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.
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.
Saturday, September 18, 2021
White-faced Ibis in Pennsylvania! ~ September 18, 2021
Early on Friday evening, I found out that a White-faced Ibis had been found by Zach Baer in Chester County. There was no way I'd be able to make the nearly two-hour drive before dark, so I got up very early on Saturday and headed down there, getting there around sunrise. Eric Witmer was already there and directed me onto the bird in the grassy sections near the middle of the pond. Eventually, it got light enough to see more details on it. I was occasionally able to see the reddish eye and very rarely see a hint of reddish coloration in the knee area. There was a light border from the eye to the top of the base of the bill. When I later looked at the Sibley guide, the face pattern appeared to most closely resemble that of a "drab adult". The bill was grayish and evenly colored throughout. The head was a lighter shade than the neck and body. I could only manage to get some poor, distant photos in the harsh light.
To my knowledge, if accepted, this bird represents the fourth record for Pennsylvania! More photos of the bird can be found in my Pennsylvania Notables Album.
To my knowledge, if accepted, this bird represents the fourth record for Pennsylvania! More photos of the bird can be found in my Pennsylvania Notables Album.
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Say's Phoebe in Northampton County! ~ September 14, 2021
While birding at Housenick Park in Bethlehem Township on Tuesday morning, Linda Freedman discovered a Say's Phoebe along the paved path through the field northeast of the parking lot! She took some nice photos of it and alerted other birders. It just so happened that my car was in for inspection and my wife needed her car at noon, so I commandeered her car and promised that I'd be back before then. When I got there, I found several birders happily watching the bird flycatching from a hay baler parked out in the middle of the field. It was very active and was having no trouble snatching grasshoppers and other insects. I managed to grab a few distant photos of it before heading back home before noon.
Later in the afternoon, I picked up my car at the garage and headed back over to the park, getting there around 5:45. This time, the bird was flycatching from the rake attachment that was much closer to the parking lot. It remained there until dark, allowing me to get a few better photos of it in the process.
This bird represents the first record for Northampton County and only the second record for the Lehigh Valley area.
Later in the afternoon, I picked up my car at the garage and headed back over to the park, getting there around 5:45. This time, the bird was flycatching from the rake attachment that was much closer to the parking lot. It remained there until dark, allowing me to get a few better photos of it in the process.
This bird represents the first record for Northampton County and only the second record for the Lehigh Valley area.
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