Another Trek for Gray-cheeked Thrush ~ May 17, 2026

I started at Bear Swamp to see if I could find a Gray-cheeked Thrush. I walked the archery section and the boardwalk on the north side of the road, recording Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Red-shouldered Hawk, Hairy and Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Bluebird, Veery, Wood Thrush, Chipping and Swamp Sparrow, Ovenbird, Tennessee, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Northern Yellow, Black-and-white, Blackburnian, and Black-throated Green Warblers, Northern Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, and Northern Parula, but no Gray-cheeked.

While contining the search along National Park Drive, I found Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Cooper's Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Acadian Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, another nice count of 11 Swainson's Thrushes, Chipping Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, and warblers that included Ovenbird, Worm-eating, Tennessee, Hooded, Magnolia, Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Black-and-white, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped, Northern Parula, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, and Louisiana Waterthrush.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Swainson's Thrush

However, the best bird there was an Olive-sided Flycatcher that was perched on a snag along the road near the Slateford Falls area. I had just got done talking with Bob and Jennifer McBride, and they were driving away when I spotted this bird. Instead of getting photos of it, I hollered toward their car and the bird flew off, never to be refound even though I spent an additional 15 minutes looking for it. It had the big head, the dark vest with the white stripe down the middle, and the very short tail.

The Tatamy Exit retention pond contained 3 Killdeer, 3 Semipalmated Plovers, 21 Least Sandpipers, and 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows while the Hollo Road retention pond held a Killdeer, a Spotted Sandpiper, a Least Sandpiper, and 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows.

Of the 24 Snow Geese lingering at Green Pond, two of them appear to be "Lesser" Snow Geese. They are a bit smaller with shorter necks and smaller bills.

An apparent "Lesser" Snow Goose among the expected "Greater" Snow Geese.

Other birds noted in the Green Pond area included Killdeer, Spotted, Solitary, and Least Sandpiper, Northern Flicker, Eastern Kingbird, and Tree Swallow.

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