Birding on Broadmeade Walk

Only two people joined me on a very soggy group bird walk this morning. A very light rain came and went just often enough to eventually soak my jacket and hat despite rarely being enough for me to open my umbrella. Despite the cool and wet weather, the three of us spent about two hours on Lake Creek Trail and found 35 species of birds.

Our year-round residents are singing up a storm. Northern Cardinal and Carolina Wren songs were almost constant during our walk. Some of our winter residents like Ruby-crowned Kinglets are starting to sing too, before they fly north to their breeding grounds. I even heard a tiny bit of song from a Blue-headed Vireo that we were lucky enough to see.

Near the footbridge we heard and then saw a returning summer resident, a White-eyed Vireo. Soon their quick song will be common on this part of the trail but this one was the first I've heard this season. Here's a photo of one I took on the trail back in April 2012:

Along the creek we were treated to a pretty close view of a Snowy Egret, and then a small group of Greater Yellowlegs a little further downstream. Before we turned around another returning summer resident, a Barn Swallow, flew down the creek.

Here's our complete bird list.