A Wilson's Warbler Saves the Morning ~ May 7, 2026

I walked Jacobsburg State Park, hoping for more migrants today, but the activity was practically nonexistent. The only birds around were the residents. The highlight for the first part of the route was one tree that contained 3 Baltimore Orioles and a pair of Scarlet Tanagers.

Scarlet Tanager

The very slow morning turned out a lot better when I found a Wilson's Warbler in a brushy area a little off the main trail through the open fields.

Wilson's Warbler

Despite the dearth of migrants, I managed to find 52 species, which included 2 Broad-winged Hawks diving on an adult Bald Eagle. An sub-adult Bald Eagle was also seen.

Bald Eagle

Adam Miller had reported a Semipalmated Plover at the Christian Springs Road pond, so I headed there and found it feeding with 5 Solitary Sandpipers, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, and a couple Least Sandpipers.

Semipalmated Plover

Over at Green Pond, I saw 2 Eastern Warbling Vireos at the same area they nested in previous years.

Eastern Warbling Vireo

In the wooded pond were two adult Canada Geese with their goslings in tow.

Canada Geese and their young.

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Martins Creek Nature Trail and Grassland Birding ~ May 5, 2026

I walked the Martins Creek Nature Trail, formerly called the Tekening Trail and now called the John M. Mauser Nature Education Trail System, which to me is a ridiculous mouthful. The overgrown field areas held numbers of Gray Catbirds, American Goldfinches, Common Yellowthroats, Northern Yellow Warblers, plus several Blue-winged Warblers and 2 White-eyed Vireos.

White-eyed Vireo

Farther down the trail, I found Chimney Swift, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos, White-throated and Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Ovenbird, more Northern Yellow Warblers, Baltimore Orioles, and Black-and-white Warbler.

Northern Yellow Warbler

Baltimore Oriole

The section of the trail along the river produced 2 Wood Ducks, a Double-crested Cormorant, 2 Great Blue Herons, plus Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided and Black-throated Green Warbler, a 'western' Palm Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

American Redstarts

Palm Warbler

Scarlet Tanager

Back at the parking lot, I watched an Eastern Kingbird diving on a Fish Crow. I tried getting photos of it, but they were zig-zagging back and forth too much. Eventually, the kingbird continued flycatching from a perch.

Eastern Kingbird

I drove the short distance over to Miller Road where I found a very cooperative Grasshopper Sparrow.

Grasshopper Sparrow

I then headed for Moore Township and found Vesper Sparrow and Horned Lark along Schlegel Road.

Vesper Sparrow

Horned Lark

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Upper Mount Bethel Township Birding ~ May 4, 2026

I went back to National Park Drive and, although the migration had quieted down a bit, I still recorded 46 species that included 9 warbler species. They were Ovenbird, Worm-eating, Black-and-white, Hooded, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Northern Parula, and Louisiana Waterthrush.

Worm-eating Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was very accommodating for some photos.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Surprises of the day included a Red-breasted Nuthatch, found where the old powerline crosses the road; and at the far east end of the road, I did a double-take when I saw this strangely-marked Red-tailed Hawk fly by.

A Red-tailed Hawk with mostly white primaries and a few white secondaries.

I saw one Bobolink at the Totts Gap Conservation Area and got these very long distance photos of it.

Bobolink

At least two Killdeer chicks continued at the Tatamy Exit retention pond along with 4 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, and 2 Spotted and 3 Least Sandpipers.

Killdeer chicks.

The Christian Springs Road pond held 11 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Solitary Sandpipers, and 6 Least Sandpipers.

Least Sandpipers

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