RBA
* Delaware
* Statewide
* April 27, 2006
* DEST0604.27
* Birds mentioned:
Common Loon (pa, up to 55 together), Red-throated Loon (pa), Horned Grebe (pa)
ANHINGA (md), Cattle Egret (pa)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, WHITE-FACED IBIS, Glossy Ibis
Northern Pintail (pa), Bufflehead (pa),
Red-breasted Merganser (pa), Ruddy Duck (pa)
Osprey, SWALLOW-TAILED KITE (pa), Sharp-shinned Hawk (pa), Cooper's Hawk (pa)
Bald Eagle, Broad-winged Hawk (pa), Red-shouldered Hawk, Merlin
WHITE-TAILED HAWK (extralimital: MA & NJ)
Wild Turkey
Sora, Virginia Rail, King Rail, Clapper Rail, American Coot
Black-bellied Plover, American Golden Plover, Piping Plover, Killdeer (pa)
American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Whimbrel
Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary
Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper (pa)
Pectoral Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper, RUFF, Dunlin (pa)
Short-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Snipe
Lesser Black-backed Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, Laughing Gull, Caspian Tern
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern Kingbird, WESTERN KINGBIRD (md), Eastern Phoebe
Horned Lark
White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo (pa)
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE
Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher
Wood Thrush, Hermit Thrush
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow
SEDGE WREN, Marsh Wren
American Pipit
Black-and-white Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler,
Worm-eating Warbler, Northern Parula (pa)
Yellow-throated Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler,
Black-throated Green Warbler (pa)
Prairie Warbler, Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Hooded Warbler
Common Yellowthroat, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Louisiana Waterthrush
Blue Grosbeak, PAINTED BUNTING (pa), Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow (pa), Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow (pa), Swamp Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow (pa)
Baltimore Oriole, Rusty Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark
Spotted Turtle, Snapping Turtle
pelagic trip annoucement
birds in Iraq (in a feature):
Squacco Heron, Red-wattled Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet,
Black-headed Gull, Whiskered Tern (reference made to Delaware)
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Rock Pigeon, Woodpigeon
White-breasted Kingfisher, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Crested Lark, Desert Wheatear, Hooded Crow, Rook
Barn Swallow, White-cheeked Bulbul, Moustached Warbler, House Sparrow
Birdline Delaware
Date: April 27, 2006
Number: 302/658-2747
To Report: Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler: Armas Hill
Coverage: Delaware, and southern New Jersey
Transcriber: Risė Hill
For Thursday, April 27th, this is Birdline
Delaware - from the Delaware Museum of Natural
History, and supported by a number of regional
birders. I'm Armas Hill, glad to be with you.
A RUFF was found at Bombay Hook Refuge, on
Sunday, April 16th. It was seen at Shearness Pool
from about noon to 1:30pm, feeding with PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS. As far as we know, that bird has not
been observed or reported since.
When it was seen, it was noted that the RUFF was
molting, with some red and black coloration on its head and breast.
Other SHOREBIRDS noted that day, April 16th, at
Bombay Hook, in addition to the RUFF and PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS, were: several hundred BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS, 2 GOLDEN PLOVERS, many LEAST SANDPIPERS, DOWITCHERS, and one SNIPE.
CASPIAN TERNS, BALD EAGLES, and COOTS were also
observed at Bombay Hook on Sunday, April 16th.
WHITE-FACED IBISES have been reported lately in
Delaware, New Jersey, and Virginia. In the last
of these (Virginia), 4 were found at the same place.
In Delaware recently a WHITE-FACED IBIS has been
seen with a few, about a half-dozen, GLOSSY IBIS,
along Prime Hook Beach Road, about 3/4ths of the
way across the marsh before the trees. The IBISES
were seen on the south side of the road.
Regarding the WHITE-FACED IBIS, it's been noted
that the legs were getting quite red, and that
the skin around the eye & the eye itself were red
also, but that there was no obvious white feathering on the face.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was seen near the Ashland
Nature Center on Monday, April 24th, at about
10:30 in the morning, near the top of a large
sycamore tree by the bridge over the Red Clay
Creek. First, the SHRIKE was found in the tree.
Then, it was seen leaving, not to be seen again.
A BALTIMORE ORIOLE was also seen at about the same time.
Also observed in the area of the Red Clay Creek
on April 24th was a WARBLING VIREO and a few YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.
Along the White Clay Creek, north of Newark, on
April 24th, during about an hour between showers,
birds included: BALTIMORE ORIOLE, ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOW, and BLACK-AND-WHITE, PRAIRIE, and HOODED
WARBLERS. The HOODED WARBLER was singing by the Wedgewood Road parking lot.
An adult BALD EAGLE was seen flying up the creek, low over the water.
The next day, April 25th, birds along the White
Clay Creek included: WARBLING and YELLOW-THROATED
VIREOS, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH. Today, April 26th,
a SOLITARY SANDPIPER was along the creek north of the nature center.
