Hello everyone,

Summer has definitely arrived. It was hot and humid this morning, and while the birders weren’t too happy about it, the birds didn’t seem to mind.

Osaka was standing sentinel in their usual spot in the Japanese Garden – it’s great to have them back. The Tree Swallows were feeding two chicks in the old dead tree and we saw two mallard families with ducklings; one with seven medium sized ducklings and one with three tiny ducklings.

There was a very cute muskrat eating fallen blossoms on the bank of the lagoon near the south bridge. It dove back into the water when it realized that it had an audience. While we didn’t see our raccoon family in its tree cavity, we spotted them on a log at the west shore of the island. The kits are getting more independent every week.

And our Baltimore and Orchard Orioles continue to delight us with their beautiful colors and pretty songs.

BIRDERS: Kristin, Caterina, Cheryl, Marian, Mike, Jennie, Roger, Leslie, Daniela, Luther, Simone, Robert, Jack, David, Eric, Gary, Paul, Lucy, Renate, Pam and welcome to Ryan, Rich, Yvonne, Miya and Taylor.

TIME: 8:00am to 11:00am                 

WEATHER: Sunny, mid 70s at the start but rising rapidly. Very humid.

Compiler: Cheryl

Photographers: Paul, Eric, Gary

1. Canada Goose   Number observed: 87

2. Wood Duck   Number observed: 4

3. Mallard   Number observed: 23

4. Chimney Swift   Number observed: 3

5. Ruby-throated Hummingbird   Number observed: 2

6. Ring-billed Gull   Number observed: 2

7. Herring Gull   Number observed: 1

8. Caspian Tern   Number observed: 2

9. Double-crested Cormorant   Number observed: 2

10. Black-crowned Night Heron   Number observed: 1

11. Great Egret   Number observed: 2

12. Great Blue Heron   Number observed: 3

13. Northern Flicker   Number observed: 1

14. Eastern Phoebe   Number observed: 2

15. Eastern Kingbird   Number observed: 3

16. Warbling Vireo   Number observed: 5

17. Red-eyed Vireo  Number observed: 1

18. Black-capped Chickadee   Number observed: 1

19. Tree Swallow   Number observed: 7

20. Purple Martin   Number observed: 9

21. Northern Rough-winged Swallow   Number observed: 1

22. Barn Swallow   Number observed: 8

23. Cliff Swallow   Number observed: 3

24. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher   Number observed: 5

25. House Wren   Number observed: 3

26. European Starling    Number observed: 7

27. Gray Catbird   Number observed: 3

28. American Robin   Number observed: 7

29. Cedar Waxwing   Number observed: 2

30. House Sparrow   Number observed: 3

31. House Finch   Number observed: 1

32. American Goldfinch   Number observed: 5

33. Song Sparrow   Number observed: 2

34. Orchard Oriole   Number observed: 2

35. Baltimore Oriole   Number observed: 5

36. Red-winged Blackbird   Number observed: 7

37. Brown-headed Cowbird   Number observed: 9

38. Common Grackle   Number observed: 2

39. Yellow Warbler   Number observed: 13

40. Northern Cardinal   Number observed: 2

41. Indigo Bunting   Number observed: 2

If you’d like more information about a bird, check out the All About Birds ID guide:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/

Corrections, additions and comments are welcome.

Good birding everyone,

Jennie

Photo: Scarlet tanager by Travis Bonovsky