Current report - Thursday June 26, 2008
- Birds Mentioned
Click Here for species
accounts for many of these birds
Little Egret +++
Eurasian Collared-Dove +
White-winged Dove ++
Western Tanager +
Henslow's Sparrow (MD)
+ (Details requested by New
Jersey Birds Records Committee)
++ (Details requested by Pennsylvania
Ornthological Records Committee)
+++ (Details requested by Delaware
Records Committee)
Common Loon
American White Pelican
Brown Pelican
Great Cormorant
Least Bittern
Black-crowned Night-heron
Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Snow Goose
Northern Shoveler
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Northern Bobwhite
Virginia Rail
Piping Plover
American Oystercatcher
Upland Sandpiper
Red Knot
Western Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Royal Tern
Sandwich Tern
Roseate Tern
Forster's Tern
Black Tern
Black Skimmer
Common Nighthawk
Chuck-will's-widow
Whip-poor-will
Red-headed Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Alder Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Yellow-throated Vireo
Horned Lark
Cliff Swallow
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Hooded Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Scarlet Tanager
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Purple Finch
Hotline: Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert
Email reports to:
Compilers: Steve Kacir and
Tony Croasdale - Delaware
Valley Ornithological Club
Phone: (215) 240-7547
URL: http://www.dvoc.org/RBA/Current/Active/Index.htm
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. This week, we highlight reports of LITTLE EGRET in Kent County, DE; EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in Cape May County, NJ; WHITE-WINGED DOVE in York County, PA and a possible WESTERN TANAGER in Atlantic County, NJ.
For New Jersey:
Cape May County:
Click
Here for Cape May County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was seen near the intersection of Bayshore Rd and New England Rd in Cape May. The Nature Conservancy’s Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge had 12 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS on June 21, and a LEAST BITTERN called from the back of the refuge. On June 25, a YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was at the refuge. That day, a BLACK TERN and a ROSEATE TERN were seen off Cape May Point. On June 23, a ROSEATE TERN was seen from the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge as it flew out to sea from the area of the plover ponds at Cape May Point State Park. A WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was at the plover ponds on June 24 while 4 BROWN PELICANS were offshore. Up to 9 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were on the South Cape May beachfront through June 25. Recently hatched PIPING PLOVER chicks were noted behind the dunes at the plover ponds and on the beach at Cape May Point on June 25. The Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge also had PIPING PLOVERS. On June 21, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER and BLUE GROSBEAK were noted at the Rea Farm. On June 24, Beaver Swamp WMA hosted GULL-BILLED TERNS, NORTHERN BOBWHITES and an adult YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON. Champagne Island in the Hereford Inlet area had plenty of nesting ROYAL TERNS and BLACK SKIMMERS. On June 25, Champagne Island had 2 adult and 1 first summer SANDWICH TERNS, while Stone Harbor Point hosted 11 BROWN PELICANS, a GREAT CORMORANT, 3 RED KNOT and WESTERN SANDPIPERS.
Cumberland County:
Click
Here for Cumberland County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen in Millville on June 23.
Atlantic County:
Click
Here for Atlantic County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A bird that may have been a young male or female WESTERN TANAGER was reported from the Brigantine Division of Edwin B Forsythe NWR on June 19. That evening, a CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW called from Great Creek Rd and the woods before the bridge near the exit, and a WHIP-POOR-WILL called from Leeds Point Rd. On June 21, the Brigantine GLAUCOUS GULL was still there. Five SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS were at Brigantine’s east pool on June 22. Other highlights from Brigantine this week were VIRGINIA RAIL, NORTHERN BOBWHITES, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, GULL-BILLED TERN, BLUE GROSBEAK and BOBOLINK.
Ocean County:
Click
Here for Ocean County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW was at Island Beach State Park. On June 21, Colliers Mills WMA and Double Trouble State Park had BLUE GROSBEAKS, and a HOODED WARBLER was near marker 5 on the trail at Double Trouble State Park.
Sandy Hook had PIPING PLOVERS and AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, and chicks of both species were observed on June 20.