Along the White Clay Creek, just north of the
state line, in Chester County PA, there can be
some enjoyable bird. During a morning walk there
on April 16th, along the east branch of the
creek, among numerous birds there were:
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, WHITE-EYED, over 30
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, PALM WARBLER, SWAMP
SPARROW, PHOEBE, THRASHER, CATBIRD, RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLETS, and a good number of TOWHEES. In all,
there, that morning, 54 species were found.
Along the Brandywine Creek, on Monday morning,
April 25th, by Thompson's Bridge (Route 92),
there were many WARBLERS: a dozen PALMS, some
YELLOW-RUMPED, a WORM-EATING, BLACK-AND-WHITE,
and a NASHVILLE. Also GNATCATCHERS.
Along along the Brandywine Creek, ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOWS have ben noted as "in" by the Breck's
Mill post office. It's also been noted, by one
observer at least, that the number of
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS along the Brandywine this
year, thus far, seem to be lower than usual.
At a property north of the Brandywine Creek State
Park, along the DE-MD line, this week, on April
23rd, a PRAIRIE WARBLER was seen, and a WOOD THRUSH was heard.
Here, outside my window, north of Wilmington, 2
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES continue to visit a
feeder with peanuts, as of today, Wednesday,
April 26th. They've been visiting for months now.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS have arrived in
Delaware. Some "firsts for the season" have been
noted in recent days at properties in:
Dover, on April 19th,
Hockessin, on April 23rd,
Newark, on April 23rd & April 25th,
and Lewes, on April 25th.
There's been a SEDGE WREN at the Thousand Acre
Marsh near the C&D Canal. It was heard on Friday,
April 21st, and on Saturday, April 22nd. From
Route 9, south of the C&D Canal, turn right just
after the bridge. After where the road goes west
along the south side of the canal, the wren was
heard 2/3rds of the way from the turn to the open
water, and fairly close to the road.
SORA have been heard, on April 15th, and since,
at Grier's Pond, near the Thousand Acre Marsh.
VIRGINIA RAIL has also been there, on April 15th and since.
We've received a report (from a birder from
upstate New York, passing through Delaware) of a
BLUE GROSBEAK at Bombay Hook, seen Tuesday, April
25th, at the intersection of Dutch Neck and Finis Pool Roads. Thanks.
These birds in central Delaware, on Sunday, April
23rd, were reported by a birder from Maryland:
a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on a plowed field,
with many LAUGHING GULLS, between Mount Pleasant and Boyd's Corner,
a MERLIN along Route 6 east of Smyrna,
a reported KING RAIL was said to be heard
calling, by Woodland Beach Road, where CLAPPER
RAILS were also calling as were several SEASIDE SPARROWS,
14 AVOCETS, in breeding plumage, at Bombay Hook Refuge, at Raymond Pool,
and 10-plus BLACK-NECKED STILTS, also at Bombay Hook, at Shearness Pool.
A note, regarding the KING and CLAPPER RAILS just mentioned:
Another good birder reported recently KING RAIL
as heard along Port Mahon Road. He subsequently
found several CLAPPER RAILS at the Delaware
Seashore State Park making the same call that he
had identified the day before as KING RAIL at
Port Mahon. He therefore retracted the KING RAIL report.
A question: It was noticed that a PURPLE MARTIN
at the Bombay Hook colony was banded. Is it done there?
An EASTERN KINGBIRD was reported at Bombay Hook,
back on April 15th, as were WHITE-EYED VIREOS and
MARSH WREN. PIPITS and HORNED LARKS were at Bear
Swamp. An adult YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was
seen at Bombay Hook, at Bear Swamp, on April 15th.
North of Bombay Hook, along Route 9, 5 RUSTY
BLACKBIRDS were found on April 15th, near the
Mallard lodge, in a roadside ditch. (Yes,
sometimes it pays to look more closely at blackbirds.)
In the area of the Redden State Forest, during an
outing by the Sussex Bird Club, in the morning on
Saturday, April 22nd (before the significant
rainfall in the afternoon), 3 VESPER SPARROWS
were found close to Maple Branch Road, near the
ditch. A male BLUE GROSBEAK was also in that
area. Maple Branch Road is the first right past
the rest area off Redden Road.
Along another road in central Delaware (but
further north), earlier that week on Sunday,
April 16th, an UPLAND SANDPIPER was found in a
field. The road is Hunting Quarter Road, and it's
an area that in recent years both birders and
DICKCISSELS have known. No DICKCISSEL on April
16th, of this year, but the UPLAND SANDPIPER was
seen dropping into the field of alfalfa. MEADOWLARKS were also there.
At the Redden Forest that day, April 16th, 10
species of WARBLERS were found: BLACK-AND-WHITE,
PALM, PINE, YELLOW-RUMPED, YELLOW-THROATED,
WORM-EATING, PROTHONOTARY, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT,
OVENBIRD, and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH.
The 3 VESPER SPARROWS noted a moment ago were
also seen that earlier day, April 16th.
2 RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS were noted in the Redden area that day.
Particularly interesting at the Redden Forest on
April 16th were the good number of HERMIT
THRUSHES. And that they were heard singing. At
least 2 dozen were singing their spring song.
At Slaughter Beach, along the Delaware Bay, on
April 16th, a GOLDEN PLOVER was found with
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER on the tidal flats at the
southern end of Bay Ave. Also there were several BLACK-NECKED STILTS.
Near the Delaware Bay, on Sunday, April 23rd,
dozens of SNIPE were found near Prime Hook Beach
Road, in the marsh and along the roadside.
A MERLIN was seen over the impoundment north of Prime Hook Beach Road.
By the Delaware Bay, on April 23rd, 2 WHIMBREL
were seen in flight over Cedar Creek, between the
nature center and the fish & wildlife boat ramp.
The previous weekend, on April 16th, over a dozen
WHIMBREL were seen from the end of Oyster Rocks
Road (south of Prime Hook, east of Route 1).
Nearby, apparently about 10 other WHIMBREL were
seen flying into a small tidal flat just across from the Broadkill River.
At the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge on
April 15th, WILD TURKEYS were seen, a strutting
tom, and 2 hens. VIRGINIA RAIL was heard calling
from the boardwalk. Nearby, about 25 SNIPE were
flushed along the Broadkill Beach Road impoundments.
Over Burton's Island, near the Delaware Seacoast,
on Saturday, April 15th, an immature BALD EAGLE
was seen chasing an OSPREY, trying to get its
fish. Then, a few minutes later, 2 other OSPREY
came on the scene, and they were seen chasing the EAGLE.
4 PIPING PLOVERS, reported at Cape Henlopen on
April 15th, have been seen since.
In the non-bird department: At Raymond Pool,
Bombay Hook, there's a report that a TURTLE was
SPOTTED, or, put another way, a SPOTTED TURTLE
was seen. The previous Sunday, April 16th, at
Bombay Hook, there was more than one report of SNAPPING TURTLES being seen.
Shifting to Maryland for a moment, a WESTERN
KINGBIRD was seen this week, on Tuesday, April
25th, at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. It was looked
for the next day and not seen.
Following here, now, will be some bird reports
from the most-recent Philadelphia Birdline (from
this week, on Tuesday, April 25th), and then some
birds in Iraq (in this week's Birdline feature).
First, a couple updates, since the last Philadelphia Birdline:
1) Regarding the extralimital WHITE-TAILED HAWK
in Massachusetts: As noted, it was last seen
there on April 24th, flying to the southwest.
Well, yesterday, April 26th, an adult
WHITE-TAILED HAWK was observed in northern New
Jersey, in the sky with a few TURKEY VULTURES,
over the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge,
north of Basking Ridge. It was seen from the
"north gate bridge" on Pleasant Plains Road. The
bird could be compared to the photo of the one in
Massachusetts; that bird was determined to be not
fully an adult, with some light barring on the lower breast and belly.
2) Regarding the Rose Tree Hawk in Media,
Delaware County PA: On Tuesday, April 25th, 2
SANDHILL CRANES passed over, shortly after 10am.
Before continuing on, they circled overhead
providing great views. Then, they went to the northeast.
The following, now, from the Philadelphia Birdline for Tuesday, April 25th:
Last time, mention was made of a SWALLOW-TAILED
KITE seen in the sky above the Rose Tree Hawk
Watch in Delaware County PA on April 20th.
This week, on Monday, April 24th, there was
another SWALLOW-TAILED KITE sighting in eastern
Pennsylvania, in Northampton County. At 2:15 in
the afternoon, it was in the sky in a small
kettle of raptors. Other hawks seen at that
location, that day, included: BROAD-WINGED,
SHARP-SHINNED, COOPER'S, RED-TAILED, and OSPREY.
The KITE was an immature as its tail was not forked enough to be an adult.
An exceptional hawk has been present to the north
of us in Massachusetts: a WHITE-TAILED HAWK has
been in Hadley, Mass by a field along North Maple
Street across from the University of
Massachusetts Hadley Farm, about a mile and half
north of Route 9. It was seen there both days
this past weekend, April 22-23. On Monday
morning, April 24th, it was seen at about 10
o'clock, but not later. After an encounter, at
that time, with a RED-TAILED HAWK, the WHITE
TAILED flew away, out of sight to the southwest.
The WHITE-TAILED HAWK does not normally occur in
the Northeast US. That Central & South American
species does occur normally in Texas, and has
occurred in Arizona and Louisiana.
