In the woods along the quarry I found Great Crested Flycatcher, Indigo Bunting, and Warbling and Red-eyed Vireo.
A big bonus was the spotting of an adult Peregrine Falcon that dove on a Red-tailed Hawk before returning and flying right over my head.
Friday, June 2, 2023
Nazareth Quarry ~ June 2, 2023
I went to my daughter's salon in Nazareth to get a much-needed haircut. Since I was in Nazareth, it was a no-brainer to stop and check the Nazareth Quarry. As expected, the undergrowth was thick and made it tough to see much of the quarry. Several Double-crested Cormorants were in the southwestern corner.
In the woods along the quarry I found Great Crested Flycatcher, Indigo Bunting, and Warbling and Red-eyed Vireo.
A big bonus was the spotting of an adult Peregrine Falcon that dove on a Red-tailed Hawk before returning and flying right over my head.
In the woods along the quarry I found Great Crested Flycatcher, Indigo Bunting, and Warbling and Red-eyed Vireo.
A big bonus was the spotting of an adult Peregrine Falcon that dove on a Red-tailed Hawk before returning and flying right over my head.
Thursday, June 1, 2023
A Run Around Northampton County ~ June 1, 2023
Since it was supposed to be hot and singing often shuts down earlier as we get into June, I started pretty early in the early morning at the Knitters Hill Road section of the Plainfield Recreation Trail. The area produced Pileated Woodpecker, Warbling Vireo, Veery, Wood Thrush, Baltimore and Orchard Oriole, Cedar Waxwing, Common Yellowthroat, and Yellow Warbler.
Flycatchers there included Great Crested, Willow, and my first-of-the-year Alder Flycatcher, which was thankfully singing to confirm its identity.
I headed over to Miller Road in Lower Mount Bethel Township. On the way there, an Indigo Bunting was singing from a wire along Hiensohn Hill Road. I stopped to try and get a photo of it, but just before I snapped the shutter, the bird took off and I ended up with this interesting shot.
Along Miller Road, I got out, listened, and eventually heard the insect-like song of a Grasshopper Sparrow. After finally locating a pair of them, I took a bunch of photos, which came out fairly well considering that the sun was in a poor position.
Also in that area were an Eastern Bluebird, an Indigo Bunting, and two Cedar Waxwings, which were feeding in a mulberry tree.
From there, I drove over to the Martins Creek PPL power plant area. I found a lingering male Bufflehead and a Double-crested Cormorant and took some long distance documentation photos of each.
An Eastern Meadowlark sang from a nearby tree. Unfortunately once again, the light was in a poor position.
I noticed a couple swallows flying around and was pleasantly surprised when I realized that they were Bank Swallows. I was really lucky to get a photo of one of them that was in pretty good focus.
A Great Blue Heron also flew by close enough to allow for these photos.
I hadn't been to the Regency Boulevard ponds in a while, so I headed over there to see what might be there. While checking the north pond, a couple Cedar Waxwings landed in a tree right next to me. After not seeing any waxwings for a long time, I ended up seeing them at each stop today.
Other notables there included Chimney Swift, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, and Eastern Kingbird.
On the way back home, I stopped at Green Pond and saw the Snow Goose that has been there for several months now.
Flycatchers there included Great Crested, Willow, and my first-of-the-year Alder Flycatcher, which was thankfully singing to confirm its identity.
I headed over to Miller Road in Lower Mount Bethel Township. On the way there, an Indigo Bunting was singing from a wire along Hiensohn Hill Road. I stopped to try and get a photo of it, but just before I snapped the shutter, the bird took off and I ended up with this interesting shot.
Along Miller Road, I got out, listened, and eventually heard the insect-like song of a Grasshopper Sparrow. After finally locating a pair of them, I took a bunch of photos, which came out fairly well considering that the sun was in a poor position.
Also in that area were an Eastern Bluebird, an Indigo Bunting, and two Cedar Waxwings, which were feeding in a mulberry tree.
From there, I drove over to the Martins Creek PPL power plant area. I found a lingering male Bufflehead and a Double-crested Cormorant and took some long distance documentation photos of each.
An Eastern Meadowlark sang from a nearby tree. Unfortunately once again, the light was in a poor position.
