On May 6, 2009, I saw these wildflowers in bloom. Those with * are alien. I am hoping this list will help you in your wildflower walks.
Wild Bleeding Heart- Dicentra eximia
Virginia Bluebells or Virginia Cowslip- Mertensia virginica
Red Trillium or Wake-robin- Trillium erectum
Toothwort or Crinkleroot-Dentaria diphylla
Celandine Poppy-Sylophorum diphyllum
( Some of the flowers were eaten by wildlife-probably rabbits or deer.)
Coltsfoot*- It had gone to seed and
looks like dandelions gone to seed.
The Dandelions* are just blooming.
Cuckooflower or Lady’s Smock-Cardamine pratensis
Goldthread-Coptic groinlandica
Marsh Marigold or Cowslip-Caltha palustris
Early Meadow Rue-Thalictrum dioicum
This has green flowers.
Smooth Shadbush- Amelanchier -small
tree in understory of woods
Great Solomon’s Seal-Polygonatum canaliculatum
Large-flowered Trilium-Trillium grandiflorum-white
Trout Lily or Dogtooth Violets or Yellow Adder’s Tongue-Erythronium americanum
Common Blue Violet-Viola papilionaces
Red Trillium or Wake-robin or Birthroot-Trillium erectum

I’m sorry. I got an emergency phone call from a friend. Now it’s 11 p.m. I’ll type the list of wildflowers I saw today tomorrow. Ann

Allison Ney Trail, Rails to Trails starting at Barnes Road and continuing past Finley Rd. Portland, Chautauqua County

Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 3 Hooded Warblers, 2 Brown Thrashers, 3 Chestnut-sided Warblers, 2 Eastern Towhees, 3 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 American Goldfinches, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 1 Ovenbird, 1 White-throated Sparrow, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 American Redstart, 1 Wood Thrush, 1 Killdeer, 1 Blue Jay, 1 American Robin, 1 Warbling Vireo, 1 Northern Cardinal, 1 Eastern Phoebe, 1 Field Sparrow, 3 Brown-headed Cowbirds, 1 Black-throated Green Warbler, 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Seen by Ann Beebe, Dr. Lillian Ney, Nancy Karp, Linda O’Brien, Dale Smith

If you haven’t been on this trail, I highly recommend it. It is easy walking. The wildflowers were wonderful and near the end is a great view of Lake Erie.

The Allison Ney Trail is a special treat. First, there is the woodlands with grape vines. Then there is the marshy area within view. Just beautiful and easy walking. The trail was named in honor of Lillian Ney’s daughter.

The very first bird that Jeanine Smith and I saw was a Ruffed Grouse. We hadn’t gone far, when the bird flushed from the trail ahead of us. It reddish on the back and a wide black band at the end of its short tail.

We also heard two Eastern Towhees.

We went to find the Hooded Warblers that I had seen there several years. We heard them right at the entrance on Barnes Road, near the intersection of Fish Road in Portland.

However, we only saw an American Redstart there. I shouldn’t say “only.” This was a male with georgeous orange patches in its black back and sides.

I’m going again today. This is a great time of year for birding without the leaves on the trees.

Did I mention the wildflowers? Yellow Violets, with a long spur, and a beautiful patch of blue violets mixed with Forget-me-nots. The color combination was striking. I think I’ll take pictures today.

May 1, 2009 Jamestown Audubon.

4 Song Sparrows, 1 American Goldfinch, 4 Gray Catbirds, 1 Carolina Wren, 5 Northern Cardinals, 4 Yellow Warblers, 1 Yellow-throated Warbler, 2 Mourning Doves, 2 Blue-winged Teal, 2 Green Herons, 3 House Wrens, 3 Swamp Sparrows, 1 Warbling Vireos, 1 Field Sparrow, 2 Baltimore Oriole, 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 1 Black and White Warbler, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 4 Tree Swallows, 2 Great-Crested Flycatchers, 2 Black-throated Green Warblers, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Wood Thrush, 1 Blue-headed Vireo, 1 Brown-headed Cowbird, 1 Blue Jay, 1 House Finch

Ann Beebe,Dave and Anita Cooney, Nancy and Norm Karp, Lillian Ney, Jeanine Smith, Ann Beebe

St. Columban’s is a Catholid assisted living unit just north of Center Road in Pomfret. It’s a lovely walk through woods and then with great visibility of the lake. Birders need to tell folks inside if the wish to walk the trail. A small donation is nice, too.

The Point Gratiot has a trail through a woods at the north end. You can park at the workers (I forget who) building. We were thrilled to see two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS.

