Red-shouldered Hawk
It was very cold overnight, and with temperatures in the upper 20s when I left home at 9:30 this morning, all of the trails were frozen and icy. I had previously seen 149 avian species here in Old Trail, and I wondered when and if I would get to 150. Not sure why that thought entered into my mind, but I soon got my answer. I decided to go first to the golf course pond, because it is large enough to have some open water with these temperatures, and often attracts ducks when smaller area ponds are frozen. I stopped on the way to photograph a Red-shouldered Hawk - not hard to find here, but usually not my first species of the morning.
Red-shouldered Hawk
When I got to the golf course pond, I was surprised to see six Common Goldeneyes and a Canvasback (my Old Trail species # 150), and a male and female Mallard. I didn't see the Pied-billed Grebe, but it must have been there. One of the Goldeneyes had a mostly yellow bill like that of a Barrow's Goldeneye, but about 5% of Common Goldeneyes show this feature, and its wing patches confirmed it as a Common.
Common Goldeneyes and Canvasback
Common Goldeneyes and Mallards
Common Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Common Goldeneyes
Common Goldeneyes
Canvasback
Canvasback
Canvasback
Field Sparrow
I stopped at a nearby feeder to watch a few more species.
Song Sparrow and House Finches
Song and White-crowned Sparrows
White-crowned Sparrow
I headed over to Western Park, and added a few more avian species, and saw a herd of nine deer.
Swamp Sparrow
Turkey and Black Vultures
A very yellowish-orange House Finch
Need two more for a football team
I ended my hike along Slabtown Branch Creek. The Red-shouldered Hawk was still there, and I added a few more avian species to get me ot 30 for the hike.
Song Sparrow
Red-shouldered Hawk
This morning's list:
Canada Goose
Mallard
Canvasback
Common Goldeneye
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Winter Wren
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Mockingbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Field Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
House Finch
House Sparrow