Eleven members enjoyed the beauty and wildlife of this state park within Zaleski Forest.  The woods were rich with wildflowers, clear streams and abundant wetlands.  Half of the group camped and half stayed in cabins.  Both areas were nestled among trees and rich with calling birds.  The campers were serenaded by owls and Whip-poor-wills. 

Our guide was Bruce Simpson, who is a naturalist at Blendon Woods Metro Park.  On Saturday, Bruce led the group to many rarely visited areas within the park.  The woods rang with birdsong and the trails were lined with flowering plants and trees.  Sometimes it was hard to decide where to look first.  The brushy areas abounded with Yellow-breasted Chats, as well as Blue-winged and Prairie Warblers.  In the wetlands we found a mother Hooded Merganser with 22 young following behind.  The woods brought us territorial Ovenbirds, Scarlet Tanagers, and Wood and Swainson’s Thrush.  The Songs of Cerulean, Kentucky, Worm-eating, Black and White and Yellow-throated Warblers echoed through the trees. 

In the afternoon Bruce led us along a Marsh and then deep into the woods.  Bruce’s dog accompanied us and willingly demonstrated her stick retrieval skills.  She and Bruce also led us to the local beaver sitting on top of his/her lodge.  Later, the group gathered for a wonderful Italian potluck dinner.  …and then the rains came. 

Sunday brought a new adventure – flooded roads.  Some left early and missed the fun.  For others, it took a few u-turns where the roads had turned into lakes, alternate routes and slow driving through inches of water to find a way out of the valley.  The Romito’s on the other hand had the biggest adventure - their campground exit was closed and they were forced to stay another night.  However, during their extended stay they were able to add several additional birds to the trip list!

Species Seen

Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Canada Geese
Wood Duck
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Screech Owl
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl
Whip-poor-will
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Tree Swallow
N. Rough-winged Sw.
Barn Swallow
Blue Jay
American Crow
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Swainson’s Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green W
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Black and White W.
American Redstart
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Page last updated on Monday May 31, 2010