DVOC Main Page >
Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert
Last updated
Thursday, November 29, 2007 12:37 PM
Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert - Thursday November
21, 2007
brought to you from Philadelphia by the Delaware
Valley Ornithological Club and the Academy of Natural Sciences
The phone number to report sightings or hear the current RBA is 215-240-7547. You may leave your sightings after the recording or hit the one (1) key at any time to skip the recording and leave a message. The Hotline will be updated every Thursday afternoon and a weekend wrap-up update will be recorded every Monday morning. The Hotline will also be updated in the event any especially important rarities appear in the Delaware Valley Region such as Ivory Gull, Long-billed Murrelet, Red-footed Falcon, etc.
This spoken word version of the hotline is an abbreviated version of what's available here. Our current announcer for the RBA is Tony Croasdale, though, there will doubtlessly be others who contribute in this respect. Please call in and enjoy the Hotline, and feel free to call that number to report rarities.
Submit reports to
or 215-240-7547
(Submission guidelines)
How can we make this RBA better? Submit your thoughts to
| Current report - November 21, 2007 * PA, NJ, DE - Birds Mentioned Pacific Loon ++ Red-throated Loon Hotline: Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert Welcome to 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 Regions of Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I'm Steve Kacir your guide for birding in the Greater Philadelphia Region. For NOVEMBER 21, 2007 we highlight reports of PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, PACIFIC LOON, CAVE SWALLOWS, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, WESTERN KINGBIRDS, PINE GROSBEAKS, EVENING GROSBEAKS, RED CROSSBILLS and CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD. Remember to check out our website for additional content and information: Extralimital: A PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, BARNACLE GOOSE, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER and WESTERN KINGBIRD were all seen at Montauk, NY. The two geese were last seen November 21, and the flycatchers were last seen November 19. Details can be found at the Metro Birding Briefs and The New York Birding List. RAPTOR MIGRATION: This week’s pattern for the hawk watches continued the decreases in numbers of migrating raptors. Migrant BALD EAGLES and RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS were much less common, with the most regular sightings coming from Cape May Point State Park in Cape May County, NJ. Cape May Point reported a BROAD-WINGED HAWK on November 17. Single ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK sightings came from the Rose Tree Park Hawk Watch in Montgomery County, PA; the Ashland Nature Center Hawk Watch in New Castle County, DE and the Cape Henlopen State Park Hawk Watch in Sussex County, DE. GOLDEN EAGLES were less reliable this week, but still seen at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County, PA; Bake Oven Knob in Lehigh County, PA; the Second Mountain Hawk Watch in Lebanon County, PA; Raccoon Ridge in Warren County, NJ and the Ashland Nature Center. NORTHERN GOSHAWKS had a similar pattern, but were most frequently noted from Cape May Point, Raccoon Ridge and the Ashland Nature Center; though, a high count of 4 GOSHAWKS came from Hawk Mountain on November 16. Though seen at other hawk watches through the Delaware Valley, both MERLINS and PEREGRINE FALCONS were most reliably sighted from Cape May Point. COMMON RAVENS were reported from the Scott’s Mountain Hawk Watch in Warren County, NJ; Bake Oven Knob and Raccoon Ridge this week. For New Jersey: Two SANDHILL CRANES were reported on November 17 at Cape May Point State Park in Cape May County, and they were most recently seen on November 21 at various points around Cape May. A BARNACLE GOOSE was also seen from the point that day. Another BARNACLE GOOSE sighting occurred on November 20 at the central pool of The Nature Conservancy Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge (The Meadows), and that bird was seen again the next day. An immature BLACK-HEADED GULL was reported from Ocean Drive on Saturday November 17. That day, a thorough survey revealed 64 CAVE SWALLOWS at their roost sites along the Cape May waterfront. Four CAVE SWALLOWS were seen flying past