| Current
report - Wednesday September 17, 2008
- Birds Mentioned
Click Here for species
accounts for many of these birds
Brown Booby +
White Ibis +
Black-bellied Whistling-duck ++
Sabine's Gull ++
Broad-billed Hummingbird (MA)
Northern Wheatear (CT)
Lark Bunting (NY)
Lesser Goldfinch +++
+ (Details requested by New
Jersey Birds Records Committee)
++ (Details requested by Pennsylvania
Ornthological Records Committee)
+++ (Details requested by Delaware
Records Committee)
Northern Gannet
Brown Pelican
Great Cormorant
American Bittern
Little Blue Heron
Cattle Egret
Snow Goose
Surf Scoter
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Goshawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Wild Turkey
Common Moorhen
Sandhill Crane
American Golden-plover
Semipalmated Plover
Piping Plover
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Western Willet
Hudsonian Godwit
Marbled Godwit
Red Knot
Western Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Parasitic Jaeger
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Caspian Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Black Tern
Black-billed Cuckoo
Common Nighthawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Blue-headed Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Common Raven
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
American Pipit
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Connecticut Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Lark Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Blue Grosbeak
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Hotline: Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert
Email reports to:
Compilers: Steve Kacir- 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.
This week, we highlight reports of BROWN BOOBY in Cape
May County, NJ and a late report of LESSER GOLDFINCH in New Castle County,
DE.
For New Jersey: Click
Here for the New Jersey Birding List
Cape May County:
Click
Here for Cape May County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Recent sightings from the Nature
Conservancy’s Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge included 35 COMMON
NIGHTHAWKS on Sep 10. Highlights from Cape May Point State Park Hawk
Watch included NORTHERN GANNET, BROWN PELICAN, AMERICAN BITTERN, MERLINS,
AMERICAN PIPIT, BLUE GROSBEAK and BOBOLINKS. A BAIRD’S SANDPIPER
was at the park’s second plover pond on Sep 11 & 16. On Sep
16, a STILT SANDPIPER was at the park’s Bunker Pond, and a CAPE
MAY WARBLER was seen from the Red Trail. Five PARASITIC JAEGERS were
off Cape May Point on Sep 12. A family of WILD TURKEYS was at the north
end of Bayshore Rd on Sep 13 & 16. That day the Rea Farm had BLUE
GROSBEAK and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Highlights from the Morning Flight
Project at Higbee Beach WMA included DICKCISSEL, BLUE GROSBEAK and BOBOLINKS.
Higbee had a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER on Sep 12 and CERULEAN WARBLER
on Sep 13. On Sep 16, Higbee had 6 PHILADELPHIA VIREOS, GRAY-CHEEKED
THRUSH, a late YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, and an ALDER FLYCATCHER was
on the west side of the dike. Also noted that day were 15 additional
species of warbler at Higbee Beach including CONNECTICUT, CAPE MAY and
WILSON’S WARBLERS. The Northwoods Center had a SUMMER TANAGER
on Sep 16. On Sep 11, Nummy’s Island had a MARBLED GODWIT and
23 WESTERN WILLETS, while PIPING PLOVERS were at Stone Harbor Point.
A BROWN BOOBY was seen 10-12 miles offshore of Hereford Inlet on Sep
14.
Cumberland County:
Click
Here for Cumberland County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was at the Turkey Point Rd area
on Sep 11. Two WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were at Bivalve that day.
Atlantic County:
Click
Here for Atlantic County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Sep 13, the Brigantine Division of Edwin B Forsythe
NWR had SEDGE WREN before the first tower, an AMERICAN BITTERN near
the Gull Pond Tower, a MARBLED GODWIT and 2 AMERICAN AVOCETS on the
south dike just before the cross dike HUDSONIAN GODWIT, STILT SANDPIPER
and BLACK TERN. On Sep 14, Brigantine had a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD,
HUDSONIAN GODWIT and 2 AMERICAN AVOCETS. A RED KNOT was there the next
day.
