Good Weather for Skunk Cabbage, Less So for Birds

On a cold February morning 17 birders, led by Joe Coleman and Michael Sciortino, came out for the monthly bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship. Despite our best efforts we could not break the 30 species observation threshold on this Saturday, recording just  28 species. There were some first-time birders and several experienced birders joining the walk so we had the potential to spot a good number of species. However, the morning seemed to get progressively colder as it went on, and the conditions seemed to have had a negative effect on the numbers of species that were active.

When we passed the Wortman Pond, all was quiet. Throughout the walk we did eventually record every species of woodpecker possible (except the Red-headed Woodpecker), but the overall counts were lower than usual. Carolina Wrens and White-throated Sparrows were the most active and abundant species we recorded during the day followed by Whited-breasted Nuthatches in decent numbers. One highlight was the sighting of two Brown Creepers after hearing their piercing calls along the woods on the Piney Run Spur. We had a flyover of twenty Ring-billed Gulls in formation heading north as well.

The group stopped along the Farmstead Loop to admire the Skunk Cabbage that was in bloom. Skunk Cabbage is a flowering perennial plant and is one of the first plants to emerge in the spring. The plant produces heat that allows it to bloom even in freezing temperatures. The group continued along the Farmstead Loop and had good looks at two Black Vultures that were staking out the historic cabin. The cabin was occupied by a lone raccoon that was watching us from one of the broken windows, and then disappeared inside when we stopped to observe. The Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures were more active later in the morning over the horizon of the eastern field. A Red-shouldered Hawk patrolled the eastern field and then perched on a fence post for all to see.

The morning was noticeable for the absence of some common species at the center, namely, Common Ravens, who breed at the center. Other surprising no-shows were American Robins, Golden-crowned Kinglets, and the usual Bald Eagle. Those would have surely put us over thirty species. As spring migration approaches, we expect to see species counts go up in the months ahead.

For a complete list of the birds observed, see below or view on eBird at: https://ebird.org/checklist/email?subID=S129579716

Species List
Canada Goose 5
Mourning Dove 1
Ring-billed Gull 20
Black Vulture 7
Turkey Vulture 6
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 2
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 9
Carolina Chickadee 10
Tufted Titmouse 8
White-breasted Nuthatch 6
Brown Creeper 2
Carolina Wren 12
European Starling 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
Eastern Bluebird 9
American Goldfinch 2
Dark-eyed Junco 9
White-throated Sparrow 12
Song Sparrow 7
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Northern Cardinal 3