Friends of White Pond hosted a Mother's Day Bird Walk on May 14, 2023, led by two experienced birders and naturalists. Here are the highlights.
The event turned out to be a combination of community engagement and bird watching, or more accurately, bird identification through songs and calls. The community engagement part was excellent - around 25 people attended including neighborhood residents, people who grew up near the pond and a few interested other parties. The event started with introductions and everyone saying their favorite bird of the day. It was a great way to get to know people.
We then got to learning about what birds were living around the pond. Walk leaders Suzanne Langridge and Ken Clarkson helped the group listen close and far away to a variety of bird songs and calls, including some ideas of what sounds birds make when there is danger nearby. We learned that some birds can have five or more different sounds for different stages of live and communication purposes. We saw four hawks flying high above. A list of all the birds seen and heard is posted below.
While our efforts at bird photography didn't go well, an attending naturalist provided us with a copy of his illustrations for this article.
(Credit: Benjamin R-K, age 6)
Our great thanks to Suzanne and Ken for leading the walk and to everyone who attended. We look forward to seeing you again.
Mother’s day bird list
May 14, 8:30-9:30 AM
Walk from parking area to pumphouse/heron rookery marsh
White breasted nuthatch
Scarlet tanager
Red-tailed hawk
Song sparrow
Tree swallow
Common yellow throat
Black capped chickadee
Swamp sparrow
Chipping sparrow
Blue Jay
American Robin
Barred owl
House finch
House sparrow
Pileated woodpecker
Tufted titmouse
Red-winged blackbird
Yellow-rumped warbler
American goldfinch
Carolina wren
Northern Cardinal
Mourning dove
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