Monmouth County:
Click
Here for Monmouth County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Burlington County:
Click
Here for Burlington County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Highlights from Palmyra Cove Nature Park included
NASHVILLE and TENNESSEE WARBLERS. On Sep 13, Palmyra had WILSON’S
and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS.
Camden County:
Click
Here for Camden County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Ocean County:
Click
Here for Ocean County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Island Beach State Park had BROWN PELICANS Sep 13-14,
a male SURF SCOTER on Sep 14, NORTHERN GANNETS and 3 PARASITIC JAEGERS
on Sep 13.
Monmouth County:
Click
Here for Monmouth County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was at the Sandy Hook Salt
Ponds on Sep 11. On Sep 13, Sandy Hook had a PROTHONOTARY WARBLER and
flyby RED-HEADED WOODPECKER on the bike path north of Randolph Rd. A
LARK SPARROW was found off the bike path near Randolph Rd at Sandy Hook
on Sep 13. On Sep 17, Sandy Hook had a CAPE MAY WARBLER.
Salem County:
Click
Here for Salem County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A field at the intersection of Featherbed Lane and
Kings Highway had 147 CATTLE EGRETS on Sep 10, while 50 more CATTLE
EGRETS were in a field near the intersection of Route 40 & 45. There
were still many CATTLE EGRETS around Featherbed Lane on Sep 15. On Sep
13, six BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were in a recently plowed field at
Carney’s Point on Courses Landing Rd just west of its intersection
with Route 646.
Gloucester County:
Click
Here for Gloucester County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Click
Here for information on DVOC member Sandra
Keller's Gloucester County Big Year.
A COMMON MOORHEN was near Birch Creek at the Pedricktown
Marsh on Sep 15. That day, a GREAT CORMORANT, 32 CASPIAN TERNS and a
BLACK TERN were seen from the end of Floodgates Rd.
Hunterdon County:
Click
Here for Hunterdon County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Mercer County:
Click
Here for Mercer County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Warren County:
Click
Here for Warren County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The Scott’s Mountain Hawk Watch had MERLINS,
COMMON RAVENS and PHILADELPHIA VIREO this week. On Sep 16, Scott’s
Mountain counted 1,057 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and a SNOW GOOSE. On Sep 13,
Scott’s Mountain had COMMON NIGHTHAWKS, PHILADELPHIA VIREOS and
155 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. The Raccoon Ridge Hawk Watch noted SNOW
GEESE, MERLINS, PEREGRINE FALCONS, COMMON NIGHTHAWKS, COMMON RAVENS
and BLUE-HEADED VIREOS this week. Raccoon Ridge tallied 311 BROAD-WINGED
HAWKS, NORTHERN GOSHAWK and GOLDEN EAGLE on Sep 15.
Somerset County:
Click
Here for Somerset County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Morris County:
No reports
NJ Extralimitals:
In Bergen County, a juvenile WHITE IBIS was still
being seen from the Sawmill Trail at Richard W DeKorte Park as recently
as Sep 13.
For Delaware: Click
Here for the Delaware Birding List
New Castle County
Click
Here for New Castle County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Aug 3, a LESSER GOLDFINCH was photographed at a
private residence on Country Club Dr adjacent to the DuPont Country
Club, though it has not been seen since. Barley Mill Rd near Ashland
Nature Center had a large flock of migrants on Sep 11, including SWAINSON’S
THRUSH; PHILADELPHIA VIREO; TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE and WORM-EATING WARBLERS.
The Ashland Nature Center Hawk Watch had 664 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and
3 MERLINS on Sep 15. The next day, Ashland’s hawk watchers counted
1,889 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS.
Kent County:
Click
Here for Kent County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Sep 14, Shearness Pool at Bombay Hook NWR
had 2 BLACK TERNS, 13 CATTLE EGRETS and 36 BOBOLINKS, while the bay
side of Shearness had BLACK-NECKED STILTS and AMERICAN AVOCETS.
Sussex County:
Click
Here for Sussex County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Highlights from the Cape Henlopen State Park Hawk
Watch included BROWN PELICANS, MERLINS, PEREGRINE FALCON, BROWN-HEADED
NUTHATCHES, SWAINSON’S THRUSH, PHILADELPHIA VIREO and CAPE MAY
WARBLERS. On Sep 16, the Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch noted 220 OSPREYS,
25 BALD EAGLES, 81 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 11 PEREGRINE FALCONS and 48 MERLINS
along with YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER and 10 species of warbler. Six
BLACK TERNS were seen from the Hawk Watch on Sep 12. On Sep 8, Prime
Hook NWR had MERLINS, 2-4 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS and 2 BUFF-BREASTED
SANDPIPERS. That day, a small flock of STILT SANDPIPERS was south of
Fowler Beach Rd.
For Pennsylvania: Click
Here for the Pennsylvania Birding List
Philadelphia County:
Click
Here for Philadelphia County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Delaware County:
Click Here
for Delaware County Birding Resources including an interactive map with
locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The Rose Tree Park Hawk Watch counted
25 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS on Sep 13. On Sep 15, the hawk watch had 728 BROAD-WINGED
HAWKS, 2 MERLINS and a PEREGRINE FALCON. On Sep 16, the Rose Tree Park
Hawk Watch counted 2,017 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 3 MERLINS and 2 SNOW GEESE.
The next day, the hawk watch noted 939 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 2 MERLINS
and a PEREGRINE FALCON.
Chester County:
Click Here
for Chester County Birding Resources including an interactive map with
locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A WESTERN SANDPIPER and BUFF-BREASTED
SANDPIPER were at a small pool near Chandlers Mill Rd at Kennett Square
on Sep 13.
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.The Militia Hill Hawk Watch at
Fort Washington State Park noted 18 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS on Sep 13. On
Sep 16, the Militia Hill Hawk Watch noted 2,834 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and
a PEREGRINE FALCON.
Bucks County:
Click
Here for Bucks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Walking the fisherman’s trail along Core Creek
off Silver Lake Rd revealed LITTLE BLUE HERON and PHILADELPHIA VIREO
on Sep 11. Recent reports from Peace Valley Park included MERLIN, LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULLS, COMMON NIGHTHAWKS, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, PHILADELPHIA
VIREO, CAPE MAY and WILSON’S WARBLERS. LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS
were at Churchville Nature Center this week. Two LITTLE BLUE HERONS
were at Core Creek Park on Sep 13. On Sep 15, Washington Crossing Historic
Park had a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and PHILADELPHIA VIREO.
Northampton County:
Click
Here for Northampton County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Sep 15, there were BLACKBURNIAN and NASHVILLE WARBLERS,
BLUE-HEADED VIREOS and 3-4 PHILADELPHIA VIREOS at Jacobsburg State Park.
A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER and 2 PHILADELPHIA VIREOS were at Little
Gap on Sep 15. On Sep 16, three LINCOLN’S SPARROWS were at Spring
Hill Rd in Allen Township. On Sep 15, a CAPE MAY WARBLER was at the
lower lot of the Blue Mountain Ski Area, while the upper lot had NASHVILLE
WARBLER and COMMON RAVEN. On Sep 14, Gremar Rd in Nazareth had a GRASSHOPPER
SPARROW and BOBOLINKS. On Sep 17, the Koch Property had a WILSON’S
WARBLER, a MARSH WREN in the SW corner, and a female DICKCISSEL in the
NE corner.
Lehigh County:
Click
Here for Lehigh County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Bake Oven Knob had a KENTUCKY and CONNECTICUT WARBLER
on Sep 10. Bake Oven Knob recorded 808 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and 2 COMMON
NIGHTHAWKS on Sep 11. On Sep 15, Bake Oven Knob noted a GOLDEN EAGLE
and PEREGRINE FALCON. Other highlights from Bake Oven Knob this week
included COMMON RAVENS, MERLINS, PEREGRINE FALCONS and PHILADELPHIA
VIREO.
