RBA
* Pennsylvania
* Philadelphia
* November 28, 2005
* PAPH1128.05
* Birds mentioned:
Common Loon
Red-throated Loon
PACIFIC LOON (pa)
Horned Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (nj)
Great Egret
Tundra Swan
Canada Goose
Cackling Goose
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (pa)
Snow Goose
Wood Duck
American Black Duck
Gadwall
Northern Shoveler
American Wigeon
Ring-necked Duck
Canvasback
Redhead
Bufflehead
both scaup
Common Goldeneye
Long-tailed Ducks (at a few places in pa)
Harlequin Duck
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Black Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Black-bellied Plover
Greater Yellowlegs
Purple Sandpiper
Dunlin
dowitcher
FRANKLIN'S GULL (pa)
Bonaparte's Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (nj)
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS (nj)
Tree Swallow
Horned Lark
Winter Wren
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
American Pipit
OVENBIRDS (3 in Phila)
Eastern Towhee
Sparrows: White-throated, White-crowned, Song,
Savannah, "Ipswich" Savannah, Swamp, American
Tree, Field, Fox, and HARRIS' SPARROW (in pa)
Dark-eyed Junco
Snow Bunting
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD (nj)
Rusty Blackbird
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Common Redpoll
EVENING GROSBEAK (pa)
upcoming pelagic trip announcement
Philadelphia Birdline
Date: November 28, 2005
Number: 215/567-BIRD
To Report: Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler: Armas Hill
Coverage: Delaware Valley, and southern New Jersey
Transcriber: Risė Hill
Prepared on Monday, November 28th, this is the
Philadelphia Birdline - from the Academy of
Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, and supported
by a number of bird clubs and individuals. I'm
Armas Hill, glad to be back and with you again.
A PACIFIC LOON has been attracting the attention
of birders in Pennsylvania, in Berks County, at
Lake Ontelaunee, south of Reading.
When it was found on Friday, November 25th, 3
species of LOONS were seen there. In addition to
the single PACIFIC, there were also COMMON and
RED-THROATED. The RED-THROATED and the PACIFIC
were together, and both were observed in flight.
The next morning, Saturday, November 26th, by
10am, both COMMON and RED-THROATED LOONS were
seen by many looking for the PACIFIC. Later that
morning, the PACIFIC LOON was seen from the "Maiden Creek Station" trail
by the lake. An effort to re-locate it, a short while later, was futile.
On Sunday morning, November 27th, the PACIFIC
LOON was seen for a while from the "trash can
parking area" on the "back side of the lake".
After that observation, it disappeared "along the far shoreline".
Birds other than LOONS at Lake Ontelaunee this
past weekend, November 26-27, included:
a PIED-BILLED GREBE, CANADA GEESE (sometimes over
100, sometimes over 200), a CACKLING GOOSE (seen
well), SNOW GEESE (about 200), over 50 BLACK
DUCKS, 7 BUFFLEHEADS, 3 REDHEADS (2 of them
males), a CANVASBACK, a SHOVELER (a female), both
GREATER SCAUP and LESSER SCAUP, a COMMON
GOLDENEYE, and all 3 MERGANSERS (5 HOODED, over
20 COMMON, and 1 female RED-BREASTED).
On Sunday afternoon, November 27th, an adult BALD
EAGLE was observed perched in a tree on a small
island at Lake Ontelaunee, near the Route 73 side of the lake.
Also, there were at Lake Ontelaunee last weekend,
2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS reported, and around
the lake, numerous RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES.
Birds at some other lakes (and elsewhere) in
Pennsylvania, in a moment, but first:
A hummingbird described as one from the American
West, a BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD, has continued,
the last few days, to come to a feeder in
Barnegat Light, New Jersey, at the north end of
Long Beach Island. It has been at 29 West 9th
Street. Park on the street. The feeder is in the
back yard on the left side of the house.
On Sunday, November 27th, it was seen throughout
the day. Sightings, when the bird has been
present, have been every half-hour or so. Some
birders who went today, November 28th, did not see it.
From Barnegat Light, NJ, on Sunday, December
4th, a pelagic trip is scheduled to go offshore.