Burlington County:
Click
Here for Burlington County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Salem County:
Click
Here for Salem County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Gloucester County:
Click
Here for Gloucester County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
No reports
On June 22, a pair of UPLAND SANDPIPERS flew over Oberly Rd at the Alpha Grasslands, and a BLUE GROSBEAK sang at Snyders Rd. An AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was at the rocky point by the osprey tower at Merrill Creek Reservoir the evening of June 23. Other birds at the reservoir included PILEATED WOODPECKER, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK and CLIFF SWALLOW.
For Delaware:
New Castle CountyClick
Here for New Castle County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc. No reports
Kent County:
Click
Here for Kent County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The LITTLE EGRET at Bombay Hook was reported as recently as June 20. The LITTLE EGRET was at the tidal area opposite Shearness Pool on June 20.
Click here to enjoy pictures of the Little Egret on Donna Tolbert-Anderson's website
Click Here to enjoy pictures of the Little Egret on Howard Eskin's website.
Sussex County:
Click
Here for Sussex County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Two DICKCISSELS were in the Seaford area on June 22. One was perched on irrigation equipment at the sharp corner on Old Carriage Rd in SW Seaford West, and the other DICKCISSEL sang from a hayfield opposite the woods to the southeast at SE Seaford West. That day, two VESPER SPARROWS were found at Woodpecker Rd east of Woodland Ferry Rd. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen on June 22 from Progress School Rd near Bridgeville. The RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was in a cut off woods on the right side of the road as you head south on Progress School Rd from Dublin Hill Rd. Much of this woods, which has a high density of snags, can be viewed from just after Progress School Rd makes a sharp curve to the right.
For Pennsylvania:
Philadelphia
County:
Click
Here for Philadelphia County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
A VESPER SPARROW was seen from the Reed Rd area of Marsh Creek State Park on June 19. Another VESPER SPARROW was encountered during atlas work at Block 94A34, east of Parkesburg. Atlas work in Blocks 94A34 and 94A32 noted HORNED LARK, BLUE GROSBEAK and GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. Atlas work in Blocks 81D44 and 81D36 included sightings of YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, PRAIRIE and HOODED WARBLERS.
Montgomery
County:
Click
Here for Montgomery County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Click Here for information on DVOC member Steve Kacir's Montgomery County Big year.
No reports
Bucks
County:
Click
Here for Bucks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On June 21, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve had LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH and SCARLET TANAGER. Sightings from Churchville Nature Center included BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS and breeding PINE WARBLERS, and a female PURPLE FINCH suffering from conjunctivitis was at Elm Ave on June 23.
The WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS at the flooded field near Green Pond were still present on June 19. LEAST FLYCATCHERS have been visiting a mulberry tree on the Koch Property. A SNOW GOOSE was found at Tatamy Rd near Route 33. The GCS landfill had HORNED LARK, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW and BLUE GROSBEAK. Lingering waterfowl at PPL Martins Creek included 2 SNOW GEESE, BUFFLEHEAD, LESSER SCAUP and NORTHERN SHOVELER.
No reports
A COMMON LOON was on Sweet Arrow Lake on June 24. That day, a COMMON NIGHTHAWK was spotted just outside of Mahanoy City. An ALDER FLYCATCHER sang near Blue Head Reservoir on June 21. A WHIP-POOR-WILL was noted in the Hegins area, and a BOBOLINK was in the Sheppton area.
Nine to eleven BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS have been frequenting Blue Marsh Lake’s Dry Brooks Boat Launch. SAVANNAH SPARROWS were in fields east of Kutztown at Kohler Rd & Burkholder Ln. Also in the area was a HORNED LARK seen from Kutztown-Lyons Rd and a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER at Bastian Rd.An AMERICAN WOODCOCK foraged at the edge of Hopewell Lake at French Creek State Park on June 12. Breeding Bird Atlas work in blocks 80B12 & 80B21 revealed VESPER SPARROW and ACADIAN FLYCATCHERS. Blue Marsh Lake had BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS on June 16. Two BOBOLINKS were in a field along Grist Mill Rd on June 17.
