Friday, April 23, 2021
Wilson's Snipe and Green Heron at Green Pond ~ April 23, 2021
I checked out Green Pond late in the day and spotted a Green Heron, 4 Wilson's Snipe, and a pair of Wood Ducks.
Monday, April 19, 2021
"Early" Warblers at Green Pond ~ April 19, 2021
A late morning stop at Green Pond produced a good number of the "early" warblers, which included four Pine Warblers and two Palm Warblers among 22 Yellow-rumpeds. A few posed nicely.
Sunday, April 18, 2021
Common Gallinule in Northampton County ~ April 18, 2021
I stopped at the west side of Lake Minsi on Sunday afternoon, walked out the fishing jetty at the parking lot, and started to "scope" the northwest part of the lake. I didn't expect to see much since there was a kayaker paddling through that area. But as it turned out, that kayaker flushed a bird near the cattails, which turned out to be a Common Gallinule, a pretty unusual bird for the county! It was a couple hundred yards out, so I tried getting some documentation photos of it and then sent out a text to the local birders about it. As the kayaker moved on, it eventually swam back over to the cattails it was previously at and disappeared among them. You can barely make out the red forehead and bill and white flanks on the bird in these long-distance shots.
I drove over to the east side and found some cormorants, but there were several boats out on the water, so it was pretty much devoid of birds. I returned to the west side and saw Mike Schall scoping the area. He had refound the gallinule near the peninsula, but it was staying behind the brush most of the time. Adam Miller showed up soon after and we got him on the bird. I believe it's only the third time I've seen this bird in the county, so it was a nice surprise.
Earlier in the day, I stopped at Green Pond and found a Blue-headed Vireo and got a nice photo of one of the eight Palm Warblers that were there.
I drove over to the east side and found some cormorants, but there were several boats out on the water, so it was pretty much devoid of birds. I returned to the west side and saw Mike Schall scoping the area. He had refound the gallinule near the peninsula, but it was staying behind the brush most of the time. Adam Miller showed up soon after and we got him on the bird. I believe it's only the third time I've seen this bird in the county, so it was a nice surprise.
Earlier in the day, I stopped at Green Pond and found a Blue-headed Vireo and got a nice photo of one of the eight Palm Warblers that were there.
Sunday, April 11, 2021
Neotropic Cormorant in Pennsylvania! ~ April 11, 2021
Brett Matlock was birding the area of the Williamsport Dam when he noticed a smaller cormorant with the expected Double-crested Cormorants. Upon noticing the white border around the throat patch and the long tail, it confirmed the bird as a Neotropic Cormorant, a bird that's rarely found north of Texas! I got to the spot around 2:30 and saw the bird in the middle of the river among a couple dozen Double-cresteds. Soon after, the bird flew a short distance downstream and started diving to feed in the turbulent water just below the dam. Using the concrete dam wall as a blind, I managed to get a few half-decent photos of it in the persisting rain.
Eventually, it flew back up above the dam to rejoin the other cormorants. The smaller size was very noticeable. It was nice to get to see the comparison between it and the larger, immature Double-crested Cormorant that it was near.
If accepted, this bird represents the first record for Pennsylvania! More photos of the bird can be found in my Pennsylvania Notables Album.
Eventually, it flew back up above the dam to rejoin the other cormorants. The smaller size was very noticeable. It was nice to get to see the comparison between it and the larger, immature Double-crested Cormorant that it was near.
If accepted, this bird represents the first record for Pennsylvania! More photos of the bird can be found in my Pennsylvania Notables Album.
Monday, April 5, 2021
Probable Gray-breasted Martin in New York ~ April 4, 2021
It was no April Fool's joke when, on the 1st, professional tour guide Doug Gochfeld noticed a martin flying around Prospect Lake in Prospect Park, located in Brooklyn, New York that didn't match the expected Purple Martin. After further study and many photos, the bird was narrowed down to three very similar-looking species----Gray-breasted Martin, Carribean Martin, and Cuban Martin.
Early on the 4th, a birding friend and I drove to Brooklyn, hoping that the bird was still there. Thankfully, the bird was already flying around by itself at the point of the peninsula when we arrived. It eventually landed near the top of a tree in the small northeast cove of the lake. After that, it was periodically flying around to feed and then returning to perch near the top of the trees on the peninsula where it spent a lot of time preening. It later left the northeast cove and worked the area around the tip of the peninsula. At one point, it landed in a tree with Tree Swallows, allowing for a nice size comparison. The cloudy morning made getting photos that weren't silhouetted difficult since the bird was often flying well above eye level. I was lucky to get a few worthwhile photos of it.