A few places are still available on this trip, at
a prime-time for "winter seabirds", such as ALCIDS, and maybe a SKUA.
Contact FONT (Focus On Nature Tours) by e-mail at: font@focusonnature.com
or by fax: at 302-529-1085, or by phone at: 1-800-721-9986.
More info is in the web-site: www.focusonnature.com
The price for the trip is: $109, on the large, fast boat, the "Doris Mae IV".
From 7am to 4 or 5pm, the trip is not to go as
far as the Hudson Canyon, but rather it is to be
more leisurely where the birds, such as ALCIDS, would be.
Onshore at Barnegat Light, last Friday, November
25th, "IPSWICH" SAVANNAH SPARROWS and some HORNED
LARKS were noted, and a dozen HARLEQUINS were
counted by the jetty, 10 of them males.
Nearly a hundred PURPLE SANDPIPERS (in 2 or 3
flocks) were at Barnegat Light today, November 28th.
At the Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge that
day, the previously-reported AMERICAN WHITE
PELICAN continued to be seen, as it was flying
around quite a bit. A recent photograph of this
bird at Brigantine Refuge is now in the Birdline
Photo Gallery, in the web-site: www.focusonnature.com
Scroll down the left side of the home-page.
Other photos in the web-site, of birds at Brig
lately, also include: AMERICAN BITTERN, and a
dark, juvenile BRANT, as well as an "IPSWICH
SPARROW", as noted a moment ago as being at Barnegat Light.
In addition to the WHITE PELICAN at Brigantine
Refuge, this past week, there have been an
assortment of DUCKS. Notable were 30 HOODED
MERGANSERS on the pond at the northwest corner of the refuge.
A couple hundred TUNDRA SWANS were at Brigantine Refuge today, November 28th.
SHOREBIRDS at Brig on November 27th included:
lingering BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, DOWITCHERS (2),
and 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS. DUNLIN were numerous.
A TREE SWALLOW was seen (unfortunately a TREE), and 1 GREAT EGRET.
2 GREAT EGRETS, and 4 PIED-BILLED GREBES, were nearby at Cedar Run Dock Road.
Before we go back, here, to Pennsylvania, let's
stay a second in Salem County, New Jersey, where,
on Sunday, November 27th, among a flock of
BLACKBIRDS, apparently a male BREWER'S was found,
as were some RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (in their fall
plumage). I'm sorry, but we do not have the
precise location, but Salem County has been, over
the years, a place for such birds in the late fall & winter.
A birder going from NJ to PA, yesterday
afternoon, November 28th, along the Admiral
Wilson Blvd in Camden saw an adult BALD EAGLE
perched by the Cooper River. A nice sight, of course, in that urban area.
Also in the urban area, but on the other side of
the Delaware River, in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, 3 different OVENBIRDS were seen
during the morning of Saturday, November 26th (all 3 between 9 & 10am).
One was in a planted sapling at 38th & Walnut
Streets (a busy intersection). Another was in
shrubs at a tennis court at 47th & Spruce
Streets. And the third was in a maintenance area
on the grounds of Bartram's Garden. Thus, all 3
were in relatively the same part of the city,
west of the Schuylkill River. An interesting report.
Also interesting, 2 adult female RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRDS were observed (& properly
identified) this week in 2 different Pennsylvania
counties. One, on November 23rd, was in Berks
County, several miles west of Hamburg. The other,
on Friday, November 25th, was in Lebanon County, just north of Lebanon.
And another interesting Pennsylvania item is that
earlier this month, in Bucks County, a juvenile
FRANKLIN'S GULL was at a sod farm in Buckingham
Township on November 12th. The ID of the bird has
been confirmed by a photograph. That FRANKLIN'S
GULL was only the 4th that's been recorded in
Bucks County, but 3 of those 4 have been since 2002.
Also in Bucks County, a female PURPLE FINCH at a
feeder in New Hope gave a birder something to be
thankful for on Thanksgiving Day.
At Peace Valley in Bucks County, north of
Doylestown, there's been a nice variety of WATERFOWL this past week.
