RBA
* Pennsylvania
* Philadelphia
* June 30, 2006
* PAPH0606.30
* Birds mentioned:
Greater Shearwater (nj, from shore)
MANX SHEARWATER (probable, nj from shore)
Sooty Shearwater (nj, from shore)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel (nj, from shore)
FRIGATEBIRD (probably MAGNIFICENT) (nj)
Northern Gannet
Brown Pelican
Tricolored Heron
WESTERN REEF-HERON (extralimital, Nova Scotia)
Black-crowned Night-Heron
WHITE-FACED IBIS (nj)
Glossy Ibis
WOOD STORK (probable, pa)
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTING-DUCK (pa,md)
Gadwall
CINNAMON TEAL (pa)
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser (pa)
Hooded Merganser
Osprey
MISSISSIPPI KITE (nj, 2 places)
Bald Eagle
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
SANDHILL CRANE (nj)
Piping Plover
"Western" Willet
Red Knot
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Parasitic Jaeger (nj, from shore)
Great Black-backed Gull (1st pa breeding)
Laughing Gull
Gull-billed Tern
ROSEATE TERN (nj)
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Royal Tern (pa)
SANDWICH TERN (nj)
Black Tern
Black Skimmer
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo
Common Nighthawk
Whip-poor-will
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD (extralimital, ny)
Eastern Kingbird
Gray Catbird
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Cedar Waxwing
Dickcissel (pa)
Blue Grosbeak
Scarlet Tanager
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Beaver (in flood)
Carpenter Frog
Green Frog
Pine Barren Tree Frog
Fowler's Toad
Philadelphia Birdline
Date: June 30, 2006
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
For Friday, June 30th, 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, once again, to be with you.
I don't have to tell you that there's been a lot
of water in our region lately - with days of
rain, and unfortunately floods along rivers. As
to birds, It's been, you might say, DUCK weather.
And with some DUCKS we'll begin this edition of the Birdline.
There's been recently a CINNAMON TEAL in
Philadelphia. (That's not something said too
often.) It's been at the "Tinicum" or John Heinz
Refuge in Southwest Philadelphia, a molting male,
that appears to be going into eclipse plumage,
with a dark cinnamon head and a paler orange
body. It was found at Tinicum on Sunday, June 25th.
The John Heinz Refuge was closed earlier this
week due to the weather. It has since re-opened.
At the John Heinz Refuge on Tuesday, June 27th, a
pair of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS was seen on the
Darby Creek. (As info, there are no known nesting
records of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS in
Pennsylvania. Young birds were not seen with the pair at Tinicum.)
Some of the other birds reported at Tinicum
Refuge this past week have been: BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERON, BALD EAGLE (2 immatures), OSPREY,
PEREGRINE FALCON (an immature), KESTREL, and SCARLET TANAGER.
Back again, for a moment, to MERGANSERS:
In Northampton County PA on June 23rd, in Forks
Township, a female COMMON MERGANSER was seen with 25 young in tow. Interesting.
Also in Northampton County on June 29th, a
DICKCISSEL was noted in Williams Township, as was a BLUE GROSBEAK.
Now, another MERGANSER report, of yet another species:
In Chester County PA, at Chambers Lake, on June
29th, a birder in a kayak saw a HOODED MERGANSER,
in a somewhat odd plumage, closest to that of a first-spring male.
Other birds seen there by the birder in the kayak
included: OSPREY, and these along the shoreline:
a HUMMINGBIRD on a nest, numerous CATBIRDS and
KINGBIRDS, numerous SWALLOWS, both BARN & TREE,
both ORIOLES, and CEDAR WAXWINGS.
Back to DUCKS, specifically BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS:
The BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK in Berks County
PA near Oley was seen on June 19th. (I know that
because I saw it that day myself.) But we have
heard of any reports of it since then.
A BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK was seen on June
24th on the north side of Lancaster at the Alcoa
Marsh, at the southwest corner of the shopping
center behind the Weis Food Market. From Route
30, take the Fruitville Pike exit. Go south. We
do not know of any sightings after June 24th.
It's said the bird on June 24th was the second
occurrence of the species in Lancaster County. 5
were at a pond south of Centerville, Lancaster County, in July-August 1993.
In Maryland, south of south-central PA, on June
21st, a BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK was seen in
Gaithersburg. That species was present there for
a while, and apparently June 21st was the last day it was seen there.
Here's something quite interesting:
What was said to be a probable WOOD STORK was
seen in flight in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on
June 28th, in the Bedminster area, flying toward Lake Nockamixon.
At the Beltsville Lake in Carbon County PA, a
ROYAL TERN was reported on June 26th.
Earlier, mention was made that there are no
nesting records in PA of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS
and that a pair was seen along the Darby Creek
this past week, along the Philadelphia-Delaware County border.
A few miles away, in Delaware County, there has
recently been a first Pennsylvania nesting
record, of GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS, along the
Delaware River, on a pier in a restricted area of
the Sunoco terminal, by Hog Island Road, near the
Philadelphia International Airport. There have
been 2 chicks, that have been banded. Photographs have been taken.
Further north along the Delaware River, this
week, at the levee at Morrisville PA, in the area
where a few weeks ago there was a FORK-TAILED
FLYCATCHER, on June 28th in the evening, the
river was flooded, with rushing water with
debris, even trees, passing by. An injured BEAVER
was seen. Its head, with a gash, seemed to have
been hit by a log. It climbed, stunned, onto a
rock wall. After a while, it apparently felt
better, when it then descended back into the
river, to the cheers of the gathered crowd.
Birds there didn't draws cheers, but those nice
to see, above the flooded river, catching insects
in the sky were numerous SWALLOWS, CEDAR
WAXWINGS, KINGBIRDS, and later, at dusk, out over
the middle of the river, a single NIGHTHAWK.
Along the New Jersey Shore, these birds lately:
A FRIGATEBIRD (probably MAGNIFICENT) was seen
yesterday afternoon, June 29th, at 2:40pm, in the
area of the Garden State Parkway mileage marker
2. It was drifting toward the ocean, and has not been reported since.
A MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen yesterday morning,
June 29th, about 9:30am, over the Cape May Point
State Park, heading toward the Meadows. It was a sub-adult.
In another part of southern New Jersey, an adult
MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen near Millville, also on
June 29th, at about noon. It was seen in the
Buckshutem Wildlife Management Area, in the area of a field along Route 698.
A WHITE-FACED IBIS has been in the area of Cape
May. On Monday, June 26th, in the morning, there
were only 11 IBIS roosting at the pond near Crest
Haven. 1 was the WHITE-FACED. The others, of course, GLOSSY.
A SANDHILL CRANE has been in the Cape May area at
the Beaver Swamp Wildlife Management Area,
reported as recently as June 29th. A GULL-BILLED
TERN and 2 adult BALD EAGLES were also seen there that day.
At Cape May Point, during an hour of sea-watching
on June 28th, these birds were seen from shore:
2 GREATER SHEARWATERS, among flocks of LAUGHING
GULLS and TERNS. Among the TERNS was a single BLACK TERN in breeding plumage.
Just off the jetties, there was a ROSEATE TERN with COMMON and FORSTER'S TERNS.
There were 8 to 10 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, mostly close.
A GANNET and a BROWN PELICAN were seen. Also, an immature PARASITIC JAEGER.
The previous day, June 27th, there was another
PARASITIC JAEGER sighting at Cape May Point in the St. Mary's jetty area.
An adult breeding-plumaged BLACK TERN (maybe the
same bird just noted) was been seen at the Bunker
Pond in the Cape May Point State Park. It was seen there on June 27th & 28th.
A TRICOLORED HERON was seen at the Bunker Pond yesterday, June 29th.
On June 29th, a bird believed to be a MANX
SHEARWATER was seen from shore at Cape May Point.
On June 27th, the ROSEATE TERN already-mentioned
was seen at Cape May Point on the St. Peter's
Jetty. 6 species of TERNS were seen by 1 party at Cape May that day.
Other birds included YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO by the
Bunker Pond, PIPING PLOVER on the nearby beach,
and GADWALL at the Meadows.
3 BROWN PELICANS were seen offshore, and BLACK
SKIMMERS were feeding in the inshore rips.
