The weather conditions were good at the Lumberton Leas 2014 Annual Bird Census. The temperature was above freezing at 37 degrees. The early morning fog burned off about 10 a.m. and the sun came out with bright, blue sky above and the birds were out to enjoy the day.

Joe Costanza, Joe and Jean Jordan, Miriam Swartz, and Louise Tompkins walked out to the overlook at the end of the Community Center parking lot to observe the waterfowl on Monarch Lake below. To our delight we saw a Pied-billed Grebe, a Coot, Mallards, and many, many Canada Geese. Through the telescope were Common Mergansers swimming and Ring-billed Gulls clustered together.  In the area around the Community Center Northern Flickers, Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, House Finches, Mourning Doves, Dark-eyed Juncos, Mockingbirds, and American Goldfinches were all visible. Carolina Wrens and a Red-bellied Woodpecker were calling.

We walked down the Blue trail from the Lumberton pool to the Rancocas Creek. On the way a small group of Golden-crowned Kinglets flitted around in the trees over our heads. We were thrilled to see six Bluebirds sunning themselves on the bank of the Rancocas. Many more, both male and female Common Mergansers, one Bufflehead and one Pintail Duck were in the water. At least three Great Blue Herons were fishing or frogging along the banks. Small flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds were perching in a tree and Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen flying over head. One lone Eastern Phoebe was perched on a piece of dried grass. As we traveled back up the trail a Hairy Woodpecker flew from a near by tree a Red-tailed hawk startled us as it rose up out of a pine tree ahead and we heard it call as it flew across the marsh to a tall oak on the other side. In total we saw 36 species of birds including the Bald Eagle seen circling overhead later in the day and a total of 372 birds.

Both Ann Campbell and Dave Swartz participated by watching their feeders from home. They added White-breasted Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice, and Common Grackles to our list of birds seen that morning.

What a great day for Birders and birding!

Weather: above freezing, foggy but then becoming sunny.

Participants: Ann Campbell, Joe Costanza, Joe and Jean Jordan, Dave and Miriam Swartz and Louise Tompkins.