On November 26th, these: a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GOOSE, a SNOW GOOSE, SHOVELER, GADWALL, WIGEON,
and 2 LONG-TAILED DUCKS. Also, BUFFLEHEAD, and COMMON and HOODED MERGANSERS.
On November 23rd, there were 25 RING-NECKED DUCKS.
On both November 25th & 26th, at Peace Valley, there was a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK.
A BONAPARTE'S GULL was there on November 26th.
The high-count this past week for LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULLS was 89 on November 23rd.
15 PIPITS were at Peace Valley that day. And PINE
SISKINS were noted there on November 25th & 26th.
In Bucks County, south of Newtown, at the Core
Creek Park (Lake Luxembourg), a GREAT EGRET was
present yesterday, November 28th. By the lake, in
the park, there were: BROWN CREEPER, WINTER WREN, and FOX SPARROW.
A few days earlier at Core Creek, on Friday,
November 25th, there was 1 immature SNOW GOOSE
with the CANADAS. Also: BUFFLEHEAD, and COMMON and HOODED MERGANSERS.
Further south in Bucks County, HOODED MERGANSER
have been among the ducks at Silver Lake in Bristol.
In nearby Levittown, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES have been coming to a feeder.
During the Saturday morning bird walk at the
Pennypack Trust in Montgomery County (near NE
Phila) on November 26th, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES
and BROWN CREEPER and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET were
in pines. In the sky, overhead, there was a
kettle of 9 BLACK VULTURES, a species not often seen there in that sky.
In central Chester County PA, at the Embreeville
County Park, on Friday, November 25th, 6 species
of SPARROWS were noted: FOX, SWAMP, FIELD, and
AMERICAN TREE, in addition to WHITE-THROATED and SONG.
At Struble Lake, in Chester County, on Saturday,
November 26th, a group of birders from the
Birding Club of Delaware County (PA) saw 9
species of SPARROWS (& allies): AMERICAN TREE (at
least 2), FOX (at least 6, probaly more),
SAVANNAH, SONG, SWAMP, WHITE-THROATED, and
WHITE-CROWNED, in addition to TOWHEE and JUNCO.
Ducks that day at Chambers Lake in Chester County
included: RUDDY DUCK and BUFFLEHEAD. On land
there, there were a nice number of BLUEBIRDS, and
again some SPARROWS including: an AMERICAN TREE,
FIELD, and WHITE-CROWNED among others more common.
At another Chester County body of water, the
Coatesville Reservoir, also on November 26th,
waterbirds included: PIED-BILLED GREBE, WOOD
DUCKS, RING-NECKED DUCKS, BUFFLEHEAD, HOODED
MERGANSER, and RUDDY DUCKS. Both RED-SHOULDERED
and RED-TAILED HAWKS were there by the reservoir.
And, at yet another Chester County body of water
on November 26th, there was a COMMON LOON (that's
been there for a while), 2 HORNED GREBES, and at
least 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL. Also, SCAUP in addition
to some ducks just-mentioned as being at other Chester County lakes.
In Northampton County PA, 3 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE were found on Saturday, November 26th, in
the area of the Northampton Quarry, along Route
329. With CANADA GEESE, the 3 WHITE-FRONTED that
were together in a "V" of geese, were first
detected by their calls, different, of course,
than that of the CANADAS. They were also seen in
flight over Route 329 near Seemsville Road.
Also in the area of the Northampton Quarry (at
the nearby Greenway project trails of the
Northampton Trucking Company), on November 26th,
was a CATBIRD. One wintered there last year.
Also in Northampton County, 2 CACKLING GEESE were
found on November 26th at Green Pond, among
several hundred CANADA GEESE. One was observed
closely, and particularly well: with the thin
white line at the base of the neck, with its
silvery-gray back, its stubby bill, and its
"smaller size". All indicators, of course, of the CACKLING GOOSE.
Here's another Northampton County report, but
without GEESE. On November 26th, 15 HORNED LARKS
were noted at the Plainfield Township Recreation
Fields. A few days earlier, on Wednesday,
November 23rd, REDPOLLS were seen in that section
of Northampton County, but not since.
