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Beginner
Birder Workshop
Heron Marsh Trail
July 1, 2011
The
first day of July turned out to be Maternity Day at the Paul Smith's
College VIC, with a wide variety of birds observed nesting or
feeding their young. The walk was let by Adirondack Birding Center
Director Brian McAllister as part of the Beginner
Birder Workshops at the VIC. We met at the Paul Smith's College
VIC parking lot at 8 AM and began by listening to and observing
the many birds who haunt the parking lot and the grounds around
the VIC building, including a Northern
Parula, Magnolia
Warbler, and Red-Eyed
Vireo. By the VIC building we watched a female Yellow-rumped
Warbler feeding her three chicks.
Then
we headed out to the Heron Marsh Trail,
where we saw a Ring-necked
Duck with seven ducklings, a American
Black Duck with three ducklings, two juvenile Red-winged
Blackbirds being fed by their mother, and a White-throated
Sparrow busily feeding her young. On the marsh, we observed
three juvenile American
Bitterns, still sporting white down on their heads. On the
far side of Heron Marsh, we observed a pair of Winter
Wren tending their nest in a downed fir tree. The birds gave
an abbreviated version of their signature song as they flew in
and out of the nesting site.
We
heard and/or saw 24 species of birds:
  We
also identified a large number of plants and wildflowers, including:
- Sheep Laurel
- Dog Bane
- Shinleaf
- Dewdrop
(False Violet)
- Pipsissewa
(in bud)
- Sheep Laurel
- Pickerel
Weed
- Marsh Cinquefoil
- Northern
Blue Flag
- Yellow
Pond Lily
- Goldthread
(not blooming)
- Wintergreen
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