Birds of Northampton Park
Monroe County New York USA
James W Keefer
43 Bauers Cove
Spencerport NY 14559-1246
Introduction
Northampton Park is located approximately 5 kilometers (3 miles) southeast of Brockport NY in the western portion of Monroe County, south of Route 31 and west of Route 36 (Washington St) in the Towns of Sweden and Ogden. The geographic coordinates of the study area are centered on 43o11’N, 77o53’W at approximately 180 meters AMSL. Western New York, which includes the county seat of Rochester, is in a temperate deciduous forest climate zone. The climax vegetation for western New York is beech-maple forest. Lake Ontario modifies the climate substantially, producing milder seasonal temperatures but with heavier annual snow falls (2.5 m) caused by the lake effect phenomenon. Average annual precipitation for the Rochester NY area is 85 cm. Temperatures in summer average 20oC and in winter –3oC with a yearly average of 14oC. The US Department of Agriculture rates the area as 6a on its hardiness zone map.
Figure
1. Study Area at Northampton Park,
Monroe County NY. Salmon Creek Road is visible
at the western edge of the area with the Knollwood Lodge located at A. For reference, B is a horse trailer parking
area with the soccer field just to the north. Area 4 served as the MAPS census from
1995-1999.
The Study
I carried out a general banding study of the park from 1981 to 2004. The six major banding areas are shown on Figure 1. Over the 24 years, the park’s vegetation progressed in the usual successional stages. Initially, Northampton Park was farmed into the mid 1960’s before being donated to the county. Much of the park was in the early stages of succession, field grasses being the prevalent vegetation. Wooded areas exist in several areas of the park, most under 10 hectares. The Monroe County Parks Department maintains the park by mowing the picnic areas and maintaining a rather extensive system of trails that are used by hikers, skiers, and equestrians. These trails are maintained to a width of 2-3 meters, and over the years have become walled in as the vegetation has undergone succession into tall shrubs and trees (Figures 2 and 3). Most of the birds banded were along this system of trails.
Figure 2. Area 4 looking west on the MAPS census Figure 3. MAPS looking south
Banding occurred over a period of 24 years but in some years, for personal reasons, banding activity was limited or non-existent. Mist nets (6 and 12 meters, 36 mm mesh) were the choice for capturing birds and were used between March and November. Most banding occurred between sunrise and noon, with the average daily netting activity of approximately 3 hours. Feeder traps were used in 1984 to capture Black-capped Chickadees for a color-banding project. I participated in a MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) census between 1995 and 1999 (1,9). The center of this census is shown on Figure 1. Another study I participated in involved removing several feathers from Yellow Warblers for a research project using stable isotopes(5-8). Other bird species exist in the study area that were never banded and are shown in Table 2.
Vegetation
The dominant shrub-layer species of the study area is red osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera), with substantial growths of staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina). Interspersed are maturing trees of green ash (Fraxinus sp), box elder (Acer negunda), American elm (Ulmus americana), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), pignut hickory (Carya glabra), red oak (Quercus rubra), shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), and American beech (Fagus gradiflora). Mature stands of black locust trees (Robinia psudoacacia) exist in some areas. Ground cover includes wild grape (Vitus sp.), honeysuckle (Lonicera sp), high bush cranberry (Viburnum sp.), virginia creeper (Partenocissus quinquefolia), and Viburnum sp. Overall, the topography is of gently rolling hills. Salmon Creek runs through a deep ravine at the north end of the park.
Birds of Northampton Park: Species Accounts
A total of 137 species of birds were observed or banded at Northampton Park between 1981 and 2004. Birds are not equally caught in nets, consequently birds that are common and regularly seen in the area may not be obvious in the banding data. Table 1 lists those species banded and their total counts at Northampton Park between 1981 and 2004. Some species such as Northern Cardinals, Blue-jays, White-breasted Nuthatches, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, and Black-capped Chickadees are regular year round residents of the park.
