Sunday, May 1, 2011

Updated Chateau Papillon Bird List

It's that time of year: Spring migration, and time to keep an eye and ear to the skies for any new birds for the Chateau Papillon list.  Although we haven't added any "life birds" via the yard in a while (not since the Red-breasted Nuthatch last September), April and May have nonetheless contributed three new birds to the yard list.


In addition to two more warblers (a nicely-colored male Palm Warbler a few days back and a Northern Parula I identified by ear this morning), a long-time expected species finally put in an appearance with a mixed blackbird flock in early April: the Red-winged Blackbird.  Though the latter is perhaps North America's most abundant bird and the Palm Warbler one of the most common wood-warblers, they're still welcome additions to the list.  I also heard a Great-crested Flycatcher several times today, despite never being able to get my binoculars fixed on him.


Male Eastern Towhee on the fence at Chateau Papillon
All of our work naturalizing the yard and making it as bird-friendly as possible is paying off, and I only expect us to see more new species ahead--we're only at three warblers so far, and we ought to be able to chalk up a dozen or more in time.

Spring has brought the early arrival of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds as well, forcing us to dig out the nectar feeder a couple of weeks before we usually would, along with several "old friends" passing through, including a large flock of Purple Finches, several Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and a Northern Catbird.  The springtime evening breeze carries the calls of the Barred Owl from the woods behind us, and of course our friend the Pileated Woodpecker pays frequent visits for our suet.

Sally asking for a meal worm handout


And, of course, Harry and Sally--our resident Eastern Bluebirds--are hard at work on a clutch of four eggs.

We stand now at 59 confirmed species in the yard; maybe we can make 60 before the end of springtime:

  1. Blackbird, Red-winged
  2. Bluebird, Eastern
  3. Bunting, Indigo
  4. Cardinal, Northern
  5. Catbird, Grey
  6. Chickadee, Carolina
  7. Cowbird, Brown
  8. Creeper, Brown
  9. Crow, American
  10. Crow, Fish
  11. Cuckoo, Yellow-billed
  12. Dove, Mourning
  13. Finch, House
  14. Finch, Purple
  15. Flicker, Northern
  16. Flycatcher, Great Crested
  17. Goldfinch, American
  18. Goose, Canada
  19. Grackle, Common
  20. Grosbeak, Rose-breasted
  21. Hawk, Cooper's
  22. Hawk, Red-shouldered
  23. Hawk, Red-tailed
  24. Heron, Great Blue
  25. Hummingbird, Ruby-throated
  26. Jay, Blue
  27. Junco, Dark-eyed
  28. Kingbird, Eastern
  29. Mallard
  30. Mockingbird, Northern
  31. Nuthatch, Red-breasted
  32. Nuthatch, White-breasted
  33. Owl, Barred
  34. Parula, Northern
  35. Phoebe, Eastern
  36. Robin, American
  37. Siskin, Pine
  38. Sparrow, Chipping
  39. Sparrow, Fox
  40. Sparrow, House
  41. Sparrow, Song
  42. Sparrow, White-crowned
  43. Sparrow, White-throated
  44. Starling, European
  45. Swallow, Tree
  46. Thrasher, Brown
  47. Thrush, Wood
  48. Titmouse, Tufted
  49. Towhee, Eastern
  50. Vulture, Turkey
  51. Warbler, Palm
  52. Warbler, Yellow-rumped
  53. Waxwing, Cedar
  54. Woodpecker, Downy
  55. Woodpecker, Hairy
  56. Woodpecker, Pileated
  57. Woodpecker, Red-bellied
  58. Wren, Carolina
  59. Wren, House

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