With overnight temperatures in the high teens, and 30 degrees when I started my hike, it was rather chilly. But there wasn't much wind, most of the muddy trails were frozen, and there was bright sunshine. I started off at the golf course pond, and it was partially frozen. There was a Ruddy Duck, two Ring-necked Ducks, and a Pied-billed Grebe. Noticeably missing from my hike list today is Canada Geese - didn't see a sngle one.
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Ducks
Pied-billed Grebe
I know that Savannah and Chipping Sparrows are here during the winter, but I hadn't seen these species in Old Trail for several weeks, until this morning, when I spotted one Chipping Sparrow and two Savannah Sparrows. I ended up with eight New World sparrow species plus House Sparrow. The only wintering sparrow species here that I missed this morning was Eastern Towhee.
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
I saw juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in two locations.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Winter Wren
Winter Wren
Winter Wren
Even though I missed a handful of regularly seen winter species this morning, I still ended up with 34 avian species on my morning list.
This morning's list:
Ring-necked Duck
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow