Saturday, April 27, 2013

THE BIRDS ARE COMING!

White-throated Sparrow.

Last Sunday morning we headed over to one of our favorite places to visit, Ruthven Park. The grounds are lovely and they are home to a bird banding station run by some great people. The banding station was open and it was a beautiful Spring morning to walk the grounds. We saw well over 30 species and with migration well under way we saw many birds for the first time this season:

*Great Blue Heron
*Killdeer
*Turkey Vultures
*Belted Kingfisher
*Eastern Phoebe
*Purple Martins
*Tree Swallows
*Blue-gray Gnatcatchers
*Brown Thrasher
*Chipping Sparrow
*White-throated Sparrows

Male Eastern Bluebird
Though a pair over wintered at the park, Rob was pretty excited to see and hear many different Eastern Bluebirds on the property this trip, they are one of his favorite birds.

Rick, the chief bird bander at the park gave us directions to an area to see some Bonaparte's Gulls, that were heading north for the summer. Having never seen them before we went in search when we left the park, and we found them!    

Lifer! Bonaparte's Gull.
It's always worth the drive to Ruthven!