Red-headed Woodpecker at nestbox.
Photo by Linda Millington

Linda Millington and Emily Southgate led a “Celebrate Birds” walk  on May 8 at Mt. Pleasant and the National Beagle Club on a glorious, sunny morning. Our group was comprised of 12 enthusiastic participants including birders, botanists and geologists.

At Mt. Pleasant Indigo Buntings and Grasshopper Sparrows sang in thickets and fields, Red-headed Woodpeckers posed on the fences, both Orchard and Baltimore Orioles were found in the tall willow oaks, and Tree Swallows and Barn Swallows swooped over the pond and around the barn. We were delighted by a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers clearly interested in a nest box, but who, so far, had not tried to enlarge the entrance hole.

We then crossed the road to visit the Beagle Club where our group was greeted by a Northern Parula and teased by the vocalizations of Yellow-breasted Chats and Prairie Warblers as they traversed fields and woods. We also learned about the history of this very interesting property from Emily.

We ended the morning with 56 species. The complete list can be viewed on eBird at: https://ebird.org/tripreport/126136.

Please note: this walk took place on private property and required special permission to visit.

Photo by Linda Millington

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