I went to Bear Swamp since it's a place I've seen Gray-cheeked Thrushes in past years. Wood Thrush and Veery were present, but there weren't any Gray-cheekeds or Swainson's there. I did find 2 Acadian Flycatchers, a Yellow-throated Vireo, a Scarlet Tanager, and this Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
Before heading home, I stopped at Green Pond and found a Lesser Yellowlegs, 5 Least Sandpipers, 2 Great Blue Herons, a Green Heron, 3 Eastern Kingbirds, a Warbling Vireo, a Cedar Waxwing, an Orchard Oriole, and a Yellow Warbler.
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Green Pond and Newburg Park Pond ~ May 21, 2024
I checked out Green Pond and found 5 Semipalmated Plovers, 3 Great Blue Herons, a Green Heron, a Warbling Vireo, a Baltimore Oriole, and a Yellow Warbler.
I then birded the Newburg Park retention pond, formerly known as the West Gremar Road retention pond, and saw 2 Semipalmated Plovers, a Solitary Sandpiper, a Spotted Sandpiper, and 5 Least Sandpipers.
I then birded the Newburg Park retention pond, formerly known as the West Gremar Road retention pond, and saw 2 Semipalmated Plovers, a Solitary Sandpiper, a Spotted Sandpiper, and 5 Least Sandpipers.
Monday, May 20, 2024
Plainfield and Lower Mount Bethel Townships ~ May 20, 2024
I birded the portion of the Plainfield Township Recreation Trail near Knitters Hill Road and found both Alder Flycatcher and Willow Flycatcher. Luckily, they were both singing, which made identification a lot easier.
A visit to Grand Central landfill's nature center area produced a Blue Grosbeak, which posed nicely in a tree along the driveway.
My next stop was the farmland along Miller Road. There, I heard and then saw a Grasshopper Sparrow singing its insect-like song.
A stop on the way home at Green Pond produced 2 Semipalmated Plovers, a Great Blue Heron, a Green Heron, 2 Eastern Kingbirds, a Warbling Vireo, and a Baltimore Oriole.
A visit to Grand Central landfill's nature center area produced a Blue Grosbeak, which posed nicely in a tree along the driveway.
My next stop was the farmland along Miller Road. There, I heard and then saw a Grasshopper Sparrow singing its insect-like song.
A stop on the way home at Green Pond produced 2 Semipalmated Plovers, a Great Blue Heron, a Green Heron, 2 Eastern Kingbirds, a Warbling Vireo, and a Baltimore Oriole.
Sunday, May 19, 2024
Swainson's Warbler AND Kentucky Warbler in Northampton County! ~ May 19, 2024
Adam Miller had found a Kentucky Warbler yesterday behind the Slateford Historical Farm in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. I got there around 7:30 AM and immediately heard the bird singing in the same area. I was trying to get a look at it as it sang regularly when I got a call from Adam. He, Adam Smith, and his son Owen Smith had a bird singing loudly that they couldn't quite identify and wanted to know if I was in the area. Amazingly, I was only about about a hundred yards away and quickly met up with them. The bird sang very loudly and sounded like a Louisiana Waterthrush but with a more abrupt ending. Adam Smith suggested that it might be a Swainson's Warbler. A check of that song matched perfectly. It moved farther up the trail and despite it sounding like we were only a few feet away from it, none of us could see it. It then moved farther uphill away from the trail in the thick brush. Adam Miller decided to push his way through and eventually saw it and got a quick, poor photo of it, but it was good enough to confirm that the bird was indeed a Swainson's Warbler! Alerts were sent out and eventually several birders showed up to try and get a look at this skulker. I never did get to see the bird even though I was within feet of it. It would sing loudly from just underneath the brush that it was perched in. Mike Schall got some pretty good photos of it. They can be seen by going to his eBird checklist. There are only a few records of this warbler for Northampton County.
Other birds found in the area included Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Pileated Woodpecker, Acadian Flycatcher, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, and other notable warblers that included Ovenbird, Hooded, Blue-winged, Tennessee, Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Magnolia, Black-throated Green, and Louisiana Waterthrush.
Other birds found in the area included Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Pileated Woodpecker, Acadian Flycatcher, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, and other notable warblers that included Ovenbird, Hooded, Blue-winged, Tennessee, Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Magnolia, Black-throated Green, and Louisiana Waterthrush.
