| Current
report - Wednesday March 24, 2010
- Birds Mentioned
Click Here for species
accounts for many of these birds
Eared Grebe (PA)+ -Extralimital-
White-faced Ibis (PA)+ -Extralimital-
Common Teal (Eurasian Green-winged Teal) (DE)+
Tufted Duck (PA)+
Spotted Towhee (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)
(DE)+ (Details requested by DERC)
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Northern Gannet
Great Cormorant
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron X Great Egret
Little Blue Heron
Cattle Egret
Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Cackling Goose
Tundra Swan
Trumpeter Swan -Extralimital-
Eurasian Wigeon
Canvasback
Redhead
Common Eider
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Ruffed Grouse
Wild Turkey
Virginia Rail
Sandhill Crane
Piping Plover
American Avocet
Purple Sandpiper
Wilson's Snipe
American Woodcock
Black-headed Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Royal Tern
Monk Parakeet
Barred Owl
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Shrike -Extralimital-
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatch
American Robin
American Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Pine Warbler
Clay-colored Sparrow
Ipswich Sparrow
Nelson's Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Rusty Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
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 TUFTED DUCK in Chester
County, PA; COMMON TEAL (EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL) in Sussex County,
DE and SPOTTED TOWHEE in Burlington 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.
Most recent sightings of up to two adult BLACK-HEADED
GULLS came from Cox Hall Creek on March 21, and “Miami Beach”
on March 23. Three BLACK-HEADED GULLS were at Norbury’s Landing/”Miami
Beach” on March 23, the third bird being a first year BLACK-HEADED
GULL. These BLACK-HEADED GULLS have been seen from Norbury’s Landing
to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal, but the two most reliable locations
have been around Cox Hall Creek and “Miami Beach” at the
end of Miami Ave in the Villas.
A EURASIAN WIGEON was on Lighthouse Pond at
Cape May Point State Park through March 24, and River Otters were there
on March 17. Sightings from The Nature Conservancy Cape May Migratory
Bird Refuge included SURF SCOTERS, BLACK SCOTERS, LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULL, PIPING PLOVERS and WILSON’S SNIPES. On March 19-22, a LITTLE
BLUE HERON and CATTLE EGRET were at the intersection of Academy Rd and
Seashore Rd. An Eastern Fence Lizard was out and about at Higbee Beach
WMA on March 17. Sightings from Sunset Beach included NORTHERN GANNETS,
RED-THROATED LOONS and BONAPARTE’S GULLS. Well over 300 NORTHERN
GANNETS flew past Cape May Point on March 17. Two drake HARLEQUIN DUCKS
led a flock of scoters into Delaware Bay off South Cape May on March
17. On March 22, a drake COMMON GOLDENEYE was at the Coast Guard Ponds
on Ocean Dr. On March 22, seven WILD TURKEYS were at the last field
before Higbee Beach WMA on New England Rd. Arriving PINE WARBLERS were
reported from Belleplain State Forest, Jake’s Landing, Cape May
NWR and the Villas WMA this week. A RED-NECKED GREBE was at the north
end of Nummy Island on March 19, and the northeast end of Nummy Island
on March 23. On March 17, Nummy Island had a NELSON’S SPARROW
of the subvirgatus subspecies, SALTMARSH SPARROW and SEASIDE SPARROW.
A ROYAL TERN was at Stone Harbor Point on March 23. Stone Harbor also
had HORNED GREBES, PIPING PLOVERS, PURPLE SANDPIPERS, LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULL and a Harbor Seal. Three HARLEQUIN DUCKS were at Avalon’s
8th St jetty on March 24. On March 20, one hundred and twenty NORTHERN
GANNETS flew south past Avalon.
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 NORTHERN GOSHAWK was at the Brigantine Division
of Edwin B Forsythe NWR on March 17. Other reports from Brigantine mentioned
LONG-TAILED DUCK, CANVASBACK, mating PEREGRINE FALCONS and BOAT-TAILED
GRACKLE.
Monmouth County:
Click
Here for Monmouth County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On March 17, a COMMON EIDER was on the bay side of
Sandy Hook, offshore of the Sandy Hook Bird Observatory. On March 18-20,
an ICELAND GULL was on the North Beach at Sandy Hook. Four PIPING PLOVERS
and an IPSWICH SPARROW were at North Beach on March 21. Other sightings
from Sandy Hook included NORTHERN GANNETS and WILSON’S SNIPES.
Burlington County:
Click
Here for Burlington County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The SPOTTED TOWHEE at Palmyra Cove Nature Park was
seen as recently as March 18. On March 19, a RUSTY BLACKBIRD was at
Boundary Creek.
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.
On March 17, Barnegat Lighthouse State Park had COMMON
EIDERS, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, SURF SCOTERS, BLACK SCOTERS and PURPLE SANDPIPERS.
Island Beach State Park had BLACK SCOTERS and BOAT-TAILED GRACKLES.
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.
Glassboro Woods WMA had PINE WARBLER.
Hunterdon County:
Click
Here for Hunterdon County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On March 17, the west parking lot area of Round Valley
Recreation Area had RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, PINE WARBLERS and a Red
Bat
Middlesex County:
On March 24, an ICELAND GULL was on the flats adjacent
to Morgan Ave/Cliff Ave in South Amboy. That day, MONK PARAKEETS were
reported from Washington Ave between Cooke Ave and High St in Carteret.
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 reports
Somerset County:
Click
Here for Somerset County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Morris County:
Reports from Great Swamp NWR included CANVASBACK,
PILEATED WOODPECKER and RUSTY BLACKBIRD.
Union County:
No reports
Bergen County:
No reports
NJ Extralimitals:
In Bergen County, the NORTHERN SHRIKE at DeKorte Park’s
Disposal Rd was last reported on March 18.
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.
White Clay Creek State Park had PILEATED WOODPECKER.
Middle Run Natural Area had courting COOPER’S HAWKS.
Kent County:
Click
Here for Kent County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The EURASIAN WIGEON at Ted Harvey WA was seen as recently
as March 21. On March 18, an AMERICAN BITTERN flew over Ted Harvey WA,
and 30-40 AMERICAN AVOCETS foraged off the beach. BONAPARTE’S
GULLS were at the north impoundment of Ted Harvey early this week. A
EURASIAN WIGEON was on a seasonal pond on the south side of the entrance
road for Bombay Hook NWR (Whitehall Neck Rd/Route 85) about a half mile
from the entrance gate for the refuge. Bombay Hook NWR also had reports
of SNOW GEESE, PEREGRINE FALCON, AMERICAN WOODCOCKS, WILSON’S
SNIPES, AMERICAN PIPIT and RUSTY BLACKBIRD.
Sussex County:
Click
Here for Sussex County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On March 21, a COMMON TEAL (EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED
TEAL) was at the north impoundment of Broadkill Rd at Prime Hook NWR.
Prime Hook also had PINE WARBLERS at the end of Turkle Rd. On March
17, a large group of WILD TURKEYS at Oyster Rocks Rd included a leucistic
hen TURKEY. A large raft of SURF SCOTERS and BLACK SCOTERS was seen
from the Cape Henlopen State Park Hawk Watch on March 18-23. Other sightings
from the Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch included COMMON LOONS, NORTHERN GANNETS,
GREAT CORMORANT, BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES and PINE WARBLERS. PIPING PLOVERS
were at Cape Henlopen Point. On March 18, PILEATED WOODPECKERS were
at Abbott’s Mill Nature Center and the Blair’s Pond section
of Milford Mill Ponds Nature Preserve, and a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH was
at Blair’s Pond. A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH was at Oak Ave near Lake
Gerar in Rehoboth Beach. Indian River Inlet had HORNED GREBES, GREAT
CORMORANT and PURPLE SANDPIPERS.
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.
On March 18, a PEREGRINE FALCON was spotted near the
Bell Atlantic Building at 17th St and Arch St in Center City.
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 hen TUFTED DUCK was discovered at a sewage pond
that is part of the Upper Uwchlan Water Treatment Plant, located off
Fellowship Rd in the town of Eagle on March 18, and was reported as
recently as March 24. To reach this sewage pond, take the PA Turnpike
to Route 100, head north on Route 100 through the town of Eagle, then
turn right on Fellowship Rd (about 0.5mi north of Park Rd). Continue
on Fellowship Rd until you reach a circular gravel parking lot, which
is less than a half-mile from the intersection of Route 100 and Fellowship
Rd. Park at the parking area; this area overlooks the sewage ponds.
The TUFTED DUCK had been seen at the pond closest to the gravel lot.
Marsh Creek State Park had AMERICAN WOODCOCKS. Five WILSON’S SNIPE
were at the Chambers wetlands area in Hibernia Park. On March 22, the
Southeastern Chester County Refuse Authority (SECCRA) landfill along
Route 926 had an ICELAND GULL, while several LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS
were at the end of Mosquito Rd. A PEREGRINE FALCON was at Struble Lake
in Honey Brook Boro on March 22.
Montgomery County:
Click
Here for Montgomery County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.No Reports
A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at the Church Rd area
of Green Lane Reservoir on March 21. On March 22, an albinistic AMERICAN
ROBIN returned to Desher for the fourth year.
Bucks County:
Click
Here for Bucks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Recent sightings from Peace Valley Park included SNOW
GEESE, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, WILD TURKEY, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULLS and PILEATED WOODPECKER. The Churchville Nature Center had 41
SNOW GEESE and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on March 20, and a PINE WARBLER
was there on March 21
Northampton County:
Click
Here for Northampton County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The CLAY-COLORED SPARROW at the Koch property was
seen as recently as March 22. On March 22, a SANDHILL CRANE flew northwest
from the intersection of Mill Rd and Delable Rd in Plainfield Twp. A
LONG-TAILED DUCK and a REDHEAD were at the Nazareth Quarry on March
17. On March 17, a drake and a hen RED-BREASTED MERGANSER were on Lake
Minsi, and a HORNED GREBE was there on March 20. A BARRED OWL was seen
at near the archery platform of Bear Swamp that day.
Lehigh County:
Click
Here for Lehigh County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On March 23, a PEREGRINE FALCON was at the 8th St
bridge in Allentown.
Schuylkill County:
Click
Here for Schuylkill County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
AMERICAN WOODCOCKS were behind Swatara Village at
the border of Swatara State Park in Pine Grove Twp.
Berks County:
Click
Here for Berks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On March 17, the Northkill Gap are of SGL 110 had
2 RUFFED GROUSE and AMERICAN WOODCOCK.
Lancaster County:
Click
Here for Lancaster County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Three SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen from tour stop #3
at Middle Creek WMA on March 19-22. On March 17, five species of geese
were noted from Willow Point at Middle Creek, including ROSS’S
GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE and CACKLING GOOSE. On March 20,
Middle Creek had 6 REDHEADS and 9 TUNDRA SWANS, and WILSON’S SNIPES
were seen there on March 21. Middle Creek still had a few hundred TUNDRA
SWANS and a few thousand SNOW GEESE through March 17. On March 17, an
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was at Woods Edge Park in Mountville. Woods Edge
Park had a calling VIRGINIA RAIL and 2 WILSON’S SNIPES on March
20. An early morning’s owling around the Octoraro Lakes on March
19 turned up 1-2 LONG-EARED OWLS, 2 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS and 3 BARRED
OWLS. PEREGRINE FALCONS were seen at the Route 462 bridge between Columbia
and Wrightsville. On March 20, the Conejohela Flats had 11 HORNED GREBES,
2 TUNDRA SWANS and 2 CANVASBACKS. That day, 200 BONAPARTE’S GULLS
were seen near “the Rocks” upriver from the Blue Lane access.
On March 21, fifty AMERICAN PIPITS landed in an old tomato field at
Riverfront Park in East Donegal Twp.
Lebanon County:
Click
Here for Lebanon County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The SANDHILL CRANE was at Lake Duffy or the surrounding
wet areas of SGL 145 through March 22.
Carbon County:
No reports
Monroe County:
Four AMERICAN WOODCOCKS were in the Long Pond area
Pike County:
No reports
Wayne County:
No reports
PA Extralimitals:
On March 20-21, a BLACK-HEADED GULL was at the intersection
of Mud Level Rd and Duncan Rd, outside Newville in Cumberland County.
On March 21, a WHITE-FACED IBIS flew in to the same location as the
Cumberland County BLACK-HEADED GULL. This WHITE-FACED IBIS was a first
state record for PA. The BLACK-HEADED GULL seen from the boat launch
in Marysville, Dauphin County was last reported on March 18. In Butler
County, an EARED GREBE was at Moraine State Park on March 21. A TRUMPETER
SWAN was at Moraine State Park on March 17-18. That same TRUMPETER SWAN
was at Black Swamp in SGL 284, Lawrence County on March 20-21. Another
TRUMPETER SWAN was at Faylor Lake in Snyder County on March 23. The
HARLEQUIN DUCK at Presque Isle State Park, Erie County was last reported
on March 17. The GREAT BLUE HERON X GREAT EGRET hybrid was at Canonsburg
Lake in Washington County on March 22.
Extralimital Reports
No reports
Announcements
On March 27, Tony Croasdale will lead a DVOC field trip
to Franklin Parker Preserve in Burlington County, NJ. The trip will meet
at 9:00AM at the Chatsworth Firehouse at the corner of Route 563 and Route
532. Please contact Tony if you plan on attending. On March 28, Frank
Windfelder will lead a DVOC field trip to Southwest NJ, including Pedricktown
and Mannington Marsh. Information on the meeting times and places for
this trip can be found on-line at the DVOC website. Please contact Frank
if you plan on attending. Additional information, including past trip
reports and contact information for the trip leaders can be found on the
DVOC website: http://www.dvoc.org
The next meeting of the DVOC is on April 1, 2010, featuring
a program by Bud Cook, entitled “Birds of the Boreal Barrens of
Northeast Pennsylvania.” The meeting takes place at The Academy
of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia at 7:30PM. The meeting after that
will take place on April 15. More details are available on the DVOC website:
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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