This morning I visited the SUNY College Lodge, a site which you can find in our Natural History Atlas at this link. Our staff is currently conducting a year-long plant and wildlife assessment of the approximately 200-acre property owned and operated by the Faculty Student Association of SUNY Fredonia. My main target today was the beginning of the big push of migrant birds we will be enjoying throughout the region for the next month. Despite the cool weather there are still many species filtering into through the area in late April, as usual.
One of the first birds I heard was the Yellow-rumped Warbler as dozens were spread across the property.
I also picked up on this Louisiana Waterthrush vocalizing, one of several.
I wanted to take a look at vernal pools to try to find amphibians and their eggs. Unfortunately it was quite dry in the woodlands with very little to be found in the way of actually acceptable pools.
Whenever I was near these damp areas I invariably kicked up a Hermit Thrush or two.
Pine Warblers do not appear to be that common here in the Chautauqua-Allegheny Region but I did spot a few in very appropriate trees!
Most of our migrant ducks have moved on and swallows have now filled with the air over the finally open water with Palm Warblers bobbing their tails along the edges of these wet areas.
Here is the full list of recently arrived migrants that I discovered among over 40 species present:
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue-headed Vireo 8
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 16
Tree Swallow 58
Barn Swallow 8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 33
Hermit Thrush 26
Louisiana Waterthrush 5
Northern Waterthrush 9
Palm Warbler 22
Pine Warbler 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 47
Black-throated Green Warbler 11
We will continue our surveys for the rest of the spring and summer. On July 18 and 19 there will be a BioBlitz of the College Lodge, a 24-hour race to record every living thing on the property with experts from across the region taking part. Here’s hoping some significant finds will be made!
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Photos © Scott Kruitbosch
