Back Bay
Birding Club

BBBC Merchants Millpond 4-26-08

Without a doubt the best bird the BBBC saw and heard today was Floyd Williams…yes…he is a human bird that speaks many bird dialects and walks like some birds! In November of this year Floyd will have been with the State Park for 31 years. Floyd is a joy to be with because he is so enthusiastic about ALL living things at the Millpond and is so happy to share that information with us. THANK YOU FLOYD!

Our walk began on the boardwalk near the canoe launch where the Prothonotary, Yellow-throated and Parula Warblers all sang and came out to see us. Wood Ducks made a couple of appearances. White-eyed, Red-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireos sang but weren't as easy to see and a Summer Tanager & Orchard Oriole sang from the other side of the pond staying well hidden. Next we traveled a wooded trail and enjoyed Eastern Kingbirds, White-breasted Nuthatches, a Black and White Warbler, Ovenbirds, a Woodthrush and a very co-operative Red-bellied Woodpecker posed for pictures in his nest hole high in a tree. Tom and Floyd saw a Warbling Vireo (unusual for the Millpond!) A trip down the road that leads to the campgrounds brought out a Hooded Warbler for a few to see and along the road back to the parking lot an Indigo Bunting and Blue Grosbeak were spotted. Finally Floyd pointed out a Parula Warbler nest in a pine tree and as a grand finale a red-tailed Hawk flew over.

We also learned all about frogs, butterflies, ferns, devils walking sticks, flowers, ticks and a nasty thing I believe Floyd called "dog vomit slime"! At lunch in the picnic area we relaxed and enjoyed seeing a female Ruby-throated Humming bird catching insects in the rafters of the picnic shelter and a Red-shouldered hawk overhead before departing for home. We identified 55 species of birds with one Night Heron not able to be identified.

Double-crested Cormorant
Night Heron (species unknown)
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood Pewee
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Parula
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Summer Tanager
Rufous-sided Towhee
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
American Goldfinch