RBA
* Pennsylvania
* Philadelphia
* November 12, 2005
* PAPH1112.05
* Birds mentioned:
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
FRIGATEBIRDS (probably MAGNIFICENT) (de,nj,ri)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (md)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (de,nj,pa)
Northern Gannet
American Bittern
Cackling Goose
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (nj,pa)
ROSS' GOOSE (nj)
Gadwall
American Wigeon
both scaup
Ring-necked Duck
Redhead
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Surf Scoter (pa-2 places)
Black Scoter
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Bald Eagle (over 100, md)
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Wild Turkey
Virginia Rail
American Coot
Marbled Godwit (52 at 1 place)
Spotted Sandpiper
Dunlin
Long-billed Dowitcher
American Woodcock
FRANKLIN'S GULL (nj)
BLACK-TAILED GULL (vt)
Bonaparte's Gull
RUFOUS (or SELASPHORUS) HUMMINGBIRDS (nj,pa)
Eastern Screech-Owl
Long-eared Owl
WESTERN KINGBIRD (nj,pa)
CAVE SWALLOWS (various places)
Barn Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Winter Wrens (downtown Phl)
Red-breasted Nuthatch
both kinglets
American Robin
Hermit Thrush
Gray Catbird
Northern Shrike (2 in nj)
Cedar Waxwing
American Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler (late)
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER (extralimital - Maine)
Palm Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Blue Grosbeak (late)
Sparrows: White-throated, White-crowned, Song,
Savannah, Lincoln's, Vesper, Chipping, Swamp, Field, Fox
Dark-eyed Junco
Snow Bunting (in photo gallery)
Rusty Blackbird
American Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak (ny)
upcoming pelagic trip announcement
Philadelphia Birdline
Date: November 12, 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
This is the Philadelphia Birdline, revised for
Saturday, November 12th - 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 with you.
This time, on the Birdline, birds from the SOUTH:
FRIGATEBIRDS have been seen in New Jersey,
Delaware, and Rhode Island. A NEOTROPIC CORMORANT
has been in Maryland and Virginia (1 bird along the Potomac).
And birds from the WEST, such as: WESTERN
KINGBIRDS in Pennsylvania & New Jersey, western
SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRDS in PA & NJ, with at
least 1 confirmed RUFOUS, FRANKLIN'S GULLS at a
few places in the East, and CAVE SWALLOWS in
numbers, many places, from the shores of the
Great Lakes to that of the Atlantic.
Let's start in New Jersey, where FRIGATEBIRD,
FRANKLIN'S GULL, and CAVE SWALLOWS have all been at Cape May.
First, the New Jersey FRIGATEBIRD sightings
(presumably MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRDS):
A female was seen in the sky over Barnegat Light
on Sunday, November 6th. That's at the north end of Long Beach Island.
Further south on Long Beach Island, that same
day, apparently that same bird was seen over Holgate.
The next day, November 7th, a FRIGATEBIRD was
seen at Cape May Point, circling over Sunset
Beach. That bird was watched for about 30 minutes
before it was seen heading out over the Delaware Bay toward Delaware.
In Delaware that afternoon, Monday, November 7th,
2 FRIGATEBIRDS were seen at Lewes, a male and a female.
Back in New Jersey, at the north end of the
Jersey Shore, 2 different FRIGATEBIRDS were seen
at Sandy Hook on Wednesday, November 9th. One was
with a white breast and head. The other was all-dark.
(Further north, in Rhode Island, a female
FRIGATEBIRD was observed on Monday, November 7th,
in Middletown over Sachuest Point, where it was
seen flying south and then out of sight.)
In New Jersey, and elsewhere, CAVE SWALLOWS have
been seen this past week. At Cape May, an
estimated 135 were seen yesterday, Thursday,
November 10th, from the hawk-watch. Earlier in
the week, there were smaller numbers of CAVE
SWALLOWS seen at Cape May, along with some BARN and ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS.
Along the seashore of Long Island, New York, at
Jones Beach, there were sightings of CAVE SWALLOW
(apparently a single bird) on Tuesday, November
8th. That's nice, but in upstate New York, along
the shore of Lake Ontario, over a hundred (112)
CAVE SWALLOWS were counted flying west at Hamlin
Beach State Park - flock after flock, the biggest
group was of about 20. It's said that they
appeared to be the Mexican subspecies.
It should be noted that the CAVE SWALLOW
population (of the Mexican race) has increased
dramatically in recent years in Texas and New
Mexico (where they breed, in culverts & under
bridges). And numbers there outside the breeding
season have risen as well, with the species
regular there now in the winter.
In Pennsylvania, along the shoreline of Lake
Erie, in northwestern Pennsylvania, 2 CAVE
SWALLOWS were seen west of Presque Isle, also on
Tuesday, November 8th. The next day, at least 6
CAVE SWALLOWS were seen in Erie, PA.
CAVE SWALLOWS have also been seen lately in
upstate PA in Warren County, at the Kinzua Dam,
where on November 4th, probably 5 were seen. CAVE
SWALLOWS have also been reported at various other
places in central Pennsylvania.
Back on October 30th, in south-central PA, along
the Susquehanna River, a CAVE SWALLOW was seen
near the Conejohela Flats, in Washington Boro, Lancaster County.
This past weekend at the Conejohela Flats, on
Sunday, November 6th, the only SWALLOWS seen were
TREE. But other birds included a single male SURF
SCOTER, 5 SCAUP (both species), a HORNED GREBE, and 3 DUNLIN.
In various places in Pennsylvania and New Jersey,
there have recently been SELASPHORUS
HUMMINGBIRDS. We used to say RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS
nearly all the time, and we used to be right most of the time.
An immature RUFOUS or ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD has
been in Gloucester County in a place called
Verga. It continued through at least November 8th.
Further north in New Jersey, a RUFOUS/ALLEN'S
HUMMINGBIRD was at a feeder in New Brunswick,
November 5th & 6th. Not since.
In Pennsylvania, there have been 2 such
SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRDS together in Chester
County, seen on Tuesday, November 8th in
Elverson, one either a female or immature male;
the other presumably an adult female. At the yard
with these 2 hummingbirds, there are several
plantings of PINEAPPLE SAGE in full bloom. The
adult female was later banded. It's an adult female RUFOUS.
In Monroe County PA, a RUFOUS/ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD
TYPE was seen quickly the morning of Sunday,
November 6th. It was seen feeding for several
minutes at PINEAPPLE SAGE, but unfortunately it was not seen again.
Also last weekend, November 5-6, a RUFOUS/ALLEN'S
TYPE HUMMINGBIRD sporadically visited a yard in
Elkins Park, in Montgomery County PA. In that
yard, again, PINEAPPLE SAGE. Also: LAMIUM and CLERODENDRON.
The FRANKLIN'S GULL already noted as being at
Cape May NJ was on the beach there, at Cape May
Point, on Tuesday, November 8th.
(Another FRANKLIN'S GULL was observed further
north along the Atlantic Seaboard, on November
3rd, in Rhode Island, at a place called
Jerusalem, and then flying toward a place called
Galilee. And other FRANKLIN'S GULLS have been
observed lately in Massachusetts, at Cape Ann on
October 29th, in Nova Scotia on November 2nd, and
even further north in Canada, in Newfoundland,
thru November 1st. These birds may have continued
beyond those dates. This week, FRANKLIN'S GULL
has also been noted at Niagara Falls, New York.)
Also in the GULL-DEPARTMENT, probably the best
around lately in the Northeast has been in
Vermont: a BLACK-TAILED GULL at Lake Champlain.
On Friday, November 4th, it was in that area at the Charlotte Town Beach.
Back in our region, back in New Jersey:
At Island Beach State Park, along the New Jersey
Shore, a NORTHERN SHRIKE was in the cedars just
west of the entrance booth on Tuesday, November
8th. Another NORTHERN SHRIKE was observed in New
Jersey, in the northern part of the state, on
November 2nd, in Sussex County, near Peter's Valley.
