Spring 2021 Bird Sightings
|
This column indicates the 1st time during spring 2021, or later, that I saw and/or heard a migratory species (often neo-tropical). Some in my neighborhood, most in nearby natural areas. You have the best variety of bird species if you visit many types of habitats.
Some have web links (including images and songs), but you can look up any of these species on these great Cornell or Audubon sites. Photos/videos were taken through my spotting scope using an iPhone SE, audio files using Apple's Voice Memos or Voice Record Pro. May 31 (morning - edge of Ches. Bay)
Red-headed Woodpecker Seaside Sparrow (audio below of both 'buzzy' sparrows) Nelson's Sparrow May 27 (morning - edge of Ches. Bay)
Black-crowned Night Heron May 20 (afternoon - near Ches. Bay) Glossy Ibis May 16 (morning - upper Del. R. valley woods) Bay-breasted Warbler May 15 (before dawn-all day - many habitats; upper Del. R. valley) Cerulean Warbler Tenessee Warbler Blue-winged Warbler Least Bittern Spotted Sandpiper May 14 (late afternoon - evening, in upper Delware River valley) Blackburnian Warbler Black-capped Chickadee Common Gallinule Least Flycatcher Broad-winged Hawk May 14 (morning) Cape May Warbler May 13 (before school mixed woods) Chestnut-sided Warbler (audio below) May 12 (mid-day - St. John trail)
Gray-cheeked Thrush Swainson's Thrush May 9 (a bit after sunrise - mixed habitats) Semipalmated Sandpiper Baltimore Oriole (1st audio below, two types of calls) Chuck-wills-widow (2nd audio below, just before dawn) May 8 (a bit after sunrise, for most of the day - mixed habitats)
Summer Tanager Nashville Warbler Canada Warbler Veery Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bank Swallow Bobolink Yellow-breasted Chat Willow Flycatcher Common Tern May 5 (a bit after sunrise - bayside habitats) Solitary Sandpiper Rose-breasted Grosbeak (afternoon - woods) May 4 (afternoon - woods) American Redstart Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler May 2 (starting a bit before sunrise - mixed habitats) Ruby-throated Hummingbird Pectoral Sandpiper Semipalmated Plover Least Sandpiper Northern Bobwhite (quail) Blackpoll Warbler Kentucky Warbler Magnolia Warbler Indigo Bunting Eastern Wood Pewee Warbling Vireo Acadian Flycatcher (audio below; calls 4 times) April 29 (starting a bit before sunrise - bayside mixed habitats)
Seaside Sparrow Black-throated Green Warbler Caspian Tern Great Crested Flycatcher Northern Waterthrush Eastern Screech Owl (audio below: two types of 'trill' calls) April 28 (a bit after sunrise - mixed habitats)
Gray Catbird - watch for in suburban neighborhoods/parks Bobolink Veery (thrush; school trail) Eastern Kingbird April 24 (started a bit before sunrise -woodlands) Prothonatory Warbler Hooded Warbler Yellow Warbler - watch for in suburban neighborhoods/parks Scarlet Tanager Yellow-throated Vireo Orchard Oriole - watch for in suburban neighborhoods/parks Blue Grosbeak - watch for in suburban neighborhoods/parks April 22 (around sunrise - woodlands) Wood Thrush Common Raven (late afternoon- overgrown fields next to woods) Worm-eating Warbler (audio below: buzzy calls & musical cardinal) April 21 (around sunrise - suburban habitat)
Purple Finch Prairie Warbler April 18 (mid-day - open fields and wetlands) Palm Warbler Chimney Swift - watch for in suburban neighborhoods/parks Grasshopper Sparrow April 17 (around sunrise - open fields, woods, & wetlands) Sora Ovenbird House Wren- watch for in suburban neighborhoods/parks Blue-headed Vireo White-eyed Vireo Northern Rough-winged Swallow Cattle Egret April 11 (around sunrise - open fields, woods, & wetlands) Common Yellowthroat - watch for in suburban neighborhoods/parks Green Heron Wild Turkey Blue-winged Teal Northern Parula - watch for in suburban neighborhoods/parks April 9 (afternoon - looking out on the Bay) Northern Gannet April 8 (before sunrise - wetlands) Forster's Tern American Bittern April 6 Laughing Gull April 4 (around sunrise - woodlands and ponds) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Louisiana Waterthrush American Coot Snowy Egret April 3 (around sunrise - mixed woodlands - some pines) Yellow-throated Warbler April 2 (mid-day - suburban neighborhood) Purple Martin - watch for in suburban neighborhoods/parks March 28 (around sunrise - open fields, woods, & wetlands) Barn Swallow Sharp-shinned Hawk Lesser Yellowlegs Greater Yellowlegs March 21 Pine Warbler Tree Swallow March 14 (mid-day - woods & wetlands) Rusty Blackbird Pine Siskin Pied-billed Grebe Wood Duck March 7 Great Egret March 6 Osprey Lesser Black-backed Gull February 25 (dusk - grassy fields next to woods) American Woodcock February 13 Eastern Phoebe |
More Spring Bird Sighting Information
There are birds that are particularly common in our neighborhoods right now (in late April), some of which will be leaving our area soon. It's definitely worth the time to follow the links (click on their names) to see pictures, hear songs and calls, read about nesting, learn about migratory travels, etc.
Yellow-rumped Warbler These small, colorful birds are sometimes referred to as butterfly birds for the way they flit from tree branch to branch, usually 15-30 feet up. Very common in Maryland in March and April, they usually are gone north by mid-May. White-throated Sparrow Very common during here our winter and spring, from Nov.-April, they will leave in the early weeks of May. They spend most of their time on the ground or in lower heights of trees and shrubs. They often visit bird feeder areas. Other Suburban Birds Carolina Wren These birds stay here in all seasons (resident birds), and are typically very vocal. They often stray into garages, porches, even mailboxes, etc. House Finch A Maryland resident, they are very vocal in the spring, and often are active around homes. They have been known to build nests on your porch, nearby shrub, etc. The male has very colorful orangey-red head and chest coloration. Mourning Dove Another resident species, they are often around bird feeders in winter. They usually make nests in evergreen trees and shrubs, and make a cooing call that sometimes makes people think they hear an owl. Eastern Towhee A 'robin-like' bird, but with a shorter tail and more chunky looking. It is found in MD year-round, and is mostly a seed-eater. Look for it under shrubs, in woodland edges, etc. One of its calls sounds like the word 'towheeee'... many birds have names based on something they often 'seem to say.' Woodpeckers We have several woodpecker species here all year: Red-bellied Woodpecker - common, medium sized Downy Woodpecker - common, small Hairy Woodpecker - uncommon, medium sized Pileated Woodpecker - uncommon, crow-sized!! |