Autumn Birding

I went birding on the property this morning. It was nice to be out there again. The mosquitoes were awful, but I just covered myself with Off! and they pretty well stayed off me. I pretty much saw the birds that one would expect at the end of September. Some of the highlights were Gray Catbird, a Swainson's Thrush that posed for me and an Osprey flying overhead. I saw three FOS winter residents: Brown Thrasher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Northern Flicker. Hopefully we'll get some cooler weather in here soon and the mosquitoes will slow down.

The hummingbirds are still pretty slow around here. I counted about 20 around the feeders last night and this morning. Others are having an above-average year. I guess all of mine decided to go to other peoples' feeders this year!

Today was also a good day for reptiles on the property. I came across a Three-toed Box Turtle crawling through the woods. An Eastern Hognose Snake and Prairie Kingsnake were around the pond. A Banded Watersnake was swimming in the pond.

Birds Seen on Property 9/28/09 (26 species): Great Blue Heron, Osprey, Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker (FOS), Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet (FOS), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Swainson's Thrush, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher (FOS), Northern Cardinal, Common Grackle