Birding in Fairfield Harbour

Thoughts of spring plantings and chirping birds were on the minds of members of the Fairfield Harbour Garden club as they gathered for the monthly meeting at the Community Center on April 9. The program was a PowerPoint presentation on “Birds in your Fairfield Backyard” by Olwen Jarvis. She highlighted birds that are often seen and how to attract more birds to backyards as well as understanding the habits of migrating ducks. Olwen started birding in England as a child along with her parents who appreciated nature and enjoyed walking and having picnics on the moors. When she moved to the US in 1967 she found a whole new world of brightly colored birds. Olwen conducts weekly bird walks in Fairfield Harbour and participants enjoy watching and identifying birds for a few hours. New birdwatchers are always welcome.

The group meets every Friday during the summer months at 7 am (7:30 am in the winter months) at the POA office parking lot.

On Friday, May 11, the birders spotted 47 different species of birds. Below is a list of the birds spotted in a 5 mile vicinity. Photos by Jenny McDiarmid.

Pine Warbler

Osprey

Northern Cardinal

Red-headed Woodpecker

Female Mallard

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Bluebird

Purple Martins

5.0 mile(s)

47 species

• Canada Goose 11

• Double-crested Cormorant 5

• Great Blue Heron 2

• Green Heron 7

• Turkey Vulture 5

• Osprey 6

• Killdeer 1

• Spotted Sandpiper 1

• Laughing Gull 18

• Least Tern 8

• Forster's Tern 2

• Mourning Dove 17

• Chuck-will's-widow 1

• Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2

• Red-headed Woodpecker 7

• Red-bellied Woodpecker 7

• Northern Flicker 1

• Eastern Wood-Pewee 1

• Great Crested Flycatcher 13

• Eastern Kingbird 3

• Blue Jay 11

• American Crow 6

• Fish Crow 10

• Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2

• Barn Swallow 26

• Carolina Chickadee 6

• Tufted Titmouse 8

• White-breasted Nuthatch (Eastern) 2

• Brown-headed Nuthatch 8

• Carolina Wren 12

• Eastern Bluebird 8

• American Robin 5

• Gray Catbird 1

• Brown Thrasher 9

• Northern Mockingbird 15

• European Starling 13

• Pine Warbler 6

• Chipping Sparrow 4

• Eastern Towhee 5

• Summer Tanager 1

• Northern Cardinal 16

• Orchard Oriole 1

• Red-winged Blackbird 8

• Brown-headed Cowbird 1

• Common Grackle (Purple) 21

• House Finch 9

• House Sparrow 3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S45554569