The middle stretch of the fall Yard Squad Challenge was similar to the middle weeks of the spring challenge. Other birders always seemed to find the migrants before I did. With a larger patch to bird, though, it was easier to catch up. I missed a few birds that I would like to have seen, but I found 16 new species in this three-week period. That put my total number of birds for the challenge at 86, exactly what Matt’s magic formula predicted that I should be able to find. Every new species now added to my list will be “above par”, so I’m happy.
So, what were those 16 new birds? This isn’t one of the them because I first saw it on September 8 (this middle stretch started on September 14), but this sweet little bird stayed for over a week. I was able to see it again on the 15th and even get a photo. Kentucky Warbler is not a common species for my county, so it was a real thrill to see this lovely bird twice.
Kentucky Warbler at Bethania’s Walnut Bottoms
New birds that I did see included Red-tailed Hawk and Song Sparrow. What? Those are common birds. I’m learning that even species that are present year-round can be much easier to find some weeks than others. Song Sparrows breed in my county, but they are quiet during the summer. Species like the sparrow and Brown Thrashers are much easier to find once they start foraging in fall when abundant natural food is everywhere.
A Wood Thrush on the path at Walnut Bottoms was a welcome sight and a new species for the Yardbirds. I had feared that I wouldn’t be able to find one without hearing their beautiful song.
I was also happy to see Osprey and Great Egret and add them to the growing list for my circle. Neither were new for the Yardbirds, but they add to our total ticks. The egret was a real surprise as this is another species that isn’t common in my county. We usually have a few somewhere, but this was only the third time that I’ve seen one at this pond.
Great Egret at Lake Hills Pond & Marsh
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have been more common this fall than they were in the spring. The males aren’t sporting their snazzy black, white, and rose attire now, but I think they are beautiful birds irregardless.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male) at Lake Hills Pond & Marsh
I continued to enjoy the non-avian iNaturalist part of the challenge and added an Eastern Chipmunk. I remember feeling excited about living in a part of the county that has chipmunks when I moved to North Carolina. I didn’t realize how quickly I would get tired of the evil little things who eat all the bird food and just laugh at me. See if you learn anything new about chipmunks in this story, NOT Alvin and the Chipmunks: 10 Facts You May Not Know about the Real Rodents. Did you note the part about eating bird eggs and nestlings? Yep, I hate these little monsters. It’s hard to deny that they are cute, though.
Eastern Chipmunk on my deck
Here are a few more of my iNat observations during this period. If you want to see my other sightings, you can find me on iNat with username shelleydee.
This was a new moth for my yard and one of my favorites, Orange-shouldered Sherbet Moth. Its wings were translucent and a photo can’t really capture its delicate beauty.
I didn’t get any more life butterflies, but this Variegated Fritillary was a new iNat observation for me.
An American Toad surprised us when I was birding with friends at Walnut Bottoms. They are difficult to distinguish from the similar Fowler’s Toad which also occurs here. Experts in a Facebook group helped with the ID.
Participating in iNat led to more than wildlife sightings; it also gave me a new friend. Linda saw some of my observations and contacted me. We discovered that we had much in common and went for a walk together at Long Creek Park. We had a great time and spent over four hours surveying the park for interesting flora and fauna. Linda is a better nature watcher than I am and her sharp eye caught this skink.
Common Five-lined Skink or Southeastern Five-lined Skink? I don’t think it’s possible to determine from this photo.
Another of my favorite sightings with Linda was a small clump of ferns. I was surprised that in September they still looked fresh and perfect.
Broad beech fern at Long Creek Park
I still love birds best and even the young Northern Cardinals on my deck made me happy. I’ve watched these two girls and a young male nearly every day.
Immature female Northern Cardinals
This Yellow-billed Cuckoo also made me very happy. It’s always fun to watch them successfully forage for caterpillars. I watched this one while birding with friends at Walnut Bottoms. Like its name implies, this is a spot with many black walnut trees which seem to host a lot of caterpillars.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo with an unidentified caterpillar
During the last three days of this stretch I was able to find a new bird for my team every day. On October 2, a sweet little group of at least three Tennessee Warblers foraged in the weeds at the edge of a large field at Long Creek Park.
Tennessee Warbler
A Hooded Warbler at Walnut Bottoms was new on October 3. And, finally, on the last day of this stretch of the Yard Squad Challenge, October 4, I found nothing new in my 3-1/2 hours of birding in the morning. As I sat on my deck that afternoon, a Cape May Warbler came by and spent a few minutes checking out the seeds on the deck rail and the suet in a little cup. I had foolishly not taken my camera on the deck, so here is a photo of another Cape May Warbler that stopped by for a bath a few years ago.
Cape May Warbler
There are not many new birds that I can find in the last stretch of the challenge, but I do expect to see a Black-throated Blue Warbler. Follow along with me and see if I’m successful.
Birding for Life 