In Carbon County PA, 13 species of WATERFOWL were
found at the Beltsville Lake the morning of
November 26th. The best among them were a pair of LONG-TAILED DUCKS.
Also noted that morning in the Beltsville Lake
area were 5 PINE SISKINS, 4 FOX SPARROWS (at
feeders), a PIPIT, and a couple hundred CEDAR WAXWINGS.
The day before, Friday, November 25th, 4 SNOW
BUNTINGS were noted at Beltsville Lake, at the
boat ramp. Also that day, that observer noted 1 PIPIT and 4 FOX SPARROWS.
Along the Lancaster-Lebanon County border, at the
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, on
November 25th, birds included: about a dozen
TUNDRA SWANS, 8 BUFFLEHEAD, a PEREGRINE FALCON, a
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, and FIELD and FOX SPARROWS.
In the city of Lancaster, that same day, November
25th, a male LONG-TAILED DUCK was seen on the
Conestoga River, at the Walnut Street bridge,
moving toward the Route 30 bridge. That river is relatively deep there.
In Adams County, in south-central PA, at the Long
Pine Reservoir, on November 25th, there were a
dozen RING-NECKED DUCKS, almost a dozen (11)
HOODED MERGANSERS, and 1 GOLDENEYE.
In western Schuylkill County PA, on November
27th, there were some birds at places unfamiliar to most of us:
in Weishample: 5 HARRIERS, together, over one field, and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW,
in Mabel: more HARRIERS,
in Hegins: KESTRELS, and
in Pitman: 160 HORNED LARKS.
Apparently birds don't go only to places well-known to us.
Also in Schuylkill County, this past weekend, a
male EVENING GROSBEAK visited a feeder near
Tamaqua, in the Owl Creek area. Occurrences of
EVENING GROSBEAKS in eastern PA have been very rare in recent years.
Also in upstate Pennsylvania, a HARRIS' SPARROW
was found today, November 28th, in Juniata
County, in Fayette Township, near McAlisterville.
It was with WHITE-THROATED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS.
* Pennsylvania
* Philadelphia
* November 28, 2005
* PAPH1128.05
* Birds mentioned:
Common Loon
Red-throated Loon
PACIFIC LOON (pa)
Horned Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (nj)
Great Egret
Tundra Swan
Canada Goose
Cackling Goose
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (pa)
Snow Goose
Wood Duck
American Black Duck
Gadwall
Northern Shoveler
American Wigeon
Ring-necked Duck
Canvasback
Redhead
Bufflehead
both scaup
Common Goldeneye
Long-tailed Ducks (at a few places in pa)
Harlequin Duck
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Black Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Black-bellied Plover
Greater Yellowlegs
Purple Sandpiper
Dunlin
dowitcher
FRANKLIN'S GULL (pa)
Bonaparte's Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (nj)
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS (nj)
Tree Swallow
Horned Lark
Winter Wren
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
American Pipit
OVENBIRDS (3 in Phila)
Eastern Towhee
Sparrows: White-throated, White-crowned, Song,
Savannah, "Ipswich" Savannah, Swamp, American
Tree, Field, Fox, and HARRIS' SPARROW (in pa)
Dark-eyed Junco
Snow Bunting
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD (nj)
Rusty Blackbird
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Common Redpoll
EVENING GROSBEAK (pa)
upcoming pelagic trip announcement
Philadelphia Birdline
Date: November 28, 2005
Number: 215/567-BIRD
To Report: Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler: Armas Hill
Coverage: Delaware Valley, and southern New Jersey
Transcriber: Risė Hill
Prepared on Monday, November 28th, this is the
Philadelphia Birdline - from the Academy of
Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, and supported
by a number of bird clubs and individuals. I'm
Armas Hill, glad to be back and with you again.
A PACIFIC LOON has been attracting the attention
of birders in Pennsylvania, in Berks County, at
Lake Ontelaunee, south of Reading.
When it was found on Friday, November 25th, 3
species of LOONS were seen there. In addition to
the single PACIFIC, there were also COMMON and
RED-THROATED. The RED-THROATED and the PACIFIC
were together, and both were observed in flight.