On June 19, the Conejohela Flats had a family of HOODED MERGANSERS, a WESTERN SANDPIPER, FORSTER’S TERN and 4 PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS. CLIFF SWALLOWS are nesting under the River Rd bridge that spans the Conestoga River at Safe Harbor Park.
PA Extralimitals:
On June 23, a WHITE-WINGED DOVE was discovered at the old York County landfill just north of the parking lot on Althouse School Rd just north of Plank Rd.
Extralimital Reports:
MARYLAND:
A HENSLOW’S SPARROW has been singing from a field of tall grasses
through June 24. The field is opposite the residence at 23021 Club Hollow
Rd, Poolesville, Montgomery County.
*** ANNOUNCEMENTS ***
ATTENTION WOOD SANDPIPER FANS: Liz Gordon has set up an online guest book for any and all who went down to Broadkill Rd to see the Wood Sandpiper. The guest book will provide data for a University of Delaware Shorebird Economic study. Please visit the site below by Clicking Here and fill out the short survey found there
On June 28, Steve Kacir will lead a DVOC field trip to Wharton State Forest. The trip will meet at the Carranza Memorial at 6:00PM. Target species include displaying Common Nighthawks, calling Whip-poor-will and possibly Chuck-will’s-widow. Please contact Steve Kacir if you plan on attending. Contact information and more information about the field trip are on the DVOC website: http://www.dvoc.org
The next meeting of the DVOC is on Thursday July 10 at 7:30pm at Palmyra Cove Nature Park in Palmyra, NJ. This informal meeting will feature short presentations including Rob Hynson’s “Southeast Arizona” and Bert Filemyr’s “A Raptor ID Puzzle” and “Behind the Curtain of the DVOC Website.” Details are on the website, and guests are always welcome.
Due to a staffing shortage, John Heinz NWR at Tinicum desperately needs volunteers to help with the front desk and operate the Friends of Heinz Refuge's Tinicum Treasures store. Warm, friendly people who know Tinicum are needed to help John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge maintain and enhance its public interface. The Fish and Wildlife Service is relying more and more on volunteers to staff its visitor centers. Currently, volunteers run almost all public programs at the refuge. Who better to give advice on where to find a certain bird on the refuge than someone who actually birds the refuge? If you'd be interested in volunteering please contact Tony Croasdale at 215-301-7940 or email him at [email protected]
The second Delaware Breeding Bird Atlas has already made great strides this year. Please consider contributing to this massive citizen science project to study and map the distribution of birds breeding in Delaware. For more information contact the DE BBA Coordinator, Anthony Gonzon at [email protected] or call (302) 653-2880. More information is available at the DE BBA Website:http://www.fw.delaware.gov/BBA
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
- Daily Field Checklist (A handy pocket list for your daily adventures. Available to everyone courtesy of the DVOC)
- Delaware Valley Birding Checklist (A major publication covering status and distribution of Delaware Valley birds. Available to everyone courtesy of the DVOC)
General Guidelines for Submission
- Rarities
- Good concentrations (e.g. 8 sp. of shorebirds at Green Lane)
- High numbers (e.g. 2,000 Common Mergansers at Peace Valley)
- Early/late occurrences (1st Indigo Bunting, lingering Phoebe)
- Unusual breeders
- BRIEF report on out of area mega rarities(e.g. Red-footed Falcon or even a stint in MA)
- Announcements (DVOC meetings and field trips, Academy events, CBC dates and pelagics!)
The Delaware Valley is the name given to the region that lays on either side of the Delaware River, centered on Philadelphia. This consists of southeastern Pennsylvania, central and southern New Jersey and the state of Delaware.
The following counties fall within our boundaries.
(Click on a county name for information specific to the county)In Pennsylvania;
Berks County
Bucks County
Chester County
Delaware County
Lancaster County
Lebanon County
Lehigh County
Montgomery County
Northampton County
Philadelphia County
Schuykill CountyIn New Jersey;
Atlantic County
Burlington County
Camden County
Cape May County
Cumberland County
Gloucester County
Hunterdon County
Mercer County
Middlesex County
Monmouth County
Ocean County
Salem County
Somerset County
Warren CountyIn Delaware;
New Castle County
Kent County
Sussex County