In addition to the many baby wood ducks in the back eco ponds this morning (thanks Derrick) we also encountered
several well fed snakes sunning on the path beside the first pond, on our way to the 2nd pond. Not my favorite wildlife, nor do I know much about them, but they appeared to be an oversized garter snake, large black snake, and an unseen mover of a lot of grass. Also in that area, several blue-winged warblers looked like feeding young. The female kestrel was in evidence. One or the other always seems to be in the area of the big dead tree beyond the nest box. Many Baltimore Orioles in evidence as well as Orchard Orioles (adults) which might lead to an answer to your dilemma. I can tell that we need to explore the cut grass trail leading off the sports field. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of deidam623 Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 10:45 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [MidHudsonBirds] 06/18/10 - Vassar Farm Went to Vassar Farm after work today from 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm. The day started strong with 4 green herons at the front ponds (one was in a tree above me), which offered a ton of photograph opportunities. I then moved to the barn in the front and was greeted to 4 killdeer! This all occurred in the first 20 minute upon setting out of my car. >From there, I went past the community gardens and took the cut grass trail. I saw what I thought was a 1st summer orchard oriole, but after reviewing my photos and my Sibley's Field Guide, it looks more like a hooded oriole, which would be crazy! I posted a few shots in the ID help for further review. Fingers crossed! The rest of the day was pretty standard. There are still baby wood ducks in the back eco ponds, hummingbirds still buzz around the wood bridge near those ponds and the song of common yellowthroats fill the fields. 1. Wood Duck 2. Mallard 3. Great Blue Heron 4. Green Heron 5. Killdeer 6. Mourning Dove 7. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird 8. Belted Kingfisher 9. Red Bellied Woodpecker 10. Downy Woodpecker 11. Northern Flicker 12. Blue Jay 13. American Crow 14. Tree Swallow 15. Barn Swallow 16. Black-Capped Chickadee 17. White-Breasted Nuthatch 18. House Wren 19. Eastern Bluebird 20. Wood Thrush 21. American Robin 22. Gray Catbird 23. Northern Mockingbird 24. European Starling 25. Cedar Waxwing 26. Blue-Winged Warbler 27. Yellow Warbler 28. Common Yellowthroat 29. Eastern Towhee 30. Field Sparrow 31. Song Sparrow 32. Northern Cardinal 33. Rose-Breasted Grosbeak 34. Red-Winged Blackbird 35. Common Grackle 36. Brown-Headed Cowbird 37. Baltimore Oriole 38. American Goldfinch No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.829 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2947 - Release Date: 06/18/10 14:35:00 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
