A Counter-Clockwise Run Around the County ~ April 28, 2025

I planned to bird Upper Mount Bethel Township and then head west from there. I slowly drove along National Park Drive hoping for some early warblers and others, but it was fairly quiet. Birds heard along the way included a gobbling Wild Turkey among the Blue Jays, Ovenbirds, and a couple Louisiana Waterthrushes. It wasn't until I got to the parking lot at the barricades that I finally hit a nice patch of birds. I counted 14 Yellow-rumped Warblers plus Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Black-throated Green and Chestnut-sided Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. There was also a quick 'fly-by' of a Common Loon where I was lucky to get the photos that I did before it disappeared behind the trees.

Common Loon

'Stop 2' was Bear Swamp. I walked the boardwalk where I had a singing Northern Waterthrush.

Northern Waterthrush

My next stop was at adjacent Lake Minsi, which produced 4 Pied-billed Grebes, 2 Double-crested Cormorants, 2 Osprey, a Pileated Woodpecker, 2 Eastern Bluebirds, and a Yellow Warbler. I also took some time photographing the Purple Martins and the Tree Swallows at the east parking lot and got some fairly nice shots.

Purple Martins

A pair of Purple Martins.

Tree Swallows

'Stop 4' was East Bangor Dam. There, I had Mute Swan, Wood Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, Swamp Sparrow, and Yellow Warbler.

'Stop 5' was E. Best Road in Moore Township where I had Red-headed Woodpecker and a distant Bald Eagle.

Red-headed Woodpecker

Bald Eagle

During a slow drive down nearby Schlegel Road, I was able to spot 3 Horned Larks. One perched atop the corn stubble long enough for me to get a photo of it with its 'horns' extended.

Horned Lark

I headed south through Bath and checked out the Regency Boulevard ponds. The notable ducks had all moved on. I saw a Lesser Yellowlegs, a Spotted Sandpiper, and a Killdeer chick being watched by the parents.

A Killdeer chick.

A Savannah Sparrow was singing in the plowed field, and several Brown-headed Cowbirds were perched along the fence.

Brown-headed Cowbird

The Newburg Park retention pond held 2 Spotted Sandpipers, 3 Least Sandpipers, 2 Killdeer, and an American Pipit.

American Pipit

Nearby, the Common Gallinule that I found back on the 19th continued in the smaller Trio Farms Boulevard retention pond, which was formerly known as the Gremar Road ponds.

Common Gallinule

My last stop was Green Pond where I found a Spotted Sandpiper, a Solitary Sandpiper, 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a very cooperative Belted Kingfisher.

A female Belted Kingfisher.

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