| Current
report - Wednesday July 14, 2010
- Birds Mentioned
Click Here for species
accounts for many of these birds
Magnificent Frigatebird (NJ)+
White-faced Ibis (NJ)+
Willet (PA)+
South Polar Skua (NJ)+
Chuck-will's-widow (PA)+
(NJ)+ (Details requested by New
Jersey Birds Records Committee)
(PA)+ (Details requested by Pennsylvania
Ornthological Records Committee)
(DE)+ (Details requested by Delaware
Records Committee)
Cory's Shearwater
Greater Shearwater
Wilson's Storm-petrel
Northern Gannet
Brown Pelican
Least Bittern
Little Blue Heron
Black-crowned Night-heron
Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Egyptian Goose
Tundra Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Northern Pintail
Surf Scoter
Ruddy Duck
Northern Bobwhite
Piping Plover
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Willet
Upland Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Western Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Ruff
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Sandwich Tern
Least Tern
Black Tern
Black-billed Cuckoo
Whip-poor-will
Red-headed Woodpecker
Cliff Swallow
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Grasshopper Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Blue Grosbeak
Bobolink
Baltimore Oriole
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 WHITE-FACED IBIS
in Cape May County, NJ; WILLETS in Montgomery County, PA; RUFFS in Kent
County, DE; SOUTH POLAR SKUA and MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD in Atlantic County,
NJ and the continuing CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW in Lebanon 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.
An AMERICAN WIGEON and a EURASIAN WIGEON were at the
Lighthouse Pond of Cape May Point State Park on July 9-10. Other sightings
from the state park included PIPING PLOVER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, GULL-BILLED
TERN, CASPIAN TERN and BLUE GROSBEAK. On July 13, a WHITE-FACED IBIS
was in front of the observation platform at The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge. Other sightings from TNC Cape May Migratory
Bird Refuge included NORTHERN GANNET, AMERICAN WIGEON, PIPING PLOVER,
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, the nesting BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS and BOBOLINKS.
A SANDWICH TERN roosted on the beach at Cape May Point on July 13. Migrants
pushing past the dike at Higbee Beach WMA included PROTHONOTARY WARBLER,
BALTIMORE ORIOLE and BOBOLINKS. Higbee also sported PRAIRIE WARBLER,
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and BLUE GROSBEAK. TNC Cape Island Preserve had
a NORTHERN BOBWHITE on July 9. A BROWN PELICAN was on the pilings at
Poverty Beach on July 9. On July 12, a WHIMBREL was seen from the Skimmer’s
Salt Marsh Safari Trips out of Dolphin Cove Marina. On July 9, a moribund
GREATER SHEARWATER was picked up from the beach at Sea Isle City, but
sadly died later that evening. A late Cape May Whale Watch trip report
from July 3 included sightings of NORTHERN GANNET, CORY’S SHEARWATERS
and WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS at Five Fathom Bank. Belleplain State
Forest had HOODED WARBLER and WORM-EATING WARBLER.
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.
Atlantic County:
Click
Here for Atlantic County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD was photographed over the
beach at Atlantic City on July 13. A SOUTH POLAR SKUA was three miles
offshore from Atlantic City on July 9. Other birds seen off Atlantic
City that day included CORY’S SHEARWATERS, GREATER SHEARWATERS
and WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS. A NORTHERN PINTAIL and an UPLAND SANDPIPER
were at the Brigantine Division of Edwin B Forsythe NWR on July 10.
This week, Brigantine also hosted WESTERN SANDPIPER, CASPIAN TERN, BLUE
GROSBEAK, SALTMARSH SPARROW, BOBOLINK and 2 American Mink. Malibu Beach
WMA had YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON.
Monmouth County:
Click
Here for Monmouth County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A SURF SCOTER was at Ware Creek on July 11. On July
12, Conaskonk Point had SALTMARSH SPARROWS. A pair of GULL-BILLED TERNS
flew over the tidal flats at the end of Fisherman’s Trail at Sandy
Hook on July 12. Those tidal flats also attracted PIPING PLOVER, WESTERN
SANDPIPER and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL that day. A BLACK TERN was at
the flats on July 11.
Burlington County:
Click
Here for Burlington County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc. was
still at Whitesbog through June 12.
The injured TUNDRA SWAN was still at Whitesbog through
July 13, when Whitesbog also had a WILLET and 7 GULL-BILLED TERNS.
Cumberland County:
Click
Here for Cumberland County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was at Stow Creek Landing
on July 9.
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
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.
A BLUE GROSBEAK was at East Amwell Twp on July 7.
Middlesex County:
Three CLIFF SWALLOWS were at the Raritan Ave bridge
on July 11. That day, a nesting CLIFF SWALLOW was at the Route 18 bridge
in Johnson Park in Piscataway, while an EGYPTIAN GOOSE was at the river.
A YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON flew over East Brunswick on July 9.
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:
No reports
Union County:
No reports
Bergen County:
No reports
NJ Extralimitals:
No reports
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.
No reports
Kent County:
Click
Here for Kent County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A black RUFF molting out of breeding plumage was at
Raymond Pool in Bombay Hook NWR on July 11; this seems to be the same
RUFF that was at Raymond on June 6. The black RUFF that was at Taylor’s
Gut appears to be a different individual. A white RUFF, retaining a
good amount of breeding plumage, was at Raymond Pool on July 8-10. To
sum up, Kent County has hosted at least 3 different RUFFS this July.
