Southlands is teaming up with Clinton Historical Society to present a talk by Chip Holman, godson of Olin Dows, about Olin Dows early work. The event will be in person and via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82547676077

Mona Payton, member of the Ralph Waterman Bird Club and long-time member of The Southlands Foundation, shared all the great sightings of the day in her following message:

On a windy and unusually cool but sunny morning we met in the parking lot of Southlands Farm in Rhinebeck. The resident barn swallows soared over the property and in and out of the horse barns where they nest. A few house finches fed their young at the top of two cranberry trees. Starlings and house sparrows gathered around the barn area.

As we walkedsouth down the farm lane towards the paddocks, killdeer cried out as they flew up from the paddocks and over the riding rings. We also heard a red-bellied woodpecker and white-breasted nuthatch. Goldfinches flew up from the paddock fences. A single mallard was tucked in along the side of the pond. We saw the first of many tree swallows and red-winged blackbirds as we left the paddocks and entered the big field, still walking along the farm lane.

Entering the big field we commented on the lush pasture which was at full height and color from the generous rainfall this spring and early summer. The main attraction of bobolinks awaited us in the big field with many males bubbling up from the pasture, singing, raucously displaying their wing patches, and descending into the pasture to perch on tall stems. A few females appeared as well with their subdued plumage and behaviour. The nestboxes held successful nests of both tree swallows and Eastern bluebirds.

As we approached the large former dairy barn at the south of the big field we saw a kettle of several turkey vultures rise on the active winds. A couple of song sparrows were on the fence line but no savannah sparrows, a minor disappointment as they usually are present in the fencing near the dairy barn. Looking west, across the fields, we saw a coyote staring at us in a rise of sumac and locust. Walking south down into a shaded grove with a creek we heard and then saw cedar waxwings, a towhee, catbird, yellowthroat, and then a female scarlet tanager in her subtle but beautiful plumage.

Coming out of the grove into the Schultzville lot field, we heard and then saw field sparrows and cardinals. Along the wooded area between small fields we saw or heard a sapsucker, grosbeak, Baltimore oriole, indigo bunting, chimney swift, red-eyed vireo, and then blue-winged warblers.

Looping back towards the direction of the main barns through high grass and pasture we saw red tail hawks, a grackle, Carolina wrens, a peewee, and then flushed the bird-of-the-day, an adult woodcock with two young. Our final sighting was an Eastern Kingbird kiting insects on a hedge near the pond.

An enjoyable way to spend Father's Day.

==-species:

barn swallow:12

starling; 12

house sparrow: 10

house finch: 7

red-bellied woodpecker: 1

white-brasted nuthatch: 1

killdeer: 10

American crow: 2

robin: 3

American goldfinch: 8

red-winged blackbird: 25 (+)

tree swallow: 25 (+)

mallard: 1

mockingbird: 3

bobolink: 20

Eastern bluebird: 4

turkey vulture: 9

mourning dove: 6

rock pigeon: 2

song sparrow: 4

cedar waxwing: 2

scarlet tanager: 1

Eastern towhee: 2

catbird: 6

common yellowthroat: 4

field sparrow: 4

blue jay: 5

yellow-bellied sapsucker: 1

rose-breasted grosbeak: 2

blue-winged warbler: 3

Baltimore oriole: 1

indigo bunting:1

chimney swift: 1

red-eyed vireo: 1

red-tail hawk: 2

common grackle: 1

Carolina wren: 4

Eastern peewee:1

woodcock:3

Eastern kingbird: 1