Mount Loretto 2/26

My first foray of the year to Mount Loretto turned up mostly ducks and geese. Green-winged Teal was the new addition for the year. It was among a flock of Hooded Mergansers. Beyond that, there were the usual Brant, Canada Geese, Mallards, Gadwalls and so forth.

Red-winged Blackbirds are beginning to stake out their territory. A Carolina Wren was singing. I was almost warm walking around the fields. And a sure precursor of spring--the vernal ponds are beginning to form.

However, Shari found the most interesting bird of the day off Richmond Avenue after we had lunch: An immature Cooper's Hawk on top of a light pole. And where did we have lunch? The Dove Diner--seems appropriate.

Day's List:
Number of species:    22
Brant    120
Canada Goose    80
Gadwall    23
American Black Duck    19
Mallard    27
Green-winged Teal    1
Bufflehead    13
Hooded Merganser    19
Red-breasted Merganser    11
Cooper's Hawk   1
Red-tailed Hawk    1
Ring-billed Gull    15
Herring Gull    15
Mourning Dove    2
Blue Jay    1
American Crow    1
Carolina Wren    1
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling    30
Northern Cardinal    1
Red-winged Blackbird    4
Common Grackle    30