Trip Name/Location: Bellair Farm
Date: Saturday, November 18, 2017
Leader(s): Michelle McKenzie
Weather: Partly-cloudy, high 40’s to low 50’s, occasional gusts of wind
Total Attendance (including leaders): 16
Total # of Species Observed: 38
Highlights: Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers and Green-winged Teal on the pond; a pair of perched Bald Eagles, Northern Harrier, Merlin.
Comments: A 2+ mile birding walk through the varied habitats of breathtakingly beautiful Bellair Farm… While co-leaders Michelle and Andy were disappointed that the usual group of raucous Red-headed Woodpeckers failed to show, they treated us to a fabulous morning of birding, culminating in the low fly-over of a Merlin, who then obligingly perched in a fairly distant treetop and posed for photographs (distance and windy conditions, however, were not camera-friendly). Thanks so much for your hospitality and expertise, Michelle!
Merlin
by Janey Paisley
Bald Eagle pair
by Janey Paisley
And, thanks to Janet Paisley, not only for her photos (she apologizes for the slightly fuzzy, wind-blown Merlin, but we applaud her graciously documenting our exciting find!), but also for diligently tallying our sightings, listed below, for eBird.
Canada Goose 54
Wood Duck 4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
by Maynard Davis
Mallard 4
American Black Duck 1
Cedar Waxwing
by Maynard Davis
Green-winged Teal 3
Hooded Merganser 4
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 3
Merlin 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 9
American Crow 19
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 7
Carolina Wren 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4
Eastern Bluebird 15
Hermit Thrush 2
American Robin 15
Northern Mockingbird 1
Cedar Waxwing 100
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 14
White-throated Sparrow 4
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Eastern Meadowlark 1
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 30
American Goldfinch 8