Table 2 lists those species seen in the study area but never banded. Numerous species are migrants through the park in the spring and fall while others are known to breed. Many individual birds have been recaptured and are listed in Table 3. Most species and numbers of birds fall within the usual dates of migration for western New York (2,3).
Over the years, species abundance has shifted with the change in successional stages of habitat. The Song Sparrow has been a regular over the years, adapting quite well to the various vegetation types. Yellow Warblers, Gray Catbirds, American Goldfinch, and Willow Flycatchers have become very abundant within the past 10 years as the shrub layer and trees became more dominant. Several species have benefited with the vegetative succession including the Brown Thrasher, Indigo Bunting, Black-billed Cuckoo, Cedar Waxwing, and Wood Thrush. Blue-winged Warblers have established territories in several areas of the park, and in some years have shared the park with its close relative the Golden-winged Warbler.
House Wrens are common throughout the park although never banded. They are typical tree-top singers and probably spot the nets with little difficulty. On occasion, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been captured in nets but not banded because of the special permission and aluminum band required by the Bird Banding Laboratory. They are common in the park from late April into late September. Brown-headed Cowbirds are quite common, as are several other icterids such as the Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle. Field Sparrows are regulars throughout the park.
Of particular note was the presence of a Scarlet Tanager in the wooded area southeast of the MAPS area. A probable breeder in the late 1990’s, playbacks of recorded Tanager songs in the past few years have gone without response in this area. However, one male Tanager was seen near the Knollwood lodge in 2004. Breeding Bobolinks were common in the field near area 5 (west of the soccer fields) on Figure 1 but most recently have not been present. They can, however, be seen in other areas of the park west of Salmon Creek Road.
Several species are very abundant during migration, including the White-throated Sparrow in April and October. Since banding operations were rare in April, their numbers don’t appear in the banding data. Numerous warbler species also use the park during the spring and fall migration.
Several raptors frequent the park and can be found in virtually any area. Red-tailed hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks have on a few occasions attempted to extract netted birds.
Recaptured Birds
Table 3 lists the species recaptured at Northampton Park
and the years after initial banding that they were recaptured. Several species are notable for their site
fidelity to the park, which to bird banders is not at all unusual. Song Sparrows, Gray Catbirds, and Yellow
Warblers regularly return to the park each spring, often within a few meters of
their original banding site. Song
Sparrows typically winter in the southern United States, whereas the Yellow Warbler winters south to
the Bahamas, northern Mexico, into Peru, Bolivia, and the Brazilian Amazon (3,4). The Gray Catbird winters south to
central Panama, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles (3,4). Two spectacular standouts is an adult female
Gray Catbird banded on 14 August 1997 and recaptured on 23 June 2003. The other is an adult male Gray Catbird
banded on 18 June 1983 and recaptured 7 years later on 14 June 1990, thus
making the individual at least 8 years old.
Table 1. Birds banded at Northampton Park between 1981 and 2004.