Schuykill County:
Click
Here for Schuykill County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Berks County:
Click
Here for Berks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The State Hill Hawk Watch at Blue Marsh Lake Recreation
Area noted 734 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS on Sep 11. SGL-110 had 2 COMMON RAVENS
and a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER on Sep 14. On Sep 16, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
noted 409 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, MERLIN and PEREGRINE FALCON. The next
day, Hawk Mountain counted 709 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, PHILADELPHIA VIREO
and 15 CAPE MAY WARBLERS.
Lancaster County:
Click
Here for Lancaster County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Through the week, the Conejohela Flats had SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS with a high count of 35 on Sep 14 and
FORSTER’S TERNS with a high count of 79 on Sep 14.
On Sep 11, the Flats had 2 BLACK TERNS. The SANDHILL CRANE was at the
flats and neighboring yards through Sep 15. On Sep 14, the flats had
2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS, WESTERN SANDPIPER, BAIRD’S SANDPIPER
and 2 COMMON TERNS. WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were at the flats on Sep
14-15. On Sep 15, the Conejohela Flats had a CASPIAN TERN. An OLIVE-SIDED
FLYCATCHER was at Speedwell Forge County Park on Sep 17.
Lebanon County:
Click
Here for Lebanon County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The Second Mountain Hawk Watch had a NORTHERN GOSHAWK
on Sep 10 & 14. A COMMON RAVEN was noted there on Sep 13. On Sep
11, the hawk watch counted 681 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and a MERLIN, and
444 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS flew past on Sep 16.
Carbon County:
No reports
Monroe County:
No reports
PA Extralimitals:
A SABINE’S GULL was made an appearance at the
south shore of the lake near the Bear Run Boat Ramp of Moraine State
Park in Butler County on Sep 12. The BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK at
Pymatuning WMA in Crawford County was still at Miller’s Pond through
Sep 16.
Extralimital Reports
NEW YORK:
A LARK BUNTING was near the police station at Robert Moses State Park
in Suffolk County on Sep 16-17.
CONNECTICUT:
On Sep 10, an immature NORTHERN WHEATEAR was at the Rocky Hill Meadows
in Rocky Hill, Hartford County.
MASSACHUSETTS:
A BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD has been coming to a feeder in Dennis on
Cape Cod, Barnstable County, and was seen as recently as Sep 15.
Announcements
On Sep 19-21, James Maloney will lead a DVOC field
trip to Pocono Environmental Education Center in Dingmans Ferry, PA.
The trip will travel to the Pocono Environmental Education Center to
arrive around 6pm. The trip will focus on fall migrants including passerines
and raptors. There is an approximately $90 fee associated with the trip
which will cover 6 meals and 2 nights’ lodging. You must contact
James if you plan on attending the field trip. Additional information
along with contact information for the trip leaders can be found on
the DVOC website: http://www.dvoc.org
The next meeting of the DVOC is Thursday Sep 18 at
7:30pm at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, PA. The main
program of the meeting is Lillian Armstrong’s "New Jersey
Birding and Wildlife Trail Guides Project.” Art McMorris will
present an Ornithological Study entitled “Recent AOU Checklist
Changes.” Details are on the website, and guests are always welcome.
The meeting after this will be held at the Academy of Natural Sciences
on October 2, featuring a main program by Howard Eskin.
At 7:30PM on September 19, the Wyncote Audubon
Society will meet at the Plymouth Meeting House located at the intersection
of Germantown and Butler Pikes in Plymouth Meeting, when Bert Filemyr
will present "Apostrophes, or Where Those Bird Names Came From."
The program is free and open to the public. Jane Henderson will lead
a Wyncote Audubon field trip to the Militia Hill Hawk Watch at Fort
Washington State Park on September 20. The trip will meet at 8:00AM
at the hawk watch platform for a migrant songbird walk before returning
to the hawk watch at 10:00AM for coffee and snacks. For more information
contact Leader Jane Henderson at 215-836-1965
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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