The numbers of Snow Geese at the quarry have increased over the last week from a few hundred to several thousand. These photos were taken as many circled the quarry.
Saturday, November 27, 2021
Iceland Gull and Snow Geese returning to the Nazareth Quarry ~ November 28, 2021
A late afternoon stop at the Nazareth Quarry produced an adult Iceland Gull and quickly increasing numbers of Snow Geese. I managed to get some long-distance documentation photos of the Iceland Gull, which appeared to be the same bird that I saw two times before this past week.
The numbers of Snow Geese at the quarry have increased over the last week from a few hundred to several thousand. These photos were taken as many circled the quarry.
The numbers of Snow Geese at the quarry have increased over the last week from a few hundred to several thousand. These photos were taken as many circled the quarry.
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Iceland Gulls again at the Nazareth Quarry ~ November 24, 2021
Like back on the 21st, I stopped at the Nazareth Quarry in the late afternoon and, once again, found two Iceland Gulls among numbers of Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls. Again, due to the long distance and the failing light, I was only able to get documentation photos of the two, but these appear to be the same two birds seen the other day if you compare these photos with the ones taken on Sunday.
Sunday, November 21, 2021
Greater Yellowlegs and Iceland Gulls in Northampton County ~ November 21, 2021
An extremely late Greater Yellowlegs was spotted by Scott Singer and Jessica McNally at the Meyer Lane pond in Bethlehem Township. I went over, saw the bird, and got some nice photos of it. I stood as still as I could as the bird fed, bathed, preened, and eventually walked within ten feet of me!
Later in the day, I stopped at the Nazareth Quarry. There, I found two Iceland Gulls in a raft of gulls made up of mostly Lesser Black-backeds and several Herring Gulls. Due to the long distance and the failing light, I was only able to get documentation photos of the two.
Just inside the fence, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet perched for a whole second or two.
Later in the day, I stopped at the Nazareth Quarry. There, I found two Iceland Gulls in a raft of gulls made up of mostly Lesser Black-backeds and several Herring Gulls. Due to the long distance and the failing light, I was only able to get documentation photos of the two.
Just inside the fence, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet perched for a whole second or two.
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Northern Shrike in Northampton County ~ November 16 and 20, 2021
On Saturday the 13th, Joe Yuhas discovered a Northern Shrike at Ballas Park. I was in the middle of a home project and wasn't able to get up there to see it. I went there on Sunday and arrived just after the bird was seen by several birders and had flown off. Despite looking for a few hours, I was unable to find it. Tuesday afternoon, I made another drive up to see if I could find it. After about an hour of looking, I refound the bird just south of the trail where it splits and goes up to the central overlook with benches. I got some distant photos of it there. Thankfully, it flew over towards me and perched for over an hour in one of the tall trees by the trail split, which is where I got these photos.
UPDATE: After not being seen since Tuesday, the bird was seen off and on most of the day on Saturday the 20th. I refound the bird soon after I got there in the early afternoon. It spent almost all of the rest of the day just south of the trail where it splits and goes up to the central overlook with benches. I got this photo of it the one time that it perched in one of the tall trees by the trail split.
UPDATE: After not being seen since Tuesday, the bird was seen off and on most of the day on Saturday the 20th. I refound the bird soon after I got there in the early afternoon. It spent almost all of the rest of the day just south of the trail where it splits and goes up to the central overlook with benches. I got this photo of it the one time that it perched in one of the tall trees by the trail split.
Monday, November 8, 2021
Peregrine Falcon at the Newburg Road pond ~ November 8, 2021
Today's stop at the Newburg Road retention pond produced the continuing Greater Yellowlegs, several American Pipits and Killdeer, and a Great Blue Heron, but the star of the show was a Peregrine Falcon that was on one of the nearby power lines. I watched this banded bird launch after a small group of Mourning Doves. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful, although the Mourning Doves weren't upset about the outcome.
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Greater Yellowlegs still at Newburg Road pond ~ November 2, 2021
When I stopped at the Newburg Road retention pond, I found that the pumps were still running and that most of the water had been removed from it. A worker there told me that they have to drain the pond in order to clean out a screen in it. What that means for future water levels remains to be seen. I scanned the edge and found one Greater Yellowlegs and 5 Killdeer. It's getting very late for the Yellowlegs and, with the colder weather asserting itself this week, I doubt it will stick around much longer. I also spotted an American Pipit, which only allowed me to get a poor photo of before it flew off.
The small, brushy area with a few trees on the northeast corner of the pond produced 4 Eastern Bluebirds, 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and two Golden-crowned Kinglets. One of them flitted around right in front of me about a foot off the ground.
The small, brushy area with a few trees on the northeast corner of the pond produced 4 Eastern Bluebirds, 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and two Golden-crowned Kinglets. One of them flitted around right in front of me about a foot off the ground.
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