Birds at the UBNA
Starting off my walk into the Union Bay Natural Area, I was greeted by a Killdeer walking on the trail in front of me. Then, I came across a male and female Gadwall eating the grass near the parkinglot. Further down the path to the right, in the field of tall grass were some purple flowers, and a Savannah Sparrow was perched on them. All along my walk were many Red-Winged Blackbirds singing and chasing eachother, being territorial and noisy. At a pond there were many different waterfowl together. Then, on the cat tails by the Sound was a noisy Buick's Wren. A Cinammon Teal pair were just waking up in a closed off area of a pond. Then, a Fox Sparrow was sitting at the top of a tree by a makeshift trail through the tall grass towards the water. I followed this and saw a Bald Eagle across the water. I then did another loop and came across a Hummingbird that had one small patch of color on it's neck, and a female Mallard and her ducklings swimming down the creek. I heard a bird song that sounded different from what I had heard so far and found an American Goldfinch, but it quickly flew away. In the area where we did drawing practice, I almost stepped on a baby bird, possibly a sparrow. In the distance at the top of a tree was a Cedar Waxwing, and finally on my way back out of the UBNA, sitting in some bushes was a yellow breasted small bird. On the way up the hill behind McMahon I saw a red House Finch, but it flew up into the tree before I could get my camera out. I believe it's nest is somewhere back there. Overall, getting up at 6:30am is worth it to see all these birds.
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)Observer
wellskaDescription
A male and female eating the grass next to the parkinglot by a creek. Not scared of me at all, I got about a foot away. 53 degrees F, cloudy.
Photos / Sounds
What
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)Observer
wellskaDescription
Walking along the trail next to the construction site by a creek. Always stay 10 feet in front of me, but didn't fly off for a bit. 50 degrees F, cloudy.
Photos / Sounds
What
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)Observer
wellskaDescription
Flitting about from cat tail to cat tail. Chased off a few other Red Winged Black Birds. Singing. 50 degrees F, cloudy.
Photos / Sounds
What
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)Observer
wellskaDescription
Singing sitting on purple flowers in a tall grass field near a pond. 50 degrees F, cloudy.
Photos / Sounds
What
Ducks, Geese, and Swans (Family Anatidae)Observer
wellskaDescription
By the edge of a pond. 50 degrees F, cloudy. Mallards, Cinnamon Teal, and Gadwall.
Photos / Sounds
What
Cinnamon Teal (Spatula cyanoptera)Observer
wellskaDescription
A male and female sitting on a log right by the edge of a pond in the middle of trees, mostly cut off from view from the trail. 50 degrees F, cloudy.
Photos / Sounds
What
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)Observer
wellskaDescription
50 degrees F, cloudy. Singing and flying from cattail to cattail.
Photos / Sounds
What
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)Observer
wellskaDescription
50 degrees F, cloudy. Sitting on a rock across the Sound from me. Looked to be enjoying a carp for breakfast for at least 20 minutes.
Photos / Sounds
What
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)Observer
wellskaDescription
50 degrees F, cloudy. Sitting at the top of a tree. Not singing.
Photos / Sounds
What
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)Observer
wellskaDescription
Accidentally walked to the waters edge and scared him off, didn't see him through the cattails. Standing on the side of the sound. 50 degrees F, cloudy.
Photos / Sounds
What
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)Observer
wellskaDescription
50 degrees F, cloudy. Sitting on a skinny bare branch of a small tree, occasionally flying off to drink nectar and then flying back to the same place. Singing a lot. 55 degrees F, cloudy.
Photos / Sounds
What
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)Observer
wellskaDescription
A female Mallard swimming in the creek with her ducklings. No male in sight. 50 degrees F, cloudy.
Photos / Sounds
What
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)Observer
wellskaDescription
Singing a lot sitting in a tree. 50 degrees F, cloudy.
Photos / Sounds
What
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)Observer
wellskaDescription
I stepped on this little guy on the way through a tall grass area. He looked fine when I picked him up and examined him to make sure. He had a few little tufts of grey fluff left above his eyes and on his body. very small. 50 degrees F, cloudy. Didn't make sounds.
Photos / Sounds
What
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)Observer
wellskaDescription
50 degrees F, cloudy. Far away at the very top of a tree. Signing occasionally. 50 degrees F, cloudy.
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)Observer
wellskaDescription
Flitting about in the Himalayan Huckleberry bushes with food in it's mouth. Cloudy. 50 degrees F
Comments
Thanks for this post - a good reminder to do some birding here. It's (almost) always worth getting up early
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