Took a short drive close to home to explore two of my favorite areas, the Union Mills Wetlands (Brown Road) and Babylon Road north of East Mayberry Road.
Union Mills Wetlands
I didn't find the Coopers Hawk that had been present there for the past few weeks but had a surprise of an Eastern Phoebe who sat and let me photograph it. I only saw one sparrow and that was a Chipping sparrow. Besides the highlight of the Phoebe, I had 50 + Mallards flush from the pond and then circle and return to their watery rest. I also observed two Common Mergansers along with the Mallards. There were other species of ducks on the pond as well but with the grass and cattails blocking my view I could not identify them. They are much smaller than the Mallards and looked to be Teal.
Babylon Road
The grasslands of the shooting preserve held a pair of Red-tailed Hawks in an old tree to the left just after turning off of East Mayberry Road near the farmstead. Further into that area I found a nice Sharpie perched on a telephone pole. I did not see the Harriers that I had observed earlier in the week. I did the length of Babylon road to the intersection of Georgetown road and observed 5 more red-tails, 2 of which were another perched pair.
Other birds observed was a flock of Northern Cardinals (8) all together and a solitary Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
Jim
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