K B Srinivas: Birding at Bob Woodruff Park and Oak Point Park

After a while went back to the Bob-woodruff park to see the wintering sparrows. The Oak Point Park has been very good for sparrows. Its been a while since I visited Oak point park. I decided to get a long walk today and try covering both of them by walk.

ebird hotspot :

Bob-woodruff park - https://ebird.org/hotspot/L276308

Oak Point Park - https://ebird.org/hotspot/L381517

I reached the park by 7AM. It was very chilly. I should have checked the weather and left a little late :-) Anyways I started the walk around the pond which was very quite. The Pond had only Great Egrets, lone Great blue Heron and some Mallards. I also saw some Great tailed Grackles near the pond. There were couple of Phoebes flying near the pond.

Black Phoebe

Great Egret

Great-tailed Grackle

After this I started walking towards the Parula bridge. Near the picnic tables it was very busy. There were American Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Cedar Waxwings, Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadee's. As I reached the bridge saw a Carolina Wren. After crossing the bridge I saw some of the Eastern Bluebirds, American Robins and White-breasted Nuthatch.

Cedar Waxwings and Pine Siskin

White-breasted Nuthatch

Eastern Bluebird

Carolina Wren

American Robin

After crossing the next bridge into the oak point park where the habitat changes completely I started looking for the sparrows. First of the birds that I saw were a group of Eastern Bluebirds. On the trail I saw lot of small insects crawling. I guess the bluebirds were hunting/eating these. Also along the road saw some Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Near the pond I saw couple of Mourning Doves and a Song Sparrow.

Black Phoebe

Northern Mockingbird

House Finch

House Finch(Female)

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Mourning Dove

Song Sparrow

One of the reed patches near the entrance was teeming with birds. I saw Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln Sparrow, Field Sparrow and Savannah Sparrow. Also there were American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins. A group of Dark Eyed Juncos visited the patch. Also close by were couple of Eastern Bluebirds hunting. This turned out to be a very productive good patch to stay and just bird. It was really good here. In the lake there Double-crested Cormorants and Ring-billed Gulls. I should probably make time and just bird around the Oak Point park next time around. It was really good to see so many sparrows here. Did not get time to park the walking trails here.

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Double-crested Cormorant

Downy Woodpecker

Lincoln Sparrow

Eastern Bluebird

Dark-eyed Junco

Savannah Sparrow

Started heading back to the woodruff park towards my car. Again I had to do a quick stop near the Picnic tables since it was teeming with the same birds. Saw my first Golden-crowned Kinglet here along with Finches and other birds. After this headed towards my car where I saw a Hawk coming and sitting near the cars at the parking lot. Maybe it was trying to get away or take away the attention from the Grackles which were making lot of commotion. It was good to get a decent photograph of the Coopers Hawk for the first time. Great way to end the day.