Birding at Bob Woodruff Park

We had a nice long weekend this time. Thanks for thanks giving holidays:-) It was a very good break after a very long time. Spent quality time with my family here. Did not do any crazy shopping for Black friday though ;-) Probably should have bought a lens ;-)

I did plan for a birding walk to Bob Woodruff park this time. I checked the weather forecast for Sunday morning and it was good. So decided to head towards the park and check some of our avian friends there.

Reached the park around 8AM. And started from the south end of the park. It was very quite this time around. Last time when I visited this park there was some marathon happening. But this time around there was no such thing and also the number of people jogging/walking were very less. The weather was pleasant for walking though.

Saw lot of White-throated Sparrows during the walk. Also ever present were the Cardinals and woodpeckers. I definitely see the difference in the number of woodpeckers we see here and back in India. In city parks we hardly see any wood peckers. They are usually seen in the outskirts and in wooded areas. Here in almost every park I see woodpeckers, its amazing.

Downy Woodpecker

White-throated Sparrow

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Also number of Ruby-crowned kinglets were seen during the day.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Near the parking area of the park I saw couple of hawks sitting and watching over the area. Probably scanning for their morning meal. Looked like Red tailed hawks, I did not disturb them and they stayed perched there. So had no chance of seeing its distinct red tail while flying, hope it got its morning meal:-) Lot of Grackles can be seen near the lake here.

Red-tailed Hawks?

Great-tailed Grackle

In the lake I saw some Mallards, Ring Billed Gulls and American coots. I saw some people trying to feed the birds here. The coots were being aggressive with Gulls and chasing them away from the food.

Ring-billed Gulls

American Coot

As I walked along the trail at one place I saw lot of birds. There were Yellow Rumped warblers, Woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebirds, Waxwings and also some Finches close by. Also a Flicker made a visit to the tree.

Eastern Bluebird

Cedar Waxwing

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch(Female)

American Goldfinch

But I did see one interesting bird there. It looked and sounded like a Warbler but not sure of the ID. It was the most beautiful of warblers I have seen till now :-)

ID?

Also saw White breasted nuthatches and tree creepers during the walk. Tufted titmouses and Chickadees too.

Tufted titmouses

White-breasted nuthtach

Also saw 3 pied billed grebes in Oak Point park lake.

Northern Cardinal

Northern Flicker

Pied-billed Grebe

Saw some sparrows too but not sure if they are Savannah or Song Sparrows.

Savannah Sparrow?

White-throated Sparrow

ID?

ID?

In the stream I saw lot of waste bottles and bags which was a sad sight. I hope we take better care of our surroundings.

List of bird seen during the day.

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S20760123

1. Mallard  
2. Pied-billed Grebe  
3. Double-crested Cormorant  
4. Great Blue Heron  
5. Black Vulture  
6. Red-tailed Hawk  
7. American Coot  
8. Ring-billed Gull  
9. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  
10. White-winged Dove  
11. Mourning Dove  
12. Red-bellied Woodpecker  
13. Downy Woodpecker  
14. Northern Flicker  
15. Eastern Phoebe  
16. Blue Jay  
17. Carolina Chickadee  
18. Tufted Titmouse  
19. White-breasted Nuthatch  
20. Brown Creeper  
21. Carolina Wren  
22. Ruby-crowned Kinglet  
23. Eastern Bluebird  
24. American Robin  
25. Northern Mockingbird  
26. European Starling  
27. Cedar Wawing  
28. Yellow-rumped Warbler  
29. White-throated Sparrow  
30. Dark-eyed Junco  
31. Northern Cardinal  
32. Red-winged Blackbird  
33. Great-tailed Grackle  
34. House Finch  
35. American Goldfinch  

Sighting of Cedar Waxwings

Last weekend decided to go back to Breckenridge park for birding again. This time weather was very good for birding. Reached the park around 8:30AM. I have been trying to make it to the parks a little early but its been tough since our little one keeps us awake during nights. But still birding in Winter should be good throughout the day.

On reaching the park I saw good number of Yellow Rumped Warblers foraging in group. There were Mocking birds singing their beautiful songs. And Jays making their usual noise :-) I still haven't got a decent photograph of a Blue Jay here. Lot of squirrels could be seen around. But I still miss the ground squirrels which I used to see in San Jose parks :-(

Northern Mockingbird

Yellow Rumped Warbler

Blue Jay

I also saw lot of Flickers during the walk along with Red Bellied woodpeckers. The woodpeckers seem to be very vocal here. Downy woodpeckers and Red-bellied Woodpeckers could be seen in good numbers throughout the park.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

I also saw group of White Throated sparrows. A lone American kestrel was hovering near the lake area. I did not see lot of Water fowls in the lake area.

Savannah Sparrow

American Kestrel

Tufted Titmouses and Carolina Chickadees's were as usual very vocal and could be heard through out the day along with the Northern Cardinals.

Tufted Titmouse

Also saw some of these small birds which I could not identify through out the walk.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Eastern Bluebird(Female)

Carolina Wrens could be heard through out the park. They have a very high pitched vocals wherein they come out in the open and start calling. American Robin's were also seen couple of times during the walk.

American Robin

Carolina Wren

I also saw these Sapsuckers which I'm not sure of the ID's(Red-naped/Yellow-bellied).

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker(Juvenile)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

The interesting sighting of the day were the Cedar waxwings. Very beautiful cute little birds. I have been wanting to see them here. They are winter migrants to this area. I saw them twice during the walk. They could be seen in flocks feeding and drinking in nearby water streams.

Cedar Waxwing

Another interesting sighting was this bird which looked like Sparrow/finch. Had heavy streakings and looked very different. I'm yet to find the ID of this bird. It had very beautiful colors at the back.

Red-winged Blackbird

And other common birds seen during the walk were Black vulture, Red Tailed Hawk, Grackle, Eastern Pheobe, Mourning Doves, Juncos and Finches.

Eastern Pheobe

White Winged Dove

Great Tailed Grackle

List of birds seen during the walk.

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S20698848

Mallard
Double-crested Cormorant
Black Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow-rumped Warbler
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Northern Cardinal
Great-tailed Grackle
American Goldfinch