I made another late afternoon run up to the Nazareth Quarry to check it out on this fairly warm day. Again, the Snow Geese took up most of the quarry, numbering an approximate 35,000. I took this photo with my cell phone.
At one point, something spooked them and they exploded into the air. It's a sight that has to be seen to be appreciated. For those interested in seeing the video, click on this link, turn up the sound, and enjoy:
Thousands of Snow Geese taking off!
I could only find one White-winged Scoter out near the left cove this afternoon. It was the adult male.
Adam Miller and Mike Schall arrived soon after I got there. Adam picked out the Greater White-fronted Goose, which was halfway out the quarry. We could not find the Long-tailed Duck. In addition to the roughly 35,000 Snow Geese and 1500 Canada Geese were a Cackling Goose, 6 Northern Shovelers, 9 Gadwall, 4 American Black Ducks, 4 Northern Pintails, 8 Redheads, 9 Ring-necked Ducks, 5 Greater Scaup, 2 Lesser Scaup, 15 Buffleheads, 27 Common Mergansers, the continuing female Red-breasted Merganser, around 50 Ruddy Ducks, 25 American Coots, a Pied-billed Grebe, plus 17 Ring-billed Gulls, 2 Black Vultures, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a Carolina Wren, and a Red-winged Blackbird.
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Friday, February 27, 2026
Martins Creek, Plainfield Township, and the Nazareth Quarry ~ February 27, 2026
I went to the Martins Creek PPL power plant area. A single Horned Lark was apparently by itself along the road. The basin held 2 "Blue" Geese, 11 Redheads, 2 Greater Scaup, and a Ruddy Duck among around a hundred Ring-necked Ducks, 40 Buffleheads, and roughly 150 Canada Geese. Two Bald Eagles, a Red-tailed Hawk, and an American Kestrel were seen in the air. A Peregrine Falcon was seen perched on a steel arm of one of the smokestacks. I took this terrible documentation photo of it.
I then drove over to the Knitters Hill section of the Plainfield Township Recreation Trail. There were 2 Red-tailed Hawks on a pole. One of them was ripping apart its prey.
Also seen there were 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, a Downy Woodpecker, 3 Blue Jays, 2 Tufted Titmice, a White-breasted Nuthatch, 2 Carolina Wrens, 2 American Robins, a Field Sparrow, 5 White-throated Sparrows, 4 Song Sparrows, 2 Northern Cardinals, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler.
The Nazareth Quarry was my last stop. Snow Geese were filling a good portion of the quarry. There were at least 20,000 birds there. Paul Nale showed up and he happened to come across a Ross's Goose among the masses. The same 3 White-winged Scoters seen the other day were present again today along with the Long-tailed Duck, which was way out in the middle of the quarry.
When the majority of the Snows took off, it exposed the several Greater Scaup that were fairly close.
Other notables were 3 Cackling Geese, 6 Northern Shovelers, 2 Gadwall, 4 American Black Ducks, 21 Redheads, a Ring-necked Duck, a Lesser Scaup, 16 Buffleheads, the sporadically-seen Common Goldeneye, 18 Common Mergansers, the female Red-breasted Merganser, around 50 Ruddy Ducks, 14 American Coots, and 2 Pied-billed Grebes, plus 400 Canada Geese. As I was getting into the car, an adult male Northern Harrier flew by and got behind the trees before I could get back out and try for a photo.
I then drove over to the Knitters Hill section of the Plainfield Township Recreation Trail. There were 2 Red-tailed Hawks on a pole. One of them was ripping apart its prey.
Also seen there were 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, a Downy Woodpecker, 3 Blue Jays, 2 Tufted Titmice, a White-breasted Nuthatch, 2 Carolina Wrens, 2 American Robins, a Field Sparrow, 5 White-throated Sparrows, 4 Song Sparrows, 2 Northern Cardinals, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler.
The Nazareth Quarry was my last stop. Snow Geese were filling a good portion of the quarry. There were at least 20,000 birds there. Paul Nale showed up and he happened to come across a Ross's Goose among the masses. The same 3 White-winged Scoters seen the other day were present again today along with the Long-tailed Duck, which was way out in the middle of the quarry.
When the majority of the Snows took off, it exposed the several Greater Scaup that were fairly close.
Other notables were 3 Cackling Geese, 6 Northern Shovelers, 2 Gadwall, 4 American Black Ducks, 21 Redheads, a Ring-necked Duck, a Lesser Scaup, 16 Buffleheads, the sporadically-seen Common Goldeneye, 18 Common Mergansers, the female Red-breasted Merganser, around 50 Ruddy Ducks, 14 American Coots, and 2 Pied-billed Grebes, plus 400 Canada Geese. As I was getting into the car, an adult male Northern Harrier flew by and got behind the trees before I could get back out and try for a photo.