Last time on the Birdline, there was mention of
an ANHINGA in Maryland, in Frederick, at a place
called Lily Pons. That ANHINGA continued to be
seen, until Sunday morning, April 23rd, between 10:30 & 11.
Also in Maryland, the previous day, Saturday,
April 22nd, at 4:20 in the afternoon, 5 ANHINGAS
were seen in flight over the mall in Columbia, in
Howard County. The birds, either females or
juveniles, were heading northeast. They were
observed for about a minute and a half. Seen well
were their features: the long neck, pale throat,
and fan-shaped tail. That nice sighting that day,
of 5 ANHINGAS, was at a time when rain showers let up.
In Chester County, Pennsylvania, on Monday, April
24th, there was, with the unsettled weather, a
large fallout of LOONS. At the Marsh Creek State
Park, 55 COMMON LOONS were on the lake, rather
huddled together in the middle of the lake. 52 of
them were in breeding plumage; 3 were not.
A RED-THROATED LOON was also there. It was still
seen yesterday, April 24th, late in the day, when
about a dozen of the breeding-plumaged COMMON
LOONS remained. A single female RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER was also there. Earlier in the day, there was a BONAPARTE'S GULL.
Late in the morning at Marsh Creek, with about 40
LOONS, 4 HORNED GREBES, in non-breeding attire,
were seen. Also on the water were RUDDY DUCK and
COOT. WARBLERS around the lake were: YELLOW, YELLOW-RUMPED, and PALM.
This morning, Tuesday, April 25th, there were no
LOONS at Marsh Creek. Only 1 COMMON LOON was at
Chambers Lake, another Chester County body of
water. At Marsh Creek, there was only 1 RUDDY DUCK.
At the nearby Hibernia Park, a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER was heard.
In northern Montgomery County PA, on Monday,
April 24th, at the Green Lane Reservoir, there
were 28 COMMON LOONS and 8 BONAPARTE'S GULLS. The LOONS were said to be noisy.
There was quite a fallout of LANDBIRDS in Bucks
County PA on Sunday, April 23rd in the morning.
In the area of Rushland, there were many SPARROWS
in & around a field: CHIPPING, WHITE-THROATED,
and SAVANNAHS. Also with them, on the ground, there were over 20 PALM WARBLERS.
In the nearby woods, there were many WARBLERS: an
estimated 400-plus YELLOW-RUMPED, 75 additional
PALM, 5 BLACK-THROATED GREEN, and 2 PARULAS along
with: 2 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLETS, and nearly 10 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS.
In Berks County, Pennsylvania, an immature male
PAINTED BUNTING has recently been coming to a
feeder, from Friday, April 21st until at least
Sunday, April 23rd. It's been seen Unfortunately,
the location can not be given. But still it's
worth noting here for two reasons. Firstly, it's
good to know when something that good is about,
and secondly, a commentary regarding the plumage
would be informative. It's an interesting and
confusing plumage, not illustrated in Sibley, the
National Geo 3rd edition, Peterson, or
Robbins, although it is mentioned in the National Geo.
The bird has some blue mottling on the back of
its otherwise greenish head, with the brightest
blue patches at the base of the neck. Its orbital
ring is yellow. The back and rump are a bright
yellow-green. The throat is a bright, clear
yellow. The breast, flanks, and belly are a
duller yellow-green, with broad, blurry dark
streaks. There's no red in the plumage.
Previous Berks County records of PAINTED BUNTINGS
were in 1961 (May 31) and 1999 (Jan to Apr & Dec).
Along the Delaware River, on Bull's Island, New
Jersey, opposite Lumberville, Bucks County PA, 2
singing YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS are again, this
year, back on territory. They were there on Tuesday, April 18th.
Along the Susquehanna River, in south-central
Pennsylvania, at the Conejohela Flats, in
Washington Boro, Lancaster County, on Sunday
morning, April 23rd, birds included:
9 species of SHOREBIRDS: BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER,
SPOTTED and SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, LEAST SANDPIPERS
(over 20), both YELLOWLEGS, DUNLIN (5), SNIPE (1), and KILLDEER,
a flock of just over a dozen CASPIAN TERNS,
and these WARBLERS: YELLOW, YELLOW-THROATED, YELLOW-RUMPED, and OVENBIRD.
Also: about 10 PIPITS, 4 COMMON LOONS, a drake
PINTAIL, a drake BUFFLEHEAD, 9 BALD EAGLES (3
adults and 6 immatures), OSPREY, 5 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, and 1 LAUGHING GULL.
CATTLE EGRETS used to be along the lower
Susquehanna River in Lancaster County. They bred
in large numbers on Rookery Island. No more. Now,
according to the 2nd edition of the "Annotated
List of the Birds of Pennsylvania" by Frank &
Barbara Haas, the species is said to be "decreasing & rare" in Pennsylvania.
So, 10 CATTLE EGRETS in Indiana County PA, still
present as of Monday, April 24th, is a nice occurrence.
* Delaware
* Statewide
* April 27, 2006
* DEST0604.27
* Birds mentioned:
Common Loon (pa, up to 55 together), Red-throated Loon (pa), Horned Grebe (pa)
ANHINGA (md), Cattle Egret (pa)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, WHITE-FACED IBIS, Glossy Ibis
Northern Pintail (pa), Bufflehead (pa),
Red-breasted Merganser (pa), Ruddy Duck (pa)
Osprey, SWALLOW-TAILED KITE (pa), Sharp-shinned Hawk (pa), Cooper's Hawk (pa)
Bald Eagle, Broad-winged Hawk (pa), Red-shouldered Hawk, Merlin
WHITE-TAILED HAWK (extralimital: MA & NJ)
Wild Turkey
Sora, Virginia Rail, King Rail, Clapper Rail, American Coot
Black-bellied Plover, American Golden Plover, Piping Plover, Killdeer (pa)
American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Whimbrel
Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary
Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper (pa)
Pectoral Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper, RUFF, Dunlin (pa)
Short-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Snipe
Lesser Black-backed Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, Laughing Gull, Caspian Tern
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern Kingbird, WESTERN KINGBIRD (md), Eastern Phoebe
Horned Lark
White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo (pa)
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE
Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher
Wood Thrush, Hermit Thrush
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow
SEDGE WREN, Marsh Wren
American Pipit
Black-and-white Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler,
Worm-eating Warbler, Northern Parula (pa)
Yellow-throated Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler,
Black-throated Green Warbler (pa)
Prairie Warbler, Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Hooded Warbler
Common Yellowthroat, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Louisiana Waterthrush
Blue Grosbeak, PAINTED BUNTING (pa), Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow (pa), Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow (pa), Swamp Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow (pa)
Baltimore Oriole, Rusty Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark
Spotted Turtle, Snapping Turtle
pelagic trip annoucement
birds in Iraq (in a feature):
Squacco Heron, Red-wattled Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet,
Black-headed Gull, Whiskered Tern (reference made to Delaware)
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Rock Pigeon, Woodpigeon
White-breasted Kingfisher, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Crested Lark, Desert Wheatear, Hooded Crow, Rook
Barn Swallow, White-cheeked Bulbul, Moustached Warbler, House Sparrow
Birdline Delaware
Date: April 27, 2006
Number: 302/658-2747
To Report: Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler: Armas Hill
Coverage: Delaware, and southern New Jersey
Transcriber: Risė Hill
For Thursday, April 27th, this is Birdline
Delaware - from the Delaware Museum of Natural
History, and supported by a number of regional
birders. I'm Armas Hill, glad to be with you.
A RUFF was found at Bombay Hook Refuge, on
Sunday, April 16th. It was seen at Shearness Pool
from about noon to 1:30pm, feeding with PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS. As far as we know, that bird has not
been observed or reported since.
When it was seen, it was noted that the RUFF was
molting, with some red and black coloration on its head and breast.
Other SHOREBIRDS noted that day, April 16th, at
Bombay Hook, in addition to the RUFF and PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS, were: several hundred BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS, 2 GOLDEN PLOVERS, many LEAST SANDPIPERS, DOWITCHERS, and one SNIPE.
CASPIAN TERNS, BALD EAGLES, and COOTS were also
observed at Bombay Hook on Sunday, April 16th.
WHITE-FACED IBISES have been reported lately in
Delaware, New Jersey, and Virginia. In the last
of these (Virginia), 4 were found at the same place.
In Delaware recently a WHITE-FACED IBIS has been
seen with a few, about a half-dozen, GLOSSY IBIS,
along Prime Hook Beach Road, about 3/4ths of the
way across the marsh before the trees. The IBISES
were seen on the south side of the road.
Regarding the WHITE-FACED IBIS, it's been noted
that the legs were getting quite red, and that
the skin around the eye & the eye itself were red
also, but that there was no obvious white feathering on the face.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was seen near the Ashland
Nature Center on Monday, April 24th, at about
10:30 in the morning, near the top of a large
sycamore tree by the bridge over the Red Clay
Creek. First, the SHRIKE was found in the tree.
Then, it was seen leaving, not to be seen again.
A BALTIMORE ORIOLE was also seen at about the same time.
Also observed in the area of the Red Clay Creek
on April 24th was a WARBLING VIREO and a few YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.
Along the White Clay Creek, north of Newark, on
April 24th, during about an hour between showers,
birds included: BALTIMORE ORIOLE, ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOW, and BLACK-AND-WHITE, PRAIRIE, and HOODED
WARBLERS. The HOODED WARBLER was singing by the Wedgewood Road parking lot.
An adult BALD EAGLE was seen flying up the creek, low over the water.
The next day, April 25th, birds along the White
Clay Creek included: WARBLING and YELLOW-THROATED
VIREOS, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH. Today, April 26th,
a SOLITARY SANDPIPER was along the creek north of the nature center.
