Carden Alvar - OFO Trip Posted on May 30, 2011 at 02:38:03 AM by Jean Iron
Sunday's OFO field trip to the Carden Alvar easily found most of the target birds including Loggerhead Shrike at three locations, Upland Sandpiper, Sedge Wren, Golden-winged Warbler, Clay-colored Sparrow at four locations and Grasshopper Sparrow. In the morning we walked north along Wylie Road to the Sedge Wren Marsh. Birds were active in the periods of warm fine rain which wasn't a problem. At the Sedge Wren Marsh we heard American Bittern, Sora and Virginia Rail, and heard and saw Sedge Wren, Marsh Wren, Alder Flycatcher and Black-billed Cuckoo. After a picnic lunch at the Kirkfield Lift Lock, we birded Shrike Road south of McNamee Road where we saw two Loggerhead Shrikes. We later saw a fairly close Loggerhead Shrike just north of the parking lot at Cameron Ranch. The ranch is a reliable spot to see a shrike, which is a difficult bird to find along Wylie Road this year. We were very lucky to see two Least Bitterns in a cattail marsh south of Canal Lake.
At marshes along Prospect Road south of Highway 48 we added Common Moorhen, Pied-billed Grebe, Sora, Virginia Rail, Marsh Wren and Willow Flycatcher.
We recorded 90 species and the temperature was a pleasant 23 C when the trip ended about 4 p.m. Selected other birds observed included Wilson's Snipe, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Eastern Towhee, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Bluebird, Cliff Swallow, Field Sparrow, and a migrant male Blackpoll Warbler. Carden's signature alvar wildflower, Prairie Smoke, is in full bloom.
I thank Ron Pittaway, Ron Tozer and Eleanor Beagan (my sharp-eyed driver) for helping the group to see and hear Carden's specialty grassland, marshland and scrubland birds. Everybody had a wonderful day.
Directions: OFO Carden Birding Guide and Map. Print a copy for use in the field.