My Love Affair with a Playground

Northern Parula

There's a little park near my home called Central Winds Park.  You wouldn't think much of it to look at it.  There are soccer fields to the south and Lake Jesup to the north. There's a dog park to the west and a high school to the east. When you drive in, all you see is an open grassy field, and tucked away nearly out of view is a little gravel road that takes you to a playground.  But during spring and fall migrations, this little playground becomes a pretty good birding hotspot.  There have been some wonderful warblers passing through here, and we've seen over 20 come through in September.

Prairie Warbler

Tennessee Warbler

Ovenbird

Yellow-throated Warbler

Black and White Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler

Northern Parula

Blackpoll Warbler

American Redstart

But it's not just warblers that make this place so fun.  There are also raptors here, with many Ospreys, and Bald Eagles are frequently seen as well. And occasionally you might find an American Kestrel.

Bald Eagle

Osprey

American Kestrel

Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers are seemingly everywhere here right now, and if you look in the open areas you're likely to see a Loggerhead shrike or two.

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

Loggerhead Shrike

And then there are herons and egrets.  There are many here, especially at a little pond and by the shore of Lake Jesup.

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

Snowy Egret

Tricolored Heron

Green Heron

Oh wait.  There's woodpeckers here too.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

This is becoming my go-to place when I have just a little time for birding.  And it reminds me that fun birding can be had in unexpected places, even a little playground with a lot of trees.

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Scott Simmons

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