Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from The Pennsylvania Birding List > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Friday, July 3 at 03:42 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Psittaco

3 Jul Warblers - Beaver Co. [Mark Vass ] 3 Jul Delaware County hawk ["Janet H.Austin" ] 3 Jul US Duck Natality Up [Grant Stevenson ] 3 Jul Grassland birds, Clarion Co. [Richard Cleary ] 3 Jul More Blue Grosbeaks (photos), Northampton County [Dustin Welch ] 3 Jul Churchville Report (Bucks Co) - Bird Sightings 6/27 - 7/3 [William Keim ] 2 Jul Purple Finch - Beaver Co. [Mark Vass ] 2 Jul Middle Creek WMA / Speedwell Forge Lake, Lancaster / Lebanon Counties [Mike Epler ] 2 Jul Re: Wilson`s Snipe - Allegheny Co. [Michael Fialkovich ] 2 Jul ERRATA: Fw: eBird Report - Brunner Island , 7/1/09 - York Co. [Lou Carpenter ] 2 Jul Wilson`s Snipe - Allegheny Co. [Mark Vass ] 2 Jul Allegheny County - White-throated Sparrow [Jim Valimont ] 2 Jul Indigo Bunting,Montgomery county [April Dudko ] 2 Jul Attack of a Red-tailed Hawk photo [Kerry Grim ] 2 Jul Pymatuning 6/30 [Craig Holt ] 2 Jul Peregrine takes a Kestrel [Paul H Karner ] 2 Jul Re: flying on the back of a Red-tailed Hawk [Larry Usselman ] 2 Jul Re: flying on the back of a Red-tailed Hawk [Kerry Grim ] 2 Jul Re: eBird Report - Brunner Island , 7/1/09 ["Kate St.John" ] 2 Jul Fw: eBird Report - Brunner Island , 7/1/09 [Lou Carpenter ] 2 Jul Eastern PA Birdline: 7/2/2009 [Dave DeReamus ] 1 Jul Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk- OT [Kathy Clark ] 1 Jul Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk- OT [Kathy Clark ] 1 Jul FW: eBird Report - Knob Hill Park , Allegheny County, 7/1/09 [Karyn Delaney ] 1 Jul Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk- OT [Jeffery Davis ] 1 Jul FW: eBird Report - Knob Hill Park , Allegheny County, 6/23/09 [Karyn Delaney ] 1 Jul FW: eBird Report -Economy Borough, Beaver County, Our Yard , 6/29/09 [Karyn Delaney ] 1 Jul Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk [Kathy Clark ] 1 Jul Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk [Jeffery Davis ] 1 Jul Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk [Kathy Clark ] 1 Jul Tree Swallow Rides a Hawk [JUDITH STOLTZFUS ] 1 Jul Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk [Paul H Karner ] 1 Jul Tree Swallow rides a Hawk [JUDITH STOLTZFUS ] 1 Jul Central PA Birdline for 7.2.2009 ["Mark A. McConaughy" ] 1 Jul Grasshopper Sparrow Allentown Lehigh County [Kathy ] 1 Jul Delaware Valley RBA, 1 July 2009 [Stephen Kacir ] 1 Jul Eastern Bluebird in Natural Cavity [Roy Boyle ] 1 Jul Piney Tract - Clay-colored Sparrow [John Boback ] 1 Jul Re: Tree Swallow rides a hawk [Bob Fowles ] 1 Jul Birds of Prey program at Doylestown, Bucks library [Patricia_Rossi ] 1 Jul Tuesday--a good day at Yellow Creek S.P. (Indiana Co.), despite a little rain [Marjorie Van Tassel ] 1 Jul Presque Isle SP, 6/29/2009 ["James F. Flynn Jr." ] 30 Jun Sandhill Cranes, Virginina Rail, Wilson's Snipe;Somerset County [Lauretta Payne ] 30 Jun Re: Tree Swallow rides a hawk [ANNETTE MATHES ] 30 Jun Re: Tree Swallow rides a hawk [Larry Usselman ] 30 Jun Black-crowned Night-Heron, Lehigh Co., and a lot of irrelevant information [Billy Weber ] 30 Jun Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC) Upcoming Meeting (7/2/09) [Bert Filemyr ] 30 Jun Tree Swallow rides a hawk [JUDITH STOLTZFUS ] 30 Jun Weekend sightings, Northampton/Carbon County ["Wiltraut, Richard E" ] 30 Jun Schenley Park on 6/29, Pittsburgh ["Kate St.John" ] 30 Jun Lesser Scaup - Berks County [Frank Haas ] 30 Jun RBA western Pennsylvania, 28 June 2009 [Amy Taracido ] 30 Jun RBA western Pennsylvania, 21 JUNE 2009 (originally posted 6/23/09) [Amy Taracido ] 30 Jun Union County phoebe behavior. Is it possible? [Allen Schweinsberg ] 30 Jun junco nesting behavior---Luzerne Co. [Sandra Goodwin ] 29 Jun Highlights Wayne Co 6/27-28 [Trudy Gerlach ] 29 Jun Re: Extralimital- Kestrels in NYC [Dallas DiLeo ] 29 Jun Extralimital- Kestrels in NYC [Kathy ] 29 Jun A. Coot - Washington Co. [Mark Vass ] 29 Jun Bald Eagle + Juncos - Carbon County ["SAFFIER, Steven" ] 29 Jun Luz. Co., June 28 list Kirby Park [Sandra Goodwin ] 29 Jun Whites Mill Preserve -Mont. Co. [April Dudko ] 29 Jun OT- VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD-VA, Roseate Spoonbill- DE (Photos) [Jeffery Davis ] 29 Jun OT- VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD-VA, Roseate Spoonbill- DE (Photos) [Jeffery Davis ] 28 Jun OT Violet-Crowned Hummingbird - Virginia [Mark Vass ] 28 Jun Butler Co - Red-headed Woodpeckers etc [Steve Sanford ] 28 Jun Berks Co. Grasshopper Sparrows [Steve Fordyce ] 28 Jun Pine Siskin [Sinkler's Mail ] 28 Jun SGL 173 and E.Palestine Rd, Beaver County ["Kate St.John" ] 28 Jun Killdeer nests, Berks County [Joan Silagy ] 28 Jun [PA BIRDS]- Sandhill Crane-Lebanon County-Yes [Art Schiavo ] 28 Jun Imperial Grasslands - Allegheny Co. [Mark Vass ] 28 Jun Koch property, Northampton County [DAVID KOCH ] 28 Jun Blue Grosbeak, Orchard Oriole, Northampton County [Matt Sabatine ] 27 Jun Bethlehem Boat Club, Northampton County [michael schall ] 27 Jun Forster`s Terns & Herring Gulls - Allegheny Co. [Mark Vass ] Subject: Warblers - Beaver Co. From: Mark Vass <mvas1200 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 13:42:50 -0700 I stopped at Montgomery Dam Rd.,Potter Twp. today and spent some time birding the road   Here is a partial list of birds I had     Warblers   2 PROTHONOTARY(pair) observed female at nest hole feeding young 1 Black & White 2 Cerulean 2 Kentucky   others   5 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher(family group) 1 Orchard Oriole(male) 6-7 Baltimore Oriole 5 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Scarlet Tanager 1 White-eyed Vireo 1 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 E. Phoebe 1 Least Flycatcher E. Wood-Pewee feeding three babies in nest 1 Veery 1 Green Heron     Mark Vass Beaver Co.     Subject: Delaware County hawk From: "Janet H.Austin" <wordyjan AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 15:34:54 -0400 I had been missing hawks,especially red-tailed, until today.I watched a redtail being harrassed by a crow on my way back to my apartment after lunch today.Redtails were the first hawks that I could find and I.d. readily-so they quickly became favorites!I think it's beautiful when they turn into the sun and the tail lights up! We are missing many species here this year.I'm convinced that management overdoes the poison sprays here.I was furious that they poisoned a small stand of thistles.It was not yet time for the goldfinches to nest.So now,they've diappeared.It isn,t as though the so-called gardeners have ANY knowledge of what they are doing.This is evident as they have let the dead thistles stay decorating (?) the fire roadside.They are PRETTY in bloom.Now our catchment pond is decorated with dreary dead pondweed,and many fewer dragonflies,and only one bullfrog.As one of our clever residents said of the bum interior renovation-it's dreckoration!There are no fireflies any more- either.There were no chimney swifts last year or this until today either,when one flew into the fountain's spray. An older friend and better birder than I,finds many fewer species and wrote an article for our house organ.So,it's possible that she's interested more people than before! I think we'd better keep mentioning losses widely.To me,it's pathetic that so many academics who live here are completely ignorant of nature!Even 2 biology professors!!! If money doesn't grow on trees,why do banks have branches? Janet H.Austin Delaware County,PA Subject: US Duck Natality Up From: Grant Stevenson <grantstevenson44 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 07:36:14 -0700 Hi All, I am listening to NPR's Morning Edition: gadwall, canvasback, pintail, blue/green-winged teal, redheads, shovelers, scaup. Overall duck nos. up. More wet grassland, pothole ponds, due to increase in rain. 9 or so other species-- no increase/decrease, incl. ring-necks, Am. Black Ducks. Surf www.fws.gov. Read News Release summary; search full one. Contacts. Discussion please: any comments after reading this site? Significant to ornithologists studying duck population ecology/demography: can this increase in numbers because of temporary climatic, "natural", and fluctuating because of global warming (?) change in habitat cause pressure on the environment, so altered by humans, be sustainable? 42 million ducks, 13% increase this year, 25% greater than average 1955-2008. Meanwhile, 12% of the world's 9,000+ species are IUCN Globally Threatened/Endangered, some Critically Endangered or fast becoming so (NPR's Ninty-Second Naturalist). Relatively few new ones being discovered. At the very least, hopefully we will see more of these this/next year, but not too much! Grant Stevenson Fountain Hill, Lehigh County *Additional OT Notes: ---Interesting post about the peregrine killing a kestrel. A 3 papers I know of devoted to raptor- on- raptor predation. Maybe not the rule, the exception is possibly of despiration outweighing the danger of being hurt for the larger predators. ---I forgot to post a trip Monday in a not to be disclosed area*-- not much: Field Sparrow, *returning from last year when property was open to birders, a large Bank Swallow colony now on industrial property w/o permission to trespass (now flying birds seen from distance), TV roost near beef farm, red-tail pair, mockingbirds galore; Brown Thrasher, catbirds. Subject: Grassland birds, Clarion Co. From: Richard Cleary <RLC74 AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 10:43:02 EDT Yesterday I made a trip out to the Piney Tract IBA and nearby Mt. Airy. Despite the constant rain I was able to see (or hear) lots of Henslow's sparrows, a pair of Clay-colored sparrows, a pair of Vesper sparrows, and several pair of Bobolinks. Along Mt. Airy rd. a pair of Upland sandpipers fed casually within five yards of my car. I got soaked but it was a good day. Dick Cleary **************It's raining cats and dogs -- Come to PawNation, a place where pets rule! (http://www.pawnation.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000008) Subject: More Blue Grosbeaks (photos), Northampton County From: Dustin Welch <dwelch5951 AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 10:34:00 -0400 7/03/09 East Allen Twp., Northampton County Exact location withheld to protect breeding. Yesterday morning I found a pair of BLUE GROSBEAKS in E. Allen Twp., Northampton County.?The male is a first summer bird with little blue in its plumage. Also present was one singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. not super photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildpabirds/ Bird on, Dustin Welch Bath, Northampton County Subject: Churchville Report (Bucks Co) - Bird Sightings 6/27 - 7/3 From: William Keim <keimwj AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 08:27:44 +0000 Several reports from Churchville Nature Center in Southampton for the week of 6/27 - 7/3 produced these highlights: Wood Duck Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Great Egret Green Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Cooper's Hawk Ruby-throated Hummingbird Eastern Wood-Pewee Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Wood Thrush Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Pine Warbler Common Yellowthroat Rose-breasted Grosbeak Eastern Towhee Chipping Sparrow Baltimore Oriole All are welcome to join the Bird Walk. Meet every Saturday morning at 7 AM at the Nature Center parking lot on Churchville Lane. Bill Keim Langhorne, Bucks Co, PA KeimWJ AT hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Insert movie times and more without leaving Hotmail®. http://windowslive.com/Tutorial/Hotmail/QuickAdd?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Tutorial_QuickAdd_062009 Subject: Purple Finch - Beaver Co. From: Mark Vass <mvas1200 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 18:42:58 -0700 This evening I stopped at Independence Marsh and along the entrance road there were three Purple Finch(two males and a female)   also there is a large dead tree there and two Pileated Woodpeckers were on it and I also had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak   It was chilly and damp so I did not spend time to see what else was there      Mark Vass Beaver Co. Subject: Middle Creek WMA / Speedwell Forge Lake, Lancaster / Lebanon Counties From: Mike Epler <jmepler AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 21:42:15 -0400 I had off work today so I thought I would spend some time at Middle Creek. I made a quick stop at Speedwell Forge Lake on the way. There I found 4 Black-crowned Night-Herons along the tailrace below the dam. In the same area there were 30+ Chimney Swifts hawking insects. When I arrived at Middle Creek I pulled off the road at stop #1. Here I found an Osprey perched on one of the dead stumps in the lake, eating a Carp that had to be 14"-16" long. When I came back around this way 3 hours later the bird was in one off the taller dead snags in the same area, probably still recovering after a big fish dinner. On the Conservation Trail I got good looks at a Veery and a pair of Ovenbirds. Here I also found a pair of Eastern Towhees. The female looked like a normal Eastern Towhee but the male had a significant amount of white on his scapulars which was surprising to me. Checking in Sibley later I discovered that it is possible for apparently pure Eastern birds to have white spots on their scapulars. He was definitely singing the Eastern "drink your teeeee" song. A loop around the tour road yeilded quite a few Grasshopper Sparrows, several seen but many more heard only. To finish off my outing I took a quick trip down the dead-end road to the cul-de-sac where a life bird Yellow-breasted Chat was waiting from me in one of the trees at the end of the road. Mike Epler Middletown Dauphin County _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail® has ever-growing storage! Don’t worry about storage limits. http://windowslive.com/Tutorial/Hotmail/Storage?