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Cape May, New Jersey Trip for Common Swift ~ May 18, 2024
A Common Swift, a European bird, had been found in Cape May, New Jersey the day before, so I decided to get down there by first light the next morning. Mike Schall was able to go along with me. We parked near the South Cape May Meadows and walked back to the area where the bird was often seen Saturday. We carefully looked through multiple Chimney Swifts for several hours but never saw the Common Swift.
We eventually walked out to the protected beach where we saw nesting Least Terns and American Oystercatchers.
We had heard that a Lark Sparrow was continuing to be seen near Lily Lake, so we went over there and claimed this distinguished sparrow as our consolation prize.
We eventually walked out to the protected beach where we saw nesting Least Terns and American Oystercatchers.
We had heard that a Lark Sparrow was continuing to be seen near Lily Lake, so we went over there and claimed this distinguished sparrow as our consolation prize.
Friday, May 17, 2024
Upper Mount Bethel and Moore Townships ~ May 17, 2024
Before heading out, I stepped outside the back door and heard Cedar Waxwings and a Blackpoll Warbler.
I drove up to Upper Mount Bethel Township and started down Institute Road. The grassy field on the east side of the road produced 3 Bobolinks and an Eastern Meadowlark.
At the one pipeline cut, I discovered a Magnolia and a Black-throated Blue Warbler plus my first-of-the-year Canada Warbler.
Lake Minsi produced 4 Double-crested Cormorants, 39 Purple Martins, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and a Baltimore Oriole.
An Acadian Flycatcher was seen catching a spider at nearby Bear Swamp.
At the bridge on Bangor Vein Road, an Orchard Oriole and 2 Baltimore Orioles were present while 2 Red-shouldered Hawks circled overhead.
I left there and drove over to Schlegel Road in Moore Township. There, I found a Vesper Sparrow and 6 Horned Larks, three of them juveniles.
Nearby Graver's Hill held several Bobolinks and 3 fairly late American Pipits.
I drove up to Upper Mount Bethel Township and started down Institute Road. The grassy field on the east side of the road produced 3 Bobolinks and an Eastern Meadowlark.
At the one pipeline cut, I discovered a Magnolia and a Black-throated Blue Warbler plus my first-of-the-year Canada Warbler.
Lake Minsi produced 4 Double-crested Cormorants, 39 Purple Martins, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and a Baltimore Oriole.
An Acadian Flycatcher was seen catching a spider at nearby Bear Swamp.
At the bridge on Bangor Vein Road, an Orchard Oriole and 2 Baltimore Orioles were present while 2 Red-shouldered Hawks circled overhead.
I left there and drove over to Schlegel Road in Moore Township. There, I found a Vesper Sparrow and 6 Horned Larks, three of them juveniles.
Nearby Graver's Hill held several Bobolinks and 3 fairly late American Pipits.
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Mourning Warbler at Jacobsburg State Park ~ May 15, 2024
I saw a text from Adam Smith that he had found a Mourning Warbler at Jacobsburg State Park. I had an appointment that I had to go to in the late morning but, afterwards, I decided to take a "long shot" and see if I could refind it. It was at best a "long shot" because I didn't get there until around 1:00. Not only was it the middle of the day, but this warbler is known for skulking in the brush and is tough to find even when it is singing. Chances are it wouldn't be singing this late in the day, so the odds weren't good.
I got to the area where Adam had the bird. An Ovenbird was the only bird singing. I quietly stood there for a while, watching for movement. Two Wood Thrushes were the only birds seen moving around. I 'spished' a couple times and then stood quiet again. When I 'spished' the third time, I noticed a warbler-sized bird zip by me across the trail and land in some vines on the other side. It was the Mourning! I slowly brought my camera up and got this photo.
It worked its way up the vines and surprisingly perched for about 30 seconds, allowing me to get more photos of this normally-sneaky bird.
It eventually flew back across the trail back to the same area it came from. It never did make a sound during the five minutes I was there.
I left there and headed for Green Pond to see if the 4 Glossy Ibis that I found there yesterday were still present. They were, but most of the shorebirds I saw there yesterday had moved on.
I got to the area where Adam had the bird. An Ovenbird was the only bird singing. I quietly stood there for a while, watching for movement. Two Wood Thrushes were the only birds seen moving around. I 'spished' a couple times and then stood quiet again. When I 'spished' the third time, I noticed a warbler-sized bird zip by me across the trail and land in some vines on the other side. It was the Mourning! I slowly brought my camera up and got this photo.
