23 May 2022
Six of us gathered at Schenley Park yesterday morning in perfect weather for a bird and nature walk. (The sixth is taking the picture.)
First on the agenda was a look through my scope at the Pitt peregrines. Though we were half a mile from the Cathedral of Learning we could see one adult babysitting and two fluffy heads looking out the front of the nestbox. This is where the chicks were standing as we watched.
Inside the park, a pair of red-tailed hawks is raising three chicks about the same age as the peregrines. We paused on our walk to watch them eat. Best views are from here.
Scroll through Charity Kheshgi’s Instagram photos to see our Best Birds including the blackpoll warbler pictured above.
In all we saw 25 species (https://ebird.org/checklist/S111010535). Not a high count but well worth the trip.
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis): Saw 4, maybe 5: 1 or 2 adults + 3 young in nest.
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 3
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 2
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Saw 4: 1 adult via scope + 3 young in nest via falconcam.
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 5
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 4
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) 1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 5 2 pairs
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 4
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 18
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 5
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 2
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) 2
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 4
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 1
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) 2 Seen!
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 1
p.s. Charity’s photo of the rose-breasted grosbeak was taken after the walk.
(photos by Charity Kheshgi)