Along the White Clay Creek, just north of the
state line, in Chester County PA, there can be
some enjoyable bird. During a morning walk there
on April 16th, along the east branch of the
creek, among numerous birds there were:
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, WHITE-EYED, over 30
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, PALM WARBLER, SWAMP
SPARROW, PHOEBE, THRASHER, CATBIRD, RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLETS, and a good number of TOWHEES. In all,
there, that morning, 54 species were found.
Along the Brandywine Creek, on Monday morning,
April 25th, by Thompson's Bridge (Route 92),
there were many WARBLERS: a dozen PALMS, some
YELLOW-RUMPED, a WORM-EATING, BLACK-AND-WHITE,
and a NASHVILLE. Also GNATCATCHERS.
Along along the Brandywine Creek, ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOWS have ben noted as "in" by the Breck's
Mill post office. It's also been noted, by one
observer at least, that the number of
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS along the Brandywine this
year, thus far, seem to be lower than usual.
At a property north of the Brandywine Creek State
Park, along the DE-MD line, this week, on April
23rd, a PRAIRIE WARBLER was seen, and a WOOD THRUSH was heard.
Here, outside my window, north of Wilmington, 2
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES continue to visit a
feeder with peanuts, as of today, Wednesday,
April 26th. They've been visiting for months now.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS have arrived in
Delaware. Some "firsts for the season" have been
noted in recent days at properties in:
Dover, on April 19th,
Hockessin, on April 23rd,
Newark, on April 23rd & April 25th,
and Lewes, on April 25th.
There's been a SEDGE WREN at the Thousand Acre
Marsh near the C&D Canal. It was heard on Friday,
April 21st, and on Saturday, April 22nd. From
Route 9, south of the C&D Canal, turn right just
after the bridge. After where the road goes west
along the south side of the canal, the wren was
heard 2/3rds of the way from the turn to the open
water, and fairly close to the road.
SORA have been heard, on April 15th, and since,
at Grier's Pond, near the Thousand Acre Marsh.
VIRGINIA RAIL has also been there, on April 15th and since.
We've received a report (from a birder from
upstate New York, passing through Delaware) of a
BLUE GROSBEAK at Bombay Hook, seen Tuesday, April
25th, at the intersection of Dutch Neck and Finis Pool Roads. Thanks.
These birds in central Delaware, on Sunday, April
23rd, were reported by a birder from Maryland:
a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on a plowed field,
with many LAUGHING GULLS, between Mount Pleasant and Boyd's Corner,
a MERLIN along Route 6 east of Smyrna,
a reported KING RAIL was said to be heard
calling, by Woodland Beach Road, where CLAPPER
RAILS were also calling as were several SEASIDE SPARROWS,
14 AVOCETS, in breeding plumage, at Bombay Hook Refuge, at Raymond Pool,
and 10-plus BLACK-NECKED STILTS, also at Bombay Hook, at Shearness Pool.
A note, regarding the KING and CLAPPER RAILS just mentioned:
Another good birder reported recently KING RAIL
as heard along Port Mahon Road. He subsequently
found several CLAPPER RAILS at the Delaware
Seashore State Park making the same call that he
had identified the day before as KING RAIL at
Port Mahon. He therefore retracted the KING RAIL report.
A question: It was noticed that a PURPLE MARTIN
at the Bombay Hook colony was banded. Is it done there?
An EASTERN KINGBIRD was reported at Bombay Hook,
back on April 15th, as were WHITE-EYED VIREOS and
MARSH WREN. PIPITS and HORNED LARKS were at Bear
Swamp. An adult YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was
seen at Bombay Hook, at Bear Swamp, on April 15th.
North of Bombay Hook, along Route 9, 5 RUSTY
BLACKBIRDS were found on April 15th, near the
Mallard lodge, in a roadside ditch. (Yes,
sometimes it pays to look more closely at blackbirds.)
In the area of the Redden State Forest, during an
outing by the Sussex Bird Club, in the morning on
Saturday, April 22nd (before the significant
rainfall in the afternoon), 3 VESPER SPARROWS
were found close to Maple Branch Road, near the
ditch. A male BLUE GROSBEAK was also in that
area. Maple Branch Road is the first right past
the rest area off Redden Road.
Along another road in central Delaware (but
further north), earlier that week on Sunday,
April 16th, an UPLAND SANDPIPER was found in a
field. The road is Hunting Quarter Road, and it's
an area that in recent years both birders and
DICKCISSELS have known. No DICKCISSEL on April
16th, of this year, but the UPLAND SANDPIPER was
seen dropping into the field of alfalfa. MEADOWLARKS were also there.
At the Redden Forest that day, April 16th, 10
species of WARBLERS were found: BLACK-AND-WHITE,
PALM, PINE, YELLOW-RUMPED, YELLOW-THROATED,
WORM-EATING, PROTHONOTARY, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT,
OVENBIRD, and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH.
