| Current
report - Wednesday September 24, 2008
- Birds Mentioned
Click Here for species
accounts for many of these birds
Magnificent Frigatebird ++
Black-bellied Whistling-duck ++
Swallow-tailed Kite +
Swainson's Hawk +
Broad-billed Hummingbird (MA)
Northern Wheatear +
Bohemian Waxwing ++
Black-throated Gray Warbler (NY)
Lark Bunting (NY)
+ (Details requested by New
Jersey Birds Records Committee)
++ (Details requested by Pennsylvania
Ornthological Records Committee)
+++ (Details requested by Delaware
Records Committee)
+++ (Details requested by DERC)
Common Loon
Brown Pelican
Snowy Egret
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Black-crowned Night-heron
Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Snow Goose
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Golden Eagle
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Ruffed Grouse
Wild Turkey
Northern Bobwhite
King Rail
Sora
Sandhill Crane
Black-bellied Plover
American Golden-plover
Semipalmated Plover
Piping Plover
American Avocet
Whimbrel
Marbled Godwit
Red Knot
Sanderling
Western Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Parasitic Jaeger
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Common Tern
Black Skimmer
Barred Owl
Common Nighthawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Pileated Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Common Raven
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Marsh Wren
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
American Pipit
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Connecticut Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Canada Warbler
Summer Tanager
Lark Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Blue Grosbeak
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
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 MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD
in Berks and Montgomery Counties, PA; SWALLOW-TAILED KITE in Warren County,
NJ; SWAINSON’S HAWK and NORTHERN WHEATEAR in Cape May County, NJ
and BOHEMIAN WAXWING in Berks County, PA.
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.
On Sep 19, a NORTHERN WHEATEAR was found between the
plover ponds at Cape May Point State Park. A SWAINSON’S HAWK flew
past the Cape May Point State Park Hawk Watch on Sep 23, and a SORA
was heard that day. A KING RAIL was spotted from the hawk watch on Sep
17, and STILT SANDPIPERS were noted in the area Sep 17-20. The hawk
watch also noted PARASITIC JAEGER, WHIMBREL, CLIFF SWALLOW and RUSTY
BLACKBIRDS on Sep 21, with STILT SANDPIPER, PARASITIC JAEGER and DICKCISSEL
the next day. Other recent sightings from Cape May Point State Park
included LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, PEREGRINE FALCONS,
MERLINS, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER and BOBOLINKS. On Sep 19-20, the
Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge had a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. On Sep
20, the refuge had reports of COMMON NIGHTHAWK and TRICOLORED HERON.
PARASITIC JAEGERS were seen from the beach at Cape May Migratory Bird
Refuge on Sep 20 & 22. The Morning Flight Project at Higbee noted
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES on Sep 19-22, and a PURPLE FINCH was spotted
on Sep 20. Warblers at Higbee this week included GOLDEN-WINGED, MOURNING,
CONNECTICUT, BLACKBURNIAN, TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, WILSON’S and
CAPE MAY WARBLERS, and a late YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was seen on Sep
18. Other migrants there included AMERICAN PIPITS, PHILADELPHIA VIREOS,
SUMMER TANAGER, DICKCISSELS and BOBOLINKS. The Woodcock Trail of Cape
May NWR had LARK SPARROW, CONNECTICUT WARBLER and DICKCISSEL on Sep
16. Stone Harbor Point had 13 PIPING PLOVERS and 7 RED KNOTS on Sep
17. Other recent reports from Stone Harbor noted YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS,
CASPIAN TERNS and WESTERN SANDPIPERS. A MARBLED GODWIT was at Stites
Sound near Avalon on Sep 21.
Cumberland County:
Click
Here for Cumberland County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Atlantic County:
Click
Here for Atlantic County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Malibu Beach WMA had 1,062 BLACK SKIMMERS on Sep 17.
On Sep 18, the Brigantine Division of Edwin B Forsythe NWR had an AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER and a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. On Sep 19, a flood tide
at Brigantine pushed in 31 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 743 SANDERLINGS,
50 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and 2 AMERICAN AVOCETS. On Sep 22, six AMERICAN
AVOCETS were at Brigantine. Other highlights from Brigantine this week
included SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS, CATTLE EGRETS, WHIMBREL, WESTERN
SANDPIPERS, COMMON and ROYAL TERNS. On Sep 20, a TRICOLORED HERON was
at Tuckerton’s Great Bay Blvd.
Monmouth County:
Click
Here for Monmouth County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Sep 20, Sandy Hook had COMMON LOONS and BLUE-HEADED
VIREO. A LEAST and YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER were at the tall trees
near the Officer’s Club that day. The area around the Officer’s
Club had a MOURNING WARBLER on Sep 22. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES were
at Sandy Hook Sep 19-20. On Sep 19, four PINE SISKINS flew by Sandy
Hook near the garden
Burlington County:
Click
Here for Burlington County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Sep 21, Palmyra Cove Nature Park hosted 16 species
of warbler including a TENNESSEE WARBLER.
