Although it was another dreary morning at the Woodland Hills Preserve, I found 40 species that included a group of 18 Chimney Swifts, an immature Bald Eagle, a Pileated Woodpecker, two American Kestrels, a Common Raven, both kinglets, a Red-breasted Nuthatch, a Swamp Sparrow and a few Field Sparrows, a Dark-eyed Junco, several Eastern Towhees, two Common Yellowthroats, Palm, Blackpoll, Black-throated Blue, and Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a Blue-headed Vireo, a bird that I've had very good photographic luck with this year.
If interested, more photos from the day can be found on my eBird checklist.
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Friday, October 8, 2021
American Golden-Plover in Northampton County ~ October 8, 2021
My morning walk at the Woodland Hills Preserve produced 45 species that included this eye-level Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
Later that morning, I got a text from Adam Miller that he had found an American Golden-Plover at the West Gremar Road retention pond. The bird was still there when I got there and allowed me to get some nice photos of it. When you see the spangling on the head and upperparts, you can understand why they call it a Golden-Plover.
As if the day wasn't already exciting enough, I stopped at Green Pond to see what might be there. I parked in the gravel parking lot along Farmersville Road and checked the retention pond, which held a Great Blue Heron. Then, I noticed a few birds flitting around in the treeline along the golf course. Those few birds turned into a group of warblers and several other species the more I looked. That small area produced a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, an Eastern Phoebe, 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a House Wren, a White-crowned Sparrow, 4 Blackpoll and 3 Tennessee Warblers, 3 Northern Parulas, and a Common Yellowthroat. One of the kinglets showed off its rarely seen ruby crown.
There must have been an abundance of food because the warblers stayed in the same area for close to an hour, allowing me many photo opportunities.
The 18 Wood Ducks in the flooded field on the north side of Green Pond Road put the cherry on top at the end of the day.
Later that morning, I got a text from Adam Miller that he had found an American Golden-Plover at the West Gremar Road retention pond. The bird was still there when I got there and allowed me to get some nice photos of it. When you see the spangling on the head and upperparts, you can understand why they call it a Golden-Plover.
As if the day wasn't already exciting enough, I stopped at Green Pond to see what might be there. I parked in the gravel parking lot along Farmersville Road and checked the retention pond, which held a Great Blue Heron. Then, I noticed a few birds flitting around in the treeline along the golf course. Those few birds turned into a group of warblers and several other species the more I looked. That small area produced a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, an Eastern Phoebe, 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a House Wren, a White-crowned Sparrow, 4 Blackpoll and 3 Tennessee Warblers, 3 Northern Parulas, and a Common Yellowthroat. One of the kinglets showed off its rarely seen ruby crown.
There must have been an abundance of food because the warblers stayed in the same area for close to an hour, allowing me many photo opportunities.
The 18 Wood Ducks in the flooded field on the north side of Green Pond Road put the cherry on top at the end of the day.
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
A Dreary Day Turns Out Bright After All ~ October 6, 2021
I spent the overcast and dreary morning at the Woodland Hills Preserve and found 37 species that included a Chimney Swift, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a Blue-headed Vireo, two Common Ravens, both kinglets, two Cape May Warblers, a Black-throated Green Warbler, two Common Yellowthroats, Eastern Towhee, and sparrows that included three Lincoln's and my first White-crowned of the season.
In the early afternoon, I stopped at the West Gremar Road retention pond and saw a large flock of about 80 American Pipits drop into a field near the pond. These camouflaged specialists were tough to get photos of, but I managed to get a few good ones and some mediocre flight shots.
On the way back home, I stopped at the Newburg Road retention pond and spotted four Ring-billed Gulls, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, two Northern Harriers, and an adult Bald Eagle that was perched on one of the powerline towers. Unfortunately, the cloudy day caused the Harrier photos to become silhouetted. One of two Savannah Sparrows posed in much better lighting for a photo on the fence by the pond.
In the early afternoon, I stopped at the West Gremar Road retention pond and saw a large flock of about 80 American Pipits drop into a field near the pond. These camouflaged specialists were tough to get photos of, but I managed to get a few good ones and some mediocre flight shots.
On the way back home, I stopped at the Newburg Road retention pond and spotted four Ring-billed Gulls, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, two Northern Harriers, and an adult Bald Eagle that was perched on one of the powerline towers. Unfortunately, the cloudy day caused the Harrier photos to become silhouetted. One of two Savannah Sparrows posed in much better lighting for a photo on the fence by the pond.
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Cape May Warbler with a decurved bill! ~ September 30, 2021
During a walk through the Woodland Hills Preserve, I spotted and zeroed in on a warbler working a spruce tree. The yellow neck patch and other markings told me it was a Cape May Warbler, but then I noticed the bill. It wasn't straight and short. It was pretty long and curved downward! I tried to get as many photos of it as I could before it headed off to another area and out of sight. When I got home, I checked out the photos and discovered that the bill was definitely curved downward and about half-again as long as it should have been. The upper mandible appeared to be just a little longer than the lower one. I picked out the photos that most noticeably show this odd-shaped bill. I also sent the photos along with a submission to the Alaska Science Center, which keeps records and photos of birds with deformed or unnatural bills. If interested, here's the link to their Beak Deformities page.
The other surprise of the day was a young Red-headed Woodpecker on a large snag. The head showed a hint of red that surrounded the back of the eye.
The other surprise of the day was a young Red-headed Woodpecker on a large snag. The head showed a hint of red that surrounded the back of the eye.
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Woodland Hills Preserve ~ September 20-22, 2021
I spent the last three mornings at the Woodland Hills Preserve, formerly the site of the Woodland Hills golf course. It is geographically located just south-southwest of the Route 33 exit of I-78 in southern Northampton County. The parking lot is along Country Side Lane. All three morning walks produced over 30 species.
September 20th
Highlights from the 20th included Belted Kingfisher, a Merlin being scolded by Blue Jays, Red-eyed Vireo, an early-arriving White-throated Sparrow, a Lincoln's Sparrow, and warblers that included Palm, Nashville, Magnolia, and Common Yellowthroat.
September 21st
Highlights from the 21st included a Philadelphia Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, both Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, a female Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and warblers that included Magnolia, Black-and white, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Northern Parula, American Redstart, and Common Yellowthroat.
September 22nd
Highlights from the 22nd included a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Thrasher, and warblers that included Chestnut-sided, Black-and-white, Northern Parula, American Redstart, and Common Yellowthroat.
Highlights from the 20th included Belted Kingfisher, a Merlin being scolded by Blue Jays, Red-eyed Vireo, an early-arriving White-throated Sparrow, a Lincoln's Sparrow, and warblers that included Palm, Nashville, Magnolia, and Common Yellowthroat.
Highlights from the 21st included a Philadelphia Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, both Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, a female Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and warblers that included Magnolia, Black-and white, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Northern Parula, American Redstart, and Common Yellowthroat.
Highlights from the 22nd included a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Thrasher, and warblers that included Chestnut-sided, Black-and-white, Northern Parula, American Redstart, and Common Yellowthroat.
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