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Good Birds Continue at the Nazareth Quarry ~ February 25, 2026
It was another interesting day at the Nazareth Quarry. Among the roughly 8000 Snow Geese was a uniquely-marked goose. It had a rich black front and stripe up the back of the head, white wing coverts, and a fairly stubby bill resembling that of a dark morph Ross's Goose, but the bill and its size seemed a bit too big to be a pure Ross's. It was too far away to see the amount of 'grin patch'. Because of that, I determined it to be a dark morph Snow x Ross's Goose hybrid. I got these distant photos of it.
Also near the hybrid was a Snow Goose with a yellow neck band, but it was too far away to read it.
Three White-winged Scoters were found next to the Snow Geese along with a good count of 29 Common Mergansers. The one scoter appears to be a first-year male, judging by the light tip to the bill.
Other birds seen there included 4 Northern Shovelers, 5 American Black Ducks, 8 Redheads, 5 Ring-necked Ducks, 11 Greater Scaup, the continuing female Long-tailed Duck and Red-breasted Merganser, 16 Buffleheads, around 50 Ruddy Ducks, 13 American Coots, and a Pied-billed Grebe among about 800 Canada Geese, plus 14 Ring-billed Gulls and a Common Raven.
Also near the hybrid was a Snow Goose with a yellow neck band, but it was too far away to read it.
Three White-winged Scoters were found next to the Snow Geese along with a good count of 29 Common Mergansers. The one scoter appears to be a first-year male, judging by the light tip to the bill.
Other birds seen there included 4 Northern Shovelers, 5 American Black Ducks, 8 Redheads, 5 Ring-necked Ducks, 11 Greater Scaup, the continuing female Long-tailed Duck and Red-breasted Merganser, 16 Buffleheads, around 50 Ruddy Ducks, 13 American Coots, and a Pied-billed Grebe among about 800 Canada Geese, plus 14 Ring-billed Gulls and a Common Raven.
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Greater White-fronted Goose at the Nazareth Quarry ~ February 24, 2026
The number of Snow Geese greatly increased from only 17 a few days ago to around 8000 today. In among them was a Greater White-fronted Goose at the back edge of the group.
Two White-winged Scoters were visible today along with the female Long-tailed Duck and the female Red-breasted Merganser.
Other notables included 8 Northern Shovelers, 4 Gadwall, 7 American Black Ducks, 4 Redheads, 7 Greater Scaup, 12 Buffleheads, 11 Common Mergansers, around 40 Ruddy Ducks, 14 American Coots, and a Pied-billed Grebe.
Two White-winged Scoters were visible today along with the female Long-tailed Duck and the female Red-breasted Merganser.
Other notables included 8 Northern Shovelers, 4 Gadwall, 7 American Black Ducks, 4 Redheads, 7 Greater Scaup, 12 Buffleheads, 11 Common Mergansers, around 40 Ruddy Ducks, 14 American Coots, and a Pied-billed Grebe.
Saturday, February 21, 2026
The Martins Creek Area and the Nazareth Quarry ~ February 21, 2026
This morning, I drove up to the Martins Creek Environmental Preserve. As I arrived, a male Northern Harrier flew across the road. At the fenced-in basin, I found one Snow Goose among around 150 Canada Geese, 18 Redheads, 106 Ring-necked Ducks, 3 Greater Scaup, 2 Buffleheads, a Common Merganser, 6 Turkey Vultures, 5 Black Vultures, a Bald Eagle, and 2 Common Ravens.
I went down to the Martins Creek PPL boat launch area where I found 2 Mute Swans, 2 Buffleheads, one Common Goldeneye, 5 Hooded Mergansers, one Common Merganser, and an adult Bald Eagle.
The Nazareth Quarry has been exceptional this winter, mainly because it's been the largest unfrozen body of water in the area. Today's stop produced four of the five continuing White-winged Scoters, the Long-tailed Duck, and the continuing female Red-breasted Merganser.
I picked out a Cackling Goose among the roughly 300 Canada Geese, and also saw my 'first of the year' American Wigeon.
Other notables included 3 Wood Ducks, 5 Northern Shovelers, 3 American Black Ducks, 13 Redheads, 4 Ring-necked Ducks, 9 Greater Scaup, 12 Buffleheads, 15 Common Mergansers, 4 Hooded Mergansers, around 40 Ruddy Ducks, 16 American Coots, a Pied-billed Grebe, 9 Ring-billed Gulls, a Common Raven, and 2 Red-winged Blackbirds.