The 3 VESPER SPARROWS noted a moment ago were
also seen that earlier day, April 16th.
2 RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS were noted in the Redden area that day.
Particularly interesting at the Redden Forest on
April 16th were the good number of HERMIT
THRUSHES. And that they were heard singing. At
least 2 dozen were singing their spring song.
At Slaughter Beach, along the Delaware Bay, on
April 16th, a GOLDEN PLOVER was found with
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER on the tidal flats at the
southern end of Bay Ave. Also there were several BLACK-NECKED STILTS.
Near the Delaware Bay, on Sunday, April 23rd,
dozens of SNIPE were found near Prime Hook Beach
Road, in the marsh and along the roadside.
A MERLIN was seen over the impoundment north of Prime Hook Beach Road.
By the Delaware Bay, on April 23rd, 2 WHIMBREL
were seen in flight over Cedar Creek, between the
nature center and the fish & wildlife boat ramp.
The previous weekend, on April 16th, over a dozen
WHIMBREL were seen from the end of Oyster Rocks
Road (south of Prime Hook, east of Route 1).
Nearby, apparently about 10 other WHIMBREL were
seen flying into a small tidal flat just across from the Broadkill River.
At the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge on
April 15th, WILD TURKEYS were seen, a strutting
tom, and 2 hens. VIRGINIA RAIL was heard calling
from the boardwalk. Nearby, about 25 SNIPE were
flushed along the Broadkill Beach Road impoundments.
Over Burton's Island, near the Delaware Seacoast,
on Saturday, April 15th, an immature BALD EAGLE
was seen chasing an OSPREY, trying to get its
fish. Then, a few minutes later, 2 other OSPREY
came on the scene, and they were seen chasing the EAGLE.
4 PIPING PLOVERS, reported at Cape Henlopen on
April 15th, have been seen since.
In the non-bird department: At Raymond Pool,
Bombay Hook, there's a report that a TURTLE was
SPOTTED, or, put another way, a SPOTTED TURTLE
was seen. The previous Sunday, April 16th, at
Bombay Hook, there was more than one report of SNAPPING TURTLES being seen.
Shifting to Maryland for a moment, a WESTERN
KINGBIRD was seen this week, on Tuesday, April
25th, at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. It was looked
for the next day and not seen.
Following here, now, will be some bird reports
from the most-recent Philadelphia Birdline (from
this week, on Tuesday, April 25th), and then some
birds in Iraq (in this week's Birdline feature).
First, a couple updates, since the last Philadelphia Birdline:
1) Regarding the extralimital WHITE-TAILED HAWK
in Massachusetts: As noted, it was last seen
there on April 24th, flying to the southwest.
Well, yesterday, April 26th, an adult
WHITE-TAILED HAWK was observed in northern New
Jersey, in the sky with a few TURKEY VULTURES,
over the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge,
north of Basking Ridge. It was seen from the
"north gate bridge" on Pleasant Plains Road. The
bird could be compared to the photo of the one in
Massachusetts; that bird was determined to be not
fully an adult, with some light barring on the lower breast and belly.
2) Regarding the Rose Tree Hawk in Media,
Delaware County PA: On Tuesday, April 25th, 2
SANDHILL CRANES passed over, shortly after 10am.
Before continuing on, they circled overhead
providing great views. Then, they went to the northeast.
The following, now, from the Philadelphia Birdline for Tuesday, April 25th:
Last time, mention was made of a SWALLOW-TAILED
KITE seen in the sky above the Rose Tree Hawk
Watch in Delaware County PA on April 20th.
This week, on Monday, April 24th, there was
another SWALLOW-TAILED KITE sighting in eastern
Pennsylvania, in Northampton County. At 2:15 in
the afternoon, it was in the sky in a small
kettle of raptors. Other hawks seen at that
location, that day, included: BROAD-WINGED,
SHARP-SHINNED, COOPER'S, RED-TAILED, and OSPREY.
The KITE was an immature as its tail was not forked enough to be an adult.
An exceptional hawk has been present to the north
of us in Massachusetts: a WHITE-TAILED HAWK has
been in Hadley, Mass by a field along North Maple
Street across from the University of
Massachusetts Hadley Farm, about a mile and half
north of Route 9. It was seen there both days
this past weekend, April 22-23. On Monday
morning, April 24th, it was seen at about 10
o'clock, but not later. After an encounter, at
that time, with a RED-TAILED HAWK, the WHITE
TAILED flew away, out of sight to the southwest.
The WHITE-TAILED HAWK does not normally occur in
the Northeast US. That Central & South American
species does occur normally in Texas, and has
occurred in Arizona and Louisiana.
