Breeding Bird Atlas Project Findings ~ June 2, 2026

With the migration now winding down, it's that time again when the Breeding Bird Atlas Project work takes center stage. After acquiring special permission to access a restricted area in my one breeding block near the Nazareth Quarry, I went there this morning and searched for breeding activity. I found 39 species, almost all of them probable breeders. The one interesting find that stood out among the others was a pair of Orchard Orioles finishing up a nest. Orchards are a little more unusual than the numerous Baltimore Orioles, so it's always nice to find them, but what was interesting was that the nest was hidden in a spruce branch rather than in a more expected deciduous tree. I got these photos of the male and female entering and leaving the opening to the nest.

A well-hidden nest of an Orchard Oriole pair in a spruce branch.

On the way back out to the car, I got these photos of one of several Northern Yellow Warblers found there.

A female Northern Yellow Warbler.

Other birds of note found there included Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Hairy Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great Crested and Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Cedar Waxwing, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, American Redstart, and Scarlet Tanager.

I stopped at the Osprey nest along the Nazareth-Tatamy road. One Osprey was sitting on the nest, but there was no sign of any young ones yet.

I continued on to the Tatamy Exit retention pond. Unfortunately, a landscape crew was mowing the banks of the impoundment, so the Semipalmated Plovers seen there yesterday were gone. The Semipalmated Plover present yesterday at the Hollo Road retention pond was also gone.

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