Classification
based on the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory
Species
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug
|
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Totals |
Black-billed
Cuckoo
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
Downy Woodpecker |
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
5 |
2 |
|
1 |
|
|
10 |
|
Red-bellied Woodpecker |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Eastern Kingbird |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
5 |
|
Great-crested Flycatcher |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
Eastern Phoebe |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Eastern Wood Pewee |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Willow Flycatcher |
|
|
|
|
5 |
43 |
41 |
12 |
1 |
|
|
|
102 |
|
Blue Jay |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
|
Bobolink |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Brown-headed Cowbird |
|
|
|
|
2 |
10 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
18 |
|
Red-winged Blackbird |
|
|
|
2 |
6 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
Eastern Meadowlark |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Baltimore Oriole |
|
|
|
|
1 |
3 |
13 |
|
|
|
|
|
17 |
|
Common Grackle |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
Purple Finch |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
American Goldfinch |
|
|
|
1 |
26 |
78 |
27 |
8 |
2 |
4 |
|
|
146 |
|
Savannah Sparrow |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
White-crowned Sparrow |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
8 |
|
White-throated Sparrow |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
11 |
138 |
2 |
|
153 |
|
American Tree Sparrow |
|
|
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
4 |
2 |
|
13 |
|
Chipping Sparrow |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
Field Sparrow |
|
|
|
|
5 |
11 |
6 |
10 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
38 |
|
Slate-colored Junco |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
7 |
1 |
|
9 |
|
Song Sparrow |
|
|
|
20 |
31 |
74 |
165 |
95 |
40 |
37 |
1 |
|
463 |
|
Lincoln’s Sparrow |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
|
Swamp Sparrow |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
4 |
|
Fox Sparrow |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Eastern Towhee |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
3 |
|
1 |
2 |
|
|
9 |
|
Northern Cardinal |
|
|
|
5 |
12 |
18 |
16 |
13 |
8 |
14 |
3 |
|
89 |
|
Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
|
|
|
|
7 |
10 |
10 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
|
30 |
|
Indigo Bunting |
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
Scarlet Tanager |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Cedar Waxwing |
|
|
|
|
2 |
13 |
12 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
|
|
39 |
|
Red-eyed Vireo |
|
|
|
|
2 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
|
16 |
|
Warbling Vireo |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Blue-winged Warbler |
|
|
|
|
2 |
5 |
5 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
14 |
|
Golden-winged Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
Brewster’s Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Nashville Warbler |
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
3 |
1 |
|
|
7 |
|
Tennessee Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Northern Parula Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Yellow Warbler |
|
|
|
|
41 |
161 |
65 |
24 |
2 |
|
|
|
293 |
|
Black-throated Blue Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
|
Yellow-rumped Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
3 |
|
Magnolia Warbler |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
8 |
|
|
11 |
|
Chestnut-sided Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Black-throated Green Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Pine Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Ovenbird |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Mourning Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Common Yellowthroat |
|
|
|
|
4 |
13 |
5 |
6 |
8 |
1 |
|
|
37 |
|
Hooded Warbler |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
Wilson’s Warbler |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
American Redstart |
|
|
|
|
7 |
5 |
7 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
21 |
|
Gray Catbird |
|
|
|
|
45 |
148 |
167 |
50 |
42 |
1 |
|
|
453 |
|
Brown Thrasher |
|
|
|
|
4 |
14 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
22 |
|
House Wren |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
Brown Creeper |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Eastern Tufted Titmouse |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Black-capped Chickadee |
17 |
4 |
7 |
5 |
2 |
11 |
10 |
18 |
18 |
36 |
11 |
9 |
148 |
|
Golden-crowned Kinglet |
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
5 |
|
|
8 |
|
Wood Thrush |
|
|
|
|
3 |
16 |
16 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
39 |
|
Veery |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
12 |
|
Gray-cheeked Thrush |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Swainson’s Thrush |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
4 |
1 |
|
|
8 |
|
Hermit Thrush |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
|
|
10 |
|
American Robin |
|
|
|
3 |
20 |
41 |
33 |
9 |
8 |
10 |
|
|
124 |
|
Total Individuals |
17 |
4 |
10 |
43 |
245 |
718 |
638 |
283 |
191 |
302 |
21 |
9 |
2482 |
Table
2. Birds
Observed at Northampton Park but Never Banded.
Classification based on the Federation of New York State
Bird Clubs.