At Brigantine Island, on Sunday, November 6th,
there were 52 MARBLED GODWITS, on the mudflats
west of Route 87 shortly after the bridge over the Absecon Channel.
A ROSS' GOOSE was found at the Brigantine
National Wildlife Refuge, northwest of Atlantic
City, on Saturday, November 5th. Birds found
there the previous day, Friday, November 4th
included these: AMERICAN BITTERN, LONG-EARED OWL,
and 15 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS. Also there that
day was an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN.
In Southwest Philadelphia, an AMERICAN WHITE
PELICAN was seen on Saturday morning, November
5th, at the impoundment of the John Heinz, or
Tinicum, Refuge, not far from the Philadelphia
Airport. That PELICAN, although looked for, was not seen again later.
3 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were seen yesterday,
November 10th, in Delaware, at the Bombay Hook
Refuge, at the marsh opposite Shearness Pool. 2
were adults, 1 an immature.
In Philadelphia, in the afternoon on Thursday,
November 10th, a SURF SCOTER was seen in the FDR
Park, in South Philadelphia, by the southwest
corner of Broad Street and Pattison Ave. It was
on the largest of the pools there.
The previous morning, November 9th, at the FDR
Park in South Philadelphia, there was a large
number of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, about 50 or 60. They
were with RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and GRACKLES.
Also that morning at FDR, there was a large
number of SPARROW, including: WHITE-THROATED,
SONG, CHIPPING, SWAMP, FIELD, and many FOX
SPARROWS. Also many JUNCOS. And many
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, with a few RUBY-CROWNED.
DUCKS on the pools (where the SCOTER was found
the next day) included: GADWALL, WIGEON,
BUFFLEHEAD, and RUDDY DUCKS. Also PIED-BILLED GREBES and many COOTS.
In Center City Philadelphia, on Quince Street
lately, there have been 3 or 4 WINTER WRENS,
daily, along with recently, a female COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT. GOLDFINCHES and SPARROWS
(WHITE-THROATED & CHIPPING) have been at a feeder in the area there.
Also in Philadelphia, at the University of
Pennsylvania Biopond, there have also been WINTER
WRENS lately, seen November 3-4 & 7-8. One time
two birds were seen. The holly near the picnic
area is their favored morning site. Later in the
day, and toward evening, they've tended to be in
the "back corner" near the parking lot. Also at
the U of P Biopond on November 8th was a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET.
West of Philadelphia, at the Rose Tree Hawk
Watch, in Rose Tree Park, northwest of Media, a
single juvenile BALD EAGLE flew by yesterday,
November 10th. That single BALD EAGLE was the
282nd there, at that hawk-watch, this season. The
total number of RAPTORS there this season, thus
far, has been 6,112. Of those 2300 have been
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, and 1600 have been
SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS. There have been 2 GOLDEN
EAGLES. The ratio of RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS to
RED-TAILED HAWKS is interesting: 218 RED-SHOULDERED and 265 RED-TAILED.
A place where there have been many BALD EAGLES
lately has been at the Conowingo Dam, where US
Route 1 meets the Susquehanna River, in Maryland.
On Monday, November 7th, over a hundred were
tallied there. some were seen catching fish in
the river. Others were watched stealing them from
other EAGLES. Most were immature birds, about 5 or 6 to every adult.
Back in Delaware County PA, in Radnor Township,
yesterday, November 10th, several flocks of
BLUEBIRDS were seen, as were: several RUSTY
BLACKBIRDS (4), and a PIPIT. 4 GEESE flew overhead. 1 was a CACKLING.
Last Saturday morning, November 5th, a late
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER was seen in the
Ridley Creek State Park, along the bike trail.
The latest date, previously there, for that observer was October 15th.
Also a late-date, an immature BLUE GROSBEAK was
noted back on October 24th in Chester County PA,
at the Bucktoe Creek Tract in New Garden
Township. Also notable, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
was seen there back on October 22nd.
In Bucks County, in the area of Peace Valley,
noted this past week was a big decline in the
number of PURPLE FINCHES. Now, almost all gone. SPARROWS are less.
Birds still present included: RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH, both KINGLETS, WINTER WREN, HERMIT
THRUSH, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.
WHITE-CROWNED and SAVANNAH SPARROWS continued.
LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen through at least
November 2nd; FOX SPARROW through November 5th.
VESPER SPARROWS November 1st & 3rd.
GREBES lately at Peace Valley have been
PIED-BILLED and HORNED. GEESE have included GREATER WHITE-FRONTED and CACKLING.
2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS were present on November
5th. 2 CATBIRDS that same day. 2 BONAPARTE'S
GULLS through the week, last week. PALM WARBLER on November 4th.
And a SNOW BUNTING was seen at Peace Valley, and
photographed, on Saturday morning, November 5th.
That photograph is in the Birdline Photo Gallery
in the web-site: www.focusonnature.com
Scroll down the left side of the home-page.
In eastern Pennsylvania, north of Bucks County, a
WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen this past Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday, November 4-6, on private
property in Northampton County. It was not seen
there on Monday or Tuesday, November 7 & 8. And
not since, as far as we know.
Let's go back to the Cape May, New Jersey area
again. These birds have been noted there on Saturday, November, 5th:
At the Cape May Meadows:
AMERICAN BITTERN, VIRGINIA RAIL, and EASTERN SCREECH-OWL (heard calling).
At Cape May Point:
BLACK SCOTER, REDHEAD, GANNET, and BLACK-THROATED
GREEN WARBLER near the hawk-watch.
At Higbee Beach:
GOSHAWK, MERLIN, WESTERN KINGBIRD (a fly-over),
WINTER WREN (a low fly-by), and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER.
Back in Pennsylvania, in Chester County, at
various bodies of water, birds recently have included:
These, on November 6th, at Marsh Creek: a COMMON
LOON, 140 RUDDY DUCKS, and a MERLIN.
Yesterday, November 10th:
At Marsh Creek: 94 RUDDY DUCKS, a couple GOLDENEYE, a PIED-BILLED GREBE.
At Strueble Lake: 2 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 4 HOODED
MERGANSERS, 12 BUFFLEHEAD, 2 adult BALD EAGLES.
At Chambers Lake: 6 HOODED MERGANSERS, 2 BUFFLEHEAD, 1 adult BALD EAGLE.
At the Coatesville Reservoir: RING-NECKED DUCKS
(17), RUDDY DUCK (27), and 3 PIED-BILLED GREBES.
Last week in eastern Chester County:
5 TURKEYS and a WOODCOCK were noted at the nature
preserve at Skelp Level Road and Route 322.
And a couple flocks of birds were notable:
about 2,000 ROBINS in trees around the Chesterbrook Academy Daycare Center,
and over 100 CEDAR WAXWINGS in Miller Park in Exton.
Now, an announcement regarding an upcoming pelagic birding trip:
A few places are still available on the pelagic
trip scheduled to go from Barnegat Light, NJ, on
Sunday, December 4th. 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".
Lastly, here, a few final items from further afield:
For a few weeks now, a NEOTROPIC CORMORANT has
been in the Washington DC area. It's been seen,
at times, at the Violette's Lock of the C&O Canal
in Maryland. Yesterday, November 10th, it was
seen below the Pennyfield Lock of the canal,
downstream from milepost 19. It was seen sitting
on a rock in the Potomac River. It was last seen
swimming toward the Virginia bank of the river.
Also out of our immediate region, a
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER was noted last week
at Cape Elizabeth in Maine. Another westerner noted here.
Also interesting from north of us is that EVENING
GROSBEAKS have been reported recently in New York
State. On November 1st, one was at a bird bath in
Rhinebeck, Dutchess County. Only one yes, but how
long has it been since you've seen an EVENING GROSBEAK (even 1) in our area?
That's all here for now. No Birdline Feature here
this week (no time, no space). This week, it's on
Birdline Delaware, a two-part feature regarding the AVIAN FLU.
Til next time, good birding wherever you may be,
and thank you for tuning in to the Birdline.
