On the morning of the 25th, Eric Gulson and Teresa Pegan were at her parents' house in Aston, Delaware County looking at House Finches when a Hermit Warbler miraculously flew into a dogwood in the front yard! They got some cell phone video of it and the word got out. I spent the afternoon searching the area with a good number of other birders, but we came up empty. A couple Red-shouldered Hawks were a small consolation prize.
Saturday, November 26, 2022
The next morning, the bird was refound by Ross Gallardy just north of there in a line of white pines along the parking lot at the Chichester Baptist Church along Cherry Tree Road. It was observed off and on for about two hours before it flew off towards a nearby woodlot. I made the 90-minute drive but got there after it had flown and spent the rest of the day again searching in vain until dusk with Rick Wiltraut and other birders. Although we didn't see the warbler, another friend spotted an immature Golden Eagle, which eventually circled fairly close to us.
Other notables were two Red-shouldered Hawks and at least two Bald Eagles.
Sunday, November 27, 2022
At 5:30 AM, I met Rick at the William Penn Highway Park & Ride and we headed for Aston for a third day. We arrived at sunrise and watched the now famous row of pines. It wasn't looking too promising when, after about an hour of looking, the main sighting was that of a nearby Merlin.
At around 8:25, Devich Farbotnik spotted the Hermit Warbler! It mostly stayed near the inside part of the pines around three-fourths of the way up the tree where the thickest branches were, making it frustrating to get a clear look at it. At one point, it came to the outside of the tree where I got about a one-second look at it before it darted back inside. The yellow face and gray back was seen but much too briefly. It took close to another hour of watching until I was lucky enough to get a much better look and finally get photographs of this quick and well-hidden bird.
Rick and many others finally got a nice look at it when it finally came out in the open for maybe ten seconds.
This bird represents the 1st Pennsylvania record.
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