A consensus by "the experts" seems to point to the bird being a Gray-breasted Martin, a bird normally found in Mexico, and Central and South America. If so, it would be only the 3rd record for the United States, the first two being specimens found in Texas way back in the 1880's! More photos of it can be found in my New York Photo Album.
Early on the 4th, a birding friend and I drove to Brooklyn, hoping that the bird was still there. Thankfully, the bird was already flying around by itself at the point of the peninsula when we arrived. It eventually landed near the top of a tree in the small northeast cove of the lake. After that, it was periodically flying around to feed and then returning to perch near the top of the trees on the peninsula where it spent a lot of time preening. It later left the northeast cove and worked the area around the tip of the peninsula. At one point, it landed in a tree with Tree Swallows, allowing for a nice size comparison. The cloudy morning made getting photos that weren't silhouetted difficult since the bird was often flying well above eye level. I was lucky to get a few worthwhile photos of it.
A consensus by "the experts" seems to point to the bird being a Gray-breasted Martin, a bird normally found in Mexico, and Central and South America. If so, it would be only the 3rd record for the United States, the first two being specimens found in Texas way back in the 1880's! More photos of it can be found in my New York Photo Album.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
300 Species for Northampton County! ~ March 24, 2021
Late Tuesday night, I read that Danielle Gustafson had seen an Orange-crowned Warbler at the Nisky Hill Cemetery in Bethlehem. That was one bird that I had never been lucky enough to cross paths with in my home county. Thursday's weather was calling for showers and then rain to move into the area about an hour after sunrise, so I drove over there, arriving at sunrise. The light rain was already falling when I started walking the southern rim of the cemetery. As I was nearing the western end of it, I heard some 'chip' notes, which was amazing since my high-end range of my hearing is pretty much gone in my right ear. I spotted a warbler-sized bird above me, but even with binoculars, the lighting was terrible. The silhouetted bird seemed to have yellow undertail coverts that were brighter than the rest of the bird. I was pretty sure it was the Orange-crowned but wanted to be certain. I tried walking uphill to see if I could get a better angle on it, looked up, and saw TWO small birds. I followed the one bird and eventually got a good enough look at it to realize it was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Now I was worried that I might lose the other bird. I quickly refound it and thankfully, after a couple minutes, it flew down to a tree on the steep embankment, which put it almost at eye level. I could now see the colors and the subtle markings. It was the Orange-crowned Warbler! I grabbed for my camera and, over the next several minutes, managed to get some pretty good photos of it.
It took me 48 years, but I was finally able to see my 300th species for Northampton County!
It took me 48 years, but I was finally able to see my 300th species for Northampton County!
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Iceland Gull at Lake Nockamixon ~ March 10, 2021
Since Lake Minsi was still frozen, I decided to drive down to Lake Nockamixon and see what was there. Among the numbers of Common Mergansers, I found a few American Wigeon and a couple Ring-necked Ducks and noticed a gull flying along the eastern edge of the lake that looked real pale. I got it in the scope and realized it was an Iceland Gull! I watched it as it continued to get closer. It eventually flew right by me where I got these fairly good, but backlit photos before it continued west towards the marina.
A stop at the marina produced Hooded Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, and Buffleheads. While there, a Sandhill Crane called three times from somewhere high overhead, but I never was able to find it in the blue sky.
The last stop was the fishing pier where the lake was mostly frozen but had several large patches of open water. I counted 7 Bald Eagles----2 adults and 5 immatures. The young birds and one of the adults were taking turns flying around stirring up the ducks and gulls and often perching on the ice.
Two of the young birds were toying with each other.
While checking out the gulls, I spotted the Iceland Gull. Judging by the wingtip pattern, I'm pretty sure that it was the same bird that I saw earlier at the Tohickon area. It flew in and landed fairly close where it bathed in the open water. This time the lighting was much better and I got some fairly nice photos of it.
As I passed the Haycock area on the way home, a male American Kestrel provided the "cherry on top." Needless to say, the drive was well worth it.
A stop at the marina produced Hooded Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, and Buffleheads. While there, a Sandhill Crane called three times from somewhere high overhead, but I never was able to find it in the blue sky.
The last stop was the fishing pier where the lake was mostly frozen but had several large patches of open water. I counted 7 Bald Eagles----2 adults and 5 immatures. The young birds and one of the adults were taking turns flying around stirring up the ducks and gulls and often perching on the ice.
Two of the young birds were toying with each other.
While checking out the gulls, I spotted the Iceland Gull. Judging by the wingtip pattern, I'm pretty sure that it was the same bird that I saw earlier at the Tohickon area. It flew in and landed fairly close where it bathed in the open water. This time the lighting was much better and I got some fairly nice photos of it.
As I passed the Haycock area on the way home, a male American Kestrel provided the "cherry on top." Needless to say, the drive was well worth it.
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