the Cape May waterfront and over the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge on November 21. A flyby COMMON REDPOLL was also noted that day. Flyby RED CROSSBILLS and EVENING GROSBEAKS have been reported around the county recently. At the Villas WMA 4 juvenile RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS have been caching acorns, and a very late immature YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO and 35+ Rusty Blackbirds were there on November 18. The Avalon Sea Watch reports increasing numbers of WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and GREAT CORMORANTS, and 2 RED-NECKED GREBES flew past the sea watch on November 19. On November 17, an unidentified Empidonax flycatcher was seen briefly at the Goshen Bird Observatory. An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was found north of West Cape May. As you head north out of West Cape May village on Broadway which becomes Seashore Rd, look for Wilson Ave on the right. Wilson Ave is a block long and runs into a dead end. Park there and continue a few feet farther east, where the end of Wilson crosses a dirt road. There is a pedestrian gate, a railroad track and then the Nature Conservancy property “Cape Island Creek.” The bird was seen along the dirt road south of Wilson Ave, but it was also seen along the railroad tracks. Another ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was at Edwin B Forsythe NWR at Brigantine in Atlantic County on November 17. The bird was located on the entrance road; it was between the bridge and the main entrance sign and HQ parking lot area. The refuge also hosted 24 MARBLED GODWITS at the East Pool that day. In Ocean County, an observer had great views of COMMON EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK and BLACK SCOTER at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park. The famous hummingbird feeders of 29 W 9th St, Barnegat Light currently host an unidentified hummingbird. Be aware that construction has recently started near this location and may affect the unidentified hummers visit. In the past, these feeders have attracted Rufous and Black-chinned Hummingbirds. Sandy Hook in Monmouth County had a WESTERN KINGBIRD near the officer’s club on November 21. In Burlington County, The Franklin Parker Preserve continued to host an immature NORTHERN SHRIKE. To reach the Preserve from the intersection of Rt 563 and Rt 532 in Chatsworth take Rt 532 W towards Tabernacle/Medford. In a short distance you will see a large lake on your right and the road will bend sharply right (currently minor shoulder work occurring there). Immediately turn left on to a dirt road. Park along the road and walk past the two gates to the old cranberry bogs. The bird was active near several reservoirs in the back of this section of bogs. A CAVE SWALLOW, RED CROSSBILL and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER were at the Franklin Parker Preserve on November 21. An afternoon stroll through National Park in Gloucester
County revealed a LINCOLN’S SPARROW and an immature INDIGO BUNTING
on November 16. On November 16, 13 SNOW BUNTINGS were tallied at Raccoon Ridge in Warren County. The same day, 12 TUNDRA SWANS flew in at the Scott’s Mountain Hawk Watch. Scott’s Mountain reported PINE SISKINS on November 17. On November 21, 3 SANDHILL CRANES landed in a field on Randolph Rd between Schoolhouse Rd and Weston Canal Rd in Franklin, Somerset County. The Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuary’s feeders remained a reliable location to view PINE SISKINS and PURPLE FINCH this week. A private residence in Denville, Morris County
continued to host an apparent hatch year male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD through
November 20. Guest are welcome; however, please remember to be courteous
to the homeowners. To reach the property from Route 80W, take the Denville
exit, putting you on Route 46E; then take the first exit ramp on the right
to Route 53. Go to the first traffic light at the AandP Mall. Turn right
onto Indian Rd and keep bearing right on to N Shore Rd to cross the bridge
over Indian Lake. Turn right onto Merrie Trail and follow it until it
merges back onto N Shore Rd which intersects Franklin Rd at a blinking
traffic light. Turn right onto Franklin Rd, and turn right onto Geraldine
Ct, which is a block away from the intersection. The house is 5 Geraldine
Ct, and is the third from the corner and on the right side of the street.
