| Current
report - Wednesday December 24, 2008
- Birds Mentioned
Click Here for species
accounts for many of these birds
Barnacle Goose (NJ)+
Common Teal (Eurasian Green-winged Teal) (PA)+
Thayer's Gull (PA)+
Ash-throated Flycatcher (NJ)+
(NJ)+ (Details requested
by New Jersey
Birds Records Committee)
(PA)+ (Details requested by Pennsylvania
Ornthological Records Committee)
(DE)+ (Details requested by Delaware
Records Committee)
Red-throated Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Northern Gannet
Great Cormorant
Great Egret
Black-crowned Night-heron
Snow Goose
Cackling Goose
Tundra Swan
Canvasback
Redhead
King Eider
Harlequin Duck
White-winged Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Rough-legged Hawk
Merlin
Wild Turkey
Virginia Rail
Common Moorhen
Sandhill Crane
American Avocet
Purple Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Bonaparte's Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Dovekie
Razorbill
Snowy Owl
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Pileated Woodpecker
Common Raven
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Horned Lark
American Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Pine Warbler
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Purple Finch
Red Crossbill
White-winged Crossbill
Pine Siskin
Eurasian Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak
Hotline: Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert
Email reports to:
Compilers: Steve Kacir and Win Shafer- 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 BARNACLE GOOSE in
Hunterdon County, NJ; COMMON TEALS (aka EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEALS) in
Bucks County, PA; THAYER’S GULL in Bucks County, PA and ASH-THROATED
FLYCATCHER in Cape May County, NJ.
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.
A SNOWY OWL was at Stone Harbor Point on Dec 20, and
it was seen last on the beach near 115th Ave in Stone Harbor. The SNOWY
OWL was seen later that day, when it flew from 115th Ave to around 85th
Ave. An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was near the Wilson Ave entrance to
Cape Island Preserve on Dec 20, and AMERICAN PIPITS were also at the
Preserve. The ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was by the fork in the railroad
tracks about 50 yards north of Wilson Ave. The Avalon Sea Watch watched
a flyby DOVEKIE on Dec 17 and eight RAZORBILLS on Dec 21. Other highlights
for the Avalon Sea Watch included RED-THROATED LOONS, NORTHERN GANNETS,
TUNDRA SWANS, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, COMMON GOLDENEYE and BONAPARTE’S
GULLS. The Wetland Institute had a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER on Dec 22.
A drake CANVASBACK was at Cape May Point on Dec 20. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
was spotted at Jake’s Landing on Dec 18. That day, a COMMON GOLDENEYE
was seen on Delaware Bay from Kimbles Beach Rd.
Click
here for Karl and Judy Lukens's website where there are pictures
of various interesting birds that have been seen in Cape May County
and in New Jersey.
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.
A SHORT-EARED OWL was at the East Pool of the Brigantine
Division of Edwin B Forsythe NWR on Dec 23.
Monmouth County:
Click
Here for Monmouth County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Highlights from the Sandy Hook Christmas Bird Count
on Dec 20 included a COMMON MOORHEN at Sandy Hook’s north pond,
a GLAUCOUS GULL at Keansburg Beach, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, AMERICAN
PIPITS, 2 flyby RED CROSSBILLS at the north beach pavilion and WHITE-WINGED
SCOTER off C-Lot. PINE SISKINS visited a feeder in Middletown.
Burlington County:
Click
Here for Burlington County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Camden County:
Click
Here for Camden County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A PINE SISKIN visited a feeder in Winslow Twp on Dec
18.
Ocean County:
Click
Here for Ocean County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Dec 21, Barnegat Lighthouse State Park had NORTHERN
GANNET, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, hen and first year drake KING EIDERS and PURPLE
SANDPIPERS. On Dec 22, SNOW BUNTINGS and HARLEQUIN DUCKS were reported
from Barnegat.
Picture by Bert Filemyr
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
Hunterdon County:
Click
Here for Hunterdon County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The Califon BARNACLE GOOSE was most recently reported
on Dec 22.
Middlesex County:
No reports
Mercer County:
Click
Here for Mercer County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was on the eastern edge of Mercer
County Park on Dec 20.
Warren County:
Click
Here for Warren County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Dec 20, Oberly Rd at the Alpha Grasslands hosted
6 LAPLAND LONGSPURS, 24 SNOW BUNTINGS, over 250 HORNED LARKS, a SHORT-EARED
OWL and 2,500 SNOW GEESE. Four ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were there on Dec
22.
Somerset County:
Click
Here for Somerset County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen near the bend in New
Center Rd in Hillsborough on Dec 22. Some feederwatching in Somerset
turned up a PINE WARBLER and a PINE SISKIN.
Morris County:
No reports
Union County:
No reports
NJ Extralimitals:
On Dec 19, a SNOWY OWL was seen in a small industrial
complex near the Hilton Hotel on Terrace Ave in Hasbrouck Heights, Bergen
County.
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.
Over 20 PINE SISKINS visited a feeder in the Port
Penn area on Dec 18, and five PINE SISKINS were at a feeder in Hockessin
through Dec 22.
Kent County:
Click
Here for Kent County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Recent sightings from Bombay Hook NWR included AMERICAN
AVOCETS and AMERICAN PIPIT.
Sussex County:
Click
Here for Sussex County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
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.
Two hen REDHEADS were at FDR Park through Dec 23.
On Dec 22, two BONAPARTE’S GULLS were at FDR Park. Three GREAT
CORMORANTS were on the platform of the Philadelphia Naval Yard’s
old boat harbor on Dec 23.
