Following is the count from Sunday's weekly bird walk sponsored by National
Park Service Great Falls National Park. Our nine participants identified 31
species + 1 taxa. Our walk began with a fox trotting down the trail with a
mouth full of squirrel .. but the birds were unaffected. We saw several mixed
flocks with both ruby and golden crowned kinglets, chickadees, titmice and even
blue birds. On our sometimes sunny walk we also saw a late pewee, a pine
siskin and red-breasted nuthatch. Jays were out in full force.
This walk meets at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings, rain or shine, in the alcove
before the snack bar/concession stand of the Great Falls National Park
Visitors' Center; it does not take place, though, during electrical storms,
heavy snows, or when the trails are icy. All those with an interest in the
natural world, beginning and experience birders, or just want in a nice walk in
a beautiful and historical setting are welcomed to join us. The Falls are very
nice too!
Count 31 species + 1 taxa
Canada Goose 62
Mallard 14
Mourning Dove 1
Chimney Swift 3
Great Blue Heron 1
Black Vulture 6
Turkey Vulture 5
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 12
Downy Woodpecker 7
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 8
Northern Flicker 5
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 According to the "Field List of the Birds of Maryland"
(3rd Ed.), Eastern Wood-Pewees are rarely seen in the area into late October.
(Although, yes, what was this bird thinking?!)
Blue Jay 32
crow sp. 26
Carolina Chickadee 9
Tufted Titmouse 17
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 5
Carolina Wren 7
Golden-crowned Kinglet 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 18
Eastern Bluebird 6
Cedar Waxwing 54
Pine Siskin 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 2
White-throated Sparrow 13
Song Sparrow 7
Yellow-rumped Warbler 15
Northern Cardinal 10