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.
No reports
Monmouth County:
Click
Here for Monmouth 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.
Click
Here for information on DVOC member Sandra
Keller's Gloucester County Big Year.
On Sep 18, the National Park dredge spoils had 3 CASPIAN
TERNS and 3 LINCOLN’S SPARROWS, and that area had RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCHES and NASHVILLE WARBLER on Sep 22.
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.
A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE flew by the Raccoon Ridge Hawk
Watch on Sep 19, along with 472 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS. Other highlights
from Raccoon Ridge included PEREGRINE FALCONS, MERLINS, COMMON RAVENS,
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and BLUE-HEADED VIREO. The Scott’s Mountain
Hawk Watch counted 3,318 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS on Sep 18, and 3,250 BROAD-WINGS
the next day. On Sep 20, over 120 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were seen
from Scott’s Mountain. Other highlights from Scott’s Mountain
included SNOW GEESE, MERLINS and COMMON RAVENS.
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:
A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was seen from the Kittatinny
Mountain Raptor Research Center in Sussex County on Sep 17.
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.
The Ashland Nature Center Hawk Watch had 1,128 BROAD-WINGED
HAWKS on Sep 18. Other notable raptor sightings from Ashland included
MERLINS and BALD EAGLES. A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was up on the hill
at Ashland on Sep 19. On Sep 20, Ashland had SWAINSON’S THRUSH
and a LEAST FLYCATCHER. On Sep 21, the Ashland Hawk Watch noted COMMON
NIGHTHAWK, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and NASHVILLE WARBLER. Ashland’s
black walnut grove had PHILADELPHIA VIREOS on Sep 20-21. White Clay
Creek State Park had PILEATED WOODPECKER, CANADA and BLACKPOLL WARBLERS
on Sep 21.
Kent County:
Click
Here for Kent County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Sussex County:
Click
Here for Sussex County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Sep 18, Cape Henlopen State Park had PHILADELPHIA
VIREO and BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. Highlights from the Cape Henlopen State
Park Hawk Watch this week included MERLINS and PEREGRINE FALCONS, with
a high count of 51 MERLINS and 19 PEREGRINES on Sep 18. On Sep 20, a
probable MOURNING WARBLER and 2 BROWN PELICANS were seen from the hawk
watch. Cape Henlopen’s Hawk Watch noted a PARASITIC JAEGER and
BLACKPOLL WARBLER on Sep 23. The headquarters area at Prime Hook NWR
had BARRED OWL, NORTHERN BOBWHITE and around 70 SNOW GEESE. A RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH was at Burton’s Island on Sep 23.
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.
Highlights from the Rose Tree Park Hawk
Watch included MERLINS, PEREGRINE FALCONS, BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH.
Chester County:
Click Here
for Chester County Birding Resources including an interactive map with
locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Sep 20, a MERLIN was at Pine Creek
Park in Chester Springs
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.
A MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD, probably the same one seen
at Blue Marsh Lake Recreation Area, flew over the Militia Hill Hawk
Watch at Fort Washington State Park on Sep 20. On Sep 18, Militia Hill
tallied 4,848 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS. Other highlights from Militia Hill
this week included PEREGRINE FALCONS on Sep 19. A first year BLUE GROSBEAK
was at the Flourtown Day Use Area of Fort Washington State Park on Sep
20. A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was near the entrance to Riverbend Environmental
Education Center on Sep 21. A BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was at Green
Lane Reservoir’s fly-fishing area near the New Goschenhoppen Church
on Sep 20.
Bucks County:
Click
Here for Bucks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The Buckingham Hawk Watch noted 2,191 BROAD-WINGED
HAWKS on Sep 18, but the high count was 7,483 BROAD-WINGS on Sep 17.
The Buckingham Hawk Watch had a PEREGRINE FALCON on Sep 19. Two COMMON
RAVENS were seen from the hawk watch on Sep 18. Other highlights from
Buckingham included PEREGRINE FALCON. Peace Valley Park’s Pine
Path had a PHILADELPHIA VIREO Sep 17-19, and a CONNECTICUT WARBLER was
at the Pine Path on Sep 20. Other recent sightings from Peace Valley
included WILD TURKEYS, BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS,
PILEATED WOODPECKER and WILSON’S WARBLERS. A MARSH WREN was at
Falls of the Delaware Park on Sep 22. A MERLIN was at Core Creek Park
on Sep 20. Churchville Nature Center had LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS on
Sep 21.
Northampton County:
Click
Here for Northampton County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was at Jacobsburg State Park’s
hummingbird & butterfly gardens on Sep 21. On Sep 18, a MERLIN was
at the Hill-to-Hill Bridge on Route 378 in Bethlehem City.
