Bird Species

The eastern spiny softshell turtle (Apalone s. spinifera), a species recorded in the Preserve in 2008, was not captured in fyke nets or observed during VES surveys. Griffy Lake represents the preferred habitat for this species, and it likely remains present but undetected in the Preserve.

Bird Species

In total, 103 unique bird species were observed in the Preserve, including four species listed as state species of special concern, and six species listed as birds of conservation concern in Region 24 (Tables 3 and 4). The most commonly observed species was Canada goose (Branta Canadensis; 341 individual observations), which tends to travel and forage in large flocks, and is considered a nuisance species throughout its non-migratory range. Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata; 304 observations), red bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus; 290), tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor; 267), and Carolina chickadee (Poecile carolinensis; 220) were also commonly observed in the Preserve. The number of unique species accounted for no more than 8% of observations across the year.

Table 3. Avian species and observations during the Griffy Lake Nature Preserve Inventory surveys from September 2020 to August 2021. Common Name Scientific Name Number of Observations

Acadian flycatcher Empidonax virescens 36 American crow Corvus brachyrhynchos 135 American goldfinch Spinus tristis 174 American robin Turdus migratorius 65 American tree sparrow Spizelloides arborea 2 bald eagle* Haliaeetus leucocephalus 1 Baltimore oriole Icterus galbula 19 barn swallow Hirundo rustica 35 bay-breasted warbler Setophaga castanea 1 belted kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon 31 black-throated green warbler1 Setophaga virens 1 black vulture Coragyps atratus 6 blue-gray gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 14 blue-headed vireo Vireo solitarius 1 blue-winged teal Spatula discors 14 blue jay Cyanocitta cristata 304 brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater 35 brown creeper Certhia americana 7 brown thrasher Toxostoma rufum 3 Canada goose Branta canadensis 341 Carolina chickadee Poecile carolinensis 220 Carolina wren Thryothorus ludovicianus 108 cedar waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum 66 chimney swift1 Chaetura pelagica 5 cliff swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota 2 common grackle Quiscalus quiscula 18 common loon Gavia immer 1 common yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 32 Cooper's hawk Accipiter cooperii 3 dark-eyed junco Junco hyemalis 1 downy woodpecker Dryobates pubescens 129 eastern bluebird Sialia sialis 62 eastern kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus 7

eastern phoebe eastern towhee eastern wood-pewee European starling golden-crowned kinglet gray catbird great blue heron great crested flycatcher greater yellowlegs* green heron hairy woodpecker house finch house wren indigo bunting Kentucky warbler1 killdeer Sayornis phoebe Pipilo erythrophthalmus Contopus virens Sturnus vulgaris Regulus satrapa Dumetella carolinensis Ardea herodias Myiarchus crinitus Tringa melanoleuca Butorides virescens Dryobates villosus Haemorhous mexicanus Troglodytes aedon Passerina cyanea Geothlypis formosa Charadrius vociferus

least flycatcher least sandpiper lesser yellowlegs1 Louisiana waterthrush Empidonax minimus Calidris minutilla Tringa flavipes Parkesia motacilla

mallard mourning dove Nashville warbler northern cardinal Anas platyrhynchos Zenaida macroura Leiothlypis ruficapilla Cardinalis cardinalis

northern flicker Colaptes auratus

northern parula

Setophaga americana northern rough-winged swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis orchard oriole Icterus spurius

osprey* Philadelphia vireo pied-billed grebe pileated woodpecker purple finch purple martin red-bellied woodpecker red-breasted nuthatch Pandion haliaetus Vireo philadelphicus Podilymbus podiceps Dryocopus pileatus Haemorhous purpureus Progne subis Melanerpes carolinus Sitta canadensis

red-eyed vireo red-headed woodpecker1 red-shouldered hawk Vireo olivaceus Melanerpes erythrocephalus Buteo lineatus

red-tailed hawk red-winged blackbird rock pigeon rose-breasted grosbeak ruby-crowned kinglet ruby-throated hummingbird scarlet tanager solitary sandpiper* song sparrow spotted sandpiper summer tanager Swainson's thrush Buteo jamaicensis Agelaius phoeniceus Columba livia Pheucticus ludovicianus Regulus calendula Archilochus colubris Piranga olivacea Tringa solitaria Melospiza melodia Actitis macularius Piranga rubra Catharus ustulatus

swamp sparrow Tennessee warbler tree swallow tufted titmouse turkey vulture Melospiza georgiana Leiothlypis peregrina Tachycineta bicolor Baeolophus bicolor Cathartes aura

3 41 49 8 20 30 30 4 1 8 29 3 1 11 6 64 1 3 1 21 144 26 4 130 50 24 65 2 1 1 8 112 1 2 290 2 51 74 17 17 92 1 7 9 10 14 16 72 13 2 2 4 5 4 267 62