It worked its way up the vines and surprisingly perched for about 30 seconds, allowing me to get more photos of this normally-sneaky bird.
It eventually flew back across the trail back to the same area it came from. It never did make a sound during the five minutes I was there.
I left there and headed for Green Pond to see if the 4 Glossy Ibis that I found there yesterday were still present. They were, but most of the shorebirds I saw there yesterday had moved on.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Four Glossy Ibis at Green Pond ~ May 14, 2024
I got up fairly early and drove up to National Park Drive near Delaware Water Gap. From there, I parked and walked out the trail towards the Arrow Island Overlook. Along the way, I heard the constant singing of Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Thush, and Ovenbird, plus Scarlet Tanager, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Worm-eating, Tennessee, and Hooded Warbler. Also there were Eastern Wood-Pewee, Baltimore Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and other warblers that included Black-and-white, Chestnut-sided, American Redstart and, finally, the one I was mainly looking for, a Bay-breasted Warbler. I was fortunate to get one mediocre photo of this bird that I often seem to have trouble finding in Spring.
Just before getting back to the car, I heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo calling its "kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh-kowlp-kowlp" call. At the parking lot, I ran into Adam Smith. I asked him what his plans were and he said he was going to try and find Cerulean Warbler at Kirkridge. I was actually thinking about doing the same thing, so he followed me up there. We parked and walked down the road. We heard Yellow-throated Vireo, Worm-eating and Hooded Warbler, and then a Cerulean. Adam found a second bird singing on the opposite side of the road from the first bird. I got the usual photos of them way up near the tops of the trees.
While checking out the Ceruleans, a Black-billed Cuckoo called nearby. It's not often that you get both species of cuckoos on the same day.
I stopped at Lake Minsi to check the lake. While scanning the east side, I noticed two Bank Swallows flying around together. I got two poor, long distance photos of them.
Also there were several Purple Martin pairs checking out the gourds. I got back home around 1:00 PM. I had an appointment at the Subaru dealership at 3:00. After that, I drove the short distance to the Regency Boulevard retention ponds. There were a few Killdeer, and Spotted and Solitary Sandpiper, but not much else.
I stopped at the Steuben Road site at Little Creek Drive. There, I found the two young Killdeer with their parents plus 2 Solitary Sandpipers and 11 Least Sandpipers.
My last stop on the way home was the flooded field by Green Pond. There, in a tight group, were four Glossy Ibis, all in breeding plumage! I slowly got out of the car and stood at the back of it, using it as a shield from them.
After about 20 minutes, they worked their way within about 25 feet of me, so close that I could barely keep one of them in the camera frame.
Soon after Scott Singer stopped and was getting photos of them when I left. It was a nice end to a good day.
Edit: All four Glossy Ibis were still there on the morning of the 15th.
Just before getting back to the car, I heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo calling its "kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh-kowlp-kowlp" call. At the parking lot, I ran into Adam Smith. I asked him what his plans were and he said he was going to try and find Cerulean Warbler at Kirkridge. I was actually thinking about doing the same thing, so he followed me up there. We parked and walked down the road. We heard Yellow-throated Vireo, Worm-eating and Hooded Warbler, and then a Cerulean. Adam found a second bird singing on the opposite side of the road from the first bird. I got the usual photos of them way up near the tops of the trees.
While checking out the Ceruleans, a Black-billed Cuckoo called nearby. It's not often that you get both species of cuckoos on the same day.
I stopped at Lake Minsi to check the lake. While scanning the east side, I noticed two Bank Swallows flying around together. I got two poor, long distance photos of them.
Also there were several Purple Martin pairs checking out the gourds. I got back home around 1:00 PM. I had an appointment at the Subaru dealership at 3:00. After that, I drove the short distance to the Regency Boulevard retention ponds. There were a few Killdeer, and Spotted and Solitary Sandpiper, but not much else.
I stopped at the Steuben Road site at Little Creek Drive. There, I found the two young Killdeer with their parents plus 2 Solitary Sandpipers and 11 Least Sandpipers.
My last stop on the way home was the flooded field by Green Pond. There, in a tight group, were four Glossy Ibis, all in breeding plumage! I slowly got out of the car and stood at the back of it, using it as a shield from them.
After about 20 minutes, they worked their way within about 25 feet of me, so close that I could barely keep one of them in the camera frame.
Soon after Scott Singer stopped and was getting photos of them when I left. It was a nice end to a good day.
Edit: All four Glossy Ibis were still there on the morning of the 15th.
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