In the Cape May area, along the Delaware
Bayshore, at Cook's Beach, a SANDWICH TERN was
heard, then seen, the evening of June 23rd.
COMMON TERNS seemed to be a little more common
than usual in that area (that far up the Bay).
This past week, an increase in the number of
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS was noted along the Bayshore in Cape May County.
A week ago, on June 21st, during a short while in
the morning, seabirds seen from shore at Cape May Point included these:
a SOOTY SHEARWATER, 5 to WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS,
a ROSEATE TERN, and 2 BROWN PELICANS. The ROSEATE
TERN, as already noted, continued to be seen
subsequently, through at least June 28th.
Also last week, on June 21st, 3 "WESTERN" WILLETS
were seen at Stone Harbor Point, as was a flock
of 10 RED KNOTS, with the WILLETS and 8
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS. A half-dozen PIPING PLOVERS were scattered about.
This year, at Stone Harbor Point, from what we
understand, there are no BLACK SKIMMER or COMMON TERN colonies.
In the Pinelands of New Jersey, the evening of
Wednesday, June 28th, there were WHIP-POOR-WILLS
and COMMON NIGHTHAWKS in the vicinity of White's Bog.
AMPHIBIANS that were head included: CARPENTER,
GREEN, and PINE BARRENS TREE FROGS, also FOWLER'S TOAD.
Here are some interesting extralimital bird reports of late:
In upstate New York, on June 24th & 25th (but
apparently not since), a male BROAD-BILLED
HUMMINGBIRD was at a feeder in Wayne County.
(It's always worth remembering that HUMMINGBIRDS,
even in the summer, should really be observed,
without the assumption that every one be
RUBY-THROATED. Just 99.9 percent of them.)
In Nova Scotia, Canada, this past week, on June
26th, a WESTERN REEF-HERON was found on Cape
Breton, along the shore of Big Glace Bay Lake.
That bird is native, as you may know, to places
such as the west coast of Africa, and India. It
has occurred in North America previously, but not often.
And that's it for now. More next time, including
the resumption of our Birdline Feature, as given each week on the radio.
Until next time, thank you for tuning in, and
good birding, wherever you may be.
- end transcript
* Pennsylvania
* Philadelphia
* June 30, 2006
* PAPH0606.30
* Birds mentioned:
Greater Shearwater (nj, from shore)
MANX SHEARWATER (probable, nj from shore)
Sooty Shearwater (nj, from shore)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel (nj, from shore)
FRIGATEBIRD (probably MAGNIFICENT) (nj)
Northern Gannet
Brown Pelican
Tricolored Heron
WESTERN REEF-HERON (extralimital, Nova Scotia)
Black-crowned Night-Heron
WHITE-FACED IBIS (nj)
Glossy Ibis
WOOD STORK (probable, pa)
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTING-DUCK (pa,md)
Gadwall
CINNAMON TEAL (pa)
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser (pa)
Hooded Merganser
Osprey
MISSISSIPPI KITE (nj, 2 places)
Bald Eagle
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
SANDHILL CRANE (nj)
Piping Plover
"Western" Willet
Red Knot
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Parasitic Jaeger (nj, from shore)
Great Black-backed Gull (1st pa breeding)
Laughing Gull
Gull-billed Tern
ROSEATE TERN (nj)
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Royal Tern (pa)
SANDWICH TERN (nj)
Black Tern
Black Skimmer
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo
Common Nighthawk
Whip-poor-will
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD (extralimital, ny)
Eastern Kingbird
Gray Catbird
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Cedar Waxwing
Dickcissel (pa)
Blue Grosbeak
Scarlet Tanager
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Beaver (in flood)
Carpenter Frog
Green Frog
Pine Barren Tree Frog
Fowler's Toad
Philadelphia Birdline
Date: June 30, 2006
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
For Friday, June 30th, 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, once again, to be with you.
I don't have to tell you that there's been a lot
of water in our region lately - with days of
rain, and unfortunately floods along rivers. As
to birds, It's been, you might say, DUCK weather.
And with some DUCKS we'll begin this edition of the Birdline.
There's been recently a CINNAMON TEAL in
Philadelphia. (That's not something said too
often.) It's been at the "Tinicum" or John Heinz
Refuge in Southwest Philadelphia, a molting male,
that appears to be going into eclipse plumage,
with a dark cinnamon head and a paler orange
body. It was found at Tinicum on Sunday, June 25th.