The next morning, Saturday, November 26th, by
10am, both COMMON and RED-THROATED LOONS were
seen by many looking for the PACIFIC. Later that
morning, the PACIFIC LOON was seen from the "Maiden Creek Station" trail
by the lake. An effort to re-locate it, a short while later, was futile.
On Sunday morning, November 27th, the PACIFIC
LOON was seen for a while from the "trash can
parking area" on the "back side of the lake".
After that observation, it disappeared "along the far shoreline".
Birds other than LOONS at Lake Ontelaunee this
past weekend, November 26-27, included:
a PIED-BILLED GREBE, CANADA GEESE (sometimes over
100, sometimes over 200), a CACKLING GOOSE (seen
well), SNOW GEESE (about 200), over 50 BLACK
DUCKS, 7 BUFFLEHEADS, 3 REDHEADS (2 of them
males), a CANVASBACK, a SHOVELER (a female), both
GREATER SCAUP and LESSER SCAUP, a COMMON
GOLDENEYE, and all 3 MERGANSERS (5 HOODED, over
20 COMMON, and 1 female RED-BREASTED).
On Sunday afternoon, November 27th, an adult BALD
EAGLE was observed perched in a tree on a small
island at Lake Ontelaunee, near the Route 73 side of the lake.
Also, there were at Lake Ontelaunee last weekend,
2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS reported, and around
the lake, numerous RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES.
Birds at some other lakes (and elsewhere) in
Pennsylvania, in a moment, but first:
A hummingbird described as one from the American
West, a BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD, has continued,
the last few days, to come to a feeder in
Barnegat Light, New Jersey, at the north end of
Long Beach Island. It has been at 29 West 9th
Street. Park on the street. The feeder is in the
back yard on the left side of the house.
On Sunday, November 27th, it was seen throughout
the day. Sightings, when the bird has been
present, have been every half-hour or so. Some
birders who went today, November 28th, did not see it.
From Barnegat Light, NJ, on Sunday, December
4th, a pelagic trip is scheduled to go offshore.
A few places are still available on this trip, at
a prime-time for "winter seabirds", such as ALCIDS, and maybe a SKUA.
Contact FONT (Focus On Nature Tours) by e-mail at: font@focusonnature.com
or by fax: at 302-529-1085, or by phone at: 1-800-721-9986.
More info is in the web-site: www.focusonnature.com
The price for the trip is: $109, on the large, fast boat, the "Doris Mae IV".
From 7am to 4 or 5pm, the trip is not to go as
far as the Hudson Canyon, but rather it is to be
more leisurely where the birds, such as ALCIDS, would be.
Onshore at Barnegat Light, last Friday, November
25th, "IPSWICH" SAVANNAH SPARROWS and some HORNED
LARKS were noted, and a dozen HARLEQUINS were
counted by the jetty, 10 of them males.
Nearly a hundred PURPLE SANDPIPERS (in 2 or 3
flocks) were at Barnegat Light today, November 28th.
At the Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge that
day, the previously-reported AMERICAN WHITE
PELICAN continued to be seen, as it was flying
around quite a bit. A recent photograph of this
bird at Brigantine Refuge is now in the Birdline
Photo Gallery, in the web-site: www.focusonnature.com
Scroll down the left side of the home-page.
Other photos in the web-site, of birds at Brig
lately, also include: AMERICAN BITTERN, and a
dark, juvenile BRANT, as well as an "IPSWICH
SPARROW", as noted a moment ago as being at Barnegat Light.
In addition to the WHITE PELICAN at Brigantine
Refuge, this past week, there have been an
assortment of DUCKS. Notable were 30 HOODED
MERGANSERS on the pond at the northwest corner of the refuge.
A couple hundred TUNDRA SWANS were at Brigantine Refuge today, November 28th.
SHOREBIRDS at Brig on November 27th included:
lingering BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, DOWITCHERS (2),
and 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS. DUNLIN were numerous.
A TREE SWALLOW was seen (unfortunately a TREE), and 1 GREAT EGRET.
