Hello,
I birded Roanoke County today (Sunday, 5/18), including the cities of
Roanoke and Salem. Despite the wind and rain I still managed to locate 60
species.
Areas covered were Murray's Pond, Walrond Park, the Roanoke Airport, the
Roanoke River in Salem and Roanoke, Bent Mountain and Poor Mountain. Due to
the
wind, rain, and fog on Poor Mountain, I was unable to detect any of the
warblers I had hoped for - it was quite chilly up there. Highlights were a
pair of
adult Yellow-crowned Night-Herons foraging in the grass in front of the
picnic shelter in Smith Park around 5pm. I watched them for several minutes -
when
they decided to take off they flew straight to their nest high in a Sycamore
tree. I saw a third adult Yellow-crowned earlier in the day on the Roanoke
River in Salem. I also saw two FOS Willow Flycatchers, one at the airport and
one in Walrond Park. The complete list follows.
Canada Goose - 38 adults, numerous young of various ages, all over the
valley.
Mallard - 26
Great Blue Heron - 3, Roanoke River in Salem
Great Egret - 1, Murray's Pond
Green Heron - 2, Murray's Pond
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - 3
Black Vulture - 4
Turkey Vulture - 3
Cooper's Hawk - 1, Smith Park
Spotted Sandpiper - 6, Murray's Pond
Rock Pigeon - 21
Mourning Dove - 15
Chimney Swift - 24
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1 male, my feeder
Downy Woodpecker - 2
Hairy Woodpecker - 1
Northern Flicker - 6
Pileated Woodpecker - 1
Willow Flycatcher - 2
Eastern Phoebe - 2
Eastern Kingbird - 3
Warbling Vireo - 4
Red-eyed Vireo - 3
Blue Jay - 15
American Crow - 15
Common Raven - 1, Bent Mountain
Purple Martin - 2
Tree Swallow - 17
Rough-winged Swallow - 18
Barn Swallow - 15
Carolina Chickadee - 1
Tufted Titmouse - 6
Carolina Wren - 10
House Wren - 4
Eastern Bluebird - 5
Wood Thrush - 1
American Robin - 22
Gray Catbird - 13
Northern Mockingbird - 17
Brown Thrasher - 4
European Starling - 72
Cedar Waxwing - 17
Ovenbird - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 3
Scarlet Tanager - 2
Eastern Towhee - 6
Chipping Sparrow - 2
Field Sparrow - 2
Song Sparrow - 26
Dark-eyed Junco - 2, Poor Mountain
Northern Cardinal - 23
Indigo Bunting - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 18
Eastern Meadowlark - 2
Common Grackle - 46
Brown-headed Cowbird - 4
Baltimore Oriole - 3
House Finch - 16
American Goldfinch - 3
House Sparrow - 8
Mike Purdy
Roanoke. VA.
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