Birding this past week in GV has been pretty good! There was quite a bit of bird activity Friday morning on my weekly walk. The list was pretty standard for a Friday walk in February, but there were a lot of active birds moving and even singing! Spring is on the way!
Later in the day, I had the opportunity to lead a teacher inservice to instruct district faculty on how to incorporate the nature trail into their classroom. I was so thrilled to have about 30 teachers out on the trail! For some, this was their first time being out there. We did a lot of great brainstorming and discussing as we did our walk, but I couldn't help but stop and point out good birds. At one point, we stopped and whistled to try and bring in some Tufted Titmice, but we ended up hearing a more booming, distant call in the background. From the Spring Meadow Lane area, I heard a Pileated Woodpecker singing loudly! Although the bird didn't show itself for the group, I went back out with my camera after our session and found the bird! It was flying at eye level back and forth over the trail allowing for great views:
Other local notes for the week included another exciting observation on Friday. I went to GVHS for a meeting, and upon arriving, I noticed a flock of Canada Geese on the edge of the parking lot. I scanned the flock and quickly saw one Snow Goose. For the last five or six years, there has been a single Snow Goose that returns to the GV area every winter with a flock of Canada Geese. When I taught at GVMS, I would see this bird on a daily basis throughout the winter among the Canadas, and when that flock would fly to elsewhere, it would leave with them! I took a crummy picture with my phone as I was walking into my meeting. Can you spot the nearly all white Snow Goose below?
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34428240
Bethel Springs E.S.--Nature Trail
Feb 17, 2017
7:31 AM
Traveling
0.25 miles
21 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Cold, 40 degree morning with chilling winds. Even with cold temps, lots of bird activity!
Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.4.2 Build 114
28 Canada Goose
1 Black Vulture
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Northern Flicker
3 Blue Jay
3 Carolina Chickadee
2 Tufted Titmouse
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Carolina Wren
3 American Robin
3 Dark-eyed Junco
2 White-throated Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
1 House Finch