The breeders and migrants have been slowly trickling in to the Northeast. Migration seems to be somewhat late this year and, this week, is being pushed back some more with all of this bad weather. My county, Monroe, seems to be a bit under-birded and I am trying to correct that.
I found a nice spot that is not far from my house that I can monitor for migrants off of Brodhead Creek in Stroudsburg – there are a few parks with trails surrounding it. Something tells me that it is not visited much by birders, however, I was pleased to find swallow and bluebird houses spread throughout.
Tree Swallow peaking out of a house
The habitat is very nice and I can see it being a popular stop for birds, especially in the fall with all of the brush under the trees. The creek is fairly large and stocked with trout so it attracts some nice birds of prey.
Adult and juvenile Bald Eagles off of Brodhead Creek
Osprey taking off
It already has some birds in territory – Tree Swallows, Eastern Bluebirds, House Wrens, Flickers, Gnatcatchers, Brown Thrashers, Eastern Towhees, Phoebes, Chipping Sparrows, Robins and our resident birds.
One of the local House Wrens singing away
The Tree Swallows have claimed their nesting sites
I came across nice waves of Warblers that consisted mostly of Yellow-rumps – others mixed in included Palms, Pine, Black-and-white and Yellow Warblers along with Kinglets and Blue-headed Vireos.
One of many, MANY Yellow-rumped Warblers
Palm Warbler sitting pretty
Pine Warblers move slowly, but stay at the tree tops
Song and White-throated Sparrows are scattered throughout.
White-throated Sparrow posing nicely
And, unlucky for other breeders, Cowbirds are also in high numbers.
A male Brown-headed Cowbird
I visited two ponds to see what they could bring. One is Zachary’s Pond, which did not have much and was too open for birds aside from Mallards and Geese to enjoy. The other, across the woods and road, is Gregory’s Pond – this one has a much nicer habitat for water birds with plenty of cattails to hide in. This pond attracted the usual crowd – Red-winged Blackbirds, Swallows, Phoebes, Herons and possibly more. I think this one has a better chance for having bitterns, rails and marsh birds show up.
An Eastern Bluebird at Zachary’s Pond.
An Eastern Phoebe at Gregory’s Pond
Another treasure of a spot that I visited a couple of times is a more well known spot near the Delaware Water Gap NRA Headquarters – McDade Trail and Freeman Tract Road. The birds are a little more difficult to see here since the trees are so tall, but it is a great spot to bird-by-ear and, with patience, see some of them. So far, I’ve counted over 20 singing Northern Parulas. Pretty soon, other birds will join them in high numbers.
The only chance I had at getting a Northern Parula and I screwed it up!
Gnatcatchers seem to be the bird of the year for me. I don’t know if this is normal for the area or if this is an unusually high year. I see and hear them everywhere.
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers don’t stop moving!
I’ve also visited the public trails for the Tannersville Cranberry Bog. I think these will be alive with birds once migration really kicks in. I already heard two good birds there – a Barred Owl and the beautiful song of the Hermit Thrush (who I’ve only seen in other locations). I am signed up for public birding walks starting next week, so I’ll really be able to see what this gem brings.
Before the snow melted in the early spring, I also visited Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge. I’m not entirely sure of the best places to go here yet, but I hope to learn them soon. There are trails that are near a highway, which worries me that I will not be able to hear anything.
Wood Ducks with Hooded Mergansers in the background at Witmer’s Lake
I’m not sure what else to expect, but I see tons of good birds in my future within the next couple of weeks as I continue to explore my county. Keep em coming!
Last Friday I visited my friends at the Pennsylvania Falconry and Hawk Trust annual field meet for the day. I was expecting to see some Red-tailed Hawks hunt but instead I was in for a big surprise!
The first Hawk we hunted with was an adult Northern Goshawk. I’ve only seen this species once and it was not an adult; I also never saw one hunt before. That all changed this time by!
Adult Northern Goshawk
This Goshawk hunted from the glove, a technique I’ve never seen since the Hawks and Kestrels I’ve hunted with flew freely and hunted from higher perches.
