Bird Bonanza
Because Surrey Bend's diverse landscape boasts evergreen and deciduous forest, dry land, freshwater marsh, streams and riverfront, it is home to many species of birds from eagles to tiny hummingbirds.
Here are just a few examples noted in the Kistritz report and by visiting birders:
- Great Blue Herons, and their rarer cousins, Green-backed Herons
- Bald Eagles. Smaller raptors include Osprey, Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, Cooper's and Sharp-shinned hawks, plus several kinds of owls.
- Wood Ducks, Mallards, Teal and many other species of waterfowl
- Shorebirds, such as Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Sandpipers and Killdeer
- Upland game birds-Ruffed Grouse and Ring-necked Pheasant
- Pileated (Great Northern) Woodpecker, and Northern Flicker and Hairy and Downy woodpeckers
- Tree, Violet-green and Barn swallows
- Assorted species of warbles, such as Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped and Orange-crowned
- Many other passserines (small perching birds): Winter Wren, Rufous-sided Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing, Bushtit, Black-caped and Chesnut-backed chickadees.
To see these and more of the scores of bird species at Surrey Bend (when the "no trespassing" signs come down), all you need are binoculars and patience.
