It made the return trip seem a lot shorter with another state bird added to my list.
Sunday, October 17, 1999
Purple Gallinule in PA! ~ October 16, 1999
After getting out of work at 11:30 on Friday night, I made the 7-hour drive to Presque Isle State Park in Erie, arriving there in the morning. I and several other birders watched as a Purple Gallinule walked in the shallow water along the edge of Duck Pond. The bird was severely backlit by the early morning sun, but I was just glad to see the bird, let along get a photo of it.
Purple Gallinule at Presque Isle State Park, Erie County. Note the pale blue forehead shield, pale brown head and neck, and all-white undertail coverts. This immature bird, seen at the north end of Duck Pond, represents the 1st record for P.I.S.P. and Erie County.
It made the return trip seem a lot shorter with another state bird added to my list.
It made the return trip seem a lot shorter with another state bird added to my list.
Tuesday, July 27, 1999
Rhode Island Trip for Mongolian Plover! ~ July 26, 1999
Rick Wiltraut, Jason Horn, and I drove to Rhode Island to see the Mongolian Plover that visited Charlestown Beach. Our hike through waist-deep water to the mudflats was rewarded with great looks at this bird.
Mongolian Plover near Charlestown Beach, Rhode Island. The fact that this Asian bird was still in breeding plumage was an extra bonus.
Update: At the time of this sighting, this bird was known as a Mongolian Plover. It is now known as Lesser Sand-Plover. This was one of only a handful of eastern North American records at the time.
Update: At the time of this sighting, this bird was known as a Mongolian Plover. It is now known as Lesser Sand-Plover. This was one of only a handful of eastern North American records at the time.
Saturday, May 15, 1999
Lark Sparrow in PA! ~ May 14, 1999
I ventured to a farm near the town of Rock Springs where a Lark Sparrow had been found on May 10th. I first saw the bird in a tree near the farmhouse. Then, it dropped down into an adjacent field where I took this photo.
Lark Sparrow near Rock Springs, Centre County. Note the distinctive pattern on the head. The central breast spot on the plain gray breast is not visible in this photo.
This distinctive sparrow represented another new state bird for me.
This distinctive sparrow represented another new state bird for me.
Sunday, April 25, 1999
Prairie-Chicken Trip ~ April 19-20, 1999
Jason Horn, Babe Webster, and I decided to drive out to Kansas to try to get to see both Prairie-Chickens while on their leks. We left after dinner on the 19th, headed west on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-70 through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, driving through the night and arriving at Horseshoe Lake, northeast of East St. Louis, Illinois, on the morning of the 20th. Babe had never seen Eurasian Tree Sparrow, which we found fairly quickly in the campground area of Horseshoe Park.
Eurasian Tree Sparrow in the campground of Horseshoe Park at Horseshoe Lake near Fairmont City, Illinois.
We drove westward the rest of the day and reached Manhattan, Kansas, which had a Greater Prairie-Chicken lek nearby. We checked into the town's Motel 6 for some much-needed sleep.
We drove westward the rest of the day and reached Manhattan, Kansas, which had a Greater Prairie-Chicken lek nearby. We checked into the town's Motel 6 for some much-needed sleep.
Prairie-Chicken Trip ~ April 21, 1999
We awoke very early on the 21st so we could get to the lek blind on the Konza Prairie Research Natural Area well before daylight. When it finally got light enough to see, we found the Greater Prairie-Chickens displaying, some of them within 20 feet of us!
A male Greater Prairie-Chicken displaying on the Konza Prairie, south of Manhattan, Kansas.
A Northern Harrier sent the birds scurrying, but soon after it left, the birds returned and resumed displaying.
We left the northeastern part of the state and headed for the extreme southwestern corner. Midway between, we stopped at the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area near Great Bend. American Avocets and Western Grebes were just two of the many species seen there.
American Avocet at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area near Great Bend, Kansas.
Western Grebe at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area near Great Bend, Kansas.
The long list of additional species noted there included Eared and Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Little Blue Heron, Great and Snowy Egret, Black-crowned Night-Heron, American White Pelican, White-faced Ibis, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Swainson's Hawk, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, American Kestrel, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Baird's Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Hudsonian Godwit, Wilson's Phalarope, Black-necked Stilt, California and Franklin's Gull, Forster's Tern, Marsh Wren, Eastern Meadowlark, Yellow-headed and Brewer's Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, and Vesper and Savannah Sparrow.
We tore ourselves away from this birdy spot and continued southwest to the Cimarron National Grasslands.
We had enough time left to make a test-drive up to the lek. Although no free-roaming birds were present, a female was inside one of the cages used to trap and band the birds. We headed back to the town of Elkhart where we spent the night at the El Rancho Motel.
A Northern Harrier sent the birds scurrying, but soon after it left, the birds returned and resumed displaying.
We left the northeastern part of the state and headed for the extreme southwestern corner. Midway between, we stopped at the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area near Great Bend. American Avocets and Western Grebes were just two of the many species seen there.
The long list of additional species noted there included Eared and Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Little Blue Heron, Great and Snowy Egret, Black-crowned Night-Heron, American White Pelican, White-faced Ibis, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Swainson's Hawk, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, American Kestrel, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Baird's Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Hudsonian Godwit, Wilson's Phalarope, Black-necked Stilt, California and Franklin's Gull, Forster's Tern, Marsh Wren, Eastern Meadowlark, Yellow-headed and Brewer's Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, and Vesper and Savannah Sparrow.
We tore ourselves away from this birdy spot and continued southwest to the Cimarron National Grasslands.
We had enough time left to make a test-drive up to the lek. Although no free-roaming birds were present, a female was inside one of the cages used to trap and band the birds. We headed back to the town of Elkhart where we spent the night at the El Rancho Motel.
Prairie-Chicken Trip ~ April 22-23, 1999
April 22, 1999
Once again, we headed out very early this morning so we could get to the lek blind on the Cimarron National Grasslands. It had rained overnight and the dirt road to the lek was very muddy and slippery like that when driving in slushy snow. As first light, we could hear the birds, but we couldn't see anything through the thick fog. Eventually, the fog mostly burned off and we were able to get nice looks at 13 Lesser Prairie-Chickens.
Male Lesser Prairie-Chickens displaying on the Cimarron National Grasslands near Elkhart, Kansas.
A female Lesser Prairie-Chicken on the Cimarron National Grasslands near Elkhart, Kansas.
Eventually, the last few birds flew off and we left the blind. We drove the short distance south into the Oklahoma panhandle since none of us had ever been in that state before. Roadside birding there netted Horned Lark, Loggerhead Shrike, Vesper Sparrow, and Western Meadowlark.
Back inside the Cimarron National Grasslands, stops at and around the Cimarron River produced Swainson's and Ferruginous Hawk, Ring-necked Pheasant, Scaled Quail, Say's Phoebe, Rock Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, Brewer's, Vesper, Savannah, and Grasshopper Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, and Brewer's Blackbird.
We reluctantly headed northeastward toward home. The night was spent at the Motel 6 in Blue Springs, Missouri.
April 23, 1999
The entire day was spent driving back home. The driving was long and tedious, but we were rewarded with good looks at most of the birds, especially the two 'lifers'.
Once again, we headed out very early this morning so we could get to the lek blind on the Cimarron National Grasslands. It had rained overnight and the dirt road to the lek was very muddy and slippery like that when driving in slushy snow. As first light, we could hear the birds, but we couldn't see anything through the thick fog. Eventually, the fog mostly burned off and we were able to get nice looks at 13 Lesser Prairie-Chickens.
Eventually, the last few birds flew off and we left the blind. We drove the short distance south into the Oklahoma panhandle since none of us had ever been in that state before. Roadside birding there netted Horned Lark, Loggerhead Shrike, Vesper Sparrow, and Western Meadowlark.
Back inside the Cimarron National Grasslands, stops at and around the Cimarron River produced Swainson's and Ferruginous Hawk, Ring-necked Pheasant, Scaled Quail, Say's Phoebe, Rock Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, Brewer's, Vesper, Savannah, and Grasshopper Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, and Brewer's Blackbird.
We reluctantly headed northeastward toward home. The night was spent at the Motel 6 in Blue Springs, Missouri.
April 23, 1999
The entire day was spent driving back home. The driving was long and tedious, but we were rewarded with good looks at most of the birds, especially the two 'lifers'.
Saturday, February 20, 1999
Maryland Trip for Kelp Gull! ~ February 19, 1999
Babe Webster, Rick Wiltraut, and I drove to Maryland where we good great looks at the Kelp Gull that was reliably visiting a dock behind the Sea Breeze Restaurant near Sandgates.
Kelp Gull near Sandgates, Maryland on February 19, 1999. The bird was seen behind the Sea Breeze Restaurant. Although widespread in the Southern Hemisphere, it represents one of only a handful of North American records!
Sunday, January 3, 1999
Glaucous Gull in Northampton County! ~ January 2, 1999
While participating in the Bethlehem-Easton-Hellertown Christmas Bird Count, I stopped at the Chain Dam near Glendon to see what was there. I was amazed to find a first-winter Glaucous Gull! Since I was alone and without a camera, I drove back home, grabbed my camera, met up with Arlene Koch, and headed back down there. Luckily, the bird was still there and I was able to get a couple identifiable photos. This bird represents the 1st record for Northampton County!
Glaucous Gull at the Chain Dam near Glendon, Northampton County. Note the heavy, two-toned bill, large head and body, and unmarked wingtips.
Glaucous Gull at the Chain Dam near Glendon, Northampton County. Note the cream-colored appearance, heavy body, and unmarked wingtips.
It was great to be able to find another new bird for the county and add it to my county list.
It was great to be able to find another new bird for the county and add it to my county list.
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