2 GREAT EGRETS, and 4 PIED-BILLED GREBES, were nearby at Cedar Run Dock Road.
Before we go back, here, to Pennsylvania, let's
stay a second in Salem County, New Jersey, where,
on Sunday, November 27th, among a flock of
BLACKBIRDS, apparently a male BREWER'S was found,
as were some RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (in their fall
plumage). I'm sorry, but we do not have the
precise location, but Salem County has been, over
the years, a place for such birds in the late fall & winter.
A birder going from NJ to PA, yesterday
afternoon, November 28th, along the Admiral
Wilson Blvd in Camden saw an adult BALD EAGLE
perched by the Cooper River. A nice sight, of course, in that urban area.
Also in the urban area, but on the other side of
the Delaware River, in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, 3 different OVENBIRDS were seen
during the morning of Saturday, November 26th (all 3 between 9 & 10am).
One was in a planted sapling at 38th & Walnut
Streets (a busy intersection). Another was in
shrubs at a tennis court at 47th & Spruce
Streets. And the third was in a maintenance area
on the grounds of Bartram's Garden. Thus, all 3
were in relatively the same part of the city,
west of the Schuylkill River. An interesting report.
Also interesting, 2 adult female RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRDS were observed (& properly
identified) this week in 2 different Pennsylvania
counties. One, on November 23rd, was in Berks
County, several miles west of Hamburg. The other,
on Friday, November 25th, was in Lebanon County, just north of Lebanon.
And another interesting Pennsylvania item is that
earlier this month, in Bucks County, a juvenile
FRANKLIN'S GULL was at a sod farm in Buckingham
Township on November 12th. The ID of the bird has
been confirmed by a photograph. That FRANKLIN'S
GULL was only the 4th that's been recorded in
Bucks County, but 3 of those 4 have been since 2002.
Also in Bucks County, a female PURPLE FINCH at a
feeder in New Hope gave a birder something to be
thankful for on Thanksgiving Day.
At Peace Valley in Bucks County, north of
Doylestown, there's been a nice variety of WATERFOWL this past week.
On November 26th, these: a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GOOSE, a SNOW GOOSE, SHOVELER, GADWALL, WIGEON,
and 2 LONG-TAILED DUCKS. Also, BUFFLEHEAD, and COMMON and HOODED MERGANSERS.
On November 23rd, there were 25 RING-NECKED DUCKS.
On both November 25th & 26th, at Peace Valley, there was a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK.
A BONAPARTE'S GULL was there on November 26th.
The high-count this past week for LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULLS was 89 on November 23rd.
15 PIPITS were at Peace Valley that day. And PINE
SISKINS were noted there on November 25th & 26th.
In Bucks County, south of Newtown, at the Core
Creek Park (Lake Luxembourg), a GREAT EGRET was
present yesterday, November 28th. By the lake, in
the park, there were: BROWN CREEPER, WINTER WREN, and FOX SPARROW.
A few days earlier at Core Creek, on Friday,
November 25th, there was 1 immature SNOW GOOSE
with the CANADAS. Also: BUFFLEHEAD, and COMMON and HOODED MERGANSERS.
Further south in Bucks County, HOODED MERGANSER
have been among the ducks at Silver Lake in Bristol.
In nearby Levittown, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES have been coming to a feeder.
During the Saturday morning bird walk at the
Pennypack Trust in Montgomery County (near NE
Phila) on November 26th, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES
and BROWN CREEPER and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET were
in pines. In the sky, overhead, there was a
kettle of 9 BLACK VULTURES, a species not often seen there in that sky.
In central Chester County PA, at the Embreeville
County Park, on Friday, November 25th, 6 species
of SPARROWS were noted: FOX, SWAMP, FIELD, and
AMERICAN TREE, in addition to WHITE-THROATED and SONG.
At Struble Lake, in Chester County, on Saturday,
November 26th, a group of birders from the
Birding Club of Delaware County (PA) saw 9
species of SPARROWS (& allies): AMERICAN TREE (at
least 2), FOX (at least 6, probaly more),
SAVANNAH, SONG, SWAMP, WHITE-THROATED, and
WHITE-CROWNED, in addition to TOWHEE and JUNCO.
