Trip to Montezuma Heritage Park 8/11/24

Thirteen members of EBS attended this field trip on a sunny day with perfect temperature and low humidity. Montezuma Heritage Park is a place we have been before, but on this day we met at the High St. trailhead to walk some different trails.  New signage has been installed that describes the history of the area and there is a replica of a packet boat from years gone by and a lovely gazebo surrounded by native flowers. From there we proceeded to cross over to the southern towpath (from an earlier version of the Erie Canal) that ended with the Richmond Aqueduct ruins. This trail, along with side trails, proved to be a great location for bird watching. South of the towpath is a cattail marsh that we were able to look out upon with the aid of an observation platform. As we stood there, listening and looking as birders do -- with a sudden whoosh, tiny hooves came galloping --  a fawn still in spots ran right through our group and disappeared before any of us knew what happened! We all looked like owls with swiveling heads, exclaiming "what just happened"!! Later, we followed a side trail that proved to be a magnet for birds, as it was along the aforementioned marsh. Highlights included Great Egret, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-throated Hummingbird and great looks at Eastern Wood-Pewee singing for us and sallying from an eye level branch. At one point I mistakenly ID'd the call of a juvenile Osprey as a Great Crested Flycatcher. Can't get them all...Lyn Jacobs

Canada Goose  8

Mourning Dove  3

Spotted Sandpiper  1

Double-crested Cormorant  1

Great Egret  1

Turkey Vulture  2

Osprey  4

Belted Kingfisher  1

Red-bellied Woodpecker  3

Downy Woodpecker  2

Northern Flicker  1

Eastern Wood-Pewee  4

Eastern Phoebe  1

Warbling Vireo  1

Blue Jay  8

Black-capped Chickadee  2

Tufted Titmouse  1

Northern Rough-winged Swallow  2

White-breasted Nuthatch  3

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  2

Carolina Wren  7

European Starling  67

Gray Catbird  10

American Robin  2

Cedar Waxwing  3

House Finch  1

American Goldfinch  6

Song Sparrow  4

Baltimore Oriole  2

Red-winged Blackbird  22

Brown-headed Cowbird  1

Common Grackle  2

Northern Cardinal  6

Rose-breasted Grosbeak  4