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Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert
Last updated
Thursday, February 28, 2008 2:28 PM
Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert - Thursday January
3, 2008
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 - January 3, 2007
- Birds Mentioned Barrow's Goldeneye + 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 January 3, 2008 we highlight reports of BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, THAYER’S GULL, WHITE-WINGED DOVE, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE and LE CONTE’S SPARROW. For New Jersey: On Dec 29, the dunes at Cape May Point State Park in Cape May County had 35-40 SNOW BUNTINGS, and a flock of RED CROSSBILLS flew over the park. On Dec 31, a LAPLAND LONGSPUR was in with the SNOW BUNTING flock. On January 1, 3 EVENING GROSBEAKS flew over the State Park’s Blue Trail, and 15-20 RED CROSSBILLS flew over the park. (Click Here to see pictures of these birds on Karl and Judy Lukens's website) Six COMMON EIDERS were seen from the St Mary’s Jetty and around the point through January 1. The Villas WMA in Cape May County had a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER and REDHEAD through January 1, and a WHITE-WINGED DOVE was found there on Dec 30. The LEAST and ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS (Click Here to see pictures of this birds on Karl and Judy Lukens's website) at The Nature Conservancy’s Cape Island Preserve was still present as of January 1, found in the third field left of the entrance gate. On Dec 29, an immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK perched at the Magnesite Plant. Reed’s Beach had 3 PURPLE SANDPIPERS and a WESTERN SANDPIPER on Dec 28. Jake’s Landing had 4-6 SHORT-EARED OWLS through Dec 29. A SEDGE WREN was at Jake’s Landing on Dec 28, and the next evening there were SEASIDE SPARROWS and a VIRGINIA RAIL. In Monmouth County, the Sandy Hook TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE was noted near the Boy Scout Camp through January 1. The WESTERN KINGBIRD was at the North Beach parking area. A flock of 200+ SNOW BUNTINGS were near North Beach, and a BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was in the bay. Thompson Park in Holmdel had a WESTERN KINGBIRD and 2 COMMON REDPOLLS on Dec 29. On Dec 29, a BLACK-HEADED GULL and LITTLE GULL were at the Point Pleasant side of Manasquan Inlet in Monmouth County. Another BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen again on Dec 30 along with an ICELAND GULL, and a BLACK-HEADED GULL and PURPLE SANDPIPERS were spotted there on January 1. A RED-NECKED GREBE was at the pond north of Old Sam’s Pond through January 1, and 30 SNOW BUNTINGS were in the goldenrod patch just south of Shark River Inlet on Dec 30. On January 1, six COMMON EIDERS were south of the Wreck Pond ocean overlook, and 5 PURPLE SANDPIPERS were at the Shark River Inlet. In Burlington County, Florence (see also) had a GLAUCOUS, 17 LESSER BLACK-BACKED and 3 ICELAND GULLS. An adult NORTHERN SHRIKE was found on the Cumberland County CBC at the end of Turkey Point Rd at Turkey Point. Other species from the Turkey Point portion of the count included YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, WHITE-EYED VIREO, NELSON’S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW, SHORT-EARED OWLS and SEDGE WREN. RED CROSSBILLS were noted elsewhere on the Cumberland CBC, as were 16 SANDHILL CRANES and a possible COMMON CRANE at Husted Landing in Fairton, NJ. The Pine Barrens of Burlington County had 3 RED CROSSBILLS along Friendship-Speedwell Rd on Dec 28. Amasa Landing had 5 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS and a SHORT-EARED OWL. A dark phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen on January 3 at Edwin B Forsythe NWR at Brigantine in Atlantic County. Assiscong Marsh in Hunterdon County had CACKLING GEESE through Dec 31. The BARNACLE GOOSE was seen off Quakerbridge Rd the day before. It was seen near River View Farm on Dec 30 and north of Califon the next day. Four SNOW BUNTINGS were at the Spruce Run State Park Boat Launch on Dec 29, and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at Spruce Run on January 2. On Dec 30, Mercer County Park in Mercer
County had a RED-THROATED LOON on Lake Mercer and 2 CACKLING GEESE.
Two CACKLING GEESE were at the Princeton University Athletic Fields on
January 1. A BARNACLE GOOSE was in the Princeton area on Dec 28-29, in
the area of two boarded up commercial buildings on Quaker Bridge Rd between
Grovers Mill Rd and Lawrence Station Rd. The Pole Farm in Lawrenceville
had 2 SHORT-EARED OWLS seen from Federal City Rd, and 5 SHORT-EARED OWLS
were seen on January 1. For Delaware: A REDHEAD was in New Castle County at the upper pond at the intersection of Routes 92 and 100 on Dec 31. A COMMON GOLDENEYE was at Hoopes Reservoir on January 1. On Dec 30, Bombay Hook NWR in Kent County had over 8 BALD EAGLES, 20 AMERICAN PIPITS and TUNDRA SWANS. That day, 10 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen with the HORNED LARKS at Cartanza Rd. In Sussex County, the Seaford CBC had a record 108 species including a WILSON’S WARBLER along Broad Creek, a possible GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER, ROSS’S GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE, REDHEAD, LONG-TAILED DUCK, LAUGHING GULL, PURPLE FINCH, PINE SISKIN and VESPER SPARROW. The Rehobeth CBC had an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (1st state record!) and an unidentified Empidonax sp. both at the Fresh Pond area of Delaware Seashore State Park. The ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was seen again on Dec 31. (Click Here for pictures of this bird provided by Colin Campbell) On January 2, the FLYCATCHER was not found, but other birds in the area included PINE SISKIN and RED CROSSBILL. The Cape Henlopen CBC reported 157 species including ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, WESTERN SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SORA, COMMON MOORHEN, ICELAND GULL and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW in the territory that covers Prime Hook Beach to Fowlers Beach. Other areas of the count provided 32 COMMON EIDER, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, BLACK-HEADED GULL, VESPER SPARROW, COMMON REDPOLL, RED CROSSBILL, PRAIRIE WARBLER and LE CONTE’S SPARROW.
