Date: 5/8/25 11:40 am From: JACQUE BROWN <bluebird2...> Subject: Birding Greater Vaughn and Centerton near the Hatchery
Yesterday I drove the usual places around Vaughn, what I call the dairy loop which includes All of Anglin Rd, Barron Rd to Opal, Opal through Barron Cemetary, and Adams rd to Anglin. I didn't see much on this loop. I was looking for Bobolinks but haven't found any around the area where I used to find them. It's still a little early. But 25 species and the Dicksissels have arrived.
After that I did the rest of Opal Rd to Rainbow Farm rds, then down to Buckhorn Flats to Daisy rd. most of what was seen was on Buckhorn Flats. I parked in one spot that is usually pretty birdy. There is a Cooper's Hawk nest, I saw two Black-bellied Whistling Ducks fly onto a snag, saw my FOS Painted Bunting male, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, Great-crested Flycatchers, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Piliated Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, White-eyed Vireo, Indigo Buntings, House Wrens, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, and the usual suspects that are here year round. 29 species in all.
Afterward I went to the fish hatchery, I got there about 11:15 and walked the lower ponds. The Swallow numbers were down from earlier in the week, but Barn, Northern Rough-winged, Cliff, Purple Martins, and some high up Chimney Swifts. There were Bank Swallows earlier this week but I didn't sort any out yesterday. The shorebird highlights were 2 Semipalmated Plovers, and 6 Dunlin in their spring finery. Alder, Least, Scissor-tailed, Great-crested Flaycatchers, Eastern Phoebe, and Eastern Kingbirds. White-eyed and Warbling Vireos. Gray Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, and Mockingbirds. Indigo Buntings, Orchard Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Northern Waterthrush, Cedar Waxwings testing the not ripe yet mulberries, 4 Yellow Warblers, 4 Common Yellowthroats, 2 Palm Warblers, 1 Myrtle Warbler, and 1 Blackpoll Warbler. White-throated Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows, Savannah and Lincoln's Sparrows. I also found 2 American Pipits. and Dicksissel. There was a total of 64 species.
At my house about 1/4 from the hatchery I have 2 pair of Baltimore Orioles. One female is gathering strands from the stalks of last years Swamp Milkweed, I also have a pair of Gray Catbirds, a pair of Brown Thrashers and a pair of House Wrens have been checking out all the gourd birdhouses. I hope this year they stay. I also still see White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows, plus Lincoln's Sparrows.
What is missing are the Rose-breasted Grosebeaks and any Warblers yet this year.
Jacque Brown, Centerton.
