The Stroud Preserve, 8 May 2013

​Nodding trillium Trillium cernuum L. 8 May 2013, Stroud Reseve, West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Finally, a step forward! Not a big step forward, but a step forward nonetheless. I picked up 4 new birds for the year, Barred Owl, Northern Parula, Black-throated Green Warbler, and Ovenbird. I almost decided not to go out as all today because of heavy rain. But my little iPhone app said it would be ending by 10:00 AM. So, I headed out at 10:30 just to be safe. My app lied. There was light rain until about 11:30.

I haven’t checked the Eastern Meadowlark spot for a while because of road work that blocks easy access. I decided to make the extra effort to see if the male at the corner of Creek and Strasburg Road was still there. I have yet to see this bird interact with another meadowlark or any other signs of nesting. But, that it is still there lends hope that it will.

While the handful of new year-birds was exciting, it was overshadowed with the location of 23 nodding trilliums (Trillium cernuum). I had given up hope of finding any of these as I have checked all of the suitable habitats on the preserve several times. I had high hopes that I would find some at the site from last year but after searching the area I came put empty. However, I did find what I believe is a netted chain fern (Woodwardia areolata). I’m still working on the final confirmation, but if correct, it would be a nice addition to the preserves flora list.

Start time: 10:40

End time: 3:00

Temp: 63-68°

Wind: 3-7 from the east

Skies: Rain to partly clearing by 2:00 pm

Species Total: 61

• Great Blue Heron – 2
• Black Vulture – approximately 10
• Turkey Vulture – approximately 15
• Canada Goose – 8
• Mallard – 2
• Red-tailed Hawk – 3
• Solitary Sandpiper – 1 along the Brandywine.
• Mourning Dove – 5
• Barred Owl – 1, FOY, along the “green trail” which is a different area than last spring. I’ve gotten several
• Chimney Swift – approximately 50
• Red-bellied Woodpecker – approximately 10
• Downy Woodpecker – 4
• Hairy Woodpecker – 1
• Northern Flicker – 2
• Eastern Phoebe – 2
• Eastern Kingbird – 2
• White-eyed Vireo – approximately 10
• Warbling Vireo – approximately 10
• Blue Jay – approximately 15
• American Crow – 6
• Fish Crow – 4, on the east side of the preserve.
• Tree Swallow – approximately 100
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow – approximately 20
• Barn Swallow – approximately 30
• Carolina Chickadee – approximately 10
• Tufted Titmouse – approximately 10
• White-breasted Nuthatch – 3
• Carolina Wren – approximately 10
• House Wren – 2
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – approximately 15
• Eastern Bluebird – approximately 10
• Wood Thrush – 5
• American Robin – approximately 25
• Gray Catbird – approximately 15
• Northern Mockingbird – 2
• Brown Thrasher – 1
• European Starling – approximately 10
• Cedar Waxwing – approximately 10, heard only.
• Northern Parula – 3, FOY, singing along the Brandywine.
• Yellow Warbler – approximately 15
• Yellow-rumped Warbler – 2
• Black-thraoted Green Warbler – 1, FOY, heard only
• Black-and-white Warbler – 2
• Ovenbird – 1, FOY
• Common Yellowthroat – approximately 10
• Eastern Towhee – approximately 20
• Chipping Sparrow – 2
• Field Sparrow – approximately 10
• Song Sparrow – approximately 20
• Swamp Sparrow – 1
• White-throated Sparrow – 1
• Northern Cardinal – approximately 20
• Bobolink – 3, in first field on the left, as with yesterday, not where I have seen them before.
• Red-winged Blackbird – approximately 25
• Eastern Meadowlark – 1, the same male on territory
• Common Grackle – 2
• Brown-headed Cowbird – approximately 12
• Orchard Oriole – 5
• Baltimore Oriole – 2
• House Finch – 1
• American Goldfinch – approximately 10