Birding the Adirondacks:
Teddy Roosevelt Bird Walk
30 May 2015
On 30 May 2015, Adirondack Birding Center Director Brian McAllister led a bird walk on the Barnum Brook Trail, Logger's Loop Trail, and Boreal Life Trail. The walk was part of the "TR" Birding Series. The walk began at 9:00 AM, when we met in the VIC building at the Paul Smith's College VIC.
- We started out at the VIC parking lot (always a birding hot spot), where we had views of a Northern Parula and some Chipping Sparrows.
- We then moved on the Barnum Brook Trail, where we got some extended views of a Black-throated Blue Warbler, high up in the tree canopy.
- From the first Barnum Brook Trail platform overlooking Heron Marsh, we caught a glimpse of a male Wood Duck, still in his colorful plumage. Male Wood Ducks sport a striking face pattern of iridescent green during breeding season, in hopes of attracting a mate. Later, males molt and enter eclipse mode, with much more subdued markings, but will regain their colorful plumage in the fall.
- We had hoped to see an American Bittern on Heron Marsh, but none were in evidence, probably because bitterns spend a lot of time on the nest at this time of the season.
- We continued on across the Barnum Brook boardwalk past the fish barrier dam, where we took the cut-through to the Logger's Loop Trail. The intersection of the Logger's Loop Trail and the Boreal Life Trail is always a good birding site, and we were rewarded with some nice views of a Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Hairy Woodpecker. We also got some excellent, extended close-ups of a young Black-throated Green Warbler.
- On the Boreal Life Trail boardwalk, we had some nice views of a Palm Warbler, singing from a Black Spruce on the edge of Barnum Bog.
- We saw or heard a total of 32 bird species during our two-hour walk. eBird Checklist
Birds Seen or Heard During the Walk | ||
1 | Wood Duck | |
1 | Broad-winged Hawk | |
1 | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | |
1 | Hairy Woodpecker | |
1 | Pileated Woodpecker | |
1 | American Kestrel | |
1 | Olive-sided Flycatcher | |
1 | Alder Flycatcher | |
1 | Blue-headed Vireo | |
6 | Red-eyed Vireo | |
1 | Blue Jay | |
1 | American Crow | |
3 | Black-capped Chickadee | |
3 | Red-breasted Nuthatch | |
2 | Brown Creeper | |
2 | American Robin | |
6 | Ovenbird | |
3 | Nashville Warbler | |
1 | Common Yellowthroat | |
1 | Northern Parula | |
2 | Magnolia Warbler | |
1 | Blackburnian Warbler | |
3 | Black-throated Blue Warbler | |
1 | Palm Warbler | |
1 | Yellow-rumped Warbler | |
4 | Black-throated Green Warbler | |
2 | Chipping Sparrow | |
1 | Lincoln's Sparrow | |
1 | Swamp Sparrow | |
1 | White-throated Sparrow | |
1 | Red-winged Blackbird | |
1 | American Goldfinch |