Wheaton Regional Park today 10/17

[Gail Mackiernan]

Hi all,

The major cold front brought in even more sparrows and a host of Kinglets of both species - almost every river birch seemed to have the little guys flitting about. Seven species of sparrow, including Towhee, but nothing unusual, although more Juncoes were around. Good numbers of Blue-headed Vireos, Phoebes, Winter Wrens and our first Hermit Thrushes of the season. Only 6 species of warbler, all in single digits except Myrtle. NO Catbirds. Two Green-winged Teal in the lake were unusual. Small trickle of raptors overhead. A quick check of birches in Brookside Gardens revealed more Kinglets but nothing else.

A beautiful fall day...and obvious the birding year has turned as well.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD

55 species; birds of interest:

Green-winged Teal 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Yellow-bellied
Hairy Woodpecker (Eastern) 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 6
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 7
Blue-headed Vireo 6
Blue Jay 20 Estimate
House Wren (Northern) 3
Winter Wren 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 15 Estimate
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 35 May be underestimate.
Eastern Bluebird 2
Hermit Thrush 4 First of season
American Robin 10 Low numbers
Brown Thrasher 1
Tennessee Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Palm Warbler (Yellow) 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 4
Prairie Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 40 Estimate
Field Sparrow 2
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 6
White-throated Sparrow 45
Song Sparrow 12
Swamp Sparrow 6
Eastern Towhee 3
Red-winged Blackbird 4

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