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Buckeye Trail birds



Hi all. Took a small group of Wake Audubon folks out on the Buckeye
Greenway trail in east Raleigh on Saturday, October 4. There were large
flocks of Robins and Cedar Waxwings (40 +) feeding on grape, virginia
creeper and hackberry along the trail. They were joined by good numbers
of both Scarlet and Summer Tanagers (perhaps a dozen or more). Also saw
4 Yellow-billed Cuckoos, 2 Eastern Wood Pewee, 2 Parula, 2 Redstarts,
and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, but the best bird was a Philadelphia Vireo.
Excellent looks at the bird. Another birder reported seeing a
Black-throated Green and a Magnolia. Also seen were 4 River Otters.
Closer to home, in the downtown Raleigh neighborhood of Mordecai...I
have enjoyed a whirlwind of activity in my Dogwood trees. Many Robins,
but also up to a dozen Scarlet and Summer Tanagers, a Red-eyed Vireo, a
Catbird, Brown Thrashers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Cardinals, along with
a few Wood Thrush and Swainson's Thrush. Its riotous, with birds chasing
birds all with bright red fruit in their beaks. There are large pines
above the dogwoods and this seems to provide ideal perching while the
fruit is consumed. Dogwood is a powerful magnet, even in downtown
Raleigh. This has been going on for days...am fearful a swarm of
starlings will come down and devour everything, since a few of them
showed up yesterday and spent much of the day singing in the trees.
These swarms, unfortuneately, are also a common feature of downtown
living. John Connors @ NC Museum of Natural Sciences.