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Tutorial_Storage_062009 Subject: Re: Wilson`s Snipe - Allegheny Co. From: Michael Fialkovich <mpfial AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 20:27:50 -0400 There is another summer record for Allegheny County. A bird was seen at the Imperial Grasslands June 30, 1997. Mike Fialkovich Pittsburgh, Allegheny County ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Vass" To: Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 4:07 PM Subject: [PABIRDS] Wilson`s Snipe - Allegheny Co. I stopped at the Imperial Grasslands pond this afternoon and was surprised to find a WILSON`S SNIPE there This is the first snipe I have seen there in June - July I went back to look at Mike Fialkovich`s reports in Pa Birds magazine that I have back to 2002 and find no other reports from this season ( June-July) This could be a first summer record from this location If someone knows of other records could you please let me know I had a Vesper Sparrow on the ground only feet away from my car feeding and it sang a few times some other birds seen were singles of Cooper`s Hawk and Kestrel and two Bluebirds Mark Vass Beaver Co. Subject: ERRATA: Fw: eBird Report - Brunner Island , 7/1/09 - York Co. From: Lou Carpenter <loulcar AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 20:23:12 -0400 My apologies to the list for thoughtlessly forgetting some basic posting rules: 1. County omitted: Brunner Island is in York County. 2. signature omitted; should have been: Lou Carpenter York, PA I will not waste band width by resending the original eBird report here. If because of my oversights you prematurely deleted it, and you would like to see it, just send me an eMail off-line and I will send you a complete copy. [Hope I got this post right ;-)] Lou Carpenter York, PA Subject: Wilson`s Snipe - Allegheny Co. From: Mark Vass <mvas1200 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 13:07:51 -0700 I stopped at the Imperial Grasslands pond this afternoon and was surprised to find a WILSON`S SNIPE there This is the first snipe I have seen there in June - July I went back to look at Mike Fialkovich`s reports in Pa Birds magazine that I have back to 2002 and find no other reports from this season ( June-July) This could be a first summer record from this location If someone knows of other records could you please let me know   I had a Vesper Sparrow on the ground only feet away from my car feeding and it sang a few times some other birds seen were singles of Cooper`s Hawk and Kestrel and two Bluebirds     Mark Vass Beaver Co.   Subject: Allegheny County - White-throated Sparrow From: Jim Valimont <valimont49 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 20:02:00 +0000 Sorry for the late post, but yesterday morning, I was revisiting West Mifflin Park on Bettis Road (after atlasing there a few days earlier). I parked at the far end of the loop road against the fence of the Bettis Laboratory. On the other side of the fence on the lab property, I heard a White-throated Sparrow singing several times. I could not visually locate the bird in the dense shrubbery on the lab property. No mockingbirds around. The time was about 8:30 AM. Jim Valimont President, Three Rivers Birding Club Subject: Indigo Bunting,Montgomery county From: April Dudko <pdudko1369 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:49:39 -0400 Saw a beautiful male Indigo Bunting singing his heart out today at the former Spring Run Farm on Morwood Rd. Upper Salford Twp. Also the abandoned barn holds about 50+ barn swallows swooping in and out and flying across the fields searching for insects to feed the young ones. Also noted were Goldfinches eating the ripening seeds of thistles, lots of Robins, a Catbird and Mockingbird. Lovely young buck in velvet also present. Happy birding. April Dudko pdudko1369 AT verizon.net Subject: Attack of a Red-tailed Hawk photo From: Kerry Grim <grim04 AT ENTER.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 14:30:20 -0400 For what it is worth an absolutely excellent photo was just posted photo.net of a Cassin's (or possibly Western) Kingbird attacking a Red-tailed Hawk. Although I sure could not prove it was Photo-shopped. I assume it was not. The link to the photo: http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=9098994&size=lg Subject: Pymatuning 6/30 From: Craig Holt <hud929godwit AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 11:30:43 -0700 I saw these birds of interest at Pymatuning a couple days ago, 6/30:  ruddy duck (near spillway), 2 hooded mergansers and belted kingfisher (at fish hatchery ponds), osprey on tower along Rte. 285, 2 upland sandpipers on a wire just east of Miller's Ponds (also along Rte. 285), and cliff swallows.  Later, Craig Subject: Peregrine takes a Kestrel From: Paul H Karner <paulban AT EPIX.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 13:02:26 -0400 This happened on Monday, June 22 at one of my Kestrel Boxes as I was banding the young. Just like seeing a Blue Bird riding a RT as its mate is dead in its talons, this was hard to take! I checked the box today and the young are ready to fledge thanks to a "single" MOM! Go here to see the pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/10357783 AT N04/sets/72157620862555604/show/ spend hours in the field and you never know what you'll see.... Paul H Karner Bangor, PA. 18013 Cavity Nesters of Northampton County Subject: Re: flying on the back of a Red-tailed Hawk From: Larry Usselman <elgrans AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 12:53:27 -0400 Kerry, seeing a hawk or eagle sitting on a toilet is amazing...who would have thought such birds could be potty-trained! :) On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 12:11 PM, Kerry Grim wrote: > > In all honesty, I have seen Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, and even Bald > Eagle which sitting on the toilet. But NO intentions of make a list. > > Kerry Grim > -- Larry Usselman Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania My Photos: http://www.pbase.com/snargle Subject: Re: flying on the back of a Red-tailed Hawk From: Kerry Grim <grim04 AT ENTER.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 12:11:59 -0400 Well, three months earlier, I would have thought this was a good April Fool's joke. So has anyone started a "flying on the back of a Red-tailed Hawk" life list? In all honesty, I have seen Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, and even Bald Eagle which sitting on the toilet. But NO intentions of make a list. Kerry Grim Subject: Re: eBird Report - Brunner Island , 7/1/09 From: "Kate St.John" <kstjohn001 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 08:28:14 -0700 Ummm... is that an island in the eastern part of the state? There's a Brunot Island over here in Allegheny County. Kate St. John, Pittsburgh Visit my bird blog at www.wqed.org/birdblog Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Brunner Island , 7/1/09 From: Lou Carpenter <loulcar AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 07:26:29 -0400 ----- Original Message ----- From: Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 2:08 PM Subject: eBird Report - Brunner Island , 7/1/09 > Location: Brunner Island > Observation date: 7/1/09 > Notes: 69 degrees at start, partly cloudy, lite winds > Number of species: 55 > > Canada Goose 5 > Wood Duck 15 > Mallard 5 > Double-crested Cormorant 1 > Great Blue Heron 1 > Green Heron 4 > BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON 1 > Turkey Vulture 2 > Osprey 3 > Killdeer 5 > SPOTTED SANDPIPER 1 > Ring-billed Gull 1 > Mourning Dove 5 > Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 > Downy Woodpecker 1 > Hairy Woodpecker 1 > Northern Flicker 1 > Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 > Eastern Phoebe 4 > Great Crested Flycatcher 1 > Yellow-throated Vireo 1 > Red-eyed Vireo 2 > Blue Jay 2 > American Crow 2 > Fish Crow 1 > Tree Swallow 2 > Northern Rough-winged Swallow 30 > Carolina Chickadee 1 > Tufted Titmouse 7 > White-breasted Nuthatch 1 > Carolina Wren 4 > House Wren 2 > Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 > Eastern Bluebird 5 > Wood Thrush 2 > American Robin 10 > Gray Catbird 20 > Northern Mockingbird 1 > Brown Thrasher 1 > European Starling 2 > Yellow Warbler 8 > Ovenbird 1 > Common Yellowthroat 3 > Eastern Towhee 2 > Field Sparrow 5 > Song Sparrow 10 > Northern Cardinal 10 > BLUE GROSBEAK 1 > Indigo Bunting 2 > Red-winged Blackbird 25 > Common Grackle 5 > Brown-headed Cowbird 6 > House Finch 2 > American Goldfinch 3 > House Sparrow 1 > > This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Subject: Eastern PA Birdline: 7/2/2009 From: Dave DeReamus <becard AT RCN.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 02:24:56 -0400 - RBA * Pennsylvania * Lehigh / Northampton Counties and Vicinity * July 2, 2009 * PAEA0907.02 - Birds mentioned ALDER FLYCATCHER BLUE GROSBEAK YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON PINE SISKIN - Transcript Hotline: Eastern PA Birdline Date: July 2nd at 2:00 AM Phone Number: (610) 252-3455 To Report by Phone: Call (610) 252-3455, press the (*) key and leave your message. To Report by E-Mail: Send to becard AT rcn.com with "Birdline" in subject heading. Compiler: Dave DeReamus My reporting area includes all of Lehigh and Northampton Counties with the northern edge of the area reaching Beltzville State Park and the southern edge reaching Peace Valley Park in Bucks County. Updates are typically done every Thursday, more often when necessary. You can visit the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society Website at http://www.lehigh.edu/lvas. You can visit my 'Eastern PA Birding' Website for photos and information at http://users.rcn.com/becard/home.html. This is Dave DeReamus, for the Eastern PA Birdline, sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, recorded on July 2nd at 2:00 AM. Directions to many of the sites in this report can be found in the area's birding guidebook, "Birds of the Lehigh Valley and Vicinity". NOW FOR THE BIRDS! Sightings include ALDER FLYCATCHER, BLUE GROSBEAK, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, PINE SISKIN, and others. Sightings from BEAR SWAMP, Northampton County included: ALDER FLYCATCHER - 1 on 6/27 Northern Waterthrush - 1 on 6/26 and 6/27. Also Acadian Flycatcher and Pine Warbler. Sightings from WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Northampton County included: BLUE GROSBEAK - 1 on 6/28 (along Jacktown Road). Also Orchard Oriole, and Savannah and Grasshopper Sparrow. Sightings from WILLIAMS TOWNSHIP, Northampton County included: Willow Flycatcher and Orchard Oriole. Sightings from the BETHLEHEM BOAT CLUB area, Northampton County included: YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER - 1 on 6/27. Also Acadian Flycatcher. Sightings from the WILD CREEK RESERVOIR area, Carbon County included: Blue-headed and Yellow-throated Vireo, Least Flycatcher, Pine Warbler, Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow-rumped, Magnolia, and Blackburnian Warbler, and Northern Parula. Sightings from LYNN TOWNSHIP, Lehigh County included: BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON - 1 on 6/29 (at Route 309 and Mountain Road). Sightings from the FOUNTAIN HILL, Lehigh County included: PINE SISKIN - 1 on 6/27 (at a private feeder). - End transcript Subject: Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk- OT From: Kathy Clark <KCBSP AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:15:19 EDT Jeff it takes both. Being able to observe and also able to care and do what is needed. I could be you tomorrow. I'm sorry the posts about who rode who were my lead to the mesage. I did not in any way want to demean what you thought about the bluebird riding the hawk with her dead mate. I'm not that morbid. Thanks. Kathy In a message dated 7/1/2009 11:12:15 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, KCBSP writes: Oh please you are wonderful.. Just keep being you. I'm sorry I didn't take your message to heart. Kathy In a message dated 7/1/2009 11:10:05 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jwdjwd67 AT MSN.COM writes: Maybe I should clarify that I wasn't trying to say anything about the mating or motivations of birds in general or these birds in particular. I was just saying that these are the emotions and ideas evoked in me by reading the description. I found it interesting that it is my first instinct to find it sad and not funny. More people probably found the passage amusing to consider but I immediately turned it into an operatic tragedy rather than a farce. It says more about me than about anything bird related so I guess I was being way off-topic. In the future I will save such comments for my shrink. When I get one. Does anyone know a good shrink? regards, jeff Downingtown, PA Checkout our bird photos at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ "Birding Like I Have Six Months To Live" > Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:40:43 -0400 > From: KCBSP AT AOL.COM > Subject: Re: [PABIRDS] Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk > To: PABIRDS AT LIST.AUDUBON.ORG > > Hey Jeff, > > I see where you are coming from but I more or less take birding as black > and white. I do realize their is a bond with mates, but to me really I > doubt that she was riding the hawk to do all the things you might suppose. I > guess you helped me see your side. Maybe somebody else should comment. I > truly do not feel they bond for life--bluebirds. You could be right but me > says nah. It's ok for me to be wrong a lot!! > > Kathy Clark, New Cumberland, PA > > > In a message dated 7/1/2009 10:31:46 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > jwdjwd67 AT msn.com writes: > > It is so funny how different people's reactions can be to the same exact > information. Seriously. I read this and it made me want to cry! It was a > perfect opportunity for my frequently over emotional brain to anthropomorphize > the event. The thought of this poor female Bluebird trying to stop this > hawk from killing and eating her already dead mate is just so sad to me. > After all, she is a bird. One would think that she would fly away happy she > wasn't the unlucky one getting eaten but there she is caring nothing for her > own life against an overwhelming foe trying in a vain to save her love. > The whole thing makes me want to crawl into bed and read Camus. :( > > regards, > jeff > > Downingtown, PA > > Checkout our bird photos at the link below: > http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ > > > > **************Dell Laptops: Huge Savings on Popular Laptops – Deals > starting at > $399(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222883570x1201497211/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Faltfarm.mediaplex.com%2Fad%2Fck%2F12309%2D81939%2D1629%2D0) ____________________________________ _Dell Laptops: Huge Savings on Popular Laptops - Deals starting at $399_ (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222883570x1201497211/aol?redir=http ://altfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ck/12309-81939-1629-0) **************Dell Laptops: Huge Savings on Popular Laptops – Deals starting at $399(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222883570x1201497211/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Faltfarm.mediaplex.com%2Fad%2Fck%2F12309%2D81939%2D1629%2D0) Subject: Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk- OT From: Kathy Clark <KCBSP AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:12:15 EDT Oh please you are wonderful.. Just keep being you. I'm sorry I didn't take your message to heart. Kathy In a message dated 7/1/2009 11:10:05 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jwdjwd67 AT MSN.COM writes: Maybe I should clarify that I wasn't trying to say anything about the mating or motivations of birds in general or these birds in particular. I was just saying that these are the emotions and ideas evoked in me by reading the description. I found it interesting that it is my first instinct to find it sad and not funny. More people probably found the passage amusing to consider but I immediately turned it into an operatic tragedy rather than a farce. It says more about me than about anything bird related so I guess I was being way off-topic. In the future I will save such comments for my shrink. When I get one. Does anyone know a good shrink? regards, jeff Downingtown, PA Checkout our bird photos at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ "Birding Like I Have Six Months To Live" > Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:40:43 -0400 > From: KCBSP AT AOL.COM > Subject: Re: [PABIRDS] Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk > To: PABIRDS AT LIST.AUDUBON.ORG > > Hey Jeff, > > I see where you are coming from but I more or less take birding as black > and white. I do realize their is a bond with mates, but to me really I > doubt that she was riding the hawk to do all the things you might suppose. I > guess you helped me see your side. Maybe somebody else should comment. I > truly do not feel they bond for life--bluebirds. You could be right but me > says nah. It's ok for me to be wrong a lot!! > > Kathy Clark, New Cumberland, PA > > > In a message dated 7/1/2009 10:31:46 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > jwdjwd67 AT msn.com writes: > > It is so funny how different people's reactions can be to the same exact > information. Seriously. I read this and it made me want to cry! It was a > perfect opportunity for my frequently over emotional brain to anthropomorphize > the event. The thought of this poor female Bluebird trying to stop this > hawk from killing and eating her already dead mate is just so sad to me. > After all, she is a bird. One would think that she would fly away happy she > wasn't the unlucky one getting eaten but there she is caring nothing for her > own life against an overwhelming foe trying in a vain to save her love. > The whole thing makes me want to crawl into bed and read Camus. :( > > regards, > jeff > > Downingtown, PA > > Checkout our bird photos at the link below: > http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ > > > > **************Dell Laptops: Huge Savings on Popular Laptops – Deals > starting at > $399(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222883570x1201497211/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Faltfarm.mediaplex.com%2Fad%2Fck%2F12309%2D81939%2D1629%2D0) **************Dell Laptops: Huge Savings on Popular Laptops – Deals starting at $399(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222883570x1201497211/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Faltfarm.mediaplex.com%2Fad%2Fck%2F12309%2D81939%2D1629%2D0) Subject: FW: eBird Report - Knob Hill Park , Allegheny County, 7/1/09 From: Karyn Delaney <kdelaney17 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:10:27 -0400 Location: Knob Hill Park Observation date: 7/1/09 Notes: Male & Female Baltimore Oriole; Wood Thrush sitting on nest. Number of species: 29 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Mourning Dove 3 Chimney Swift 6 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee 2 Acadian Flycatcher 1 Red-eyed Vireo 3 Blue Jay 3 American Crow 6 Tufted Titmouse 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 3 Wood Thrush 12 American Robin 14 Gray Catbird 7 Northern Mockingbird 2 Cedar Waxwing 7 Kentucky Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 5 Hooded Warbler 1 Scarlet Tanager 3 Eastern Towhee 5 Song Sparrow 3 Northern Cardinal 6 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Red-winged Blackbird 12 Baltimore Oriole 2 American Goldfinch 2 Karyn Delaney This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Subject: Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk- OT From: Jeffery Davis <jwdjwd67 AT MSN.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:09:53 -0400 Maybe I should clarify that I wasn't trying to say anything about the mating or motivations of birds in general or these birds in particular. I was just saying that these are the emotions and ideas evoked in me by reading the description. I found it interesting that it is my first instinct to find it sad and not funny. More people probably found the passage amusing to consider but I immediately turned it into an operatic tragedy rather than a farce. It says more about me than about anything bird related so I guess I was being way off-topic. In the future I will save such comments for my shrink. When I get one. Does anyone know a good shrink? regards, jeff Downingtown, PA Checkout our bird photos at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ "Birding Like I Have Six Months To Live" > Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:40:43 -0400 > From: KCBSP AT AOL.COM > Subject: Re: [PABIRDS] Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk > To: PABIRDS AT LIST.AUDUBON.ORG > > Hey Jeff, > > I see where you are coming from but I more or less take birding as black > and white. I do realize their is a bond with mates, but to me really I > doubt that she was riding the hawk to do all the things you might suppose. I > guess you helped me see your side. Maybe somebody else should comment. I > truly do not feel they bond for life--bluebirds. You could be right but me > says nah. It's ok for me to be wrong a lot!! > > Kathy Clark, New Cumberland, PA > > > In a message dated 7/1/2009 10:31:46 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > jwdjwd67 AT msn.com writes: > > It is so funny how different people's reactions can be to the same exact > information. Seriously. I read this and it made me want to cry! It was a > perfect opportunity for my frequently over emotional brain to anthropomorphize > the event. The thought of this poor female Bluebird trying to stop this > hawk from killing and eating her already dead mate is just so sad to me. > After all, she is a bird. One would think that she would fly away happy she > wasn't the unlucky one getting eaten but there she is caring nothing for her > own life against an overwhelming foe trying in a vain to save her love. > The whole thing makes me want to crawl into bed and read Camus. :( > > regards, > jeff > > Downingtown, PA > > Checkout our bird photos at the link below: > http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ > > > > **************Dell Laptops: Huge Savings on Popular Laptops – Deals > starting at > $399(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222883570x1201497211/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Faltfarm.mediaplex.com%2Fad%2Fck%2F12309%2D81939%2D1629%2D0) Subject: FW: eBird Report - Knob Hill Park , Allegheny County, 6/23/09 From: Karyn Delaney <kdelaney17 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:09:26 -0400 Location: Knob Hill Park Observation date: 6/23/09 Notes: Female Baltimore Oriole feeding young; Male & Female Scarlet Tanager; White Breasted Nuthatch feeding young; Male & Female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak feeding two young. Number of species: 26 Red-tailed Hawk 3 Mourning Dove 1 Chimney Swift 1 Hairy Woodpecker 3 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Red-eyed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 3 Carolina Chickadee 6 Tufted Titmouse 8 White-breasted Nuthatch 6 House Wren 2 Wood Thrush 9 American Robin 24 Gray Catbird 9 Common Yellowthroat 6 Scarlet Tanager 2 Eastern Towhee 3 Field Sparrow 1 Song Sparrow 5 Northern Cardinal 8 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5 Indigo Bunting 1 Red-winged Blackbird 8 Common Grackle 2 Baltimore Oriole 2 American Goldfinch 2 Karyn Delaney Subject: FW: eBird Report -Economy Borough, Beaver County, Our Yard , 6/29/09 From: Karyn Delaney <kdelaney17 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:50:35 -0400 Subject: eBird Report - Economy Borough, Beaver County, Our Yard , 6/29/09 Location: Economy Borough, Beaver County Observation date: 6/29/09 Notes: Adult Flicker feeding 3 young; Adult Red-Bellied Woodpecker feeding 3 young. Number of species: 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 4 Northern Flicker 4 Karyn Delaney Subject: Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk From: Kathy Clark <KCBSP AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:40:43 EDT Hey Jeff, I see where you are coming from but I more or less take birding as black and white. I do realize their is a bond with mates, but to me really I doubt that she was riding the hawk to do all the things you might suppose. I guess you helped me see your side. Maybe somebody else should comment. I truly do not feel they bond for life--bluebirds. You could be right but me says nah. It's ok for me to be wrong a lot!! Kathy Clark, New Cumberland, PA In a message dated 7/1/2009 10:31:46 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jwdjwd67 AT msn.com writes: It is so funny how different people's reactions can be to the same exact information. Seriously. I read this and it made me want to cry! It was a perfect opportunity for my frequently over emotional brain to anthropomorphize the event. The thought of this poor female Bluebird trying to stop this hawk from killing and eating her already dead mate is just so sad to me. After all, she is a bird. One would think that she would fly away happy she wasn't the unlucky one getting eaten but there she is caring nothing for her own life against an overwhelming foe trying in a vain to save her love. The whole thing makes me want to crawl into bed and read Camus. :( regards, jeff Downingtown, PA Checkout our bird photos at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ **************Dell Laptops: Huge Savings on Popular Laptops – Deals starting at $399(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222883570x1201497211/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Faltfarm.mediaplex.com%2Fad%2Fck%2F12309%2D81939%2D1629%2D0) Subject: Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk From: Jeffery Davis <jwdjwd67 AT MSN.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:30:45 -0400 It is so funny how different people's reactions can be to the same exact information. Seriously. I read this and it made me want to cry! It was a perfect opportunity for my frequently over emotional brain to anthropomorphize the event. The thought of this poor female Bluebird trying to stop this hawk from killing and eating her already dead mate is just so sad to me. After all, she is a bird. One would think that she would fly away happy she wasn't the unlucky one getting eaten but there she is caring nothing for her own life against an overwhelming foe trying in a vain to save her love. The whole thing makes me want to crawl into bed and read Camus. :( regards, jeff Downingtown, PA Checkout our bird photos at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ "Birding Like I Have Six Months To Live" > Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:13:21 -0400 > From: KCBSP AT AOL.COM > Subject: Re: [PABIRDS] Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk > To: PABIRDS AT LIST.AUDUBON.ORG > > I think this is so funny.. LOL Thank you for entertaining me today. I > didn't know we had "cowboy" birds!! Seems we do don't we? I've enjoyed > reading this. I always thought it curious how starlings or other birds just > follow the hawks and peck them but I've not seen anything take a ride. Oh > well. :D Guess pecking order isn't always so is it? > > Kathy Clark New Cumberland, PA > > > In a message dated 7/1/2009 8:39:53 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > paulban AT EPIX.NET writes: > > Back in 2007, I was banding Kestrels,Blue Birds and Tree Swallows with > some banders from Bucks County. On this day we were at a Blue Bird Box and I > was holding the adult female Blue Bird to band. We heard a commotion and as > we turned to look we saw an adult Redtail flying towards the woods with a > female Blue Bird riding on the back side of its head. All three of us could > see that the Redtail had a male Blue Bird in its talon and it looked dead! > The female Blue Bird rode that RT right to the woods edge and then jumped > off. We talk about this event every time we get together. > > > Paul H Karner > Bangor, PA. 18013 > Cavity Nesters of Northampton County > > **************Dell Laptops: Huge Savings on Popular Laptops – Deals > starting at > $399(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222883570x1201497211/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Faltfarm.mediaplex.com%2Fad%2Fck%2F12309%2D81939%2D1629%2D0) Subject: Re: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk From: Kathy Clark <KCBSP AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:13:21 EDT I think this is so funny.. LOL Thank you for entertaining me today. I didn't know we had "cowboy" birds!! Seems we do don't we? I've enjoyed reading this. I always thought it curious how starlings or other birds just follow the hawks and peck them but I've not seen anything take a ride. Oh well. :D Guess pecking order isn't always so is it? Kathy Clark New Cumberland, PA In a message dated 7/1/2009 8:39:53 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, paulban AT EPIX.NET writes: Back in 2007, I was banding Kestrels,Blue Birds and Tree Swallows with some banders from Bucks County. On this day we were at a Blue Bird Box and I was holding the adult female Blue Bird to band. We heard a commotion and as we turned to look we saw an adult Redtail flying towards the woods with a female Blue Bird riding on the back side of its head. All three of us could see that the Redtail had a male Blue Bird in its talon and it looked dead! The female Blue Bird rode that RT right to the woods edge and then jumped off. We talk about this event every time we get together. Paul H Karner Bangor, PA. 18013 Cavity Nesters of Northampton County **************Dell Laptops: Huge Savings on Popular Laptops – Deals starting at $399(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222883570x1201497211/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Faltfarm.mediaplex.com%2Fad%2Fck%2F12309%2D81939%2D1629%2D0) Subject: Tree Swallow Rides a Hawk From: JUDITH STOLTZFUS <stoltzfus1 AT PRODIGY.