- end transcript
* Pennsylvania
* Philadelphia
* November 12, 2005
* PAPH1112.05
* Birds mentioned:
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
FRIGATEBIRDS (probably MAGNIFICENT) (de,nj,ri)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (md)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (de,nj,pa)
Northern Gannet
American Bittern
Cackling Goose
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (nj,pa)
ROSS' GOOSE (nj)
Gadwall
American Wigeon
both scaup
Ring-necked Duck
Redhead
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Surf Scoter (pa-2 places)
Black Scoter
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Bald Eagle (over 100, md)
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Wild Turkey
Virginia Rail
American Coot
Marbled Godwit (52 at 1 place)
Spotted Sandpiper
Dunlin
Long-billed Dowitcher
American Woodcock
FRANKLIN'S GULL (nj)
BLACK-TAILED GULL (vt)
Bonaparte's Gull
RUFOUS (or SELASPHORUS) HUMMINGBIRDS (nj,pa)
Eastern Screech-Owl
Long-eared Owl
WESTERN KINGBIRD (nj,pa)
CAVE SWALLOWS (various places)
Barn Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Winter Wrens (downtown Phl)
Red-breasted Nuthatch
both kinglets
American Robin
Hermit Thrush
Gray Catbird
Northern Shrike (2 in nj)
Cedar Waxwing
American Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler (late)
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER (extralimital - Maine)
Palm Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Blue Grosbeak (late)
Sparrows: White-throated, White-crowned, Song,
Savannah, Lincoln's, Vesper, Chipping, Swamp, Field, Fox
Dark-eyed Junco
Snow Bunting (in photo gallery)
Rusty Blackbird
American Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak (ny)
upcoming pelagic trip announcement
Philadelphia Birdline
Date: November 12, 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
This is the Philadelphia Birdline, revised for
Saturday, November 12th - 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 with you.
This time, on the Birdline, birds from the SOUTH:
FRIGATEBIRDS have been seen in New Jersey,
Delaware, and Rhode Island. A NEOTROPIC CORMORANT
has been in Maryland and Virginia (1 bird along the Potomac).
And birds from the WEST, such as: WESTERN
KINGBIRDS in Pennsylvania & New Jersey, western
SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRDS in PA & NJ, with at
least 1 confirmed RUFOUS, FRANKLIN'S GULLS at a
few places in the East, and CAVE SWALLOWS in
numbers, many places, from the shores of the
Great Lakes to that of the Atlantic.
Let's start in New Jersey, where FRIGATEBIRD,
FRANKLIN'S GULL, and CAVE SWALLOWS have all been at Cape May.
First, the New Jersey FRIGATEBIRD sightings
(presumably MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRDS):
A female was seen in the sky over Barnegat Light
on Sunday, November 6th. That's at the north end of Long Beach Island.
Further south on Long Beach Island, that same
day, apparently that same bird was seen over Holgate.
The next day, November 7th, a FRIGATEBIRD was
seen at Cape May Point, circling over Sunset
Beach. That bird was watched for about 30 minutes
before it was seen heading out over the Delaware Bay toward Delaware.
In Delaware that afternoon, Monday, November 7th,
2 FRIGATEBIRDS were seen at Lewes, a male and a female.
Back in New Jersey, at the north end of the
Jersey Shore, 2 different FRIGATEBIRDS were seen
at Sandy Hook on Wednesday, November 9th. One was
with a white breast and head. The other was all-dark.
(Further north, in Rhode Island, a female
FRIGATEBIRD was observed on Monday, November 7th,
in Middletown over Sachuest Point, where it was
seen flying south and then out of sight.)
In New Jersey, and elsewhere, CAVE SWALLOWS have
been seen this past week. At Cape May, an
estimated 135 were seen yesterday, Thursday,
November 10th, from the hawk-watch. Earlier in
the week, there were smaller numbers of CAVE
SWALLOWS seen at Cape May, along with some BARN and ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS.
