Whitesbog 2/10--Field Sparrow

Field Sparrow

Whitesbog is walkable--to a certain degree. For the first time in more than two weeks I was able to take a decent walk on dirt, instead of shuffling along on ice like Arte Johnson on the old Laugh-In. The Upper, Lower, and Middle bogs along with Union Pond are still too icy to negotiate, but the Village is clear and the dikes along the Fenwick bogs have been ploughed (in order for the farmer to make certain his gates are open), and the road that runs past Rome Pond is also pretty much down to the dirt. Now all I needed were birds.  

They were hard to come by, but there were a few interesting sightings--a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in the Fenwick Bogs, a black duck with a flock of Mallards and geese on the ice in one of the bogs, a couple of Hermit Thrushes, one eating greenbrier berries, and a few sparrows. Along the entrance road I came upon a Field Sparrow, which I didn't realize was a year bird until after it flew off. However, when I came back to the parking lot (which was ploughed out, unlike my last visit in late January) after searching along a path in the old blueberry field and finding only Chipping Sparrows and juncos, there was another one, feeding in the gravel. Field Sparrows are more fun in the spring and summer when their eye rings are more pronounced, giving them a startled look that is very amusing along with their song, like a ping-pong ball falling off a table. But I'm happy to get it on the list. 

Hermit Thrush

The day list:

22 species
Canada Goose  29
Mallard  18
American Black Duck  1
Mourning Dove  2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1     
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  1
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  3
Common Raven  5     Croaking & soaring in village. 3 landed atop water tower briefly
Carolina Chickadee  3
Tufted Titmouse  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Hermit Thrush  2
American Robin  12
House Finch  2
Chipping Sparrow  3     
Field Sparrow  2     
Dark-eyed Junco  12
White-throated Sparrow  3
Song Sparrow  6
Common Grackle  15