off some e-mails to Quabbin folks to see what the story is with this guy.