Ducks that day at Chambers Lake in Chester County
included: RUDDY DUCK and BUFFLEHEAD. On land
there, there were a nice number of BLUEBIRDS, and
again some SPARROWS including: an AMERICAN TREE,
FIELD, and WHITE-CROWNED among others more common.
At another Chester County body of water, the
Coatesville Reservoir, also on November 26th,
waterbirds included: PIED-BILLED GREBE, WOOD
DUCKS, RING-NECKED DUCKS, BUFFLEHEAD, HOODED
MERGANSER, and RUDDY DUCKS. Both RED-SHOULDERED
and RED-TAILED HAWKS were there by the reservoir.
And, at yet another Chester County body of water
on November 26th, there was a COMMON LOON (that's
been there for a while), 2 HORNED GREBES, and at
least 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL. Also, SCAUP in addition
to some ducks just-mentioned as being at other Chester County lakes.
In Northampton County PA, 3 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE were found on Saturday, November 26th, in
the area of the Northampton Quarry, along Route
329. With CANADA GEESE, the 3 WHITE-FRONTED that
were together in a "V" of geese, were first
detected by their calls, different, of course,
than that of the CANADAS. They were also seen in
flight over Route 329 near Seemsville Road.
Also in the area of the Northampton Quarry (at
the nearby Greenway project trails of the
Northampton Trucking Company), on November 26th,
was a CATBIRD. One wintered there last year.
Also in Northampton County, 2 CACKLING GEESE were
found on November 26th at Green Pond, among
several hundred CANADA GEESE. One was observed
closely, and particularly well: with the thin
white line at the base of the neck, with its
silvery-gray back, its stubby bill, and its
"smaller size". All indicators, of course, of the CACKLING GOOSE.
Here's another Northampton County report, but
without GEESE. On November 26th, 15 HORNED LARKS
were noted at the Plainfield Township Recreation
Fields. A few days earlier, on Wednesday,
November 23rd, REDPOLLS were seen in that section
of Northampton County, but not since.
In Carbon County PA, 13 species of WATERFOWL were
found at the Beltsville Lake the morning of
November 26th. The best among them were a pair of LONG-TAILED DUCKS.
Also noted that morning in the Beltsville Lake
area were 5 PINE SISKINS, 4 FOX SPARROWS (at
feeders), a PIPIT, and a couple hundred CEDAR WAXWINGS.
The day before, Friday, November 25th, 4 SNOW
BUNTINGS were noted at Beltsville Lake, at the
boat ramp. Also that day, that observer noted 1 PIPIT and 4 FOX SPARROWS.
Along the Lancaster-Lebanon County border, at the
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, on
November 25th, birds included: about a dozen
TUNDRA SWANS, 8 BUFFLEHEAD, a PEREGRINE FALCON, a
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, and FIELD and FOX SPARROWS.
In the city of Lancaster, that same day, November
25th, a male LONG-TAILED DUCK was seen on the
Conestoga River, at the Walnut Street bridge,
moving toward the Route 30 bridge. That river is relatively deep there.
In Adams County, in south-central PA, at the Long
Pine Reservoir, on November 25th, there were a
dozen RING-NECKED DUCKS, almost a dozen (11)
HOODED MERGANSERS, and 1 GOLDENEYE.
In western Schuylkill County PA, on November
27th, there were some birds at places unfamiliar to most of us:
in Weishample: 5 HARRIERS, together, over one field, and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW,
in Mabel: more HARRIERS,
in Hegins: KESTRELS, and
in Pitman: 160 HORNED LARKS.
Apparently birds don't go only to places well-known to us.
Also in Schuylkill County, this past weekend, a
male EVENING GROSBEAK visited a feeder near
Tamaqua, in the Owl Creek area. Occurrences of
EVENING GROSBEAKS in eastern PA have been very rare in recent years.
Also in upstate Pennsylvania, a HARRIS' SPARROW
was found today, November 28th, in Juniata
County, in Fayette Township, near McAlisterville.
It was with WHITE-THROATED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS.