| Current
report - Wednesday March 11, 2009
- Birds Mentioned
Click Here for species
accounts for many of these birds
Western Grebe (NJ)+
Black-bellied Whistling-duck (DE)+
Barrow's Goldeneye (NJ)+
Bohemian Waxwing (NJ)+
Clay-colored Sparrow (DE)+
(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
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Northern Gannet
American Bittern
Greater White-fronted Goose
Ross's Goose
Cackling Goose
Tundra Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
Common X Green-winged Teal
Common Teal (Eurasian Green-winged Teal)
Redhead
Harlequin Duck
White-winged Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Osprey
Rough-legged Hawk
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Wild Turkey
Piping Plover
American Avocet
Purple Sandpiper
Wilson's Snipe
American Woodcock
Laughing Gull
Little Gull
Black-headed Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Snowy Owl
Barred Owl
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Red-headed Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Common Raven
Brown-headed Nuthatch
American Pipit
Clay-colored Sparrow
Ipswich Sparrow
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Dickcissel
Purple Finch
White-winged Crossbill
Pine Siskin
Hotline: Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert
Email reports to:
Compiler: Steve Kacir, Delaware
Valley Ornithological Club
Phone: (215) 240-7547
Voice of the Delaware Valley RBA: Cindy Ahern and Win Shafer
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 WESTERN GREBE, BARROW’S
GOLDENEYE and BOHEMIAN WAXWING in Monmouth County, NJ and BLACK-BELLIED
WHISTLING-DUCK and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW in Sussex 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.
On Mar 9-10, the Stone Harbor Point SNOWY OWL was
near the Observation Tower. PIPING PLOVERS were at Stone Harbor Point
on Mar 9-10, and a PIPING PLOVER was at Cape May Point State Park on
Mar 8. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was near the bridge at Avalon on Mar
9. A BLACK-HEADED GULL was on the beach at the end of W Jacksonville
Ave in the Villas. A EURASIAN WIGEON and RED-HEADED WOODPECKER were
at the Villas WMA on Mar 8. The first returning LAUGHING GULL was spotted
with about 100 BONAPARTE’S GULLS at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal
on Mar 6. AMERICAN WOODCOCKS were heard at the Cape May Bird Observatory
Center for Research & Education in Goshen. On Mar 5 there were 18-20
AMERICAN WOODCOCKS along the snow-free shoulder of Sunset Blvd. PURPLE
SANDPIPERS were at the St Peter’s Jetty on Mar 7. An adult male
DICKCISSEL visited a feeder in Cape May on Mar 8. On Mar 9, TUNDRA SWANS
and a hybrid COMMON x GREEN-WINGED TEAL was spotted at the main impoundment
at Tuckahoe WMA. Jake’s Landing had a SHORT-EARED OWL on Mar 10.
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.
The WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS at the Brigantine Division
of Edwin B Forsythe NWR were reported through Mar 10. A EURASIAN WIGEON
was at the refuge’s south dike east pool on Mar 7. A ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWK and an IPSWICH SPARROW were at Brigantine on Mar 8. SHORT-EARED
OWLS were at the refuge on Mar 7-8. REDHEADS were there on Mar 7-8 &
Mar 10, with a high count of 27 REDHEADS on Mar 8. The day before, a
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was seen with a flock of SCAUP. Five SALT-MARSH
SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS were near the dogleg of the refuge’s dike
road on Mar 10. Other birds at Brigantine included AMERICAN BITTERN,
TUNDRA SWANS, WILSON’S SNIPE AMERICAN PIPIT and EASTERN PHOEBE.
Monmouth County:
Click
Here for Monmouth County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The WESTERN GREBE was spotted off Pullman Ave in the
Elberon section of Long Branch on Mar 7. The Sandy Hook BOHEMIAN WAXWING
was at Scout Camp campground #4 on Mar 4. Two hen BARROW’S GOLDENEYES
have been seen at Sandy Hook’s Horseshoe Cove, with reports of
at least one hen through Mar 7. On Mar 7, a BLACK-HEADED GULL flew past
the Sandy Hook Bird Observatory, and a RED-NECKED GREBE was spotted
on the ocean near the visitor center. Other highlights from Sandy Hook
included Harbor Seals, AMERICAN WOODCOCKS and SNOW BUNTINGS. The COMMON
TEAL (aka EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL) was still at Lake Takanassee,
seen from the third and fourth ponds west of Ocean Ave. The most recent
COMMON TEAL report came from Mar 4. Belmar’s Silver Lake still
hosted a drake EURASIAN WIGEON through Mar 6. Two RED-NECKED GREBES
were off Clem Conover and Roosevelt Ave in Deal on Mar 7. An AMERICAN
BITTERN was at Wreck Pond on Mar 7. A REDHEAD was at Lake Como that
day. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at Sylvan Lake on Mar 4. An ICELAND
was at Allenhurst on Mar 7. AMERICAN WOODCOCKS were seen from the east
end lot of Allaire State Park.
Burlington County:
Click
Here for Burlington County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was at Amasa Landing on Mar 8.
Franklin Parker Preserve had 62 TUNDRA SWANS on Mar 8. On Mar 5, the
view from Florence provided 2 ICELAND GULLS and a GLAUCOUS GULL. AMERICAN
WOODCOCKS displayed in Hainesport.
Camden County:
Click
Here for Camden County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
AMERICAN WOODCOCKS called near Penbryn Pond in Winslow
Twp.
Ocean County:
Click
Here for Ocean County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Five WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen from the Silver
Ridge Apartments in Toms River on Mar 8. Two RED-NECKED GREBES were
at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park on Mar 7. Other reports from Barnegat
Lighthouse included Harbor Seals, NORTHERN GANNETS, HARLEQUIN DUCKS,
PURPLE SANDPIPERS and IPSWICH SPARROW. Barnegat Bay had good numbers
of COMMON GOLDENEYES and HORNED GREBES. Two SHORT-EARED OWLS hunted
the marshes at Cedar Run Dock Rd on Mar 7. Stafford Forge WMA had 14
TUNDRA SWANS on Mar 8.
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.
On Mar 10, the fields on the north side of Pedricktown
Marsh had a flock of 35 SNOW BUNTINGS, and TUNDRA SWANS were on Pedricktown
Marsh.
Hunterdon County:
Click
Here for Hunterdon County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Spruce Run State Park had a GLAUCOUS GULL, an ICELAND
GULL and 20 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS on Mar 7. A LONG-TAILED DUCK was
on Round Valley Reservoir on Mar 7. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were at
Echo Hill Park on Mar 8. PINE SISKINS were heard in Califon.
Middlesex County:
AMERICAN WOODCOCKS were seen at Mapleton Preserve
in Kingston. PINE SISKINS visited feeders in East Brunswick and Monroe
Twp.
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.
No report.
Somerset County:
Click
Here for Somerset County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports.
Morris County:
AMERICAN WOODCOCKS displayed at Great Swamp NWR, and
the RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was at the dead trees by the bridge on Mar
8. On Mar 10, three REDHEADS were on Mount Hope Lake in Rockaway.
Union County:
No reports
NJ Extralimitals:
On Mar 8, six WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were at Ringwood
Manor in Passaic 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.
On Mar 5, twenty WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS flew over
Loveville Rd in Hockessin, near Cokesbury Village. On Mar 8, two RED-NECKED
GREBES were on Hoopes Reservoir off of Hillside Rd. On Mar 7, the Middletown
Auto Mall had 200-300 SNOW BUNTINGS and 5-10 LAPLAND LONGSPURS. Recent
reports from Ashland Nature Center included PURPLE FINCHES and PINE
SISKINS. An EASTERN PHOEBE was at Greenbank Mill near Price’s
Corner.
Kent County:
Click
Here for Kent County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Mar 7, Bombay Hook NWR had a ROSS’S GOOSE
in the fields on the right before Raymond Pool, and AMERICAN PIPITS
were seen there and around the Allee House. That day, an AMERICAN AVOCET
was on the mudflats opposite Shearness Pool. Near Bombay Hook, SNOW
BUNTINGS were still being seen in fields along Route 9. On Mar 7, AMERICAN
PIPITS were in an agricultural field across from the handicap accessible
fishing pond at Ted Harvey WA, and a RED-THROATED LOON was on the south
impoundment. That day, the north impoundment had 125 TUNDRA SWANS, while
95 AMERICAN AVOCETS were near the outfall pipe at the south end of Kitts
Hummock, seen from the beach near the viewing platform. On Mar 6, a
SHORT-EARED OWL was spotted perched on the Dover Air Force Base fence
just after the gate for the museum.
Sussex County:
Click
Here for Sussex County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK was still at Silver
Lake in Rehoboth on Mar 7. A BLACK-HEADED GULL was at Mispillion Inlet
on Mar 8. A RED-NECKED GREBE was at the marina at Henlopen Acres on
Mar 8. The Deep Branch Rd CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was spotted again on
Mar 7, when it was just north of the intersection of Route 1 and Route
16. Two OSPREYS were seen at Prime Hook NWR on Mar 6, and there were
6 AMERICAN WOODCOCKS at Chad’s Memorial on Mar 10. Six PURPLE
SANDPIPERS were at the south jetty of Indian River Inlet on Mar 7. Indian
River Marina had 2 HORNED GREBES, 9 COMMON GOLDENEYES and an EASTERN
PHOEBE on Mar 7. A COMMON GOLDENEYE was at the south marina of Indian
River Inlet on Mar 8. On Mar 7, six BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES were seen
just before and after the wooden bridge at Big Stone Beach Rd in Milford
Neck WA. At the end of Big Stone Beach Rd, a RED-THROATED LOON and 2
COMMON GOLDENEYE were on the bay.
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.
An AMERICAN WOODCOCK was heard at the intersection
of Spring Ln and Hagys Mill Rd near the Schuylkill Center for Environmental
Education. A COMMON RAVEN flew over the Schuylkill Center on Feb 28
& Mar 1. On Mar 8, John Heinz NWR at Tinicum had HORNED GREBES,
REDHEAD, AMERICAN WOODCOCK and WILSON’S SNIPE.
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.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen in
a golf course near the Coatesville Reservoir on Mar 8. A RED-NECKED
GREBE was on the Coatesville Reservoir on Mar 5-9. Marsh Creek State
Park had RED-NECKED GREBES Mar 4-10, with the high count being 5 RED-NECKED
GREBES on Mar 9. Two RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were at Marsh Creek on
Mar 10. Other highlights from Marsh Creek this week included HORNED
GREBES, TUNDRA SWANS and COMMON GOLDENEYE. That day, a WHITE-WINGED
CROSSBILL and PINE SISKINS were spotted from the east end of Homestead
Rd. On Mar 9, Struble Lake had TUNDRA SWANS, a ROSS’S GOOSE, 6
CACKLING GEESE, a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, LONG-EARED OWLS and PINE
SISKINS. That day, an AMERICAN PIPIT was at Honeybrook Water Treatment
Plant, while Kurtz Ponds had TUNDRA SWANS. On Mar 5, a GLAUCOUS GULL
was seen at the landfill north of Chatham on Route 926, about a mile
from Route 41. An AMERICAN WOODCOCK displayed in Marshallton. An EASTERN
PHOEBE was behind the Kimberton post office.
Montgomery County:
Click
Here for Montgomery County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.No Reports
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE has been seen
at Knight Lake and Green Lane Reservoir. On Mar 7, Green Lane Reservoir
had 3 TUNDRA SWANS, 2 CACKLING GEESE, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS and 2
REDHEADS that were on Deep Creek Lake in the Upper Perkiomen Valley County
Park area. During this report week, 400 PINE SISKINS visited a feeding
station in Green Lane, and lower counts were noted in Huntingdon Valley
and Norristown. On Mar 6 & 8, ten AMERICAN WOODCOCKS called from Norristown
Farm Park, in the area below the Doctor’s House. Other WOODCOCK
sightings came from the Wissahickon watershed and Plymouth Whitemarsh
High School.
Bucks County:
Click
Here for Bucks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
An adult LITTLE GULL was spotted at Peace Valley Park’s
Lake Galena on Mar 8. A RED-NECKED GREBE was on Lake Galena on Mar 5.
Other highlights from Peace Valley included HORNED GREBES, CACKLING
GOOSE, REDHEADS, as many as 124 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS and an AMERICAN
PIPIT. A drake COMMON TEAL (aka EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL) was on Hidden
Lake near Newtown Mar 9. An EASTERN PHOEBE was at Hidden Lake on Mar
9. Hidden Lake is a small Reservoir north of Newtown on Washington Crossing
Rd (Route 532). To get there, head north from the intersection of Route
532 & Route 332 in Newtown, and at about a half mile you will come
to a power line cut and a small stream. Turn on to the driveway on the
left on the north side of the stream, park then walk around the closed
farm gate. The entry drive is county property, but the surrounding land
is private. Walk to the dam, and look for the teal at the shallow end
of the lake. There were 159 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS at Nockamixon
State Park on Mar 8. Recent sightings from Churchville Nature Center
included LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, OSPREY, WILSON’S SNIPE and
PINE SISKINS. On Mar 5, eight COMMON GOLDENEYES were on the Delaware
River north of Morrisville. A PEREGRINE FALCON and 2 AMERICAN WOODCOCKS
were at Silver Lake Park on Mar 8. PINE SISKINS were at Falls of the
Delaware Park and Robin Run Reservoir. An AMERICAN WOODCOCK was spotted
in Warminster.
Northampton County:
Click
Here for Northampton County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
In Upper Mount Bethel, about 35 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS
were seen along the entrance road for the Valley View Restaurant on
Mar 5. That day, a dozen LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were at Lake Minsi.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW visited the feeders at the Koch property on Mar
8, and PINE SISKINS are still being seen there. PINE SISKINS were at
feeders in Nazareth. AMERICAN WOODCOCKS called from a yard in Plainfield
Twp. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen in Pen Argyl.
Lehigh County:
Click
Here for Lehigh County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
An AMERICAN WOODCOCK was heard from New Tripoli.
Schuylkill County:
Click
Here for Schuylkill County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
TUNDRA SWANS and PINE SISKINS were at Sweet Arrow
Lake on Mar 11.
Berks County:
Click
Here for Berks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.No reports
A drake EURASIAN WIGEON was at Lake Ontelaunee on
Mar 4-6, seen at the Peters Creek area and the cement plant area. WHITE-WINGED
CROSSBILLS were at the Peters Creek are of Lake Ontelaunee on Mar 6
& 9. Twenty WILD TURKEYS were at Lake Ontelaunee on Mar 8, and 100
TURKEYS were seen in a field in District Twp. Other highlights from
Lake Ontelaunee included HORNED GREBE, TUNDRA SWANS, CACKLING GOOSE,
COMMON GOLDENEYE, REDHEADS and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. Blue Marsh National
Recreation Area had 2 ROSS’S GEESE on Mar 6. Some sightings from
Blue Marsh on Mar 10-11 included 6 RED-NECKED GREBES and 3 drake RED-BREASTED
MERGANSERS. TUNDRA SWANS were at Blue Marsh Mar 6 & 9, but the high
count was 125 SWANS on Mar 11. On Mar 9, twelve TUNDRA SWANS fed in
a field in North Heidelberg Twp. A pair of BARRED OWLS called from French
Creek State Park on Mar 4. On Mar 5, a PEREGRINE FALCON perched on top
of Trinity Lutheran Church at 527 Washington St in Reading. Another
PEREGRINE was seen from Palisades Rd on Mar 9. PINE SISKINS and PURPLE
FINCHES were reported from Leesport this week.
Lancaster County:
Click
Here for Lancaster County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On Mar 8, eighty WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were reported
from Conestoga Pines Park. A SHORT-EARED OWL was at Middle Creek WMA
on Mar 6-7, seen from Hopeland Rd between the visitor center and the
turn-off for Willow Point on Mar 6. On Mar 8, six SHORT-EARED OWLS were
seen from Stop #3 on the Middle Creek auto tour, where AMERICAN WOODCOCKS
were also heard. A EURASIAN WIGEON was seen from the boat launch at
Middle Creek WMA on Mar 8-9. That day, the goose flocks included 2 ROSS’S
GEESE and 2 CACKLING GEESE. A CACKLING GOOSE was seen on Mar 7, as was
a MERLIN. The high count for TUNDRA SWANS at Middle Creek was 5,000
SWANS on Mar 8. REDHEADS were reported from Middle Creek on Mar 5 &
7. A drake RED-BREASTED MERGANSER was on the Susquehanna River near
Peach Bottom on Mar 4.
Lebanon County:
Click
Here for Lebanon County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Memorial Lake State Park had 18 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS
on Mar 8. The CROSSBILLS were on the main one-way road that runs through
the park. TUNDRA SWANS were on Memorial Lake on Mar 8.
Carbon County:
No report.
Monroe County:
No reports.
Pike County:
No reports.
Wayne County:
No reports
PA Extralimitals:
No reports.
Extralimital Reports
No reports
Announcements
On March 15, Chris Walters will lead a DVOC field
trip to Barnegat Lighthouse State Park. This trip is geared toward new
members and students, though all are welcome to attend. The trip will
meet at the lighthouse parking lot at 9:00AM. Attendees should dress
warmly. Target species include King and Common Eiders, Harlequin Duck,
Purple Sandpiper, Ipswich Sparrow, Snow Bunting and Lapland Longspur.
Please contact Chris if you plan on attending. More information including
previous years’ trip reports and contact information for the trip
leader are on the DVOC website: http://www.dvoc.org
The next meeting of the DVOC is on March 19
at 7:30pm at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, when Kevin
Karlson will present “Shorebirds: A Different Approach to Field
ID.” The meeting after that will be on April 2, featuring a program
by Bill Evans entitled “Nocturnal Migration of Birds in the 21st
Century.” 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
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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