If coming from Route 80E, take the Denville exit and merge onto W Main
St which is Route 46. Go to first light at Burger King and turn right
onto Franklin Road. Go two blocks and take the second For Delaware: In New Castle County, the Ashland Nature Center reported 6 EVENING GROSBEAKS on November 16. Regular feeder visitors at Ashland included PURPLE FINCHES, PINE SISKINS, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. Ashland hosted 300+ AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES on November 19, and the next day there were AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and FOX SPARROWS. On November 16, a juvenile LITTLE BLUE HERON and AMERICAN PIPITS were at Dragon Run Park, and a COMMON MOORHEN was there on November 18. Barley Mill Rd had 5 FOX SPARROWS and a MERLIN on Saturday. On November 21, a COMMON REDPOLL attended a feeder in Walnut Ridge near Hoopes Reservoir. In Kent County, a CAVE SWALLOW flew past the Florio House at Woodland Beach WA and continued North towards Taylor’s Gut. On November 17, Bombay Hook NWR had a BRANT and a CACKLING GOOSE in with a flock of SNOW GEESE on Leatherberry Flats. Another BRANT was with CANADA GEESE near the Visitor Center. Eighteen EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were near Bear Swamp. The next day, 40 AMERICAN AVOCETS were at Shearness Pool, and there were two reports of CACKLING GEESE. Meanwhile, 4 TUNDRA SWANS were at Raymond Pool. At Cartanza Rd, there were 3 LAPLAND LONGSPURS and 10 AMERICAN PIPITS on November 18. In Sussex
County, NORTHERN GANNETS, RED-BREASTED and BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES
were noted from the Cape
Henlopen State Park on November 17, and GANNETS and SCOTERS were seen
the next day. At Herring Point that day, there were ROYAL TERNS and BLACK
SCOTERS. The COMMON MOORHEN at Abbotts
Mill Nature Center made another appearance on November 19. The MOORHEN
is usually on the western edge of the cedar island in the pond, with best
viewing from the western edge of the pond. PINE SISKINS were at the feeders
at Abbotts Mill on November 18. In Philadelphia County, John Heinz NWR at Tinicum at Tinicum hosted BALD EAGLE, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and RUSTY BLACKBIRDS on November 17. In Montgomery County, 5 PINE SISKINS visited a feeder in Plymouth Meeting on November 17. The same day, PURPLE FINCHES and PINE SISKINS were at a feeder on private property in Downingtown, Chester County. Recent highlights from Peace Valley Park in Bucks County included a flyby COMMON LOON, a CACKLING GOOSE, NORTHERN BOBWHITES and AMERICAN WOODCOCKS at Sailor’s Point, regular LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, BONAPARTE’S GULLS, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, RUSTY BLACKBIRDS and FOX SPARROW. There was a flyby SNOW BUNTING on November 17, and PINE SISKINS November 16-17. Two EVENING GROSBEAKS visited the feeders between the Nature Center and Lake Galena on November 11. Other regularly reported species at Peace Valley included BALD EAGLES, PURPLE FINCHES, WILD TURKEYS and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES. On November 19, a PACIFIC LOON was reported on Lake Galena at Peace Valley, but later only a COMMON LOON and RED-THROATED LOON were found. It is possible that the RED-THROATED LOON was mistaken for a PACIFIC LOON the day before. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and 10 PURPLE FINCHES were at the Churchville Nature Center on November 17, and the next day a FOX SPARROW was found. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at the Morrisville Levee on November 19. At the Koch Property in Nothampton County, PURPLE FINCHES and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES have been regular visitors and PINE SISKINS have made irregular appearances. AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS have been at the fields, and a WILSON’S SNIPE flushed from the swale at the southwest end of the property. A NORTHERN SHRIKE visited the Koch Property on November 19. In Moore Twp, Graver’s Hill had 6 SNOW BUNTINGS and over 50 SNOW GEESE on November 19. Nick Pulcinella banded an immature female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD in Swarthmore, Delaware County on November 18. Rose Tree Park Hawk Watch noted AMERICAN PIPIT on November 16, COMMON LOONS on November 16-17, 55 BRANT and 5 RED-THROATED LOONS on November 17. On November 17, Muddy Run Recreation Park in southern Lancaster County had BALD EAGLES, 2 BONAPARTE’S GULLS, a COMMON GOLDENEYE on Pump Storage Lake and a flock of 60 PINE SISKINS perched at the Fisherman’s Park area. On the Lower Susquehanna near Peach Bottom, a LITTLE GULL was found with 100 BONAPARTE’S GULLS. A PEREGRINE FALCON was also in the area. A FOX SPARROW, PINE SISKINS and PURPLE FINCHES have been visiting feeders there. Lake Ontelaunee in Berks County had a CANVASBACK and 2 juvenile SURF SCOTERS on November 15. On November 20, Lake Ontelaunee had 3 RED-THROATED LOONS, and a CACKLING GOOSE was among the lake’s 5000 SNOW GEESE. PINE SISKINS visited a thistle feeder in Laureldale, Berks County on November 18. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen from Kauffman Rd on November 20. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary reported TUNDRA SWANS and an EVENING GROSBEAK on November 16. COMMON REDPOLLS were noted at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary on November 16-17, and SNOW BUNTINGS were seen on November 16 and 18. COMMON LOONS flew by Hawk Mountain Sanctuary November 16-18, with 60 counted on November 18. On November 17, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary had a CROSSBILL Sp, PURPLE FINCHES and a PINE SISKIN. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary had two flocks of probable PINE GROSBEAKS on November 21, the two flocks totaled 80 birds. Bake Oven Knob in Lehigh County had a flock of 20 EVENING GROSBEAKS on November 16. The next day, Bake Oven Knob had several PINE SISKIN flocks. COMMON LOONS were reported November 16-17, with 111 LOONS counted on November 16. The Second Mountain Hawk Watch in Lebanon County had a SNOW BUNTING on November 20. Outside the Delaware Valley at SGL 264 in Dauphin County, birders enjoyed a flyover flock of 15 EVENING GROSBEAKS and 2 flocks of COMMON REDPOLLS on November 16. On November 18, EVENING GROSBEAKS visited a feeder at Summit Station, Dauphin County. On the same day, COMMON REDPOLLS were seen in Susquehanna County near Montrose. A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE continued to be seen near the intersection of Pumping Station Rd and Cunningham Rd, outside of Gettysburg in Adams County through November 15. *** ANNOUNCEMENTS *** Sandra Keller will lead a DVOC field trip to the Brigantine Division of Edwin B Forsythe NWR at Brigantine in Atlantic County, NJ on Sunday November 25: PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATE. The trip is geared toward young birders and will focus on waterfowl. There is no field trip fee, and members and non-members are welcome to attend. The trip will meet at 9:00am at the refuge parking lot station. Details are available at the DVOC website: http://www.dvoc.org The next meeting of the DVOC is the Annual DVOC Banquet,
which will take place on Wednesday, December 5, 2007. Please join us for
the upcoming DVOC banquet. Note the day and date which is a departure
from our usual Thursday evening in November. Our speaker, Dr. Don Kroodsma,
is a Professor Emeritus of Biology at the University of Massachusetts.
He is THE man in the science of bird song, which he has studied for thirty
years. Dr. Kroodsma has written a book about the art and science of birdsong
in which he demonstrates its diversity through 30 carefully chosen examples.
His focus and approach to this study is unique inasmuch as he tours the
US on his bicycle, collecting bird songs along the way. Dr. Kroodsma maintains
that there is no better way to hear a continent sing than by bicycle. See Life Paulagics has 3 early December pelagic trips scheduled. One is out of Freeport, NY on Dec 1; one is out of Belmar, NJ on Dec 2; and the last is out of Lewes, DE on Dec 8. See Life Paulagics will also run their annual Christmas Bird Count Pelagic out of Belmar, NJ on Jan 4. For more information, call 215-234-6805 or visit http://www.paulagics.com For visitor safety, the trails at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary will be closed November 26-27 for the first two days of Pennsylvania’s deer hunting season. The Visitor Center will remain open. The Delmarva Ornithological Society (DOS) is asking birders to post winter American Kestrel sightings in the state of Delaware. This marks the club’s second year of mapping winter sightings from November 15 to Mar 15. Last year nearly 150 reports were mapped. Please use the web site www.dosbirds.org and the user-friendly map tool to locate and document your sightings. In Pennsylvania, Scott Weidensaul would like to be immediately contacted about potential vagrant hummingbirds at feeders this fall, so that these birds can be trapped, identified and banded. Scott can be reached at [email protected] or (570) 739-2874. Remember to leave your hummingbird feeders up for these late arrivals. A hybrid LESSER BLACK-BACKED X HERRING GULL hatched and was banded this past summer at Appledore Island in Maine. The bird has a large white-on-green “N02” band on the left leg, and a silver ring on the right. If you see this bird, please contact Bill Etter or email us at and we will forward the sightings to the interested parties. For photos of this gull, visit http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v230/billetter/Apple/ 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 upcoming birding events and planned pelagic trips, please email . This is Steve Kacir, good birding to you all and thanks for calling, surfing and reporting.
|
On this page.... Links
General Guidelines for Submission
|
DVOC Rare Bird Alert Committee
Steve Kacir - Chair
Tony Croasdale
Bert Filemyr
Paul Guris
Rob Hynson
Mike Lyman
Nate Rice