On July 11, an adult BLACK-HEADED GULL flew from Raymond Pool to Shearness
Pool; it was also seen on July 7. A LEAST BITTERN briefly flew along
the dike road at Bear Swamp on July 11. A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO called
from a copse of trees at the southeast corner of Bear Swamp that day.
Other reports from Bombay Hook mentioned LITTLE BLUE HERON, BLACK-NECKED
STILT, AMERICAN AVOCET, STILT SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, YELLOW-BREASTED
CHAT and BLUE GROSBEAK.


2 Pictures of
the Raymond Pool Ruff by Sandra Keller
As many as 4 BLACK TERNS and 8 GULL-BILLED TERNS were
at the north pond of Ted Harvey WA through July 11. On July 11, an UPLAND
SANDPIPER was seen 40 yard from the side of Route 9 at Dover Air Force
Base. The bird was in a field across from the entrance to the Air Mobility
Command Museum. Please respect all Route 9 stipulations about stopping
around the base and all Air Force Base regulations when birding around
the Air Force Base to avoid encounters with the military police. Derek
Stoner has suggested setting up a scope at the Air Mobility Command
Museum within the base to look for UPLAND SANDPIPER, as base security
apparently is less concerned with use of optics at that location. Taylor’s
Gut had WESTERN SANDPIPER and BOBOLINK.
Sussex County:
Click
Here for Sussex County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A flock of 70 LEAST TERNS were at Fowler Beach at
Prime Hook NWR on July 11. Cape Henlopen State Park had PIPING PLOVERS.
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.No reports
No reports
Chester County:
Click Here
for Chester County Birding Resources including an interactive map with
locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Montgomery County:
Click
Here for Montgomery County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.No Reports
The Church Rd mudflats at Green Lane Reservoir had
eight species of shorebird on July 10, including a WHIMBREL and 2 WILLETS
– the first WILLETS to be seen in the area since the ‘70s.
Possibly the same WHIMBREL was spotted again at the Church Rd mudflats
on July 14. An immature LITTLE BLUE HERON was at Deep Creek Lake on
July 9. An injured BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was found in Media and taken
to White Flicker bird rehab in Ambler. The now recovered CUCKOO will
soon be released in the Ambler area.
Bucks County:
Click
Here for Bucks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
Churchville Nature Center had a RUDDY DUCK on July
10. Other sightings from Churchville included BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON
and PINE WARBLER.
Northampton County:
Click
Here for Northampton County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A BLUE GROSBEAK was at the Koch property on July 9.
A BLUE GROSBEAK was at PPL Martins Creek on July 13.
Lehigh County:
Click
Here for Lehigh County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Schuylkill County:
Click
Here for Schuylkill County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
A DARK-EYED JUNCO sang near the village of Kaska on
July 7.
Berks County:
Click
Here for Berks County Birding Resources including an interactive map
with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
No reports
Lancaster County:
Click
Here for Lancaster County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
On July 9, nine RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were tallied
along Williams Run Rd between the intersection of Williams Run Rd and
Smyrna Rd and the town of Christiana. That day, GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS
were also in the area of Williams Run Rd and Smyrna Rd.
Lebanon County:
Click
Here for Lebanon County Birding Resources including an interactive
map with locations, satellite views, driving directions, etc.
The CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW and local WHIP-POOR-WILLS
were still singing at Fort Indiantown Gap through July 13; the bird
has been heard along Tomstown Rd near Cold Springs Rd and more recently
near Neuins Lane in Grantville. Neuins Lane is the road leading to the
Second Mountain Hawk Watch.
Carbon County:
No reports
Monroe County:
No reports
Pike County:
No reports
Wayne County:
No reports
PA Extralimitals:
No reports
Extralimital Reports
No reports
Announcements
On July 17, Lynn Jackson will lead a joint Wyncote
Audubon & DVOC field trip to Bombay Hook NWR. Please contact Lynn
Jackson for details on this trip if you plan on attending. Additional
information including the 2009 Trip Report 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 the annual picnic on
July 31, hosted by Paul and Anita Guris. The rain date for the picnic
is Aug 1. The picnic begins at 1:00PM at Paul & Anita’s place
in Green Lane, PA. Please RSVP for the picnic by July 23 if you intend
to attend. More information about the picnic can be downloaded from the
DVOC website: http://www.dvoc.org
The next informal summer meeting of the DVOC takes place
on August 5 at 7:30pm at Palmyra Cove Nature Park in Palmyra, NJ. This
informal meeting’s short presentations will include “Rushton
Farm Bird Banding Station” by Lisa Kiziuk & Doris McGovern and
a new installment on Tom Bailey’s famous Birding Quiz. The next
informal meeting will be on September 2 at the John Heinz NWR at Tinicum
See Life Paulagics is running pelagic trips out of Lewes,
DE on August 15 (sign-up by July 10) and August 19-20 (sign-up by July
25) and out of Belmar, NJ on Aug 22 (sign-up by July 20). These trips
focus on summer seabirds and cetaceans, including White-Faced Storm-petrel.
For more information, call 215-234-6805 or visit them on the web at http://www.paulagics.com
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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