Phenology Visit 10/26

Friday, October 26, 8:05-8:45 am

Weather: Mostly sunny, low 30s

Birds seen at this spot: White-Breasted Nuthatch (heard), American Goldfinch (heard), American Crow (heard), Black-Capped Chickadee, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, White-Throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Hairy Woodpecker

Birds seen nearby: Tufted Titmouse, Brown Creeper, Golden-Crowned Kinglet, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Carolina Wren (heard)

When I visited Centennial Thicket this morning, it seemed very quiet. Many migratory birds have mostly left the area, even latter ones such as the Yellow-Rumped Warblers. Only a few species remained in numbers, such as the Golden-Crowned Kinglets (still numerous). The most numerous bird was the Black-Capped Chickadee, of which there was a large flock moving around between Centennial Thicket and the floodplain. Many people don’t know it, but not all of these Chickadees are resident. Most of them migrate south for winter, forming these big flocks which often attract all sorts of small birds. Within their flocks were Golden-Crowned Kinglets, at least one Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, and White-Breasted Nuthatch just to name a few. Mrs Hairy was on a tree just east of the thicket, calling to another, unseen woodpecker.

Very few trees have a decent amount of leaves on them

Meanwhile, nearly all of the trees in my spot are rapidly losing leaves. Even the Black Walnuts have finally shed most of theirs. No trees have green leaves anymore, and it seems as if winter will set in at any moment. Snow grains have fallen on a few occassions already, and the snowline seems to have creeped down to about 1000 feet high. I wonder if I’ll see snow cover the next time I visit!

 

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