Stratford Great Meadows IBA

This morning Twan and I surveyed what we call “zone 3” of the Stratford Great Meadows Important Bird Area. It was part of our extensive 2010 Breeding Bird Survey for all of the IBA. We record every species, their quantity, and their breeding condition – possible, probable, or confirmed – in each of five separate zones we created based on habitat type. Today we found 87 species and 16 warblers while adding to our growing knowledge of the breeding bird population in this critical habitat. An Olive-sided Flycatcher was the best find, a species not previously recorded in the 309 that have been documented and confirmed as being found at least once in the IBA. A picture of it and a few warblers photos are below:

Olive-sided Flycatcher, as expected, using a dead tree as a perch.

An Ovenbird who was very friendly.

Male Bay-breasted Warbler foraging while singing.

Chestnut-sided Warbler searching for a snack.

Our list of warblers included the following conservative numbers:
5 Northern Parula
15 Yellow Warbler
4 Chestnut-sided Warbler
16 Magnolia Warbler
9 Black-throated Blue Warbler
3 Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 Bay-breasted Warbler
3 Blackpoll Warbler
4 Black-and-white Warbler
22 American Redstart
3 Ovenbird
1 Northern Waterthrush
1 Mourning Warbler
18 Common Yellowthroat
4 Wilson’s Warbler
9 Canada Warbler


Photos © Scott Kruitbosch