Thursday, April 25, 2024

Martins Creek - Belvidere Area and Green Pond ~ April 25, 2024

I birded the Martins Creek Nature Trail early this morning. Partway down the trail, I heard a White-eyed Vireo calling near where they were last year. I never did get a look at it through the thick brush. A little farther along, I heard a second one. After following the call, I finally did get a look at this one and was lucky to snap two quick photos of it before it went back into hiding.

A Brown Thrasher and a Yellow Warbler were also in the area. Eastern Towhee, White-throated Sparrow, and Common Yellowthroat were in the brush along the trail down to the river. Along the river, I saw a female Common Merganser with nine young in tow. Two of them were perched on the back of the female.
A Pileated Woodpecker called from a tree on the river bank. On the trail back to the parking lot, a Blue-winged Warbler popped out of the brush within six feet of me! By the time I raised my camera, it had moved behind some branches, so the photos I got only had documentation value.

Back at the parking lot, I saw an American Kestrel on a wire and an immature Bald Eagle circling overhead.

I made the short drive over to the Martins Creek power plant area and checked the pond, which only held 6 Green-winged Teal and a Bufflehead. A Yellow Warbler sang across the road from the pond and cooperated for some nice photos.

Down at the boat launch area, an Eastern Phoebe was next to the closed bridge, two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers called above, and two Yellow-rumped Warblers and two Northern Parulas were found in the trees next to the Oughoughton Creek. One of the Northern Parulas came down to the creek, allowing me to get some near eye level photos of this treetop dweller.

I left Lower Mount Bethel Township and visited Green Pond. An Eastern Kingbird was flycatching from the fence around the Farmersville Road retention pond.

Shorebirds at the flooded field area included 5 Lesser Yellowlegs, 5 Killdeer, 3 Solitary Sandpipers, 2 Spotted Sandpipers, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, and 2 Wilson's Snipe.
Other birds seen there included Great Blue Heron, Chimney Swift, and Tree and Barn Swallows.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Along the Lehigh River and Green Pond ~ April 24, 2024

I started off today's birding at the Wilson Avenue area of the D&L Trail, also newly known as Nagy's Landing. The only notable bird there was a Warbling Vireo. My new lens came yesterday, so I was trying it out whenever I could, taking photos of any cooperative birds. Here are some photos that I took there.
From there, I went to the Route 33 Boat Launch area and walked those paths. A Pileated Woodpecker worked over a decaying log.

I spotted my first Baltimore Oriole of the year right along the river.

A raptor circling over the river turned out to be an adult Peregrine Falcon!

A Common Merganser winged its way downriver at the boat launch.
A Tufted Titmouse was another cooperative subject to practice on with the new lens.

Other notables seen there included Wood Duck, Osprey, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

The area around the Bethlehem Boat Club produced a Green Heron and an immature Bald Eagle.
Over at Green Pond, the flooded field area held 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, 3 Solitary Sandpipers, 2 Spotted Sandpipers, and 5 Killdeer among 13 Lesser Yellowlegs.

A Great Blue Heron, a Cooper's Hawk, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler were also found at Green Pond.

Monday, April 22, 2024

Palmer Bikeway, Newburg Road Pond, and Green Pond ~ April 22, 2024

First thing this morning, I walked a section of the Palmer Bikeway. I headed north from Penn Pump Park and found 2 Wood Ducks, 2 Common Mergansers, a Cooper's Hawk, a Belted Kingfisher, 2 Northern Flickers, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 2 American Goldfinches, 9 White-throated Sparrows, 2 Pine and 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a Warbling Vireo.

On the return walk, I added 2 Eastern Phoebes and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Over at the Newburg Road retention pond, a Killdeer and a Spotted Sandpiper were present.

The flooded field area by Green Pond produced 2 Killdeer, a Solitary Sandpiper, a Spotted Sandpiper, and several Chimney Swifts.

Two Great Blue Herons, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a pair of Purple Finches were found at Green Pond itself.