In case you a haven’t checked it out, Wake Audubon has a meetup page! This is an easy way to RSVP for our events. Erla Beegle, who is the “mastermind” occasionally plans trips specifically for the meetup page, so if you haven’t checked it out you should!
http://www.meetup.com/Wake-Audubon-Meetup/
Below is a review of the recent bird walk to Durant Park.
Birds seen at Durant Nature Park by Wake Audubon Meetup
Saturday, June 20, 2009
8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Leader: L. Erla Beegle
# of birders: 4 (including leader):
Kaye, Mike, Justine
Number of species: 20
Best bird: Osprey low overhead, with a fish in his talons!
Another great bird: Least Flycatcher
Weather: hot and muggy, probably between 85 to 90 F with high humidity.
Bird activity was very low. We saw no ducks or geese, but plenty of turtles!
We saw (thanks to Mike) plenty of hummingbirds feeding high in the pine trees;
we thought they might be gathering small insects to feed to their young.
We also saw a male American Robin teaching his two fledglings to feed on the flat concrete slope of the lake’s spillway. The robins bounced along the steady sheet of slow-moving water and picked up water insects! It was similar to feeding on a lawn looking for grubs and earthworms, except their feet were wet.
The Least Flycatcher was very cooperative and gave us his song, field marks and posed for Justine’s camera. Empidonax flycatchers are primarily identified by their habitat and song. This one wagged his tail each time he called his “CHEH – bek”
Few birds, but a very nice trip overall! Hope to see you on the next one.
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
(heard only) Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis
Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
House Wren Troglodytes aedon
Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
American Robin Turdus migratorius
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
(heard only) Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis
FIELD TRIP: Bird Monitoring on the Lumber River-VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!!!
Where: Lumber River State Park
What: Come help with our bird count at our adopted Important Bird Area (http://www.audubon.org/bird/IBA/). No experience necessary! We especially need folks who can help keep tallies and keep time for the counters. If you can bird by ear, we need YOU!
When: Friday, June 5, 2009-Sunday, June 7, 2009
Meet either in Raleigh around 3pm on Friday or in Lumberton for dinner. Volunteers can either camp at Lumber River State Park or stay at a local motel. We will get back to Raleigh around 4pm on Sunday. Contact Richard for more details!
Leader: Richard Brown
Contact Info:
919-215-1148, [email protected]
June 11:
PURPLE MARTIN BANDING:
Where: NCSU University Club, 4200 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC
What: Come and see the banding of the babies! Wake Audubon Society, along with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and the Purple Martin Conservation Association will be banding baby martins.
When: Thursday, June 11, 2009, 7:00 am
Contact Info: Tim Francis
919-632-2420, [email protected]
I wanted to remind everyone that we have some great field trips coming up! This weekend, June 6, is the spring count at our adopted Important Bird Area, which is the Lumber River. If you want to come down and help us count birds (no experience required) you are welcome! For details contact Richard Brown at [email protected].
Continuing the Year of the Purple Martin, next month we are leading a trip in conjunction with the Museum of Natural Sciences to Manteo to see the amazing roost of Purple Martins under the old Hwy 64 Bridge. We will bird the outer banks during the day, and in the evening take a boat and watch the birds fly to roost under the bridge. Estimates put the numbers at over 100,000 Purple Martins! For information about the trip and how to register, check out the museum’s website. http://www.naturalsciences.org/programs-events/?select=1008
-Becky D