Higbee Berry Eaters

The Higbee Beach walk this morning was good, much better than expected given the northeast winds, largely thanks to the big hackberry tree in the woods at the junction of the second and third field, and some nearby sassafras, which right now are easy to spot because of the blue-black berries on the end of red stems. Birds were pouring in and out of these trees for about a half hour around 8:00 a.m., including orioles, a Scarlet Tanager, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, gnatcatchers, redstarts, Black-and-white Warblers, and Great-crested Flycatchers. We also had a Chestnut-sided in the second field. I hear the dike added Magnolia and Blackpoll, and that Vince Elia had a Cerulean in the woods near the parking lot yesterday.

Hawk flight results and notable sitings from the platform are now up on View from the Field, thanks to Doug Gochfeld, swing counter, as are continued reports from Morning Flight.

The full list from Higbee is below.

Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 9/4/09
Notes: CMBO Friday walk. Many birds feeding on Sassafras and Hackberry berries between second and third field.
Number of species: 45

Double-crested Cormorant 3
Great Egret 1
Osprey 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Killdeer 1
Laughing Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 1
Chimney Swift 5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 8
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Eastern Kingbird 50
White-eyed Vireo 3
Red-eyed Vireo 2
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 5
Purple Martin 3
Barn Swallow 15
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 5
Carolina Wren 10
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8
Veery 1
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 5
European Starling 2
Northern Parula 3
Yellow Warbler 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 6
American Redstart 15
Northern Waterthrush 4
Common Yellowthroat 3
Scarlet Tanager 1
Field Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 3
Bobolink 15
Common Grackle 2
Baltimore Oriole 10
American Goldfinch 5