From Philadelphia County, John Heinz NWR at Tinicumreported an AMERICAN BITTERN and RUSTY BLACKBIRDS on Dec 29. NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS continue to be found at the refuge. In Chester County, a NORTHERN SHRIKE was at Struble Lake through January 1 at the point near the dam breast on SW end of the lake. Three LONG-TAILED DUCKS were on Struble Lake Dec 28. Marsh Creek State Park had 5 CANVASBACKS on Dec 30. At Green Lane Reservoir in Montgomery County, a NORTHERN SHRIKE was found at the Church Rd area on Dec 28. In Bucks County, gulls at Franklin Cove on Dec 29 included LESSER BLACK-BACKED, GLAUCOUS and ICELAND GULLS. The previous day, a juvenile THAYER’S GULL was spotted. Peace Valley Park had a CACKLING GOOSE on Dec 29 and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS through the week. In Warminster, 2 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen from Veteran’s Drive west of Johnsville Blvd. The Merrill Creek CBC in Northampton County had a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK at the fields along Lower and Upper Mud Run Roads. The old fire school on Martin’s Creek had 12 fly by COMMON REDPOLLS on Dec 30. The Martins Creek Preserve CBC territory that includes Martin’s Creek Environmental Preserve on PPL land and the Eastern Industries property had an ICELAND GULL, 6 SHORT-EARED OWLS, a LONG-EARED OWL and a NORTHERN SHRIKE. On Dec 31, Lancaster County’s Lititz CBC tallied a NORTHERN SAW-WHET, 5 LONG-EARED and 4 SHORT-EARED OWLS and 16 PINE SISKINS. A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was along Wissler Rd just west of Ephrata. Count week birds at Middle Creek WMA included a ROSS’S GOOSE and COMMON GOLDENEYE. A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, 4-5 SHORT-EARED OWLS, 5 LONG-EARED OWLS, 6 COMMON REDPOLLS, and a dark phase RED-TAILED HAWK were there on the day of the count. Recently, hundreds of TUNDRA SWANS have been seen at Middle Creek WMA, and a SANDHILL CRANE had been spotted at Stop #1. A CACKLING GOOSE was there on Dec 31, and the next day there was a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE on the small pond near the visitor center. The Second Mountain Hawk Watch in Lebanon County reported a GOLDEN EAGLE on Dec 30-31; COMMON RAVENS and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK were seen on Dec 29. On Dec 30, there were 3 RED CROSSBILLS, a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL and a COMMON REDPOLL at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County. The extralimital male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE at David Troyer's feeders in Juniata County was most recently reported on January 2. To reach the property from Route 22/322, take the Mifflintown/ McAlisterville Exit for Route 35. Head north into the small village of Oakland Mills and turn left onto Oakland Rd. You will see signs for the Lost Creek Shoe Shop, which is the Troyers’ business. Once on Oakland Rd go less than a mile and pull into the Shoe Shop parking lot on the left. Across the road will be two driveways, and the one on the left belongs to David Troyer. DO NOT PULL INTO THE DRIVEWAY, as you will likely spook the bird. Walk up the driveway, and the feeders will be on the far left. The Troyers request that you stay as far to the right of the house and driveway as possible, walk back around the house and look from the other side of the house. The Troyers have kindly given permission for Sunday visits, but please respect their privacy if they do not come out of the house. The Troyers also request that visitors sign their sign-in book. You can stop in the shoe store for updates. *** ANNOUNCEMENTS *** The next meeting of the DVOC is on Thursday January 3 at 7:30pm at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, which will be the annual meeting including a Christmas Bird Count recap, elections and refreshments. Steve Kacir will present an Ornithological Study entitled “A Paleo-ornithological Study.” Details are on the website, and guests are welcome. Paul Guris
will lead the Hudson Shelf Valley CBC on Jan 4, 2008. The field trip is
presented by the DVOC and See Life Paulagics, and will sail out of Belmar,
NJ at 8:00am to explore the underwater trench called the Hudson Shelf
Valley that extends from near shore all the way to the Hudson Canyon.
The trip returns to port around 4:00pm. Target species include Razorbill,
Common Murre, Dovekie, Atlantic Puffin, Black-legged Kittiwake, Iceland
Gull and Northern Gannet. The trip will cost $90 with an optional $5 CBC
Fee. Additional information is available at the DVOC website ‘Tis the season for Christmas Bird Counts. Consider joining a count and contributing to this massive citizen scientist project. A list of the Christmas Bird Counts in the Delaware Valley with contact information for the counts’ compilers is available at http://www.dvoc.org/ChristmasCounts/2007Counts.htm 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. 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.
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DVOC Rare Bird Alert Committee
Steve Kacir - Chair
Tony Croasdale
Bert Filemyr
Paul Guris
Rob Hynson
Mike Lyman
Nate Rice