Luria Park Birding: 13 April 2014

This morning we headed down the boardwalk and across the improvised "bridge" to the other side of Luria Park. We were rewarded with the sight of a returning spring warbler: the Prairie Warbler!

This small bird was hopping all through the brush along the "point" of land across the creek near the bridge. Sorry for the less focused photo but he was very active, perhaps too active for my shutter speed. Warblers are the most mis-named of all bird species. The Prairie Warbler is found in scrubby forests in the eastern and south-eastern US not on the prairie. He winters in Florida. He loves to wag his tail and move, move, move!

We also saw a Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher in one of the trees on the Raymondale side of the boardwalk but again this bird is quite active and hard to photograph. I did, however, get a photo yesterday of the Blue Gray Gnatcatcher on its nest at Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria.

This tiny bird builds nests using lichen and spiderwebs. If you see a small bird flitting through the trees it may well be the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher. Just look for gray on top and white tummy with a white ring around its eye. The tip of his tail is straight across too.

Another tiny songster we saw in Luria Park is the Ruby-Crowned Kinglet.

This wee bird had a notched tail, yellow edging on its wing and tail primary feathers, a white eye ring and an almost invisible tiny streak of red on top of its head. You may see it with binoculars or when the bird is agitated as it will raise its tiny ruby crown.

In Luria Park, along the stream, way in the back about 40 yards form the boardwalk we spotted a Green Heron. Many residents have seen this bird which fishes using "lures" like bits of insects, worms, and bread.

This stocky fellow will wander far away from its breeding range after nesting season is over, some have been found as far away as Europe!

You can see him fishing, waiting and watching for minnows, tadpoles, or crayfish.

We spent about an hour carefully walking Luria Park. We found a couple of active nest builders.

A House Sparrow with another bird's feather to add to his nest.

And a Carolina Chickadee with moss to add to his cozy home.

In Luria Park we counted a good number of different birds. Here is the list:

Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Dark Eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Blue Gray Gnatcatcher
Blue Jay
Prairie Warbler
Green Heron
Mourning Dove
Tufted Titmouse
American Robin
Brown Headed Cowbird
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
White Breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Chickadee
Red Wing Blackbird
Common Grackle
House Sparrow
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Red Shouldered Hawk (flying over park)
American Crow
White Throated Sparrow
Yellow Rumped Warbler
Downy Woodpecker

As we get deeper into spring more warblers and other spring/summer birds should be migrating through. Some will stay and some are temporarily heading to more northern breeding territories. Now is the time to look for them--mid-April to mid-May.

Happy Spring! Happy Birding!

(all photographs taken in Luria Park on 13 April 2014, except where noted.)

Why a Raymondale bird blog? Dan and Beth Fedorko have been inventorying birds for Cornell University's Backyard Bird Count (www.feederwatch.org) which runs November through April each year. This inventory keeps track of migratory patterns, possible diseases, and decline and increase in bird populations. In response to the Raymondale Environmental Stewardship Task Force, we have started this blog which is separate from the general Raymondale news blog and more personal, to share our finds and photographs. If you see any birds in the neighborhood and surrounding parkland, please send us a photo! We'll help you identify it and might even post it on the blog!