Delaware County:
Click Here
for Delaware County Birding Resources including an interactive map with
locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.No reports
No reports
Chester County:
Click Here
for Chester County Birding Resources including an interactive map with
locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A RED-NECKED GREBE has been seen on Marsh
Creek Lake through Dec 19, apparently best viewed from the Lyndell side
of the lake. COMMON GOLDENEYES and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were also
in the area on Dec 19. That day, Coatesville Reservoir had 5 PINE WARBLERS
and CACKLING GEESE, and a MERLIN was seen there on Dec 20. Chambers
Lake had 2 LONG-TAILED DUCKS on Dec 21. PINE SISKINS visited a feeder
in Parkesburg on Dec 21.
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.
Three PINE SISKINS were at a feeder in Upper Hanover
on Dec 23.
Bucks County:
Click
Here for Bucks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The Lower Bucks Christmas Bird Count (CBC) noted 6
GLAUCOUS GULLS, 13 ICELAND GULLS, a first winter THAYER’S GULL,
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, a pair of COMMON
TEALS (aka EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEALS), 2 GREAT EGRETS, a BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERON and a SANDHILL CRANE in the Tullytown area on Dec 20. One
of the GLAUCOUS GULLS from the count was at Falls Township Community
Park. The count also included a PINE SISKIN at Pennsbury Manor. On Dec
18, sightings from Churchville Nature Center included SNOW GOOSE and
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. An escaped EURASIAN GOLDFINCH was seen at
the feeders at Maple Knoll Farms through Dec 17, and the property owners
welcome visitors at their farm on 5388 Ridge Rd in Buckingham Twp, asking
only that birders stay on the paved driveway area. Through Dec 17, azalea
bushes on two different private properties have provided food and shelter
for a NASHVILLE WARBLER and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. Back on Dec 14,
the Upper Bucks CBC’s count included CACKLING GOOSE, NORTHERN
SAW-WHET OWL and LONG-EARED OWL in the area around Lake Towhee and Richlandtown.
The Quakertown Swamp section of the count noted flyby PINE SISKINS,
2 flyby EVENING GROSBEAKS and a VIRGINIA RAIL, and a PILEATED WOODPECKER
and 8 WILD TURKEYS were at the Unami Creek Valley section. On Dec 18,
Peace Valley Park had CACKLING GOOSE, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS and
a PINE SISKIN.
Northampton County:
Click
Here for Northampton County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Dec 23, a SNOWY OWL was reported from the Northampton
Recycling Plant on Route 329 just outside of Northampton. Another SNOWY
OWL was at a farm on Pen Argyl Rd near the Grand Central Landfill Dec
22-23. Nearly 100,000 SNOW GOOSE were tallied in Bath on Dec 20. That
day, the fields along Arrowhead Rd had 500 HORNED LARKS, while 10,000
SNOW GEESE were in fields along Locust Rd. A BONAPARTE’S GULL
and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were at Dutch Springs Quarry on Dec 21.
Graver’s Hill had 35 SNOW BUNTINGS that day.
Lehigh County:
Click
Here for Lehigh County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Schuykill County:
Click
Here for Schuykill County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Highlights from the Western Schuylkill Christmas Bird
Count included 2 SHORT-EARED OWLS, 2 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 8 SNOW
BUNTINGS, PURPLE FINCH, 5 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, 192 PINE SISKINS
and an EVENING GROSBEAK.
Berks County:
Click
Here for Berks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.No reports
A dozen PINE SISKINS showed up at a feeder in Leesport.
Lancaster County:
Click
Here for Lancaster County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Middle Creek WMA had TUNDRA SWANS on Dec 20. A SNOW
BUNTING was seen from Peters Rd just east of Hollow Rd on Dec 21. On
Dec 23, the fields at School Land Rd hosted nearly 300 HORNED LARKS,
6 SNOW BUNTINGS and 4 LAPLAND LONGSPURS. A PINE SISKIN visited a birdbath
in Peach Bottom; another was at a feeder in Gap, and a flock fed on
Sweet Gum seeds and a thistle feeder in Elizabethtown. The Peach Bottom
NASHVILLE WARBLER was last spotted on Dec 18.
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 noted PILEATED WOODPECKERS
and COMMON RAVENS on Dec 20. On Dec 23, two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, 25-30
SNOW BUNTINGS and 3 COMMON RAVENS flew past Second Mountain.
Carbon County:
No reports
Monroe County:
No reports
Pike County:
No reports
Wayne County:
No reports
PA Extralimitals:
On Dec 21, a female and two male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS
were at Big Pine Campground in Francis Slocum State Park, which is north
of Scranton, Lackawanna County.
Extralimital Reports
No reports
Announcements
On Jan 2, Paul Guris will lead a DVOC field trip for
the Hudson Shelf Valley Christmas Bird Count, a Pelagic Trip. Past birds
of interest spotted on the trip have included Dovekie, Razorbill, Common
Murre, Atlantic Puffin, Black-Legged Kittiwake and Iceland Gull. The
trip will sails out of Belmar, NJ at 8:00 AM, returning to port at approximately
4:00PM. The fee for the trip is $115 plus an optional $5 CBC fee. Please
contact Paul Guris if you plan on attending. Additional information,
including contact information for the trip leader
can be found on the DVOC website: http://www.dvoc.org or at the See
Life Paulagics website: http://www.paulagics.com
The next meeting of the DVOC will take place at 7:30pm
on Thursday Jan 8 at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia,
PA and will be the Annual Members Meeting. More details are available
online at http://www.dvoc.org
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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