|
Pied-billed Grebe |
|
Great Blue Heron |
|
Green Heron |
|
Black-crowned Night Heron |
|
Turkey Vulture |
|
Snow Goose |
|
Canada Goose |
|
Wood Duck |
|
Mallard |
|
Northern Harrier |
|
Sharp-shinned Hawk |
|
Cooper’s Hawk |
|
Northern Goshawk |
|
Red-shouldered Hawk |
|
Broad-winged Hawk |
|
Red-tailed Hawk |
|
Rough-legged Hawk |
|
American Kestrel |
|
Ring-necked Pheasant |
|
Ruffed grouse |
|
Wild Turkey |
|
American Coot |
|
Killdeer |
|
Woodcock |
|
Ring-billed Gull |
|
Herring Gull |
|
Mourning Dove |
|
Screech Owl |
|
Great-horned Owl |
|
Barred Owl |
|
Common Nighthawk |
|
Chimney Swift |
|
Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|
Belted Kingfisher |
|
Red-headed Woodpecker |
|
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker |
|
Hairy Woodpecker |
|
Yellow-shafted Flicker |
|
Pileated Woodpecker |
|
Least Flycatcher |
|
Northern Shrike |
|
Blue-headed Vireo |
|
Yellow-throated Vireo |
|
Philadelphia Vireo |
|
American Crow |
|
Horned Lark |
|
Tree Swallow |
|
Barn Swallow |
|
Red-breasted Nuthatch |
|
White-breasted Nuthatch |
|
Carolina Wren |
|
House Wren |
|
Winter Wren |
|
Eastern Bluebird |
|
Northern Mockingbird |
|
European Starling |
|
Orange-crowned Warbler |
|
Blackburnian Warbler |
|
Bay-breasted Warbler |
|
Blackpoll Warbler |
|
Black-and-white Warbler |
|
Connecticut Warbler |
|
Vesper Sparrow |
|
Henslow’s Sparrow |
|
Snow Bunting |
|
House Finch |
|
House Sparrow |
Table 3.
Number of Birds Recaptured
Years after initial capture
|
Species |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
Total |
|
Willow Flycatcher |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
Brown-headed Cowbird |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
American Goldfinch |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Field Sparrow |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Song Sparrow |
8 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
12 |
|
Northern Cardinal |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Blue-winged Warbler |
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Yellow Warbler |
14 |
6 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
21 |
|
Common Yellowthroat |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Gray Catbird |
18 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
29 |
|
Brown Thrasher |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Black-capped Chickadee |
10 |
3 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
15 |
|
Wood Thrush |
4 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
5 |
|
American Robin |
4 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
5 |
|
Totals |
65 |
18 |
11 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
102 |
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Rosemary Catlin for the vegetation analysis and her generous help with the netting operation, and especially to Marian Klik whose expertise with birds and the netting operation were truly invaluable. Many students from Brockport High School have also participated in this study over the years for which I am grateful. Russ Sciolino, manager at Northampton Park, and his crew deserve a special thanks for maintaining the park and accommodating my banding project.
References
1. DeSante, D.F.
O’Grady, D.R., Burton, K.M., Velez, P., Froehlich, D., Feuss, E.E., Smith, H.
and E.D. Ruhken. 1998. The monitoring avian productivity and
survivorship (MAPS) program sixth and seventh annual report (1995 and
1996). Bird
Populations: 69-122.
The Institute for Bird Populations.
2. Keefer, James W.
1979. A migratory chronology and checklist of Western New York State Birds.
3. Bull, John. 1998. Birds of New York
State. Cornell
University Press.
4. Guide to Birds of North
America. Thayer Birding Software, http://www.thayerbirding.com/
5. Marra, P.P., K.A. Hobson, and R.T. Holmes. 1998. Linking winter and summer events in a migratory bird by using stable-carbon isotopes. Science 282:1884-1886
6. Hobson, Keith. Incredible
Journeys.
Science Vol. 295 8 September 2002 Pages 981-982.
7. Hobson, K. A. 1999. Tracing origins and migration of wildlife using stable isotopes: a review. Oecologia. 120: 314-326.
8. Hobson, K.A., and L.I. Wassenaar. 1997. Linking breeding and wintering grounds of neotropical migrant songbirds using stable hydrogen isotopic analysis of feathers. Oecologia 109:142-148.
Web Page Links
9. Institute for Bird
Populations Northampton Park Summary
http://www.birdpop.org/nbii/status/statusresults.asp?strStation=15563
http://www.birdpop.org/nbii/station/stationresults.asp?strStation=15563&strLocation=&strState