I went down to the Martins Creek PPL boat launch area where I found 2 Mute Swans, 2 Buffleheads, one Common Goldeneye, 5 Hooded Mergansers, one Common Merganser, and an adult Bald Eagle.
The Nazareth Quarry has been exceptional this winter, mainly because it's been the largest unfrozen body of water in the area. Today's stop produced four of the five continuing White-winged Scoters, the Long-tailed Duck, and the continuing female Red-breasted Merganser.
I picked out a Cackling Goose among the roughly 300 Canada Geese, and also saw my 'first of the year' American Wigeon.
Other notables included 3 Wood Ducks, 5 Northern Shovelers, 3 American Black Ducks, 13 Redheads, 4 Ring-necked Ducks, 9 Greater Scaup, 12 Buffleheads, 15 Common Mergansers, 4 Hooded Mergansers, around 40 Ruddy Ducks, 16 American Coots, a Pied-billed Grebe, 9 Ring-billed Gulls, a Common Raven, and 2 Red-winged Blackbirds.
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Housenick Park, Regency Boulevard, and the Nazareth Quarry ~ February 19, 2026
I walked Housenick Park in the morning where I ran into Adam Miller and, later, Linda Freedman. Notables found there included 2 American Black Ducks, 2 Northern Flickers, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and around 80 American Robins.
I then checked out the Regency Boulevard area, which is now gated, so it's only open to the vehicular traffic of the residents. The ponds were still frozen, but a male American Kestrel was perched on the wire by the entrance.
I then made another check of the Nazareth Quarry. I saw three of the 5 White-winged Scoters, the continuing female Long-tailed Duck and Red-breasted Merganser.
Other birds seen there included 80 Canada Geese, 2 Snow Geese, 2 Gadwall, 22 Mallards, 13 American Black Ducks, 3 Green-winged Teal, 24 Redheads, 14 Ring-necked Ducks, 19 Greater Scaup, 16 Buffleheads, a Common Goldeneye, 24 Common Mergansers, 4 Hooded Mergansers, around 50 Ruddy Ducks, 10 American Coots, a Pied-billed Grebe, and 31 Ring-billed Gulls, but today's new species for the year was an influx of 11 Northern Shovelers.
I then checked out the Regency Boulevard area, which is now gated, so it's only open to the vehicular traffic of the residents. The ponds were still frozen, but a male American Kestrel was perched on the wire by the entrance.
I then made another check of the Nazareth Quarry. I saw three of the 5 White-winged Scoters, the continuing female Long-tailed Duck and Red-breasted Merganser.
Other birds seen there included 80 Canada Geese, 2 Snow Geese, 2 Gadwall, 22 Mallards, 13 American Black Ducks, 3 Green-winged Teal, 24 Redheads, 14 Ring-necked Ducks, 19 Greater Scaup, 16 Buffleheads, a Common Goldeneye, 24 Common Mergansers, 4 Hooded Mergansers, around 50 Ruddy Ducks, 10 American Coots, a Pied-billed Grebe, and 31 Ring-billed Gulls, but today's new species for the year was an influx of 11 Northern Shovelers.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Plainfield Township and the Nazareth Quarry ~ February 17, 2026
In the mid-afternoon, I drove around Plainfield Township looking for Rough-legged Hawk. I found 5 Eastern Bluebirds and a couple Horned Larks along Hower Road, but never found a Rough-legged.
I also made a 20-minute stop at the Nazareth Quarry and found four of the five continuing White-winged Scoters, the female Red-breasted Merganser, 37 Canada Geese, a couple Snow Geese, 3 American Black Ducks, a Green-winged Teal, 18 Redheads, 14 Greater Scaup, 16 Buffleheads, 23 Common Mergansers, around 60 Ruddy Ducks, and 15 American Coots, but the new species for the year was Northern Pintail, of which there were three.
I didn't see the Long-tailed Duck, but I assume it's probably still there somewhere.
I also made a 20-minute stop at the Nazareth Quarry and found four of the five continuing White-winged Scoters, the female Red-breasted Merganser, 37 Canada Geese, a couple Snow Geese, 3 American Black Ducks, a Green-winged Teal, 18 Redheads, 14 Greater Scaup, 16 Buffleheads, 23 Common Mergansers, around 60 Ruddy Ducks, and 15 American Coots, but the new species for the year was Northern Pintail, of which there were three.
I didn't see the Long-tailed Duck, but I assume it's probably still there somewhere.
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