Even on a cool morning in June at West Rutland Marsh, with a few showers, beats just about any other month of the year. Today 13 participants tallied 62 species, one above our June average and four below one year ago.
Gray CatbirdWe joked that today was a bit of a catwalk as we talked to newcomers about the difference between cattails (good) and phragmites (bad), plenty of yakking catbirds, the remains of a dead catfish in the road (which was really probably a sucker) and a non-Audubon approved cat that followed us down the road. Although we take our monitoring seriously we never leave fun out of the equation!
The bird of the day was a flyover Osprey, a species rarely seen at the marsh, and our only raptor of the day.
The expected marsh species were present: a Virginia Rail, two American Bitterns, a flyover Great Blue Heron as well as lots of Marsh Wrens and Swamp Sparrows. A couple sets of sharp ears picked out the low chuckle of a Least Bittern about halfway between the kiosk and the green house. A Green Heron along Pleasant Street was perched on a dead tree, giving its ‘skeow’ call and giving everyone the opportunity for a good look while a second heron flew by.
Green HeronAlong the way we saw an Eastern Kingbird nest, a Baltimore Oriole nest and a Common Grackle nest with young. We know there were plenty more we missed!
The warbler songs were bit muted along Whipple Hollow Road as a light rain started. Nevertheless, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, Blackburnian Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler were all heard. Plenty of Common Yellowthroats and Yellow Warblers were heard along the marshier parts of the route, along with more redstarts and a Chestnut-sided Warbler.
Thanks to all the new participants who joined us today. If you haven’t participated in a marsh walk we hope to see you soon at one of them!
Today’s list:
Canada Goose 6
Mallard 3
American Bittern 2
Least Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Green Heron 2
Osprey 1
Virginia Rail 1
Wilson's Snipe 4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 1
Mourning Dove 8
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Alder Flycatcher 7
Willow Flycatcher 5
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 4
Warbling Vireo 6
Red-eyed Vireo 10
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 2
Common Raven 2
Tree Swallow 4
Black-capped Chickadee 7
Tufted Titmouse 1
Brown Creeper 2
House Wren 4
Marsh Wren 11
Veery 7
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 8
European Starling 3
Cedar Waxwing 8
Ovenbird 4
Northern Waterthrush 1
Black-and-white Warbler 2
Nashville Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 13
American Redstart 6
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Yellow Warbler 11
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 9
Swamp Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Red-winged Blackbird 17
Common Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Baltimore Oriole 4
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 8
House Sparrow 3