The John Heinz Refuge was closed earlier this
week due to the weather. It has since re-opened.
At the John Heinz Refuge on Tuesday, June 27th, a
pair of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS was seen on the
Darby Creek. (As info, there are no known nesting
records of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS in
Pennsylvania. Young birds were not seen with the pair at Tinicum.)
Some of the other birds reported at Tinicum
Refuge this past week have been: BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERON, BALD EAGLE (2 immatures), OSPREY,
PEREGRINE FALCON (an immature), KESTREL, and SCARLET TANAGER.
Back again, for a moment, to MERGANSERS:
In Northampton County PA on June 23rd, in Forks
Township, a female COMMON MERGANSER was seen with 25 young in tow. Interesting.
Also in Northampton County on June 29th, a
DICKCISSEL was noted in Williams Township, as was a BLUE GROSBEAK.
Now, another MERGANSER report, of yet another species:
In Chester County PA, at Chambers Lake, on June
29th, a birder in a kayak saw a HOODED MERGANSER,
in a somewhat odd plumage, closest to that of a first-spring male.
Other birds seen there by the birder in the kayak
included: OSPREY, and these along the shoreline:
a HUMMINGBIRD on a nest, numerous CATBIRDS and
KINGBIRDS, numerous SWALLOWS, both BARN & TREE,
both ORIOLES, and CEDAR WAXWINGS.
Back to DUCKS, specifically BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS:
The BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK in Berks County
PA near Oley was seen on June 19th. (I know that
because I saw it that day myself.) But we have
heard of any reports of it since then.
A BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK was seen on June
24th on the north side of Lancaster at the Alcoa
Marsh, at the southwest corner of the shopping
center behind the Weis Food Market. From Route
30, take the Fruitville Pike exit. Go south. We
do not know of any sightings after June 24th.
It's said the bird on June 24th was the second
occurrence of the species in Lancaster County. 5
were at a pond south of Centerville, Lancaster County, in July-August 1993.
In Maryland, south of south-central PA, on June
21st, a BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK was seen in
Gaithersburg. That species was present there for
a while, and apparently June 21st was the last day it was seen there.
Here's something quite interesting:
What was said to be a probable WOOD STORK was
seen in flight in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on
June 28th, in the Bedminster area, flying toward Lake Nockamixon.
At the Beltsville Lake in Carbon County PA, a
ROYAL TERN was reported on June 26th.
Earlier, mention was made that there are no
nesting records in PA of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS
and that a pair was seen along the Darby Creek
this past week, along the Philadelphia-Delaware County border.
A few miles away, in Delaware County, there has
recently been a first Pennsylvania nesting
record, of GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS, along the
Delaware River, on a pier in a restricted area of
the Sunoco terminal, by Hog Island Road, near the
Philadelphia International Airport. There have
been 2 chicks, that have been banded. Photographs have been taken.
Further north along the Delaware River, this
week, at the levee at Morrisville PA, in the area
where a few weeks ago there was a FORK-TAILED
FLYCATCHER, on June 28th in the evening, the
river was flooded, with rushing water with
debris, even trees, passing by. An injured BEAVER
was seen. Its head, with a gash, seemed to have
been hit by a log. It climbed, stunned, onto a
rock wall. After a while, it apparently felt
better, when it then descended back into the
river, to the cheers of the gathered crowd.
Birds there didn't draws cheers, but those nice
to see, above the flooded river, catching insects
in the sky were numerous SWALLOWS, CEDAR
WAXWINGS, KINGBIRDS, and later, at dusk, out over
the middle of the river, a single NIGHTHAWK.
Along the New Jersey Shore, these birds lately:
A FRIGATEBIRD (probably MAGNIFICENT) was seen
yesterday afternoon, June 29th, at 2:40pm, in the
area of the Garden State Parkway mileage marker
2. It was drifting toward the ocean, and has not been reported since.
A MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen yesterday morning,
June 29th, about 9:30am, over the Cape May Point
State Park, heading toward the Meadows. It was a sub-adult.
