Later along Institute Drive, an adult Red-shouldered Hawk circled low as a Cooper's Hawk soared by.
Thursday, May 27, 2021
Raptors take the day in Upper Mount Bethel Township ~ May 27, 2021
A walk around Bear Swamp produced a calling Barred Owl, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Veery, Wood Thrush, Northern Waterthrush, and both Red-shouldered and Broad-winged Hawk.
Later along Institute Drive, an adult Red-shouldered Hawk circled low as a Cooper's Hawk soared by.
Later along Institute Drive, an adult Red-shouldered Hawk circled low as a Cooper's Hawk soared by.
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Nazareth Quarry and St. Luke's Anderson Campus ~ May 25, 2021
I checked out the Nazareth Quarry to see what might be there. Trying to look into the quarry through the leafed-out brush was a challenge to say the least, but I was surprised to find a male Ring-necked Duck sitting on the shore with a couple Mallards and a Snow Goose on the opposite shore. I took some extremely long-distant photos of both for documentation purposes.
A stop at the retention pond behind St. Luke's Hospital's Anderson Campus produced 2 Killdeer, 4 Least Sandpipers, one Northern Rough-winged, 16 Barn, and 4 Tree Swallows, an Eastern Kingbird, and an unexpected Horned Lark.
The area around and beyond the retention pond held a Yellow-throated Vireo, 2 Eastern Bluebirds, 2 Cedar Waxwings, an Orchard Oriole, 3 Common Yellowthroats, and 4 Field Sparrows.
A stop at the retention pond behind St. Luke's Hospital's Anderson Campus produced 2 Killdeer, 4 Least Sandpipers, one Northern Rough-winged, 16 Barn, and 4 Tree Swallows, an Eastern Kingbird, and an unexpected Horned Lark.
The area around and beyond the retention pond held a Yellow-throated Vireo, 2 Eastern Bluebirds, 2 Cedar Waxwings, an Orchard Oriole, 3 Common Yellowthroats, and 4 Field Sparrows.
Monday, May 24, 2021
Birding from the roof of the house! ~ May 24, 2021
I got the ladder out and went up on the roof to clean out the spoutings. While I was up there, I heard Blackpoll Warblers singing in the neighbor's spruces. So, I climbed back down, grabbed my camera, and went back up with it to see if I could find them. The great part about this was that I was now at the level of about two-thirds of the way up the spruces. Over the next hour, I saw 4 Blackpoll Warblers (now at eye level) and was surprised to also find a late male Blackburnian Warbler, too. Needless to say, there was a delay in the gutters getting cleaned out.
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for anyone else trying this and falling off of their roof!
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for anyone else trying this and falling off of their roof!
Sunday, May 23, 2021
Route 33 Boat Launch area and Hollo Road ~ May 23, 2021
I drove down to the Route 33 boat launch to see if the Prothonotary Warbler might have returned to the area. There was no sign of it, but I did find an Eastern Kingbird, 11 Cedar Waxwings, 6 Baltimore Orioles, and a mottled Scarlet Tanager plus 31 other species.
A stop at the Hollo Road retention pond revealed a Semipalmated Plover, a Killdeer, and 10 Least and 4 Spotted Sandpipers.
A stop at the Hollo Road retention pond revealed a Semipalmated Plover, a Killdeer, and 10 Least and 4 Spotted Sandpipers.
Saturday, May 22, 2021
Bear Swamp and the backyard ~ May 22, 2021
I checked out Bear Swamp hoping to find some thrushes but, instead, was lucky to happen upon a nesting box with a young Barred Owl in it under the watchful eyes of one of the parents. As soon as I got over the surprise of what I was seeing, I took a quick, two-second burst of photos of the owlet and then slowly backed off from it. I then carefully looked around the canopy and, as expected, found myself to be under surveillance. I took a few photos of the adult and then headed back out of the area.
It seems that I get to see only a small percentage of all the Blackpoll Warblers that I hear. Back home in the late afternoon after hearing one calling in the neighbor's spruces for a pretty long time, I finally got to see it and got a poor photo of it.
It seems that I get to see only a small percentage of all the Blackpoll Warblers that I hear. Back home in the late afternoon after hearing one calling in the neighbor's spruces for a pretty long time, I finally got to see it and got a poor photo of it.
Friday, May 21, 2021
Graver's Hill, Smith Gap, and Green Pond ~ May 21, 2021
With the landbird migration dwindling, I decided to drive up to Moore Township and check out Graver's Hill. There, I found singing Horned Larks and Savannah Sparrows.
I parked halfway up Smith Gap and walked the road up to the top of the mountain and back. Birds present included Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Black-and-white and Blackpoll Warbler, American Redstart, Scarlet Tanager, and Indigo Bunting.
A stop at the West Gremar Road retention pond produced two Semipalmated Plovers, 3 Killdeer, 9 Least Sandpipers, and a Greater Yellowlegs.
I parked halfway up Smith Gap and walked the road up to the top of the mountain and back. Birds present included Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Black-and-white and Blackpoll Warbler, American Redstart, Scarlet Tanager, and Indigo Bunting.
A stop at the West Gremar Road retention pond produced two Semipalmated Plovers, 3 Killdeer, 9 Least Sandpipers, and a Greater Yellowlegs.
Thursday, May 20, 2021
Another Upper Mount Bethel Township run ~ May 20, 2021
I started the day near Kirkridge where I was able to find Worm-eating and Cerulean Warbler, Great Crested Flycatcher, and Common Raven.
The only notables along Institute Drive were two Blackpoll Warblers. National Park Drive produced Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-shouldered Hawk, Swainson's Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Worm-eating Warbler, Indigo Bunting, and an Acadian Flycatcher making its emphatic two-note call along the stream.
I stopped at Lake Minsi and found (or refound) a Common Gallinule, this time from the eastern parking lot in the vicinity of an American Coot.
A Least Sandpiper worked the muddy edge of the fishing jetty at the western parking lot while two Tree Swallows argued over territory.
On the return, I stopped at the Hollo Road retention pond where a Semipalmated Plover was among 11 Least and 3 Spotted Sandpipers. Later, at Green Pond, a transitioning Orchard Oriole sang near the intersection by the pond.
The only notables along Institute Drive were two Blackpoll Warblers. National Park Drive produced Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-shouldered Hawk, Swainson's Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Worm-eating Warbler, Indigo Bunting, and an Acadian Flycatcher making its emphatic two-note call along the stream.
I stopped at Lake Minsi and found (or refound) a Common Gallinule, this time from the eastern parking lot in the vicinity of an American Coot.
A Least Sandpiper worked the muddy edge of the fishing jetty at the western parking lot while two Tree Swallows argued over territory.
On the return, I stopped at the Hollo Road retention pond where a Semipalmated Plover was among 11 Least and 3 Spotted Sandpipers. Later, at Green Pond, a transitioning Orchard Oriole sang near the intersection by the pond.
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Prothonotary Warbler along the Lehigh River ~ May 18, 2021
A visiting Virginia birder saw a Prothonotary Warbler somewhere along the Lehigh River on the 15th, but the location wasn't known until a few days later. I birded the area this morning and got to see and photograph the Prothonotary. Unfortunately, it wasn't seen again after that.
Five other warbler species were noted, including 2 Blackpoll Warblers. There was also a group of 14 Cedar Waxwings there. I got some photos of most of them lined up on the branches.
Once again today, the two Great Egrets continued at Green Pond.
Five other warbler species were noted, including 2 Blackpoll Warblers. There was also a group of 14 Cedar Waxwings there. I got some photos of most of them lined up on the branches.
Once again today, the two Great Egrets continued at Green Pond.
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