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:28:30 -0700 My apologies - I meant an Eastern Kingbird, not an Eastern Kingfisher. Thanks, Larry, for the correction. Judith Subject: Blue Bird riding on a Redtail Hawk From: Paul H Karner <paulban AT EPIX.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 20:39:47 -0400 Back in 2007, I was banding Kestrels,Blue Birds and Tree Swallows with some banders from Bucks County. On this day we were at a Blue Bird Box and I was holding the adult female Blue Bird to band. We heard a commotion and as we turned to look we saw an adult Redtail flying towards the woods with a female Blue Bird riding on the back side of its head. All three of us could see that the Redtail had a male Blue Bird in its talon and it looked dead! The female Blue Bird rode that RT right to the woods edge and then jumped off. We talk about this event every time we get together. Paul H Karner Bangor, PA. 18013 Cavity Nesters of Northampton County Subject: Tree Swallow rides a Hawk From: JUDITH STOLTZFUS <stoltzfus1 AT PRODIGY.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 17:26:02 -0700 Thanks to all who anwered my post. So far I've heard of Red-winged Blackbirds, Northern Mockingbirds, Eastern Kingfishers, and my Tree-swallows as the riders, and Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Broad-winged Hawks, Bald Eagles, and Ospreys as the hosts of the ride. This is fascinating! Does anyone have any new observations to add? I really never knew this kind of thing happens. It was so thrilling to witness. Happy Birding, Judith Stoltzfus Parkesburg Chester County, PA Subject: Central PA Birdline for 7.2.2009 From: "Mark A. McConaughy" <TimeTraveler AT MSN.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 17:49:56 -0400 Central PA Birdline - RBA * Pennsylvania * Central Pennsylvania * July 2, 2009 * PACE0907.02 Bird Highlights SANDHILL CRANE (Lebanon Co.) BLUE GROSBEAK (Cumberland Co.) - Transcript Hotline: Central Pennsylvania Birdline Date: July 2, 2009 To Report: TimeTraveler AT msn.com Compiler: Mark A. McConaughy Coverage: Central Pennsylvania, Susquehanna River Drainage System Transcriber: Mark A. McConaughy Welcome to Pennsylvania Audubon's and the Patriot-News' Birdline. This Birdline covers sightings made primarily during the week prior to Thursday, July 2, 2009. CARBON COUNTY: A BALD EAGLE was seen at Lake Harmony in the Pocono's on June 28 (SS). CENTRE COUNTY: A BLUE GROSBEAK has been observed just east on Pancake Road in former strip mine land a few miles north of Snow Shoe between June 25 and 29 (GG, CK, AT, MH). LEBANON COUNTY: An immature SANDHILL CRANE continues to be seen from the rail-trail on Lake Duffy in State Game Lands 145 through at least June 28 (RM, AS). LUZERNE COUNTY: There were 6 PEREGRINE FALCONS at Kirby Park on June 28 (SG). YORK COUNTY: A PROTHONOTARY WARBLER was found on June 27 along the Hibiscus Trail on Brunner Island (BH, JH). Closing Announcements: If you miss the usual Thursday postings of the Central PA Birdline on BIRDEAST and PABIRDS, I will also be posting it on my page web site at: http://people.delphiforums.com/MCCONAUGHY/currentbl.htm *PORC = Pennsylvania Ornithological Record Committee. Rare bird sightings should be documented with written descriptions and photographs whenever possible and sent to PORC for review. Send PORC reports to Nick Pulcinella, 613 Howard Road, West Chester, PA 19380. The following people have contributed to this birdline: Sandra Goodwin (SG), Greg Grove (GG), Molly Heath (MH), Barry Horton (BH), Jenni Horton (JH), Chad Kauffman (CK), Randy Miller (RM), Steven Saffier (SS), Art Schiavo (AS), and Aden Troyer (AT). I apologize if I have misspelled their names and I will also refrain from naming that person on request. -End Transcript ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mark A. McConaughy TimeTraveler AT msn.com Bushy Run Battlefield P.O. Box 486 Harrison City, PA 15636-0468 (724) 527-5585 x103 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: Grasshopper Sparrow Allentown Lehigh County From: Kathy <pabirder AT PTD.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 17:43:49 -0400 I was treated to a singing Grasshopper Sparrow today at noon when I opened the door to take a walk around the building where I work. I was able to see the bird on the top of the Queen City Airport fence, unfortunately without binoculars and poor light situation-it was back lit. It sang several times before flying down into the grass. Kathy Stagl Emmaus, PA Subject: Delaware Valley RBA, 1 July 2009 From: Stephen Kacir <rba AT DVOC.ORG> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 11:00:18 -0700 - RBA * PA, NJ, DE * Delaware Valley: Southeast PA, Central/Southern NJ & DE * PADV0907.01 * July 1, 2009 - Birds Mentioned Neotropic Cormorant (MD) Anhinga (NJ)+ White Ibis (NJ)+ Roseate Spoonbill (DE)+ Black-bellied Whistling-duck (DE)+ Eurasian Collared-dove (DE)+ Violet-crowned Hummingbird (VA) (NJ)+ (Details requested by NJBRC) (PA)+ (Details requested by PORC) (DE)+ (Details requested by DERC) Common Loon Cory's Shearwater Greater Shearwater Wilson's Storm-petrel Northern Gannet Brown Pelican Least Bittern Great Egret Little Blue Heron Yellow-crowned Night-heron Snow Goose Brant Lesser Scaup Surf Scoter Mississippi Kite Cooper's Hawk Broad-winged Hawk Wild Turkey Black Rail Clapper Rail King Rail Sandhill Crane Piping Plover Spotted Sandpiper Red Knot Parasitic Jaeger Black-headed Gull Bonaparte's Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Nelson's Gull (Glaucous X Herring Hybrid) Gull-billed Tern Caspian Tern Royal Tern Sandwich Tern Black Tern Black-billed Cuckoo Barn Owl Barred Owl Acadian Flycatcher Alder Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Red-breasted Nuthatch Blue-winged Warbler Magnolia Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Prairie Warbler Cerulean Warbler American Redstart Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Northern Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler Hooded Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Scarlet Tanager Grasshopper Sparrow Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Blue Grosbeak White-winged Crossbill Pine Siskin - Transcript Hotline: Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert Email reports to: rba AT dvoc.org Compiler: Steve Kacir, Delaware Valley Ornithological Club Phone: (215) 240-7547 Voice of the Delaware Valley RBA: Cindy Ahern & Win Shafer URL: http://www.dvoc.org/RBA/Current/Active/Index.htm Welcome to the July 1, 2009 edition of the Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert, a service provided by the joint efforts of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC), covering the Delaware Valley Region of Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I'm Steve Kacir your guide for birding in the Greater Philadelphia Region. This week, we highlight reports of ANHINGA and WHITE IBIS in Cape May County, NJ; ROSEATE SPOONBILL, BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING- DUCK and EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in Sussex County, DE. Remember to check out our website for additional content and information: http://www.dvoc.org/RBA/Current/Active/Index.htm -------------------------------------------------------------- FOR NEW JERSEY: Cape May County: An ANHINGA was spotted from the Rea Farm on June 27, and it was spotted over The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge on June 28. An adult WHITE IBIS was found off the west path of the refuge on June 28, and a KING RAIL was heard from the same path on June 27-28. The BLACK RAIL at the TNC Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge was heard and seen through June 30. The bird has been seen somewhat reliably as it crosses the path that cuts through a weedy area near the visitor center kiosk. After parking at the refuge lot, proceed to the kiosk then take the right hand path until the T-intersection. This intersection has been a somewhat reliable place to see the BLACK RAIL, and the bird has called from either side of the path leading from the intersection to the beach. The rail has been seen at the intersection in the early morning and in the afternoon to early evening. On June 27, a SANDWICH TERN was at the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge. That evening the SANDWICH TERN and a BLACK-HEADED GULL were at the second plover pond at Cape May Point State Park. The BLACK-HEADED GULL was once again at that plover pond on June 28, and it was seen at TNC Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge on June 30. Two SANDWICH TERNS flew over the second plover pond on June 30. A NORTHERN GANNET and 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS were spotted from the refuge's beach on June 24. On June 26, a WILSON'S STORM-PETREL was seen offshore from the TNC Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge, and a NELSON'S GULL (HERRING GULL X GLAUCOUS GULL hybrid) was on the beach. On June 30, a CORY'S SHEARWATER was spotted from the beach, and an immature BLACK TERN flew in to roost on the beach. Other sightings from the TNC property included LEAST BITTERNS, PIPING PLOVERS, GULL-BILLED TERNS, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO and BLUE GROSBEAK. On June 26, a CORY'S SHEARWATER flew past Cape May Point State Park, and a flock of 17 BROWN PELICANS flew over the park's parking lot on June 25. The park's bunker pond had an adult BLACK TERN on June 29, and the BLACK-HEADED GULL was spotted there on June 30. BLUE GROSBEAKS were reported from the State Park and the Rea Farm. The rips off Cape May Point attracted a BLACK TERN, CASPIAN TERN and 7 GREATER SHEARWATERS on June 29. On June 30, two BLACK TERNS were seen from Cape May Point, and a WILSON'S STORM-PETREL was seen off the St Peter's jetty. A BRANT was off the St Mary's jetty on June 27. A MISSISSIPPI KITE was over the Rea Farm on June 27, and three MISSISSIPPI KITES flew from over the Rea Farm to the TNC Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge on June 28. Three WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS were spotted off Sunset Beach on June 26. A YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT- HERON was spotted from a kayak at the back bays behind Wildwood. A WHITE IBIS was spotted from the Osprey tour boat on June 30; the IBIS was seen flying from the Sunset Lake heronry. A LITTLE BLUE HERON and YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON were on Nummy Island on June 25. Cumberland County: Two lingering RED KNOTS were at East Point on June 25. Atlantic County: A boat trip out of Somer's Point noted YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, BROWN PELICAN, SURF SCOTER and SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS. A SNOW GOOSE was still at the Brigantine Division of Edwin B Forsythe NWR. Monmouth County: Conaskonk Point had SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. Mercer County: The Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain had two KENTUCKY WARBLERS on June 27. One was behind the springhouse near the bottom of the driveway, and the other was in a dense thicket near the edge of the estate grounds. Other birds at the preserve included BLUE GROSBEAK, WORM-EATING WARBLERS and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Somerset County: Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve had WILD TURKEY and GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS on June 27. That day, PRAIRIE WARBLERS and YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were at the South Middlebush Rd entrance of Six Mile Run Park. The Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve had PRAIRIE WARBLERS and BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS. Hunterdon County: A PINE SISKIN visited a feeder in the Califon area on June 28. Morris County: The Wildcat Ridge area had PRAIRIE WARBLER and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH. -------------------------------------------------------------- FOR DELAWARE: New Castle County: Middle Run Natural Area north of Newark had BLUE GROSBEAK, BLUE- WINGED WARBLER and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Middle Run Natural Area north of Newark had SCARLET TANAGER, BLUE GROSBEAK, PRAIRIE WARBLER and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Kent County: Recent reports from Bombay Hook NWR included SNOW GOOSE, YELLOW- CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER and BLUE GROSBEAK. Sussex County: A ROSEATE SPOONBILL has been seen around the Catch 54 restaurant in the town of Fenwick Island on June 21-30. To see the SPOONBILL, take Route 54 west from Fenwick Island, cross over the bridge in half a mile and, just after the Catch 54 restaurant on the north side of the road, turn right onto Bennett Rd. In 100 yards, turn right onto Madison Ave and park -- you cannot go straight ahead as this is private property. The bird has been seen low down in tidal channels on private property to the north across the grass, where there have been many Canada Geese. Be patient and be respectful of property owners. Other birds in the area included CLAPPER RAILS and ROYAL TERNS. A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was at the Sussex Eye Center on Route 54 in Selbyville on June 25, and one was heard in pine trees on private property off Route 54 on June 26. The BLACK- BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK was with Mallards under a magnolia tree on the north side of Rehoboth's Silver Lake on June 26. An adult BONAPARTE'S GULL was at Fowler Beach on June 25. A BROWN PELICAN flew over Rehoboth Bay on June 27. A COMMON LOON was in South Bethany at the end of Alda Lane. -------------------------------------------------------------- FOR PENNSYLVANIA: Chester County: Two immature BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS were at Struble Lake on June 24. A BARRED OWL called from Skelp Level Rd in Downingtown on June 24. Montgomery County: Riverbend Environmental Education Center had ACADIAN FLYCATCHERS, AMERICAN REDSTARTS and SCARLET TANAGERS on June 28. Bucks County: A PINE SISKIN was at a feeder in Levittown on June 26. Northampton County: A new development towards the end of Jacktown Rd had a BLUE GROSBEAK and GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS on June 28. An ACADIAN FLYCATCHER and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER were at the Bethlehem Boat Club on June 27. A GREAT EGRET was at Green Pond, and a young SPOTTED SANDPIPER was at Gremar Rd. A PRAIRIE WARBLER was singing at the Valley View Restaurant. On June 24, a hike along the Appalachian Trail revealed several CERULEAN WARBLERS. National Park Drive had a HOODED WARBLER and WORM-EATING WARBLERS. A pair of BROAD-WINGED HAWKS is on territory near Bangor. A BARRED OWL, ACADIAN FLYCATCHERS and a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH were at the Bear Swamp Recreation Area, and an ALDER FLYCATCHER pipped along the power line area. Lehigh County: A PINE SISKIN visited a feeder in Fountain Hill on June 27. Schuylkill County: Four immature COOPER'S HAWKS were at a nest at Sweet Arrow Lake. Berks County: A WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL flew over a yard in Boyertown on June 24. GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS were in grassland habitat near Centerport. On June 29, eleven young BARN OWLS were banded at two sites in the county. The turnpike pond off Route 10 had a LESSER SCAUP on June 30. Lebanon County: The SANDHILL CRANE was still at Lake Duffy in SGL 145 through June 28. Carbon County: The Hell Creek/Wild Creek area had RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER and LEAST FLYCATCHER. Breeding DARK- EYED JUNCOS were reported from the Lake Harmony area. Monroe County: A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was singing at Brodhead Creek south of Canadensis. -------------------------------------------------------------- EXTRALIMITAL REPORTS: MARYLAND: A NEOTROPIC CORMORANT has been seen on the Potomac River at Riley's Lock and Violette's Lock in Montgomery County on June 17-27. VIRGINIA: On June 25-29, a VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD has been at the Huffman House at Creekside Farm, 16 Old Huffman Store Rd, Newport (Zip Code: 24128) in Craig County. -------------------------------------------------------------- ANNOUNCEMENTS: On July 18, Lynn Jackson will lead a DVOC field trip to Bombay Hook NWR. Please contact Lynn for additional details if you plan on attending. Additional information and contact information for the trip leader are on the DVOC website: http://www.dvoc.org The next meeting of the DVOC is on July 2, 2009. This is an informal meeting at the Palmyra Cove Nature Center, featuring short programs by Frank Windfelder & Debbie Beer. The DVOC potluck picnic will be on Aug 1 at Jan Gordon's house. The next informal meeting will take place at Palmyra on Aug 6. Details are on the website; nonmembers and guests are always welcome. While there is construction going on at the new visitor center of the Brigantine Division of Edwin B Forsythe NWR, access to the Wildlife Drive is available near the side exit with the tire spikes. A gate has been opened allowing entrance into the refuge via a drive behind the Akers area, which is usually closed but can be a productive area for songbirds. Stafford Ave, the dirt road running through Manahawkin WMA and Edwin B Forsythe NWR is currently closed to vehicles due to construction. Parking is available at a small lot farther south near Bay Ave or near the road closure sign on Stafford Ave. DVOC member Tony Croasdale has started a blog to chronicle his adventures in Alaska at http://radicalnaturalist.blogspot.com The Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert is a weekly report on birding in the Delaware Valley Region including Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. To report birds or significant birding events and planned pelagic trips, please email rba AT dvoc.org. This is Steve Kacir, good birding to you all and thanks for calling, surfing and reporting. - End Transcript Steve Kacir rba AT dvoc.org DVOC Rare Bird Alert Committee Chair Academy of Natural Sciences Delaware Valley Ornithological Club Philadelphia, PA Subject: Eastern Bluebird in Natural Cavity From: Roy Boyle <royboyle AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 13:22:45 -0400 Greetings, I have a pair of bluebirds using a natural cavity in a tree next to my driveway. I've seen the male and female going in and out for about a week now. A short video of the male at the hole is on YouTube. Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHCstF9XZ_0 Roy Roy Boyle Blair County, Pennsylvania Treat the Earth Like You Plan To Stay - Unknown _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync. http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_BR_life_in_synch_062009 Subject: Piney Tract - Clay-colored Sparrow From: John Boback <morlitte AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 06:36:40 -0700 Hi All, Despite the off and on again rain yesterday, Michael Dietrich and I birded Piney Tract in Clarion County. We were successful with Clay-colored Sparrows out beyond the gate on Mt. Zion Road, but dipped on Upland Sandpipers despite spending at lot of time looking and listening at a number of spots. Other birds: Swainson's Thrush (1) singing in woods near Clay-colored spot Northern Harrier (1) male) Henslow's Sparrow (dozens everywhere we went) Grasshopper Sparrow (many) some banded & carry food Bobolinks John Boback Meadowcroft Museum Washington County, PA Subject: Re: Tree Swallow rides a hawk From: Bob Fowles <rbf AT PSU.EDU> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 08:40:20 -0400 While driving to a block in Bradford County for atlasing last year, I had to do a quick doubletake when I saw a RW Blackbird hitch a ride on the back of a RT Hawk rising out of a field. I couldn't stop so I don't know how long that free ride lasted. Bob Fowles Regional Coordinator for BBA2 Region 37 Subject: Birds of Prey program at Doylestown, Bucks library From: Patricia_Rossi <circus_cyaneus AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 07:11:36 -0400 Greetings! Last night I attended a terrific program, "Close Encounters with Live Birds of Prey" by the Delaware Valley Raptor Center at the Doylestown library(Bucks County)featuring Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Horned- and Saw-whet Owls, and Golden Eagle. www.dvrconline.org I understand that the program is to be repeated tonight at 7pm. For more info or directions: Bucks County Library Center in Doylestown 150 S. Pine St. 215-348-9081 www.buckslib.org Patricia Rossi Levittown, Bucks County circus_cyaneus AT verizon.net Subject: Tuesday--a good day at Yellow Creek S.P. (Indiana Co.), despite a little rain From: Marjorie Van Tassel <marvant AT WINDSTREAM.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 05:41:05 -0400 Good day at Yellow Creek S.P. (Indiana County), despite a little rain I almost turned around on 422 and came home it was pouring so hard around 7 a.m., but once I got to the park it stopped and when Margaret arrived it was comfortable and we had rain for about 5 minutes once and that was all. A few families or young, always fun to observe, including 5 Green Herons (one was a young heron who chased an adult off the long branches it was perched on in the cove) Belted Kingfishers (several pairs, one feeding young) Brown Thrasher pairs Wood Thrush (7, including one very near a visible nest clucking away) Catbirds (2 appeared anxious a few places) Baltimore Orioles (we could see one young one among several males) Highlights were a few warblers and others: Blackburnian Chestnut-sided Yellow Chestnut-sided Hooded Magnolia N. Parula Hooded Common Yellowthroat Black-throated Green Pine Warbler Ovenbird Brown Creeper Eastern Wood PeWee Willow Flycatcher Scarlet Tanager Indigo Bunting Rose-breasted Grosbeak Eastern Towees and Phoebes Eastern Kingbird Forster Terns Bald Eagle (1 adult) (Plus usual visitors, CEWAs, NOCAs, PIWP, etc.) Observers: Marge Van Tassel and Margaret Higbee Marge VanTassel (Armstrong County) Subject: Presque Isle SP, 6/29/2009 From: "James F. Flynn Jr." <jim.flynn AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:20:37 -0400 Hi, folks, on Monday I made my annual summer pilgrimage to Presque Isle to pay homage to the park I miss so much. Not the best time to visit to bird, but I'll take what I can get. Here are a few of the more interesting sightings: Wild Turkey: 2 Bald Eagle: 1 2nd yr bird, Sidewalk Trail (seen again later in the day over Niagara Pond) American Woodcock: flushed along Gull Point Trail Willow Flycatcher: 2, Gull Point Trail & Coast Guard Rd. White-crowned Sparrow: 1, Gull Point Trail Purple Finch: 2, Lighthouse I never made it out the Gull Point itself, figuring it would probably be off-limits anyway. The constant din of Yellow Warblers and Warbling Vireos is incredible, something I took for granted for years but now something I really look forward to on my trip back home! Take care, Jim Flynn Atlanta, GA Subject: Sandhill Cranes, Virginina Rail, Wilson's Snipe;Somerset County From: Lauretta Payne <paynemt AT CHILITECH.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:12:03 -0400 A pair of Sandhill Cranes has been frequenting a wetland and the surrounding farm fields near Berlin since at least 6/15. They were seen flying into the wetland at 7:50 p.m. this evening. When seen in the wetland on 6/15 and 6/20 they are both rust stained and have full red crowns but age is unknown. Although no breeding evidence has been seen this is a very interesting observation for a county this far south. Also seen tonight was a Wilson's Snipe and Virginia Rail was calling. Many Mallards, Wood Ducks, Swamp Sparrows and Willow Flycatchers as well as single Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher and Green Heron also present. Jeff Payne Berlin PA paynemt AT chilitech.com Subject: Re: Tree Swallow rides a hawk From: ANNETTE MATHES <amathes19 AT MSN.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:52:09 -0400 I thought I had had too much sun when I saw a Northern Mockingbird riding a Red-tailed Hawk last summer! Annette Mathes Harrisburg, Dauphin County ----- Original Message ----- From: Larry Usselman To: PABIRDS AT LIST.AUDUBON.ORG Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 8:12 PM Subject: Re: [PABIRDS] Tree Swallow rides a hawk Judith, I saw an Eastern Kingbird do the same thing to a Red-tailed Hawk. I was laughing my head off as I watched the smaller bird "surfing" on the hawk's back! On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 6:02 PM, JUDITH STOLTZFUS> wrote: > Hi All, > > I apologize about the late post, but I've been away the few days since I witnessed this amazing (to me) sight. > > Sunday morning as my husband and I were leaving home, coming out N. Blackhorse Road to Route 30, I saw two tree swallows harrassing a red-tailed hawk in flight. Then one actually landed on the hawk's back and rode it until the hawk flew to the top of a pine tree. The swallow left the hawk's back just before the hawk landed. The swallows then continued to harrass the hawk, until it took off again. I watched as the tree swallow again landed on the hawk's back before it crossed Route 30. It appeared to land between the shoulders of the hawk, and stayed there until after the hawk was well on the other side of the road. I was just amazed, as I've never witnessed a bird riding on the back of a hawk before. > > I wonder how common this is. Have others on the list witnessed birds actually landing on a hawks back? If so, please reply either on or off list. Thanks! > > Happy birding, > > Judith Stoltzfus > Parkesburg, > Chester County, PA > -- Larry Usselman Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania My Photos: http://www.pbase.com/snargle Subject: Re: Tree Swallow rides a hawk From: Larry Usselman <elgrans AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:12:28 -0400 Judith, I saw an Eastern Kingbird do the same thing to a Red-tailed Hawk. I was laughing my head off as I watched the smaller bird "surfing" on the hawk's back! On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 6:02 PM, JUDITH STOLTZFUS wrote: > Hi All, > > I apologize about the late post, but I've been away the few days since I witnessed this amazing (to me) sight. > > Sunday morning as my husband and I were leaving home, coming out N. Blackhorse Road to Route 30, I saw two tree swallows harrassing a red-tailed hawk in flight.  Then one actually landed on the hawk's back and rode it until the hawk flew to the top of a pine tree.  The swallow left the hawk's back just before the hawk landed.  The swallows then continued to harrass the hawk, until it took off again.  I watched as the tree swallow again landed on the hawk's back before it crossed Route 30.  It appeared to land between the shoulders of the hawk, and stayed there until after the hawk was well on the other side of the road.  I was just amazed, as I've never witnessed a bird riding on the back of a hawk before. > > I wonder how common this is.  Have others on the list witnessed birds actually landing on a hawks back?  If so, please reply either on or off list.  