Lehigh County:
Click
Here for Lehigh County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The Bake Oven Knob Hawk Watch noted 384 BROAD-WINGED
HAWKS on Sep 18. Other highlights this week from Bake Oven Knob included
PILEATED WOODPECKERS, COMMON RAVENS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, PHILADELPHIA
VIREO and TENNESSEE WARBLER.
Schuykill County:
Click
Here for Schuykill County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Sep 21, SGL-110 had GRAY-CHEEKED and SWAINSON’S
THRUSH, BLACKBURNIAN and BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. That day the Route 183
area of SGL-110 had 2 RUFFED GROUSE, WARBLING VIREO, BLUE-HEADED VIREO,
PHILADELPHIA VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, BLACKBURNIAN and PINE WARBLER. On
Sep 20, the Northkill Gap portion of SGL-110 had RUFFED GROUSE, PILEATED
WOODPECKER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, HOODED WARBLER and 4 WHITE-THROATED
SPARROWS.
Berks County:
Click
Here for Berks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD was at Blue Marsh Lake Recreation
Area on Sep 20; this bird is probably the same FRIGATEBIRD seen at the
Militia Hill Hawk Watch later that day. On the morning of Sep 21, a
BOHEMIAN WAXWING perched at the North Lookout of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.
Hawk Mountain tallied 2 GOLDEN EAGLES on Sep 18. Other highlights from
Hawk Mountain included COMMON NIGHTHAWK, BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, MERLINS,
PEREGRINE FALCONS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, SWAINSON’S and GRAY-CHEEKED
THRUSHES.
Lancaster County:
Click
Here for Lancaster County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The water level at Octoraro Lake has been lowered
to allow work on the dam, as a result many shorebirds have been found
in the area. A SNOWY EGRET and 3 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS were seen there
on Sep 19. The Conejohela Flats had 13 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS, BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER and BAIRD’S
SANDPIPER on Sep 19. The next day, the flats had a juvenile RED KNOT,
26 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS and 10 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. A SANDERLING
and CASPIAN TERN were at the flats Sep 19-20. On Sep 24, BANK SWALLOW,
ORANGE-CROWNED and NASHVILLE WARBLER were noted along the Bainbridge
Canal Trail that runs along the Susquehanna River.
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 sighted GOLDEN EAGLES
on Sep 18 & 22. Two possible SANDHILL CRANES were seen from Second
Mountain on Sep 22. Other highlights from Second Mountain included COMMON
LOON, MERLINS, PEREGRINE FALCON, COMMON RAVENS and CAPE MAY WARBLER.
A TENNESSEE and MOURNING WARBLER were found along the powerline cut
off Pinch Rd that leads into SGL-145.
Carbon County:
No reports
Monroe County:
No reports
PA Extralimitals:
The BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK was at the spillway
of Pymatuning Reservoir in Crawford County on Sep 21.
Extralimital Reports
NEW YORK:
The LARK BUNTING at Robert Moses State Park, Suffolk County was still
near the Park Office & Police Station through Sep 21. A MAGNIFICENT
FRIGATEBIRD was seen from Myers Point on Cayuga Lake, Tompkins County
on Sep 21 and was later found at Stewart Park. It roosted in the at
the channel edge of Lighthouse Woods near Alan Tremain State Park but
was found dead the next day. A BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER was at Tanner’s
Spring in Central Park, New York County on Sep 21. A LARK SPARROW was
at Jacob Riis Park, Queens County on Sep 21.
CONNECTICUT:
A SWAINSON’S HAWK flew past the Quaker Ridge Hawk Watch in Greenwich,
Fairfield County on Sep 19.
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 22
Announcements
On Oct 4, Frank Windfelder will lead a DVOC field
trip to the Tuckerton Marshes in Atlantic County, NJ. The trip will
focus on finding Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows,
and Frank will detail how to separate the subspecies of Nelson’s
Sharp-tailed Sparrows. The trip will meet at
the end of Seven Bridges Rd at 7:30AM sharp, and Frank will continue
the trip on to the Brigantine Division of Edwin B Forsythe NWR after
Tuckerton. If you go, bring high boots for Tuckerton and a packed lunch
if you plan on following Frank to Brigantine. Please contact Frank if
you plan on attending the field trip. Additional information, including
trip reports from previous trips and contact information for the trip
leader can be found on the DVOC website: http://www.dvoc.org
The next meeting of the DVOC is Thursday Oct 2 at
7:30pm at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, PA. The main
program of the meeting features Howard Eskin’s "The Challenges
of Bird Photography.” Debbie Beer will present an Ornithological
Study entitled “Refuges by the Numbers.” Details are on
the website, and guests are always welcome.
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 [email protected]. This is Steve
Kacir, good birding to you all and thanks for calling, surfing and reporting.
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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