Delaney Wildlife Management Area October 10, 2026
The weather cooperated with us for this trip to Delaney. Eight of us enjoyed seeing and hearing a nice variety of birds. We had to tolerate some loud gunfire at the beginning, since there was a “permit only” duck hunt that morning. There were several flocks of blackbirds, mostly Rusty Blackbirds but also some Red-winged Blackbirds and maybe some Common Grackles that we did not definitely identify. Coming up with an accurate count was impossible. The numbers below are estimates that I can support.
The one Pipit was just seen briefly flying over. There were so many nuthatches of both varieties that it was hard to keep a precise count. I tried leading the group on a longer walk than usual, which turned out to be a mistake. If I lead this trip again next year, it will be back to the more moderate route.
Canada Goose 50
Mallard 9
Mourning Dove 2
Killdeer 3
Double-crested Cormorant 5
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 7
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 19
Black-capped Chickadee 9
Tufted Titmouse 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 12
Red-breasted Nuthatch 9
Gray Catbird 7
Eastern Bluebird 10
Hermit Thrush 1
American Pipit 1
House Finch 4
American Goldfinch 3
Chipping Sparrow 3
Dark-eyed Junco 1
White-throated Sparrow 3
Savannah Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 1
Eastern Towhee 1
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Rusty Blackbird 40
Palm Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 40
Northern Cardinal 1