The variety of fields, woods, hills, hedgerows and wetlands
which make up Dionondehowa's landscape provides a wide range of habitat for
birds. The over-wintering species are abundant. Thickets, deep woods and cavities
in dead trees provides shelter. Berries, nuts and rosehips are easy to find and
plentiful; safe water sources are to be found throughout the Sanctuary. In
summer, the bog/estuary provides hunting ground for the Great Blue Heron, Little
Green Heron, Spotted Sandpiper and a variety of duck species. Mergansers are
common in late winter and early spring along the Battenkill and its banks
provide nesting sites for Kingfishers, Rough-winged Swallows and Bank Swallows.
Water is a prime attraction for many warbler species. And the varied collection
of hedgerows, forest breaks, meadows and widely mixed trees & bushes make
the Sanctuary a good stopping-off point for many species in migration and an
ideal nesting place for many more. Of the species listed most are
nesters:
Birds of Dionondehowa
* indicates birds seen or heard on the 2009 Bird Walk with Nat Parke
In and around the barn yard and orchard
Eastern phoebe * |
Tree swallow * |
Baltimore oriole * |
Orchard oriole |
Baltimore oriole * |
Orchard oriole |
Ruby-throated hummingbird * |
American Robin * |
Eastern bluebird * |
Yellow-bellied sapsucker * |
Downy woodpecker * |
House wren * |
Grackle * |
Black-capped chickadee * |
Northern cardinal * |
Chipping sparrow * |
Chimney swifts |
Barn swallow |
Fox sparrow |
Worm-eating warbler |
Tufted titmouse |
Rock dove |
Woodland
Great-crested flycatcher * |
Scarlet tanager * |
Rose-breasted grosbeak * |
Red-eyed vireo * |
White-breasted nuthatch * |
Wood thrush * |
Veery * |
Chestnut-sided warbler * |
Black-throated green warbler * |
American redstart * |
Pine warbler |
Ovenbird * |
Grackle * |
Yellow-rumped warbler * |
Ruffed grouse * |
Wood peewee |
Canada warbler |
Black-throated blue warbler |
Woodcock |
Red-bellied woodpecker |
Pileated woodpecker |
Hairy woodpecker |
Northern goshawk |
Cooper's hawk |
Fields, hedges and edges
Black and white warbler * |
Yellow warbler * |
Blue-winged warbler * |
Indigo bunting * |
Field sparrow * |
Song sparrow * |
Gray catbird * |
Common yellow-throat v |
Eastern towhee * |
Yellow-throated vireo |
Bobolink |
King bird |
American kestral |
Prairie warbler |
Yellow-billed cuckoo |
Golden-winged warbler |
Nashville warbler |
Northern shrike |
Northern harrier (Marsh hawk) |
Sharp-shinned hawk |
Near the Stream
Louisiana water-thrush * |
Brewster's warbler (hybrid) |
Green heron |
Sandpiper |
Kingfisher |
High Above
Bald eagle |
Golden eagle |
Osprey |
Turkey vulture * |
Anywhere
American crow * |
Raven * |
Red-tailed hawk * |
Black vulture |
Brown-headed cowbird * |
Magnolia warbler |
Myrtle warbler |
Cedar waxwing |
Among Vireos, the Red Eyed, Warbling, Philadelphia, Solitary and
Yellow-Throated all have been sighted on the Sanctuary. The Indigo Bunting and
Scarlet Tanager are regular summer visitors. The presence of
many small birds and good habitat for rodents attract raptors both common and
rarely seen. Among Owls, the Great Horned, Barred and Screech Owl have been
sighted and may nest here. Osprey and the Bald Eagle are often seen in
migration; a nesting pair of the latter has been confirmed on the Batten kill
somewhat downstream from the Sanctuary. Kestrels, Merlins, Sharp-Shinned Hawk,
Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Northern Harrier, Red-Shouldered, Broad-Winged
and Red-Tailed Hawks all have been sighted at the Sanctuary. The Dionondehowa
Sanctuary has instituted two programs to insure habitat
for certain species. A nesting-box trail for Bluebirds has successfully
attracted nesting pairs for many seasons. About 24 acres of fields are
maintained as grassland and lie undisturbed throughout June, July and into the
first week of August. For species which were once common, providing this
increasingly rare habitat has proven a boon to nesting. In just one summer,
under this schedule, numerous Bobolinks, Horned Larks and Meadowlarks began
nesting in the medium-length grass. It is hoped that in future years, this method
of cutting will attract Lincoln's Sparrows and, in areas where fields approach
wetlands, Sedge Wrens. The deep woods are, of course, alive with bird songs in
spring and summer. The many varieties of Thrush are augmented in the morning and
evening by the Veery's haunting melody. And the orchard attracts Orioles with
their unique dress and song every spring.
|