Along the seashore of Long Island, New York, at
Jones Beach, there were sightings of CAVE SWALLOW
(apparently a single bird) on Tuesday, November
8th. That's nice, but in upstate New York, along
the shore of Lake Ontario, over a hundred (112)
CAVE SWALLOWS were counted flying west at Hamlin
Beach State Park - flock after flock, the biggest
group was of about 20. It's said that they
appeared to be the Mexican subspecies.
It should be noted that the CAVE SWALLOW
population (of the Mexican race) has increased
dramatically in recent years in Texas and New
Mexico (where they breed, in culverts & under
bridges). And numbers there outside the breeding
season have risen as well, with the species
regular there now in the winter.
In Pennsylvania, along the shoreline of Lake
Erie, in northwestern Pennsylvania, 2 CAVE
SWALLOWS were seen west of Presque Isle, also on
Tuesday, November 8th. The next day, at least 6
CAVE SWALLOWS were seen in Erie, PA.
CAVE SWALLOWS have also been seen lately in
upstate PA in Warren County, at the Kinzua Dam,
where on November 4th, probably 5 were seen. CAVE
SWALLOWS have also been reported at various other
places in central Pennsylvania.
Back on October 30th, in south-central PA, along
the Susquehanna River, a CAVE SWALLOW was seen
near the Conejohela Flats, in Washington Boro, Lancaster County.
This past weekend at the Conejohela Flats, on
Sunday, November 6th, the only SWALLOWS seen were
TREE. But other birds included a single male SURF
SCOTER, 5 SCAUP (both species), a HORNED GREBE, and 3 DUNLIN.
In various places in Pennsylvania and New Jersey,
there have recently been SELASPHORUS
HUMMINGBIRDS. We used to say RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS
nearly all the time, and we used to be right most of the time.
An immature RUFOUS or ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD has
been in Gloucester County in a place called
Verga. It continued through at least November 8th.
Further north in New Jersey, a RUFOUS/ALLEN'S
HUMMINGBIRD was at a feeder in New Brunswick,
November 5th & 6th. Not since.
In Pennsylvania, there have been 2 such
SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRDS together in Chester
County, seen on Tuesday, November 8th in
Elverson, one either a female or immature male;
the other presumably an adult female. At the yard
with these 2 hummingbirds, there are several
plantings of PINEAPPLE SAGE in full bloom. The
adult female was later banded. It's an adult female RUFOUS.
In Monroe County PA, a RUFOUS/ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD
TYPE was seen quickly the morning of Sunday,
November 6th. It was seen feeding for several
minutes at PINEAPPLE SAGE, but unfortunately it was not seen again.
Also last weekend, November 5-6, a RUFOUS/ALLEN'S
TYPE HUMMINGBIRD sporadically visited a yard in
Elkins Park, in Montgomery County PA. In that
yard, again, PINEAPPLE SAGE. Also: LAMIUM and CLERODENDRON.
The FRANKLIN'S GULL already noted as being at
Cape May NJ was on the beach there, at Cape May
Point, on Tuesday, November 8th.
(Another FRANKLIN'S GULL was observed further
north along the Atlantic Seaboard, on November
3rd, in Rhode Island, at a place called
Jerusalem, and then flying toward a place called
Galilee. And other FRANKLIN'S GULLS have been
observed lately in Massachusetts, at Cape Ann on
October 29th, in Nova Scotia on November 2nd, and
even further north in Canada, in Newfoundland,
thru November 1st. These birds may have continued
beyond those dates. This week, FRANKLIN'S GULL
has also been noted at Niagara Falls, New York.)
Also in the GULL-DEPARTMENT, probably the best
around lately in the Northeast has been in
Vermont: a BLACK-TAILED GULL at Lake Champlain.
On Friday, November 4th, it was in that area at the Charlotte Town Beach.
Back in our region, back in New Jersey:
At Island Beach State Park, along the New Jersey
Shore, a NORTHERN SHRIKE was in the cedars just
west of the entrance booth on Tuesday, November
8th. Another NORTHERN SHRIKE was observed in New
Jersey, in the northern part of the state, on
November 2nd, in Sussex County, near Peter's Valley.