Last time on the Birdline, there was mention of
an ANHINGA in Maryland, in Frederick, at a place
called Lily Pons. That ANHINGA continued to be
seen, until Sunday morning, April 23rd, between 10:30 & 11.
Also in Maryland, the previous day, Saturday,
April 22nd, at 4:20 in the afternoon, 5 ANHINGAS
were seen in flight over the mall in Columbia, in
Howard County. The birds, either females or
juveniles, were heading northeast. They were
observed for about a minute and a half. Seen well
were their features: the long neck, pale throat,
and fan-shaped tail. That nice sighting that day,
of 5 ANHINGAS, was at a time when rain showers let up.
In Chester County, Pennsylvania, on Monday, April
24th, there was, with the unsettled weather, a
large fallout of LOONS. At the Marsh Creek State
Park, 55 COMMON LOONS were on the lake, rather
huddled together in the middle of the lake. 52 of
them were in breeding plumage; 3 were not.
A RED-THROATED LOON was also there. It was still
seen yesterday, April 24th, late in the day, when
about a dozen of the breeding-plumaged COMMON
LOONS remained. A single female RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER was also there. Earlier in the day, there was a BONAPARTE'S GULL.
Late in the morning at Marsh Creek, with about 40
LOONS, 4 HORNED GREBES, in non-breeding attire,
were seen. Also on the water were RUDDY DUCK and
COOT. WARBLERS around the lake were: YELLOW, YELLOW-RUMPED, and PALM.
This morning, Tuesday, April 25th, there were no
LOONS at Marsh Creek. Only 1 COMMON LOON was at
Chambers Lake, another Chester County body of
water. At Marsh Creek, there was only 1 RUDDY DUCK.
At the nearby Hibernia Park, a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER was heard.
In northern Montgomery County PA, on Monday,
April 24th, at the Green Lane Reservoir, there
were 28 COMMON LOONS and 8 BONAPARTE'S GULLS. The LOONS were said to be noisy.
There was quite a fallout of LANDBIRDS in Bucks
County PA on Sunday, April 23rd in the morning.
In the area of Rushland, there were many SPARROWS
in & around a field: CHIPPING, WHITE-THROATED,
and SAVANNAHS. Also with them, on the ground, there were over 20 PALM WARBLERS.
In the nearby woods, there were many WARBLERS: an
estimated 400-plus YELLOW-RUMPED, 75 additional
PALM, 5 BLACK-THROATED GREEN, and 2 PARULAS along
with: 2 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLETS, and nearly 10 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS.
In Berks County, Pennsylvania, an immature male
PAINTED BUNTING has recently been coming to a
feeder, from Friday, April 21st until at least
Sunday, April 23rd. It's been seen Unfortunately,
the location can not be given. But still it's
worth noting here for two reasons. Firstly, it's
good to know when something that good is about,
and secondly, a commentary regarding the plumage
would be informative. It's an interesting and
confusing plumage, not illustrated in Sibley, the
National Geo 3rd edition, Peterson, or
Robbins, although it is mentioned in the National Geo.
The bird has some blue mottling on the back of
its otherwise greenish head, with the brightest
blue patches at the base of the neck. Its orbital
ring is yellow. The back and rump are a bright
yellow-green. The throat is a bright, clear
yellow. The breast, flanks, and belly are a
duller yellow-green, with broad, blurry dark
streaks. There's no red in the plumage.
Previous Berks County records of PAINTED BUNTINGS
were in 1961 (May 31) and 1999 (Jan to Apr & Dec).
Along the Delaware River, on Bull's Island, New
Jersey, opposite Lumberville, Bucks County PA, 2
singing YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS are again, this
year, back on territory. They were there on Tuesday, April 18th.
Along the Susquehanna River, in south-central
Pennsylvania, at the Conejohela Flats, in
Washington Boro, Lancaster County, on Sunday
morning, April 23rd, birds included:
9 species of SHOREBIRDS: BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER,
SPOTTED and SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, LEAST SANDPIPERS
(over 20), both YELLOWLEGS, DUNLIN (5), SNIPE (1), and KILLDEER,
a flock of just over a dozen CASPIAN TERNS,
and these WARBLERS: YELLOW, YELLOW-THROATED, YELLOW-RUMPED, and OVENBIRD.
Also: about 10 PIPITS, 4 COMMON LOONS, a drake
PINTAIL, a drake BUFFLEHEAD, 9 BALD EAGLES (3
adults and 6 immatures), OSPREY, 5 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, and 1 LAUGHING GULL.
CATTLE EGRETS used to be along the lower
Susquehanna River in Lancaster County. They bred
in large numbers on Rookery Island. No more. Now,
according to the 2nd edition of the "Annotated
List of the Birds of Pennsylvania" by Frank &
Barbara Haas, the species is said to be "decreasing & rare" in Pennsylvania.
So, 10 CATTLE EGRETS in Indiana County PA, still
present as of Monday, April 24th, is a nice occurrence.