Winter
"El Nino" brought warm temperatures, creating ideal weather for birds
and bird watchers. Absence of snow cover in this unusual season made
finding food easier for wintering birds such as White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed
Junco, and House Finch. Uncommon species included Red- breasted Nuthatch,
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Winter Wren, and Golden-crowned
Kinglet.
Spring
The migration, which began in February with the return of large flocks
of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles, dwindled quickly. The
absence of migrating birds was a widespread event on the east coast,
not just a local phenomenon. One possible explanation is that early
leaves produced by the warm "el Nino" winter altered the food supply
and brought about a changed migration. Another theory is that daily
rain for the first thirteen days in May caused this change.
There were several bright spots. The first warbler was a Palm
Warbler on April 1st. Yellow-breasted Chat, Mourning Warbler,
and Hooded Warbler were unusual sightings. May 7th had sixteen warbler
species and fifty-one total species. On May 14th observers found fourteen
warbler species and sixty-two total species. Other sightings included
Snapping and Painted Turtles laying eggs in late May.
Summer
Twenty-eight bird species nested in the Nature Center. Seven
others may have bred in or near the area. Breeding birds included Eastern
Wood-Pewee, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow Warbler, Wood Thrush, and abundant
American Robins and Gray Catbirds. Criteria for breeding include
nest building, adults feeding young, and recently fledged birds. Observed
nests included Baltimore Oriole, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Mourning Dove, American
Robin, Yellow Warbler, and Eastern Wood-Pewee. Five Baltimore Oriole
nests and three Blue-gray Gnatcatcher nests pointed to an increase in these
breeding birds.
Fall
This migration was a great improvement over the one in spring.
Species absent in spring that appeared during this season included Golden-winged,
Pine, Blackburnian, Wilson's, and Cape May Warblers. In late September,
Ruby-crowned Kinglets, White-throated Sparrows, Yellow- bellied Sapsuckers,
and Golden-crowned Kinglets returned to spend the winter. 135 species,
29 of them warblers, were seen in 1998. Two of these species, Black
Vulture and Bank Swallow, were new to the Nature Center. Two unusual
sightings occurred in late October--Marsh Wren and Common Snipe.
Observers: Linda Freedman, Barbara Malt, Steve Thorpe, Carolyn Watkins, and Joe Zajacek.
Compiler: Linda Freedman