At Brigantine Island, on Sunday, November 6th,
there were 52 MARBLED GODWITS, on the mudflats
west of Route 87 shortly after the bridge over the Absecon Channel.
A ROSS' GOOSE was found at the Brigantine
National Wildlife Refuge, northwest of Atlantic
City, on Saturday, November 5th. Birds found
there the previous day, Friday, November 4th
included these: AMERICAN BITTERN, LONG-EARED OWL,
and 15 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS. Also there that
day was an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN.
In Southwest Philadelphia, an AMERICAN WHITE
PELICAN was seen on Saturday morning, November
5th, at the impoundment of the John Heinz, or
Tinicum, Refuge, not far from the Philadelphia
Airport. That PELICAN, although looked for, was not seen again later.
3 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were seen yesterday,
November 10th, in Delaware, at the Bombay Hook
Refuge, at the marsh opposite Shearness Pool. 2
were adults, 1 an immature.
In Philadelphia, in the afternoon on Thursday,
November 10th, a SURF SCOTER was seen in the FDR
Park, in South Philadelphia, by the southwest
corner of Broad Street and Pattison Ave. It was
on the largest of the pools there.
The previous morning, November 9th, at the FDR
Park in South Philadelphia, there was a large
number of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, about 50 or 60. They
were with RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and GRACKLES.
Also that morning at FDR, there was a large
number of SPARROW, including: WHITE-THROATED,
SONG, CHIPPING, SWAMP, FIELD, and many FOX
SPARROWS. Also many JUNCOS. And many
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, with a few RUBY-CROWNED.
DUCKS on the pools (where the SCOTER was found
the next day) included: GADWALL, WIGEON,
BUFFLEHEAD, and RUDDY DUCKS. Also PIED-BILLED GREBES and many COOTS.
In Center City Philadelphia, on Quince Street
lately, there have been 3 or 4 WINTER WRENS,
daily, along with recently, a female COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT. GOLDFINCHES and SPARROWS
(WHITE-THROATED & CHIPPING) have been at a feeder in the area there.
Also in Philadelphia, at the University of
Pennsylvania Biopond, there have also been WINTER
WRENS lately, seen November 3-4 & 7-8. One time
two birds were seen. The holly near the picnic
area is their favored morning site. Later in the
day, and toward evening, they've tended to be in
the "back corner" near the parking lot. Also at
the U of P Biopond on November 8th was a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET.
West of Philadelphia, at the Rose Tree Hawk
Watch, in Rose Tree Park, northwest of Media, a
single juvenile BALD EAGLE flew by yesterday,
November 10th. That single BALD EAGLE was the
282nd there, at that hawk-watch, this season. The
total number of RAPTORS there this season, thus
far, has been 6,112. Of those 2300 have been
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, and 1600 have been
SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS. There have been 2 GOLDEN
EAGLES. The ratio of RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS to
RED-TAILED HAWKS is interesting: 218 RED-SHOULDERED and 265 RED-TAILED.
A place where there have been many BALD EAGLES
lately has been at the Conowingo Dam, where US
Route 1 meets the Susquehanna River, in Maryland.
On Monday, November 7th, over a hundred were
tallied there. some were seen catching fish in
the river. Others were watched stealing them from
other EAGLES. Most were immature birds, about 5 or 6 to every adult.
Back in Delaware County PA, in Radnor Township,
yesterday, November 10th, several flocks of
BLUEBIRDS were seen, as were: several RUSTY
BLACKBIRDS (4), and a PIPIT. 4 GEESE flew overhead. 1 was a CACKLING.
Last Saturday morning, November 5th, a late
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER was seen in the
Ridley Creek State Park, along the bike trail.
The latest date, previously there, for that observer was October 15th.
Also a late-date, an immature BLUE GROSBEAK was
noted back on October 24th in Chester County PA,
at the Bucktoe Creek Tract in New Garden
Township. Also notable, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
was seen there back on October 22nd.
In Bucks County, in the area of Peace Valley,
noted this past week was a big decline in the
number of PURPLE FINCHES. Now, almost all gone. SPARROWS are less.