April 29, 2009- Chautauqua County along Lake Erie

Rte. 77 towards charlotte- 2 Wild Turkey

Sander Road- 1 Wild Turkey, 1 Blue Jay, 1 Barn Swallow

St. Columbans- 3 Northern Flicker, 11 Yellow-rump Warbler, 3 Yellow Warbler

4 Blue Jay, 3 Catbird, 1 Northern Cardinal, 6 Common Grackle, 5 Ruby-crowned

Kinglet, 4 Palm Warbler, 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 1 House Wren, 1 Black and

White Warbler, 1 Song Sparrow, 1 Baltimore Oriole, 1 House Finch, 1 Pine

Warbler, 1 Red-winged Blackbird, 2 Turkey Vulture, 1 Blue-winged Warbler,

35 Double-crested Cormorant, 2 Bald Eagle, 13 Red-breasted Merganser

Route 5- 2 Tree Swallow, 1 Northern Cardinal, 16 Bonaparte Gull,

Dunkirk beach- 30 Caspian Tern, 4 Double-crested Cormorant, 1 American Coot

Point Gratiot- 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 2 Chimney Swift, 10 Purple Martin, 2 Red-

Headed Woodpecker, 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 6 White-throated Sparrow, 11 Brown-headed Cowbird, 1 Northern Flicker, 2 American Crow, 3 Yellow-rumped Warbler,

Route 5, Dunkirk by golf course- 1 Northern Mockingbird, 1 Song Sparrow

Berry Road- 1 Blue-winged Teal, 2 Common Grackle, 1 Gadwall

Lake Erie State Park- 1 Northern Flicker, 2 Chipping Sparrow, 1 Yellow Warbler, 1 Gray Catbird, 2 Palm Warbler

Barcelona Harbor- 5 Red-breasted Merganser, 103 Bonarparte Gull, 1 Common Loon, 5 Mallard, 2 Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Cormorant, 1 Greater Scaup

Chautauqua Institution- 2 House Wren

Ann Beebe, Nancy Karp, Herb Smith, Linda O’brien

I birded with wonderful birders (Tom and Joanne Goetz, Dale Smith, Herb Smith and Nancy Karp) on april 24.
The trail was the Lori Baer Trail on Plank Road just out of Mayville. Before the rest of us arrived, Tom and Joanne saw 2 Hermit Thrushes. That was a nice beginning. Then it poured. Thank goodness it only lasted a few minutes and we were still near our cars. The rest of the walk was well worth the wait. The trail is about one mile long. We heard 4 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. This member of the woodpecker family has a distinctive drumming sound. It’s not smooth rhythmically. First you hear about five fast taps. But then, the taps slow down and sound syncopated or uneven.

There were five Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Man, are they tough to spot! These tiny birds flit around. We were really lucky to see one of them long enough to spot his red crown raised. He was probably trying to attract a female. He was stunning!

Nancy heard a Red-headed Woodpecker. I need to listen to a CD to refresh my memory of its call. We seem to have fewer of these birds, so that was a great one to hear.

Then, there were the hawks. We saw one Red-shouldered and 13 Broad-winged! Since our walk, I read that lots of people saw many that day. I bet they had fun at the Ripley Hawk Watch. Anyway, this is the closest I’ve been to the bird. Joanne taught us that the Broad-winged has wider stripes in the tail than those of the Red-shouldered. That was the clincher in identifying it.

All along the trail we kept hearing Field Sparrows. This call sounds like a ping-ball dropping on a table. The real thrill was at the end of the trail when we saw a pair of them up close. It’s different from other sparrow because of its pink bill and feet.

You can go to Jamestown Audubon’s website to see a list of all of the birds we saw that day. It was great!

Yesterday, a small group of nature enthusiasts visited the Erlandson Overview County Park on Oak Hill Road in the town of Carroll. This 76-acre park is one of the highest spots in Chautauqua County. Dr. Tom Erlandson, for whom the park was honored, was with us. He taught biology for many years at JCC and also co-authored the book Figure-8 the Lake, about the geology, biology, and history of Chautauqua Lake.

This park is one of the southern-most reaches of the glacial period. The area had been owned by four different folks. In the 70’s it was all bought and returned to a natural state. Yesterday we explored its many vernal pools. Later I will describe some of the creatures we saw. My favorite was the Fairy Shrimp.

Please come back to my blog. I’m very excited about being able to share my adventures and learning with you. Ann

Welcome to my new teaching opportunity.  I started teaching when I was 7 years old.  After my first piano lessons, I immediately taught the neighborhood kids what I had learned.  Now, I’ll try to teach you some of the things I’m learning about nature.