Thanks! > > Happy birding, > > Judith Stoltzfus > Parkesburg, > Chester County, PA > -- Larry Usselman Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania My Photos: http://www.pbase.com/snargle Subject: Black-crowned Night-Heron, Lehigh Co., and a lot of irrelevant information From: Billy Weber <robot_stories AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:49:37 -0400 I was miniature golfing with family last night (6/29) when an immature Black-crowned Night-Heron flew in over the ornamental pond behind the course and began hunting from the water control structure. Although my putter proved useless as an optical device, there was enough artificial lighting for me to identify the bird naked-eye. The golf course in question can be found at the northeast corner of Mountain Road and Route 309, at the base of Blue Mountain in extreme northern Lehigh County. You may have to play a round to justify your visit. If you finish hole #4 in fewer than six strokes, you have my respect. I just got back from a family vacation to southeast Arizona. My folks tracked down eight new species, while I upgraded my heard-only Sinaloa Wren to a seen bird. It looks like a Carolina Wren, only uglier. Our other highlights included Montezuma Quail; Mississippi Kite; Common Black-Hawk; Flammulated, Northern Pygmy-, and Northern Saw-whet owls; White-eared, Berylline, and Lucifer hummingbirds; Buff-breasted Flycatcher; Gray Vireo; Mexican Chickadee; "Brown-throated" House Wren; Black-capped Gnatcatcher; Gray Catbird; Hooded Warbler; Flame- colored Tanager; Rufous-winged and Five-striped sparrows; Rose- breasted Grosbeak; Indigo Bunting; and unassisted Least Tern and Yellow-throated Vireo. The tern was my 300th Arizona bird (in ten trips). Actually, I spent most of my time in Arizona looking for "wire birds": birds perched on telephone or electrical lines. The WIRE LIST, pioneered by PA birders Cameron and Devich and recently embraced by me, Andy Markel, and perhaps other mentally unstable individuals, is a surprisingly addictive enterprise that requires a great deal more pishing than the average avian enthusiast might be inclined to engage in. I added 24 species to my wire list in Arizona, bringing my total to 126, which is still well below Devich's daunting 190. Gambel's Quail was probably my most unusual addition. Devich has apparently recorded both Bananaquit and Gray-streaked Flycatcher on North American wires, a fact which occasionally sends me into a mild depression. Anyway, I tried a WIRE BIG DAY back on 6/16 and managed to coax exactly 50 Pennsylvania species into relatively awkward balancing acts. After 18 birds in the first half hour, my rate of acquisition decreased appallingly, but I kept a stiff upper lip (mostly because of the pishing) and finished with eight WIRE LIFE BIRDS, nine warblers, and some nifty things like Grasshopper Sparrow, Veery, Double-crested Cormorant, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Red- eyed Vireo. Also neat was a hen Ruffed Grouse with a chick on Hatchery Road in Carbon County. I was unable to persuade her to become a WIRE BIRD. On 6/6, Devich Farbotnik and I located 152 species in eastern Pennsylvania. (The published state ABA record for June is 133.) Highlights on a route running from Cumberland County northeast to the Poconos and then down to lower Bucks included Least Bittern; Barn Owl; Yellow-crowned Night-Heron; Golden-winged, Nashville, and Prothonotary warblers; Merlin; Snow Goose; American Black Duck; Blue Grosbeak; Iceland and Lesser Black-backed gulls; Common Moorhen; and Chuck- will's-widow. Continuing through that date at the Dorney Road landfill site in Lehigh County were singles each of Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, and American Coot. In the context of the millennia, this report is only slightly belated. On 6/13, Devich and I plus a third PA birder who has asked to remain anonymous located 147 species in the state. We started at midnight in southern Bucks to obtain Laughing Gull and Common Loon, then made it out to the Susquehanna for lingering waterbirds, including Ring-necked Duck, Common Merganser, Bufflehead, both scaup, and an exceptional BLACK SCOTER at West Fairview. Also nice were an unscouted Ruddy Duck in Bucks and Pine Siskins in two places. Our third member's anonymity, incidentally, is a manifestation of his quite valid concern that I am going to share with the list the fact that, not once but TWICE during our big day, he chose to demonstrate what he refers to as "pee walking." This activity--with which I was previously unfamiliar, and with which I would like to reverse my current familiarity--involved (as our nameless #3 so aptly illustrated) moving steadily in a linear fashion while urinating, thus adding another layer of significance to the expression "covering ground." I nearly requested #3 to remove his socks and sandals before reentering my vehicle, but, alas, we were behind schedule. I would now like for someone to invent a Big Day Catheter. There is someone in Newburg, Cumberland County, who needs one. Finally, and considerably off-topic: I am proud to announce that this week I reached 400 on my DREAM LIST! I'm sure some of you are in the habit of recording the birds you see and/or hear in your dreams. (Please tell me you are.) Well, it has been a long and difficult path, but with the addition of a handsome adult ROYAL TERN the other night, I have now subconsciously identified 400 valid ABA species since 2004. I keep track not only of new dream birds but of repeat occurrences as well, so I also know that I have dreamt of 706 individual birds over the past six years. I seem to dream most often about shorebirds, with 51 species accounted for (most recently Spoon-billed Sandpiper). One of my all-time favorite bird dreams featured a mixed flock of Baird's Sandpipers and Slim-Fast bars feeding in the road next to Valley Pizza. But it is the Common Loon, with a champion seven total appearances, that just might be (as my cousin Kayla puts it) my "spirit guide." Perhaps I was a Common Loon in a past life. Actually, I have been called a common loon in my present life. Runners-up are Green-winged Teal, Common Merganser, Least Sandpiper, Belted Kingfisher, and Red-breasted Nuthatch at six occurrences apiece, followed by Black-crowned Night-Heron, Whimbrel, Eurasian Collared- Dove, Brown Creeper, and Chestnut-sided and Yellow-rumped warblers at five. I am considering the feasibility of a DREAM BIG NIGHT. If you are laughing, at least admit that this is better than keeping a pee- walking list, for instance. I am going to take a nap. Billy Weber Walnutport, PA robot_stories AT earthlink.net Subject: Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC) Upcoming Meeting (7/2/09) From: Bert Filemyr <afilemyr AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:36:00 -0400 The next meeting of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC) is an Informal Summer Meeting, this Thursday July 2nd, 2009 7:30 pm. Held at the Palmyra Cove Nature Center, Palmyra NJ Directions to the Meeting are at http://www.palmyracove.org/directions/index.asp Informal Pre-meeting Dinner Penn Queen Diner 7349 N. Crescent Blvd. Pennsauken, NJ 08110-1517 6:00 PM Short Programs Frank Windfelder, "ID of Great, Double-crested and Neotropic Cormorants, plus Anhinga" Debbie Beer, "East African Safari Adventure" Everyone (both members and non-members) is welcome at this meeting ------------------------------------------------------------ Bert Filemyr Meadowbrook, PA Subject: Tree Swallow rides a hawk From: JUDITH STOLTZFUS <stoltzfus1 AT PRODIGY.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:02:26 -0700 Hi All, I apologize about the late post, but I've been away the few days since I witnessed this amazing (to me) sight. Sunday morning as my husband and I were leaving home, coming out N. Blackhorse Road to Route 30, I saw two tree swallows harrassing a red-tailed hawk in flight. Then one actually landed on the hawk's back and rode it until the hawk flew to the top of a pine tree. The swallow left the hawk's back just before the hawk landed. The swallows then continued to harrass the hawk, until it took off again. I watched as the tree swallow again landed on the hawk's back before it crossed Route 30. It appeared to land between the shoulders of the hawk, and stayed there until after the hawk was well on the other side of the road. I was just amazed, as I've never witnessed a bird riding on the back of a hawk before. I wonder how common this is. Have others on the list witnessed birds actually landing on a hawks back? If so, please reply either on or off list. Thanks! Happy birding, Judith Stoltzfus Parkesburg, Chester County, PA Subject: Weekend sightings, Northampton/Carbon County From: "Wiltraut, Richard E" <rwiltraut AT STATE.PA.US> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:55:22 -0400 On Friday I decided to go up to Bear Swamp and see if there was any sign of Northern Waterthrush. I thought I heard one in the distance and also heard the begging call of a young Barred Owl. Early Saturday morning I put on my hip boots and walked back into the swamp. I clearly heard a Northern Waterthrush singing and walked in that direction. Just as I expected, I came to a large upturned tree where the roots were exposed. It didn't take me long before I spotted a nest only about a foot above the mosquito filled pool that was formed by the fallen tree. It definitely looked like a Northern Waterthrush nest, especially since it lacked the "walkway" of dead leaves typical of a Louisiana nest and there is no other species back there during the summer that would nest in upturned tree roots. The nest was empty and looked like it hadn't been used in awhile. Although there was no sign of young, the waterthrush at one point came in close and was singing above my head just a few yards away. Although this species typically nests above 1,000 feet, I think the habitat here is too inviting and in some cases birds "just don't read the books," like the Winter Wrens that nested at Jacobsburg. Also had 4 Acadian Flycatchers, although it's sad too see many of the hemlocks back there dying from HWA. Also had a singing Pine Warbler, a species I've suspected nesting back there since I've heard them into May on previous occasions. One Alder Flycatcher "pipped" along the powerline. Also on Saturday, the Yellow-throated Warbler was still singing along the Brodhead Creek south of Canadensis. On Sunday, a visit to the Wild Creek/Hell Creek area yielded about 4 Pine Warblers, 2 Brown Creepers, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow-rumped, Magnolia, and Blackburnian Warblers, 2 Blue-headed Vireos, Yellow-throated Vireo, and Least Flycatcher. A Northern Parula at Wild Creek was heard singing and later seen dispatching a very large caterpillar. Yesterday I went out to Berks County to band Barn Owls with Rich Bonnett and Dan Mummert and we banded 11 young at two sites, so needless to say I was very happy. Rick Wiltraut Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center 835 Jacobsburg Road Wind Gap, PA 18091 rwiltraut AT state.pa.us (610) 746-2810 Fax: (610) 746-2804 Subject: Schenley Park on 6/29, Pittsburgh From: "Kate St.John" <kstjohn001 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:08:39 -0700 I walked to work through Schenley Park yesterday. Not many birds were singing... just Eastern Wood-Pewee, Wood Thrush (abbreviated songs), Red-eyed Vireo (of course), Cardinals and Robins. The most noticeable thing were the flocks of Common Grackles feeding noisily in the woods. I guess this was juveniles + adults who weren't otherwise occupied. I was also surprised - so much so that I shouted - by a 6-point buck [in velvet] on the Steve Faloon Trail. The buck didn't even run away. He just stood 20 yards from me and munched some vegetation. Kate St. John, Pittsburgh Visit my bird blog at www.wqed.org/birdblog Subject: Lesser Scaup - Berks County From: Frank Haas <fbhaas AT PTD.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:06:00 -0400 We had a Lesser Scaup on the Turnpike Pond on Route 10 just north of Morgantown today. Frank Frank & Barb Haas fbhaas AT ptd.net Churchtown, PA "Wisdom begins with putting the right name to a thing." Subject: RBA western Pennsylvania, 28 June 2009 From: Amy Taracido <meadowlark4 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:27:08 -0400 RBA *Pennsylvania *Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania *PAWE06.28.09 Highlights: COMMON TERN CASPIAN TERN WILLOW FLYCATCHER LEAST FLYCATCHER CLIFF SWALLOW VEERY WORM-EATING WARBLER PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (Beaver and Mercer Counties) YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT VESPER SPARROW HENSLOW'S SPARROW GRASSHOPPER SPARROW BOBOLINK Contributors: Marcy Cunkelman, Mike Fialkovich, Steve Sanford, Kate St. John, Marjorie Van Tassel, Mark Vass. Compiler: Amy Taracido Monday, 22 June 2009 through Sunday, 28 June 2009 ***This report is distributed by e-mail only. Compiler is not responsible for errors on websites who reproduce/reprint these reports. If you would like to receive western PA RBAs, contact meadowlark4 AT verizon.net Transcript- ALLEGHENY COUNTY: On 6/24 at Dashields Dam, 1 COMMON TERN, 1 CASPIAN TERN; on 6/27, 6 HERRING GULLS (5 adult, 1 young), 1 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (MVas). At Emsworth Dam on 6/27, 11 HERRING GULLS (10 adult, 1 young), 3 FORSTER'S TERNS (MVas). At Highland Park Bridge on 6/27, 74 HERRING GULLS (71 adult, 3 young) (MVas). On 6/28 in Imperial, sightings included GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, HENSLOW'S SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, SWAMP SPARROW, VESPER SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, PRAIRIE WARBLER, HORNED LARK (MVas). BEAVER COUNTY: On 6/22 in Ambridge, 2 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS (MVas). On 6/26 at the Ambridge Reservoir, 2 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, 1 KENTUCKY WARBLER (MVas). In Aliquippa on 6/26, OSPREY (MVas). On 6/26 in Potter Township, 2 OSPREYS (1 adult, 1 young) (MVas). In Midland on 6/26, 2 OSPREYS (1 adult, 1 young) (MVas). On 6/26 at Montgomery Dam Road, 2 PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS (MVas). On 6/28 at State Gamelands #173 near Fairview, sightings included many CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS with young (KSJ). Along East Palestine Road on 6/28, 1 BOBOLINK (KSJ). BUTLER COUNTY: In the area East of Boyers on 6/28, sightings included 2 RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS, 1 BALD EAGLE, 3+ VEERIES, RUFFED GROUSE, 1 YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, 2 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS (SS). On 6/28 at Hummel Road and Route 308, 3 WILLOW FLYCATCHERS (SS). FAYETTE COUNTY: On 6/27 at and near Ohiopyle State Park, sightings included BROAD-WINGED HAWK, CLIFF SWALLOWS (with young), 4 NORTHERN PARULAS, WORM-EATING WARBLER, GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, VESPER SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, 12+ BOBOLINKS (MF). On 6/27 at Deer Lake in Chalkhill, sightings included WILLOW FLYCATCHER (MF). At Mill Run Reservoir on 6/27, EASTERN KINGBIRD, LEAST FLYCATCHER, KENTUCKY WARBLER, and others (MF). FOREST COUNTY: On 6/15-6/16 at Cook's Forest State Park, NORTHERN PARULA, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (SS). At Buzzard Swamp on 6/15-6/16, sightings included BLUE-HEADED VIREO, 2 COMMON RAVENS, 1 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 1 HERMIT THRUSH, 1 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, 1 MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, OVENBIRD, DARK-EYED JUNCO, PURPLE FINCH (SS). INDIANA COUNTY: On 6/23 at Yellow Creek State Park, sightings included WILLOW FLYCATCHER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, PINE WARBLER (MVan et al.). In Clarksburg on 6/25, 1 PINE SISKIN, 1 GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, PURPLE FINCHES; on 6/26, 1 PINE SISKIN (MC). MERCER COUNTY: At the Golden Run area of Shenango Lake on 6/24, pair of PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS, pair of OSPREY, 1 VEERY, and others (SS). WARREN COUNTY: On 6/15-6/16 at the Tidioute Overlook, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, BOBOLINK (SS). End transcript- Amy Taracido Washington Co., PA To send in reports: meadowlark4 AT verizon.net Thank you to all the contributors. Subject: RBA western Pennsylvania, 21 JUNE 2009 (originally posted 6/23/09) From: Amy Taracido <meadowlark4 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:25:58 -0400 NOTE: This report was emailed to the listserv on 6/23/09 but it never showed up on the listserv website. RBA *Pennsylvania *Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania *PAWE06.21.09 Highlights: COMMON LOON SNOW GOOSE (Mercer County) WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER FORSTER'S TERN BLACK VULTURE (Fayette County) SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Clarion County) PURPLE MARTIN CANADA WARBLER PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (Beaver County) HENSLOW'S SPARROW BOBOLINK Contributors: Shawn Collins, Karyn Delaney, Craig Holt, Scott Kinzey, Dave Krueger, Lukas Musher, Richard Nugent, Kate St. John, Mark Vass, Carole Winslow. Compiler: Amy Taracido Monday, 15 June 2009 through Sunday, 21 June 2009 ***This report is distributed by e-mail only. Compiler is not responsible for errors on websites who reproduce/reprint these reports. If you would like to receive western PA RBAs, contact meadowlark4 AT verizon.net Transcript- ALLEGHENY COUNTY: On 6/16 at Knob Hill Park, EASTERN WOOD-PEWEES, KENTUCKY WARBLERS, and others (KD). On 6/16 and 6/19 at Dashields Dam, 1 COMMON LOON; also on 6/19, 5 adult HERRING GULLS, 4 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 1 YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (MVas). In Sewickley on 6/21, COMMON NIGHTHAWK (MVas). ARMSTRONG COUNTY: On 6/21 at Crooked Creek Lake, sightings included 2 immature BALD EAGLES, ACADIAN FLYCATCHER (KSJ). BEAVER COUNTY: At the Ambridge Reservoir on 6/19, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, KENTUCKY WARBLER, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (MVas). On 6/19 at Montgomery Dam Road, 1 male PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (MVas). On 6/21 at the northern end of State Gamelands #285, 5-6 HENSLOW'S SPARROWS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, EASTERN KINGBIRD, KENTUCKY WARBLER, YELLOW- BILLED CUCKOO, PRAIRIE WARBLER (MVas). CLARION COUNTY: On 6/21 at a farm near Lucinda, 1 SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was seen perched on a wire (this bird has not been re-found since); also seen was 1 hen RING-NECKED PHEASANT (SC). Near Sligo on 6/21, pair of KENTUCKY WARBLERS (reported to CW by Mike Weible). CRAWFORD COUNTY: On 6/15 in Pymatuning at the Fish Hatchery pond, 1 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER; at Miller's Ponds, AMERICAN WIGEON, 2 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, BLUE-WINGED TEAL; at the spillway, RUDDY DUCK (LM et al.). FAYETTE COUNTY: On 6/16 along Route 119 just south of Uniontown, 1 BLACK VULTURE (DK). LAWRENCE COUNTY: On 6/20 in New Beaver at the Three Rivers gravel pond, 4 FORSTER'S TERNS, 4 PIED-BILLED GREBES (1 adult and 3 juveniles), HOODED MERGANSER (MVas). At the Wampum-New Galilee Road marsh on 6/20, 1 COMMON MOORHEN (MVas). On 6/21 at the Volant Strips area, highlights included 1 NORTHERN HARRIER, BANK SWALLOWS, SAVANNAH SPARROWS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, 4 HENSLOW'S SPARROWS, 30+ BOBOLINKS, and at the adjacent State Gamelands #284, 24 WOOD DUCKS (2 hens with 22 young), OSPREY, EASTERN KINGBIRD, SWAMP SPARROW (CH). In New Wilmington on 6/21, PURPLE MARTINS (CH). On 6/21 in Pulaski and Mahoning Townships, EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, ACADIAN FLYCATCHER, YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS, VEERY, HORNED LARK, and others (CH). MERCER COUNTY: This week at Lake Wilhelm, the CANADA GOOSE-blue phase SNOW GOOSE pair was still present, but without the 2 young seen previously (SK). VENANGO COUNTY: At Oil Creek State Park on 6/16, sightings included WINTER WREN, CANADA WARBLER, COMMON MERGANSER, VEERY (RN with Melissa Little). WASHINGTON COUNTY: In California on 6/22, COMMON NIGHTHAWK (AT). End transcript- Amy Taracido Washington Co., PA To send in reports: meadowlark4 AT verizon.net Thank you to all the contributors. Subject: Union County phoebe behavior. Is it possible? From: Allen Schweinsberg <aschwein AT BUCKNELL.EDU> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:29:18 -0400 Recently a friend wrote me: “We have a pair of phoebes with a nest on top of a light fixture on the pottery shed wall . We had noticed at least a couple of babies. Last week I noticed the adults behaving erratically, flying up to the nest and away. I took a ladder out to investigate and there was a snake coiled up in the nest, so I got the snake out of the nest, thinking it had eaten the young. Then yesterday I again inspected the nest and the young were there. Could the adults have taken the young out of the nest to protect them? And how? Where would they have put the young?” I replied: “I cannot imagine the parents removing the young. But are you telling me that, when you removed the snake, the nest was empty -- no eggs, no young? For sure? And the next week there were young in the nest?” His response: “That’s what I observed. I observed the nest when the snake was removed and it was empty, and then maybe a week later, when I discovered two nestlings. The snake was probably 2 1/2/ feet long, and when it was coiled in the nest nothing else could have been there.” Can this be correct? Allen Schweinsberg Subject: junco nesting behavior---Luzerne Co. From: Sandra Goodwin <chickadd AT EPIX.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:52:23 -0400 This was related to me at a recent garden club meeting. Another member who lives in the higher elevations of Trucksville, Luzerne Co., had told me last year that they had juncos nesting on their property. I didn't realize that they had nested in a hanging planter! This year they have had two nestings. One in April, in the hanging planter before the Christmas greens were removed, and another nesting later when the greens were removed after fledging. Sandy Goodwin Subject: Highlights Wayne Co 6/27-28 From: Trudy Gerlach <tgswoods AT EPIX.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:08:00 -0400 I saw 4 N. Rough-winged Swallows flying continuously over the Delaware River from the bridge at Narrowsburg, NY on Sat. evening, one ducking in under a rock overhang. On Sunday a Winter Wren was singing near the intersection of Red Shale and Rock Lake Rds (near Lakewood), two White-throated Sparrows were countersinging on Chinaman Rd. near the first bridge south of it northern end (quite near the spot I had one singing on 6/13). Slightly later, an adult Bald Eagle was high in the sky, carrying prey, moving to the NE toward Lakewood, a bit east of Red Shale Rd. Trudy Gerlach Bradford Co. tgswoods AT epix.net Subject: Re: Extralimital- Kestrels in NYC From: Dallas DiLeo <dileod AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:51:30 -0400 http://www.cityislandbirds.com/kestrel%20advert2.pdf There is a vast network of citizen scientists watching and documenting kestrels all over NYC. The NYC Kestrel Newsletter is sent out by email with lots of pix. If you'd like the most recent forwarded to you for a look-see, email me offlist. Dallas DiLeo Pittsburgh dileod at gmail dot com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kathy" To: Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 10:36 PM Subject: [PABIRDS] Extralimital- Kestrels in NYC >I had an interesting experience as I looked out a 12th story window off > Broadway near 4th St in Manhattan. I initially was looking out the window > observing the rooftops and water towers when my son said "there's a bird > on > the top of that water tower." Without binoculars I could see the > "sideburns" of a beautiful male Kestrel. After I took a couple of pictures > with my small digital camera the bird took off. It flew to another nearby > water tower and landed just as another Kestrel took off. What a treat a > pair of Kestels in the middle of Manhattan! I am sure they find plenty to > eat. > > Kathy Stagl > > Emmaus, PA > > Subject: Extralimital- Kestrels in NYC From: Kathy <pabirder AT PTD.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:36:45 -0400 I had an interesting experience as I looked out a 12th story window off Broadway near 4th St in Manhattan. I initially was looking out the window observing the rooftops and water towers when my son said "there's a bird on the top of that water tower." Without binoculars I could see the "sideburns" of a beautiful male Kestrel. After I took a couple of pictures with my small digital camera the bird took off. It flew to another nearby water tower and landed just as another Kestrel took off. What a treat a pair of Kestels in the middle of Manhattan! I am sure they find plenty to eat. Kathy Stagl Emmaus, PA Subject: A. Coot - Washington Co. From: Mark Vass <mvas1200 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:09:10 -0700 I stopped at Canonsburg Lake on my way home from work today The Hegret was present but nothing else of note   at the Hahn Rd. AMD pond the Coot remains with lots of Mallards     Mark Vass Beaver Co. Subject: Bald Eagle + Juncos - Carbon County From: "SAFFIER, Steven" <ssaffier AT AUDUBON.ORG> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:46:16 -0400 I'm sure this does not come as groundbreaking news, but while vacationing at Lake Harmony (Poconos), I witnessed an adult Bald Eagle, among the boaters and jet-skiers, dive into the water and pick up a fish. As it flew off in the direction of Boulder Lake, four crows mobbed until the eagle had cleared the treeline. But the most common bird had to have been the DEJU's...always in mated pairs...foraging for insects and otherwise tending to nests. (There's one located in the decorative trim at the entrance of the H20-Water park at the Galleria in Lake Harmony). I didn't realize they nested so far south and it was strange watching snowbirds "flycatch" in manicured flower beds. They also seemed to be running more than moving via their winter "hop". Steven J. Saffier Audubon At Home Coordinator Audubon Pennsylvania John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove 1201 Pawlings Road Audubon Pa 19403 610-666-5593 x112 Got Habitat? Register at http://pa.audubon.org/habitat P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. Subject: Luz. Co., June 28 list Kirby Park From: Sandra Goodwin <chickadd AT EPIX.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:01:49 -0400 06/28/09 Here’s the list. Pretty typical for the breeding season in Kirby Park. The highlight was watching a great blue heron swallow a good-sized fish, probably a sucker. The nestling Cooper’s hawks and the fledgling common mergansers added a nice touch too. 1) Double-crested Cormorant 1 2) Green Heron 1 3) Great Blue Heron 2 4) Turkey Vulture 1 5) Mallard 3 6) Common Merganser 11 7) Cooper’s Hawk 5 8) Broad-winged Hawk 2 9) Peregrine Falcon 6 10) Ring-billed Gull 1 11) Rock Pigeon 7 12) Mourning Dove 1 13) Chimney Swift 5 14) Belted Kingfisher 1 15) Red-bellied Woodpecker 4 16) Downy Woodpecker 8 17) Hairy Woodpecker 2 18) Northern Flicker 1 19) Eastern Phoebe 3 20) Great Crested Flycatcher 1 21) Red-eyed Vireo 10 22) Blue Jay 5 23) American Crow 7 24) Fish Crow 14 25) Tree Swallow 6 26) Black-capped Chickadee 6 27) Tufted Titmouse 13 28) White-breasted Nuthatch 2 29) Carolina Wren 6 30) House Wren 3 31) Wood Thrush 1 32) American Robin 12 33) Gray Catbird 47 34) European Starling 4 35) Cedar Waxwing 2 36) Yellow Warbler 6 37) American Redstart 4 38) Common Yellowthroat 2 39) Song Sparrow 16 40) Northern Cardinal 5 41) Indigo Bunting 6 42) Common Grackle 2 43) Brown-headed Cowbird 2 44) American Goldfinch 4 Woodchuck: 1 Chipmunk: 1 Gray Squirrel: 4 Eastern Cottontail: 1 Map Turtle: 2 Gamera: 1 Green Frog: 4 Cabbage White Butterfly: 12 Surphur sp.: 1 Silver-spotted Skipper: 2 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail: 1 Monarch: 1 Hackberry Emperor: 2 Eastern Comma: 1 Great Spangled Fritillary: 1 Total Avian Species: 44 Observers: 3 Hours: 5.5 Weather: Mostly sunny; 64-84 °F Subject: Whites Mill Preserve -Mont. Co. From: April Dudko <pdudko1369 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:37:40 -0400 I enjoyed a beautiful Saturday morning at Whites Mill Preserve in Salford Twp. and saw/heard the following: 3 Green Herons,mallard female, Wood thrush, lots of Red Winged Blackbirds, Tree Swallows, Red Bellied Woodpecker, Pileated, Bluebird, Downy and Phoebe. Also Cedar Waxwing, cardinal, Mourning dove ,Blue Jay, and Crow. Subject: OT- VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD-VA, Roseate Spoonbill- DE (Photos) From: Jeffery Davis <jwdjwd67 AT MSN.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:27:40 -0400 It was quite a busy weekend. Amy and I spent the entire afternoon Saturday basking in the company of the ROSEATE SPOONBILL (Photos) which was being extemely agreeable in the back yard of a private residence near the Catch 54 (the bird was easily viewable from the road). He posed for a lot of photos and provided exceptional looks. When we returned home around 10:00pm and I began scanning the emails from the 20+ birds lists I belong to (It might be 30+ by now actually. I'm seriously mentally ill.), when I found the amazing post about the Violet-crowned Hummer in VA! 3 hours of sleep and we were back on the road headed for Ron and Carol Baker's lovely B&B- THE HUFFMAN HOUSE AT CREEKSIDE FARM (16 Old Huffman Store Road • Newport, VA • 24128) http://www.thehuffmanhousebandb.com/. A little over 7 and a half hours of driving (with stops) and we were enjoying tremendous looks at this SE-AZ specialty. This gorgeous VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD (Photos. I have only had time to put up a couple shots but I hope to get a few more up soon. ) was a lifer for us both so we stayed nearly all day to enjoy it. In fact, we were the last of the surprisingly small crowd (surprising considering it may well be the first documented record East of TX) to leave. Being last to go we were lucky enough to be treated to extended views of the bird preening on the tree across from the feeder. It was an amazing day. If you haven't already picked this beauty up in AZ or if you just need a pretty good bird for your VA state list ;) it is well worth the trip. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ regards, jeff Downingtown, PA Checkout our bird photos at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ "Birding Like I Have Six Months To Live" Subject: OT- VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD-VA, Roseate Spoonbill- DE (Photos) From: Jeffery Davis <jwdjwd67 AT msn.com> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:27:40 -0400 It was quite a busy weekend. Amy and I spent the entire afternoon Saturday basking in the company of the ROSEATE SPOONBILL (Photos) which was being extemely agreeable in the back yard of a private residence near the Catch 54 (the bird was easily viewable from the road). He posed for a lot of photos and provided exceptional looks. When we returned home around 10:00pm and I began scanning the emails from the 20+ birds lists I belong to (It might be 30+ by now actually. I'm seriously mentally ill.), when I found the amazing post about the Violet-crowned Hummer in VA! 3 hours of sleep and we were back on the road headed for Ron and Carol Baker's lovely B&B- THE HUFFMAN HOUSE AT CREEKSIDE FARM (16 Old Huffman Store Road • Newport, VA • 24128) http://www.thehuffmanhousebandb.com/. A little over 7 and a half hours of driving (with stops) and we were enjoying tremendous looks at this SE-AZ specialty. This gorgeous VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD (Photos. I have only had time to put up a couple shots but I hope to get a few more up soon. ) was a lifer for us both so we stayed nearly all day to enjoy it. In fact, we were the last of the surprisingly small crowd (surprising considering it may well be the first documented record East of TX) to leave. Being last to go we were lucky enough to be treated to extended views of the bird preening on the tree across from the feeder. It was an amazing day. If you haven't already picked this beauty up in AZ or if you just need a pretty good bird for your VA state list ;) it is well worth the trip. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ regards, jeff Downingtown, PA Checkout our bird photos at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ "Birding Like I Have Six Months To Live" _______________________________________________ va-bird mailing list http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. http://www.virginiabirds.net/ Subject: OT Violet-Crowned Hummingbird - Virginia From: Mark Vass <mvas1200 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 18:38:06 -0700 Thought I would pass this on to anyone who would like to go for this bird I believe this is the first record for the eastern U.S. The bird was seen today   Mark   Subject: VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD-CRAIG CO From: mboater AT att.net Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:53:50 +0000 Just got word on this mega rarity. Haven't seen it posted on VABird yet so I'm posting for Jerry. From: Via, Jerry Sent: Saturday, June 27, 2009 2:57 PM Bill Akers and I just visited Huffman House Bed and Breakfast which is owned by Carol and Ron Baker. They noticed on Thursday June 25, a Violet-crowned Hummingbird at their feeder. They forwarded some pictures to us and we spent the morning (Saturday June27th) at their house and observed and photographed the birds on numerous occasions. The bird is an adult in good shape and very comfortable in their yard. It is defending the feeders from the many Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Since it is territorial, I feel that it will stay around a while. We think that this is the first occurrence in Virginia and probably the first time east of Texas. The best way to get to the Huffman House is to drive on 460 west of Blacksburg, Turn right on route 42 at the entrance of Newport, VA. There is a super value mart there. From 460 it is 6.8 miles to the site. You will see a sign that says Huffman on the right and the next right turn is Huffman Store Road. Turn in there and park next to the white store. The birds favorite feeder is the one on the porch on the right side (as you face the house) It also frequents the tree in the front yard on that side of the house which has numerous dead twigs which are its favorite perches. Since this is a bed and breakfast, please be considerate of the grounds and the guests. The website for the Huffman House is www.Thehuffmanhousebandb.com Mike Michael R. Boatwright -- Amherst, VA_______________________________________________ Subject: Butler Co - Red-headed Woodpeckers etc From: Steve Sanford <bwredbird AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:12:59 -0500 I decided to chase a few of my favorite birds today that I have not seen in NW Pennsylvania since moving here in March: Red-headed Woodpecker, Prairie Warbler, and Chat. For the Red-headed Woodpecker I went to the area east of Boyers in northern Butler Co that Kate St. John reported seeing a while back. I walked east on the rail-trail from Kohlmeyer Rd about half a mile. At the first wooden bridge, opposite the first open pond, I pretty quickly spotted one Red-headed Woodpecker flying from dead tree to dead tree, often pretty close. Soon I saw two at once, and after about 15 minutes I saw one go to a nest hole south and slightly west of the bridge. Several times one of the woodpeckers fought with a Flicker. There was a Pileated Woodpecker at the same spot. An adult Bald Eagle perched on a branch very close to the bridge for a few minutes. On the walk to this spot I heard at least 3 Veeries singing or calling at two different locations. Just south on Kohlmeyer Rd I saw a young duck squatting in the middle of the road rather far from any water. I wondered what it was doing there until it started moving and flew off, revealing it was really a Ruffed Grouse. Then, using the online bird-atlas for rough clues to nearby places to search, I went looking for the other two targets. It seemed that a little south and west of the RHWP area was where some of the blocks with them were. A side road up a hill from Christie Rd looked very promising, and pretty soon I heard, and then got good looks at a Chat. There were also two Chestnut-sided Warblers there, two Scarlet Tanagers, and two Turkeys. (I heard Scarlet Tanagers a number of suitable places during my wanderings.) The area looked promising for Prairie Warblers, especially a little north of Christie Rd along Nagy Rd, but I struck out on them. On SR 4010 at the North Country Trail I heard and saw a pair of Hooded Warblers. At Hummel Rd and Rt 308 south of I-80 there were 3 Willow Flycatchers. Thanks, Kate for your posting that inspired this venture! The Red-headed Woodpeckers are beautiful birds. That whole area is full of diverse habitat, especially marshes and ponds, and a variety of birds, and the roads are very lightly-traveled making it an enjoyable place to explore. Steve Sanford Sharon PA bwredbird^at^verizon^dot^net Subject: Berks Co. Grasshopper Sparrows From: Steve Fordyce <spfordyce AT DEJAZZD.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:21:14 -0400 This weekend I located an area of grassland habitat near Centerport containing three Grasshopper Sparrows. One was sitting on a fence post fairly close singing, the other two I heard only. There was also a male Orchard Oriole, Field Sparrows, and Brown Thrashers at the same locale. Found one Eastern Meadowlark working in and out of a field of tall grasses near Mohrsville. Steve Fordyce Dryville,Pa. Subject: Pine Siskin From: Sinkler's Mail <esas518 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:59:08 -0400 Pa Birders, Like others on the list, I had a Pine Siskin visit the feeder yesterday, 6/27, for the first time since 5/30. A single bird at the nyjer feeder in the company of three Goldfinches. Ed Sinkler Fountain Hill Lehigh County Subject: SGL 173 and E.Palestine Rd, Beaver County From: "Kate St.John" <kstjohn001 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:53:56 -0700 I hiked at SGL 173 near Fairview today before the rain, then made a quick stop at E.Palestine Rd because of Mark Vass' report of 6/21. Right now the grass at SGL 173 is a high as an elephant's eye on the interior dirt roads. I didn't encounter a single tick but was still glad I was dressed in long pants & long sleeves. The only downside to the place is that the ponds are very scummy. Algae? yuk. SGL 173 is a very birdy place. I found a lot of Chestnut-sided Warblers with fledglings and all of them were teaching their kids what to do when they spot a human: jump around and shout. Also a lot of Eastern Towhees with fledglings, many singing Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Common Yellowthroats. A fledgling Red-bellied Woodpecker and an immature Baltimore Oriole with parents. Male Scarlet Tanagers, Wood Thrushes, Gray Catbirds, Indigo Buntings all quite visible. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds buzzed by. I heard a Blue-winged Warbler near the beaver pond. Best flower: Downy Skullcap. My hike was short because of rain but I was already in far west Beaver County so I drove up to E.Palestine Rd. I didn't stay long at all, but best bird was a Bobolink singing from a tree, then defending a particular spot in the field. He chased all the Red-winged Blackbirds away from it. Oh, I hope he has a lady on eggs there! Kate St. John, Pittsburgh Visit my bird blog at www.wqed.org/birdblog Subject: Killdeer nests, Berks County From: Joan Silagy <jsilagy AT EPIX.NET> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:34:20 -0400 I've had the privilege of observing three Killdeer nests this summer and the one thing I find really interesting and amusing about all three nests is that the females have used cigarette filters to line their nests. All three nests have been in stones but all three nests have cigarette filters in them, and not just one or two filters, but many. Why? I don't have a clue but I found it interesting to observe. Joan Silagy and Sidney Leesport, PA Subject: [PA BIRDS]- Sandhill Crane-Lebanon County-Yes From: Art Schiavo <redsockfan AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:48:45 -0400 BlankHi All, After biking the newly constructed segment of the Lebanon Valley Rails to Trails (8 miles from Cornwall to the 9th street terminus in the city of Lebanon, and back.) I headed in the opposite direction to Mt Gretna to observe the sandhill crane that has taken up residence there. I arrived at the "ice pond" around 7:30 PM and found fellow birders Mike and Linda McKinne glassing and taking pictures of the crane. I think Mike got some excellent photos. The crane seemed unconcerned with our presence and was having a good time hunting in the shallows of the pond and creek channels. All in all, a nice way to spend an early summer evening- over 18 miles of biking and checking out a sandhill crane, up close and personal. My thanks to Anne Annabali for letting us know about the crane and also to Randy Miller, who has kept everyone updated on PA Birds! :-) Forever birding, Art Art Schiavo 1648 E. Caracas Ave. Hershey, PA 17033-1109 Work: 717-520-5711 Home: 717-533-1978 Cell: 717-773-5794 Subject: Imperial Grasslands - Allegheny Co. From: Mark Vass <mvas1200 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:45:18 -0700 I was out at Imperial earlier today   Here are some highlights   8 species of sparrow(towhee not included)   Chipping Field Grasshopper Henslow`s Savannah Song Swamp Vesper I had a Vesper Sparrow almost fly into my car while I was parked the bird tried to land on my side mirror   other birds   1 Yellow-breasted Chat 2 Prairie Warbler 1 Horned Lark 2 White-eyed Vireo 3 Orchard Oriole 3 Wild Turkey(hen with two young)     Mark Vass Beaver Co.   Subject: Koch property, Northampton County From: DAVID KOCH <davilene AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 07:57:58 -0700 Species seen this morning in the yard/field areas this morning included willow and great-crested flycatchers, eastern phoebe, eastern wood-pewee, cedar waxwings, indigo buntings, eastern bluebirds, eastern kingbirds, orchard and Baltimore orioles, and all of the expected woodpeckers, sparrows, etc. Ruby-throated hummingbird activity, as Rudy Keller recently mentioned, is picking up. Young and females are now active, specifically at a large monarda patch in front yard and a salvia guaranitica patch in the back yard. This is one of the parent species, not the hybrid Black and Blue. Birds continue to use the nesting material I have out. A week or so ago a willow flycatcher was taking it constantly, and sometimes after it took the unraveled baler twine it went atop an old basketball net and added small pieces of the decaying rope there  to the much bigger pieces of twine. The most recent users of the nesting material have been robins (of course), goldfinches, and a Carolina wren. To date 11 different species have used it. Good birding.     Arlene Koch Easton, PA Northampton County davilene AT verizon.net Subject: Blue Grosbeak, Orchard Oriole, Northampton County From: Matt Sabatine <mattsab12 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 09:16:30 -0400 early this morning, I decided to do a little exploring around backroads in the area. Ended up in a new development(in an unmarked road) towards the end of Jacktown road, with almost identical habitat to that of Benders Church Road. I located 1 singing male BLUE GROSBEAK across from the second cul-de-sac. Also in the development are: a silent male Orchard Oriole, several Grasshopper Sparrows, 2 Savannah Sparrows, and a Brown Thrasher. for anyone interested in going here, it should be noted that I had a run- in with local police who pulled me over and explained that they are patrolling the area heavily because of vandalism that's been happening recently in the development. It is a public development and can be birded, just be weary. good birding, MS Subject: Bethlehem Boat Club, Northampton County From: michael schall <mdtjschall AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:24:46 -0700 This morning along the canal path near the Bethlehem Boat Club I was very surprised to have an Acadian Flycatcher calling its head off. Despite being close I did not get a visual. A Yellow-throated warbler also sang for a few minutes. I got a brief look as it was high up in a Sycamore.   At Green Pond there was a Great Egret at the main pond.  Conditions look good for early migrant Shorebirds.  Not much happening at Gremar rd but I had nice looks at a young Spotted sandpiper.  It was frustrating to find my camera batteries dead including my spares.  maybe tomorrow.   Mike Schall, Bath Subject: Forster`s Terns & Herring Gulls - Allegheny Co. From: Mark Vass <mvas1200 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:56:55 -0700 I was out earlier today in Allegheny Co. looking for nesting Herring Gulls   Here is what I found     Dashields Dam   6 Herring Gull 5 adult and 1 young 1 D.c. Cormorant   Emsworth Dam   11 Herring Gull 10 adult and 1 young I believe this is the first nesting record from this location 3 FORSTER`S TERN(2 adult & 1 1st summer)   Highland Park Bridge   74 Herring Gull 71 adult and 3 young several birds are on nests here     Mark Vass Beaver Co.