In another part of southern New Jersey, an adult
MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen near Millville, also on
June 29th, at about noon. It was seen in the
Buckshutem Wildlife Management Area, in the area of a field along Route 698.
A WHITE-FACED IBIS has been in the area of Cape
May. On Monday, June 26th, in the morning, there
were only 11 IBIS roosting at the pond near Crest
Haven. 1 was the WHITE-FACED. The others, of course, GLOSSY.
A SANDHILL CRANE has been in the Cape May area at
the Beaver Swamp Wildlife Management Area,
reported as recently as June 29th. A GULL-BILLED
TERN and 2 adult BALD EAGLES were also seen there that day.
At Cape May Point, during an hour of sea-watching
on June 28th, these birds were seen from shore:
2 GREATER SHEARWATERS, among flocks of LAUGHING
GULLS and TERNS. Among the TERNS was a single BLACK TERN in breeding plumage.
Just off the jetties, there was a ROSEATE TERN with COMMON and FORSTER'S TERNS.
There were 8 to 10 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, mostly close.
A GANNET and a BROWN PELICAN were seen. Also, an immature PARASITIC JAEGER.
The previous day, June 27th, there was another
PARASITIC JAEGER sighting at Cape May Point in the St. Mary's jetty area.
An adult breeding-plumaged BLACK TERN (maybe the
same bird just noted) was been seen at the Bunker
Pond in the Cape May Point State Park. It was seen there on June 27th & 28th.
A TRICOLORED HERON was seen at the Bunker Pond yesterday, June 29th.
On June 29th, a bird believed to be a MANX
SHEARWATER was seen from shore at Cape May Point.
On June 27th, the ROSEATE TERN already-mentioned
was seen at Cape May Point on the St. Peter's
Jetty. 6 species of TERNS were seen by 1 party at Cape May that day.
Other birds included YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO by the
Bunker Pond, PIPING PLOVER on the nearby beach,
and GADWALL at the Meadows.
3 BROWN PELICANS were seen offshore, and BLACK
SKIMMERS were feeding in the inshore rips.
In the Cape May area, along the Delaware
Bayshore, at Cook's Beach, a SANDWICH TERN was
heard, then seen, the evening of June 23rd.
COMMON TERNS seemed to be a little more common
than usual in that area (that far up the Bay).
This past week, an increase in the number of
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS was noted along the Bayshore in Cape May County.
A week ago, on June 21st, during a short while in
the morning, seabirds seen from shore at Cape May Point included these:
a SOOTY SHEARWATER, 5 to WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS,
a ROSEATE TERN, and 2 BROWN PELICANS. The ROSEATE
TERN, as already noted, continued to be seen
subsequently, through at least June 28th.
Also last week, on June 21st, 3 "WESTERN" WILLETS
were seen at Stone Harbor Point, as was a flock
of 10 RED KNOTS, with the WILLETS and 8
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS. A half-dozen PIPING PLOVERS were scattered about.
This year, at Stone Harbor Point, from what we
understand, there are no BLACK SKIMMER or COMMON TERN colonies.
In the Pinelands of New Jersey, the evening of
Wednesday, June 28th, there were WHIP-POOR-WILLS
and COMMON NIGHTHAWKS in the vicinity of White's Bog.
AMPHIBIANS that were head included: CARPENTER,
GREEN, and PINE BARRENS TREE FROGS, also FOWLER'S TOAD.
Here are some interesting extralimital bird reports of late:
In upstate New York, on June 24th & 25th (but
apparently not since), a male BROAD-BILLED
HUMMINGBIRD was at a feeder in Wayne County.
(It's always worth remembering that HUMMINGBIRDS,
even in the summer, should really be observed,
without the assumption that every one be
RUBY-THROATED. Just 99.9 percent of them.)
In Nova Scotia, Canada, this past week, on June
26th, a WESTERN REEF-HERON was found on Cape
Breton, along the shore of Big Glace Bay Lake.
That bird is native, as you may know, to places
such as the west coast of Africa, and India. It
has occurred in North America previously, but not often.
And that's it for now. More next time, including
the resumption of our Birdline Feature, as given each week on the radio.
Until next time, thank you for tuning in, and
good birding, wherever you may be.
- end transcript