Grapevine Birds, Spring 2013

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Here is the (tiny) list of birds observed at Fisher Branch (unless otherwise noted). It is pretty minimal but it will give you a fair ideal of what was around. Fisher Branch is where Grandma and Grandpa live. It is a shoot off of Grapevine, which is a suburb of Center, which is on the out skirts of Petersburg, which is just down the road from Mars Hill, which is about 30 miles north of Asheville, North Carolina. In other words, it is out in the middle of no where. 

 

Please take note that the photo above is of a goat, not a bird. There seemed to be more goats on this visit than birds. Check out last year's bird list from the same time period to see the difference a year can make.

  1. Common Loon  – 2 flying over Grapvine on 29 March heading somewhat north.
  2. Black Vulture – Many seen along the way but none seen in the area of the Rogers house.
  3. Turkey Vulture - Many
  4. Osprey – 1 over Wilson Branch
  5. Sharp-shinned Hawk  - 1 on 3/30
  6. Cooper's Hawk – 1 on 4/1
  7. Red-tailed Hawk – Many
  8. American Kestrel – A few
  9. Peregrine Falcon – 1 just south of VA/MD state line on 3/28
  10. American Woodcock – 1 just before dawn along the PA Turnpike. My first in over 20 years!
  11. Wild Turkey – Several
  12. Ruffed Grouse – Many drumming around
  13. Rock Dove – Many
  14. Mourning Dove – Many
  15. Belted Kingfisher – a few
  16. Red-bellied Woodpecker – a few
  17. Downy Woodpecker – a few
  18. Hairy Woodpecker – 1 on 4/1
  19. Northern Flicker – several
  20. Pileated Woodpecker – Many! By far the most common woodpecker!
  21. Eastern Phoebe – Many
  22. Blue Jay – Many
  23. American Crow – Many
  24. Tree Swallow – 2 on 4/1
  25. Northern Rough-winged Swallow – 1 on 4/1
  26. Barn Swallow – 2 on 4/1
  27. Carolina Chickadee – Many
  28. Tufted Titmouse – Many
  29. White-breasted Nuthatch – 1
  30. Carolina Wren – many
  31. Winter Wren – 2, a fairly uncommon bird for the area despite the fact that they nest at some of the higher elevations (Mount Mitchel and Roan Mountain)
  32. Eastern Bluebird – a few, not as many as around West Chester.
  33. Hermit Thrush – 2, feeding on the front lawn of some neighbors yard with robins.
  34. American Robin – Many
  35. Northern Mockingbird – Many
  36. European Starling – Many
  37. Eastern Towhee – Many
  38. Chipping Sparrow – a few
  39. Field Sparrow – several, singing
  40. Song Sparrow – Many
  41. Swamp Sparrow – 1
  42. White-throated Sparrow – a few
  43. Northern Cardinal – Many
  44. Red-winged Blackbird – Many
  45. Common Grackle – Many
  46. Brown-headed Cowbird – Many
  47. House Finch – Many