Birds still present included: RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH, both KINGLETS, WINTER WREN, HERMIT
THRUSH, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.
WHITE-CROWNED and SAVANNAH SPARROWS continued.
LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen through at least
November 2nd; FOX SPARROW through November 5th.
VESPER SPARROWS November 1st & 3rd.
GREBES lately at Peace Valley have been
PIED-BILLED and HORNED. GEESE have included GREATER WHITE-FRONTED and CACKLING.
2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS were present on November
5th. 2 CATBIRDS that same day. 2 BONAPARTE'S
GULLS through the week, last week. PALM WARBLER on November 4th.
And a SNOW BUNTING was seen at Peace Valley, and
photographed, on Saturday morning, November 5th.
That photograph is in the Birdline Photo Gallery
in the web-site: www.focusonnature.com
Scroll down the left side of the home-page.
In eastern Pennsylvania, north of Bucks County, a
WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen this past Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday, November 4-6, on private
property in Northampton County. It was not seen
there on Monday or Tuesday, November 7 & 8. And
not since, as far as we know.
Let's go back to the Cape May, New Jersey area
again. These birds have been noted there on Saturday, November, 5th:
At the Cape May Meadows:
AMERICAN BITTERN, VIRGINIA RAIL, and EASTERN SCREECH-OWL (heard calling).
At Cape May Point:
BLACK SCOTER, REDHEAD, GANNET, and BLACK-THROATED
GREEN WARBLER near the hawk-watch.
At Higbee Beach:
GOSHAWK, MERLIN, WESTERN KINGBIRD (a fly-over),
WINTER WREN (a low fly-by), and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER.
Back in Pennsylvania, in Chester County, at
various bodies of water, birds recently have included:
These, on November 6th, at Marsh Creek: a COMMON
LOON, 140 RUDDY DUCKS, and a MERLIN.
Yesterday, November 10th:
At Marsh Creek: 94 RUDDY DUCKS, a couple GOLDENEYE, a PIED-BILLED GREBE.
At Strueble Lake: 2 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 4 HOODED
MERGANSERS, 12 BUFFLEHEAD, 2 adult BALD EAGLES.
At Chambers Lake: 6 HOODED MERGANSERS, 2 BUFFLEHEAD, 1 adult BALD EAGLE.
At the Coatesville Reservoir: RING-NECKED DUCKS
(17), RUDDY DUCK (27), and 3 PIED-BILLED GREBES.
Last week in eastern Chester County:
5 TURKEYS and a WOODCOCK were noted at the nature
preserve at Skelp Level Road and Route 322.
And a couple flocks of birds were notable:
about 2,000 ROBINS in trees around the Chesterbrook Academy Daycare Center,
and over 100 CEDAR WAXWINGS in Miller Park in Exton.
Now, an announcement regarding an upcoming pelagic birding trip:
A few places are still available on the pelagic
trip scheduled to go from Barnegat Light, NJ, on
Sunday, December 4th. 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".
Lastly, here, a few final items from further afield:
For a few weeks now, a NEOTROPIC CORMORANT has
been in the Washington DC area. It's been seen,
at times, at the Violette's Lock of the C&O Canal
in Maryland. Yesterday, November 10th, it was
seen below the Pennyfield Lock of the canal,
downstream from milepost 19. It was seen sitting
on a rock in the Potomac River. It was last seen
swimming toward the Virginia bank of the river.
Also out of our immediate region, a
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER was noted last week
at Cape Elizabeth in Maine. Another westerner noted here.
Also interesting from north of us is that EVENING
GROSBEAKS have been reported recently in New York
State. On November 1st, one was at a bird bath in
Rhinebeck, Dutchess County. Only one yes, but how
long has it been since you've seen an EVENING GROSBEAK (even 1) in our area?
That's all here for now. No Birdline Feature here
this week (no time, no space). This week, it's on
Birdline Delaware, a two-part feature regarding the AVIAN FLU.
Til next time, good birding wherever you may be,
and thank you for tuning in to the Birdline.
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