About Redbud Valley Nature Preserve:
http://www.oxleynaturecenter.org/redbud.htm
http://tulsaaudubon.org/guides/redbud-valley.htm
(From Redbud's Website):
Redbud Valley was originally purchased by The Nature Conservancy in the late 1960's. Dr. Harriet Barclay was a professor at TU, and she spearheaded the effort to have it acquired, then worked with the Tulsa Tribune on a fund drive to raise the necessary money to repay The Nature Conservancy. TU maintained the property until the area was transferred to the City of Tulsa in 1990, and it is now managed as a part of Oxley Nature Center in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy. Under guidance from The Friends of Oxley Nature Center, the caretaker's house was renovated and the Barclay Visitor's Center created.
March 25th Excursion
When I arrived at RBV at around 1:00 pm it was close to 60 degrees with a light breeze blowing occasionally. A series of minor storms would blow as I left at 4:00, so I was fortunate to get some birding in while the weather was still pleasant.
From the parking area I could hear the mimicry of a Northern Mockingbird, the metallic call of a Blue Jay, and several Carolina Chickadees frolicking about in the branches of a nearby tree.
I hiked along the "Bluff Trail" until I reached an area where I could deploy my tripod. While observing from this position I saw a Downy Woodpecker scouring the trunk of a tree in search of a meal. A little further down the trail I spied a Red-bellied Woodpecker fly to a nearby tree, where he began to forage. I hiked up a small bluff to gain a more advantageous view and was able to watch a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker circle a tree and drill small holes to eat sap from.
I joined the "Prairie Trail" and made my way to the west. I saw a small brown object flit about on a branch then fly to another branch, where it remained rigid. I used my scope to get a closer look and noticed the brown body and contrasting reddish-brown tail of a Hermit Thrush. From what I have read in field guides and a couple websites, the reddish-brown tail of the Hermit Thrush is a good way of differentiating it from other thrushes. The first time I ever saw a Hermit Thrush it was at RBV, less than 100 yards from where I was on the 25th, so it may be the same one or of the same family.
As I neared the intersection of the "Prairie Fork" and the "Main Trail", I heard the rumble of thunder behind (from the west). I was close enough to the parking lot that I felt safe to take my time getting back. I also loitered about and took pictures of the rain clouds as they shifted and twisted in the wind. I will upload several of the pictures in the following week.
Bird Count:
Location: Red Bud Valley - Catoosa, OK
Observation date: 3/25/09 Number of species: 14
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura 2
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Sphyrapicus varius 1
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 1
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata 1
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 3
Carolina Chickadee - Poecile carolinensis 6
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor 3
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus 2
Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus 1
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata 1
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 4
Photos:
Top: Rain clouds roll across the sky to the south of Redbud Valley
Top Middle: A small stream found along the "Bluff Trail"
Top Bottom: A soon-to-be identified purple flower seen along the "Prairie Fork"
Bottom: A photo of the bluffs along the appropriately named "Bluff Trail"
-SPQ 3/25/2009
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