After a fabulous spring of daily birding for the Birdcast Radar
Migration Study with 82 species of migrants seen, summer continued
strongly with 72 species of breeding birds residing in the census area.
The April-May drought affected the area strongly with ephemeral ponds
drying up mid May, tadpoles dying by the thousands, and herbaceous
vegetation wilting. Summer bird banding studies suggested that many
nestlings did not make it; the fledgling catch was unprecedently low.
Highlights of the breeding season were:
| Woodcock | 10 displaying males |
| Ruffed Grouse | seen repeatedly, 2 territories |
| Turkeys | with 5 poults |
| Mourning Dove | 16 territories, fledgling13 June |
| Turkey Vulture | 2 pairs |
| Red-tailed Hawk | nest and fledgling |
| Am. Kestrel | pair frequently on wires of Hopewell-Wertsville Road |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | |
| Black-billed Cuckoo | 2 territories |
| Eastern Screech Owl | |
| Great-horned Owl | 2 pairs |
| Ruby-Throated Hummingbird | 3 territories, one mist-netted with brood patch |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 3 territories |
| Downy Woodpecker | 8 territories, 1 fledgling |
| Pileated Woodpecker | pair seen daily through June |
| Eastern Kingbird | in bordering hayfields |
| Great-crested Flycatcher | 8 territories |
| Willow Flycatcher | 2 territories |
| Purple Martin | overhead 2 May and mid-July |
| Barn Swallow | 4 pairs, 9 fledglings |
| Am. Crow | 9, fledgling 29 May |
| Carolina Chickadee | 12 territories; a breeding male mist netted; 3 June adult carrying food |
| Black-Capped Chickadee | 10 territories; carrying nest material 7 May, another nest material 10 May |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 12 territories, carrying nest material 11 May |
| BROWN CREEPER | mist netted female with brood patch and egg in abdomen 30 May.
MAY BE FIRST INDICATION OF BREEDING IN BLOCK, TOPOGRAPHIC MAP 68 HOPEWELL |
| Gray Catbird | 59 territories, carrying nest material 7 May, food 3 June, netted fledglings end June ff |
| Brown Thrasher | territory |
| Wood Thrush | 30 territories, mist netted fledglings 13 June ff |
| Veery | 21 territories, mist netted fledglings 1 July ff |
| Eastern Bluebird | fight with House Sparrow for box, and won, 12 May, nested |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | 3 territories, family 8 July |
| White-eyed Vireo | heard in mid June and end July |
| Yellow-throated Vireo | 2 territories |
| Red-eyed Vireo | 22 territories |
| Warbling Vireo | heard once in June |
| Black-and-White Warbler | 2 territories, with nest material, 14 May (Lou Beck) |
| Blue-winged Warbler | 23 territories, netted breeding female 20 May, adult with fledglings 1 July |
| Yellow Warbler | 8 territories, breeding males mist netted 21 June, 9 July |
| Ovenbird | 34 territories, mist netted fledglings 14 July ff |
| Common Yellowthroat | 45 territories, mist netted fledglings July 1 ff |
| Yellow-breasted Chat | 2 territories through June |
| American Redstart | 2 territories |
| Hooded Warbler | singing 29 May |
| Bobolink | courtship chase in hay fields 16 May, present until mowing end June |
| Eastern Meadowlark | 2 territories in hay fields, present until mowing |
| Red-winged Blackbird | 9 territories, nesting material 12 May |
| Baltimore Oriole | 16 territories, nest found 5 June |
| Scarlet Tanager | 13 territories, courtship seen 11 May, mist netted breeding female 29 July |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | 20 territories, female carrying nest material 7 May |
| Indigo Bunting | 3 territories, mist netted breeding male 30 May, females 21 June, 29 July |
| Eastern Towhee | 41 territories, fledgling 14 July |
| Chipping Sparrow | 5 territories, active nest in May |
| Field Sparrow | 5 territories, breeding male mist netted 9 July |
The bird banding study on fall habitat use by migratory birds
continues into Novenber, after which time a report will be made.
