Great Crested Flycatcher

On a sunny Father’s Day, 16 birders visited Bles Park led by Allison Gallo and Bryan Henson.  In just a couple of hours, we found 46 species of birds, five species of butterflies and seven species of dragonflies and damselflies.  Indigo Buntings decorated the tops of trees with their lovely blue colors while singing their bouncy song.  Yellow-billed Cuckoos taunted us with their songs despite never showing themselves.  Great Crested Flycatchers chased one another just a few scant feet in front of us seemingly oblivious to our presence.  Many of these birds were life birds for our cadre of new birders.  The more experienced birders helped them find and appreciate the birds. As we were looking for birds, Zebra Swallowtails and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails flew by; a Northern Pearly-eye landed on several of our group.  Throughout the park, we found dragonflies and damselflies plentiful. The complete species list of birds can be found below or online at eBird.

Species list:
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 4
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) 3
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) 4
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 2
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 2
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 4
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) 3
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) 4
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) 1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 2
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) 5
crow sp. (Corvus sp. (crow sp.)) 4
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) 6
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 2
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 4
swallow sp. (Hirundinidae sp.) 2
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 8
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 59
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) 1
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 2
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 2
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 7
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 8
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 12
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 2
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) 2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 8
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 1
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 12
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 2

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