The Stroud Preserve, 30 April 2013

/
​Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema dracontium (L.) Schott 30 April 2013, Stroud Preserve, West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania. 

​Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema dracontium (L.) Schott 30 April 2013, Stroud Preserve, West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania. 

Today’s walk yielded no new year-birds and my species count was lower than yesterday’s, however, it was not raining and that is a winner in my books! With the exception of swallows and swifts chattering overhead, it was largely silent. I heard a Eastern Meadowlark on the west side of the preserve, but I think it is more likely a transient.

Plants are blooming at an exponential rate. I think I have over two hundred species on the plant list so far which includes very few trees. Rushes, sedges and grasses are starting to bloom so I am spending much more time in the evening with my microscope trying to figure those things out. They ain’t easy! Pictured above is an easy one.

Start time: 9:00

End time: 12:30

Temp: 52-63°

Wind: 10-12 mph from the east

Skies: clear

Species Total: 54

  • Great Blue Heron – 1
  • Black Vulture – 2
  • Turkey Vulture – approximately 10
  • Canada Goose – 4
  • Wood Duck – 2
  • Mallard – 4
  • Cooper's Hawk – 1
  • Red-tailed Hawk – 3
  • Solitary Sandpiper – 1, in the old farm bed.
  • Mourning Dove – 2
  • Chimney Swift – approximately 25
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker – approximately 5
  • Downy Woodpecker – 3
  • Northern Flicker – 2
  • Pileated Woodpecker – 1, heard only
  • Eastern Phoebe – 3
  • Eastern Kingbird – 1
  • White-eyed Vireo – approximately 10
  • Warbling Vireo – approximately 10
  • Blue Jay – approximately 20
  • American Crow – approximately 10
  • Fish Crow – 3, more often than not, I am hearing these on the west side of the preserve
  • Tree Swallow – approximately 150
  • Northern Rough-winged Swallow – approximately 50
  • Barn Swallow – approximately 25
  • Carolina Chickadee – 5
  • Tufted Titmouse – approximately 10
  • White-breasted Nuthatch – 3
  • Carolina Wren – approximately 10
  • House Wren – 2
  • Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – approximately 25
  • Eastern Bluebird – approximately 10
  • American Robin – approximately 10
  • Gray Catbird – approximately 10
  • Northern Mockingbird – 1
  • Brown Thrasher – 2
  • European Starling – approximately 30
  • Blue-winged Warbler – 1
  • Yellow Warbler – approximately 8
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler – 1
  • Black-and-white Warbler – 1, heard only
  • Eastern Towhee – approximately 10
  • Chipping Sparrow – 1
  • Field Sparrow – approximately 10
  • Savannah Sparrow – 1
  • Song Sparrow – approximately 25
  • White-throated Sparrow – approximately 10
  • Bobolink – at least 2, heard only
  • Red-winged Blackbird – approximately 30
  • Eastern Meadowlark – 2, 1 calling from field on west side of preserve, 1 calling from usual spot on Creek and Strasburg Roads.
  • Common Grackle – 1
  • Brown-headed Cowbird – approximately 10
  • House Finch – 2
  • American Goldfinch – approximately 15

​