Little Gap and Some Ponds ~ September 6, 2026

I decided to spend the morning at Little Gap, hoping to find a few uncommon birds. When I got to the parking lot, Adam Miller was there and, soon after, Mike and Corinne Schall joined us. A pretty good migration movement was noted during a few stops along the way to the top of the mountain and near the hawkwatch. Found were at least 11 Red-eyed Vireos, 4 chickadees, a 'zip-by' Merlin, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 2 American Robins, a Scarlet Tanager, plus 10 species of warblers comprised of 2 Ovenbirds, 5 American Redstarts, 2 Northern Parulas, 2 Black-and-whites, 7 Bay-breasteds, 2 Blackburnians, 5 Chestnut-sideds, 6 Black-throated Greens, a Magnolia Warbler, and a Cape May. One of the birds I was hoping for was Philadelphia Vireo, which I found behind the hawkwatch. I only got these two quick photos of it before it flew.

Philadelphia Vireo

I also got this photo of a male American Redstart.

American Redstart

Birds seen from the hawkwatch included 2 Chimney Swifts, 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, a Black Vulture, 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks, a Cooper's Hawk, 3 Bald Eagles, 13 Broad-winged Hawks, 3 Red-tailed Hawks, 2 Eastern Wood-Pewees, 9 Common Ravens, 9 Tree Swallows, and 18 Cedar Waxwings.

On the way back home, I checked out the Regency Boulevard retention ponds where I found 6 Wood Ducks, 4 Green Herons, and a Hooded Merganser among 16 Mallards in the south pond.

Wood Ducks

The merganser likely is the same bird that I saw here back on August 18th.

Hooded Merganser

A Cooper's Hawk circled over the cove area, which held a Pied-billed Grebe and 4 American Goldfinches and a Northern Yellow Warbler in the nearby brush.

Pied-billed Grebe

Northern Yellow Warbler

The Trio Farms Boulevard retention ponds held 3 Double-crested Cormorants and a Pied-billed Grebe.

Double-crested Cormorant

Another cormorant was at Green Pond with the 7 continuing Snow Geese, 2 Barn Swallows, a Gray Catbird, an Eastern Bluebird, and 2 Baltimore Orioles.

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