I noticed a couple swallows flying around and was pleasantly surprised when I realized that they were Bank Swallows. I was really lucky to get a photo of one of them that was in pretty good focus.
A Great Blue Heron also flew by close enough to allow for these photos.
I hadn't been to the Regency Boulevard ponds in a while, so I headed over there to see what might be there. While checking the north pond, a couple Cedar Waxwings landed in a tree right next to me. After not seeing any waxwings for a long time, I ended up seeing them at each stop today.
Other notables there included Chimney Swift, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, and Eastern Kingbird.
On the way back home, I stopped at Green Pond and saw the Snow Goose that has been there for several months now.
Thursday, May 25, 2023
Mottled Duck in Pennsylvania! ~ May 25, 2023
Jason Horn called me on Tuesday to let me know about an amazing find of a Mottled Duck at Canonsburg Lake in western Pennsylvania. I told him that, due to commitments, I wouldn't be able to try for it until Thursday. The bird was seen back on May 13th and entered into eBird as an American Black Duck. Geoff Malosh happened to see the attached photo on the 23rd and realized that it was actually a Mottled Duck! The bird was refound at the same location that morning and birders from all over the state began the trek to Canonsburg. Jason drove out and saw the bird that day.
I called Rick Wiltraut to see if he wanted to go along with me on Thursday. At 2:00 AM, we started the 5-hour drive to Canonsburg Lake. We got there around 7:15 AM and started the short walk along the lake shore to the area where the bird was most often seen. It wasn't long after we reached the spot that Rick found 'the duck' feeding along the far shore with a few Mallards. We took some long distance photos and waited, hoping for it to possibly come closer.
When a Bald Eagle landed in a tree above it, the Mottled Duck flew over to the near side of the lake.
That allowed me to get some closer, more detailed photos showing the dark spot near the base of the unmarked olive-colored bill.
Right at the same spot, there was a Bald Eagle nest. We saw both adults coming and going to the nest that held three young eaglets.
Other birds noted at the lake included Wood Duck, Chimney Swift, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Great Blue and Green Heron, Cooper's Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Warbling Vireo, Tree, Barn, and Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Cedar Waxwing, American Goldfinch, Baltimore Oriole, and Yellow and Blackpoll Warbler. We left around 10:00, stopped for a nice lunch, and got back home around 5:00 PM. If accepted by the Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee, this bird will represent the first Mottled Duck record for Pennsylvania.
I called Rick Wiltraut to see if he wanted to go along with me on Thursday. At 2:00 AM, we started the 5-hour drive to Canonsburg Lake. We got there around 7:15 AM and started the short walk along the lake shore to the area where the bird was most often seen. It wasn't long after we reached the spot that Rick found 'the duck' feeding along the far shore with a few Mallards. We took some long distance photos and waited, hoping for it to possibly come closer.
When a Bald Eagle landed in a tree above it, the Mottled Duck flew over to the near side of the lake.
That allowed me to get some closer, more detailed photos showing the dark spot near the base of the unmarked olive-colored bill.
Right at the same spot, there was a Bald Eagle nest. We saw both adults coming and going to the nest that held three young eaglets.
Other birds noted at the lake included Wood Duck, Chimney Swift, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Great Blue and Green Heron, Cooper's Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Warbling Vireo, Tree, Barn, and Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Cedar Waxwing, American Goldfinch, Baltimore Oriole, and Yellow and Blackpoll Warbler. We left around 10:00, stopped for a nice lunch, and got back home around 5:00 PM. If accepted by the Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee, this bird will represent the first Mottled Duck record for Pennsylvania.
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Brown Thrashers With Young in the Yard ~ May 24, 2023
I looked out the window in the late afternoon and saw a pair of Brown Thrashers drinking and bathing at my little waterfall. I got some photos of one of them spreading its wings.
Soon after, I was surprised to find one of the thrashers feeding a young one! I slowly opened the window and got these photos of the young one and its feeding.
There was also a Common Yellowthroat that showed up to bathe in the early evening.
Soon after, I was surprised to find one of the thrashers feeding a young one! I slowly opened the window and got these photos of the young one and its feeding.
There was also a Common Yellowthroat that showed up to bathe in the early evening.
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