Northern Goshawk on the glove
After some failed attempts at rabbits, she came close to capturing a squirrel who was in her grips, but the squirrel was not quite ready to be hawk food!
Northern Goshawk with a Squirrel
The squirrel got away, but it helped me get a nice photo by making some snow fall on the Goshawk.
Northern Goshawk with snow
We saw another adult Goshawk hunt later in the day – this one was sixteen years old!!
Sixteen year old Northern Goshawk
Still, at that age, she was as beautiful as a younger Hawk!
Northern Goshawk
The next bird we hunted with was one I’ve seen in the past but are always a pleasure to watch – a Harris’s Hawk.
Harris’s Hawk up close
This bird hunted with a Dachshund – their relationship was pretty amazing! While the dog tries to find and flush rabbits, the Hawk watches from above. They almost got a cottontail on their own but the brush was too thick.
Harris’s Hawk in flight
Again, no kills, but it’s great seeing the relationship between a falconer, his dog and his bird.
Harris’s Hawk with falconer
I nearly fainted from seeing the next bird we hunted with – an Ornate Hawk Eagle.
Ornate Hawk Eagle
This bird was so perfect that it looked like a stuffed animal. Every color of this bird was so vivid.
Ornate Hawk Eagle posing
This bird also hunted from the glove. We only “somewhat” saw the bird fly once – a rabbit was right below her and she tried dropping on it, but the prey got away. It was still great to see this gorgeous bird!
Ornate Hawk Eagle on the glove
These were my first hunts with accipiters and an eagle – even though we did not catch anything, it was another perfect day with great friends!
Early this month I went to my second falconry field meet and met some pretty awesome birds (and people!). For this meet, I was able to photograph more birds around the headquarters. This will be a photo-heavy post with little words. The beauty of these birds will do the speaking…
I saw a couple of great Falcons:
3/4 Gyr + 1/4 Saker Falcon
Barbary Falcon
Peales Falcon, a subspecies of the Peregrine
And my first Goshawk! Too bad I couldn’t count her as a life bird.
Northern Goshawk
Someone had a Golden Eagle that I could get close to near the weathering yard – this bird is massive!
Golden Eagle
I watched multiple Red-tailed Hawks hunt…
Nikita, my friend’s Red-tailed Hawk on the lookout
Meallan, my friend’s Red-tailed Hawk
Including my friend’s adult Red-tail that I also saw in the beginning of the year. She successfully caught one squirrel and we tried to get another.
Isis, protecting her kill
Isis, my friend’s Red-tailed Hawk on her lure
Once again, I watched my friend’s Harris Hawk, Rogue, hunt. This time, she hunted with other Hawks that belonged to new friends.
Group hunting with Harris’s Hawks
My friend’s Harris’s Hawk
I also had the pleasure of seeing my favorite little raptor, the American Kestrel.
Hank, my friend’s American Kestrel in flight
Hank, my friend’s American Kestrel on his lure
Clover, my friend’s imprinted American Kestrel
Clover and Sid my friends’ American Kestrels, hunting together
To end this post, I’ll share some mug shots of three different Red-tailed Hawks that were in the weathering yard. It’s amazing how different they can look!
Red-tailed Hawk with transitioning eye color
A darker Red-tailed Hawk
This Red-tailed Hawk looks like it has puffy cheeks
I still have my mind on the Biggest Week in American Birding. It was an unforgettable experience that will be tough to top. I saw 150 species of birds and had twelve – yes TWELVE – life birds. Last week, I wrote a post about some highlights from my trip. This week, I will continue by sharing some photos to show you what can be expected if you decide to attend next year – yes – I am already thinking about next year…
This Clay-colored Sparrow was a life bird!
Birds, birds and more birds
Beautiful birds are everywhere you look!
Cape May Warbler from the boardwalk tower
Baltimore Oriole near the boardwalk parking lot
Blue Gray Gnatcatcher taken from the boardwalk tower
You will see more than just birds
Aside from birds, you can see some cute mammals, rare snakes and many turtles.
This Raccoon was playing peek-a-boo with me
Do not let the crowds scare you away
Crowds will form where there are good birds – the good thing about these crowds is that someone in it will see a good bird so no bird goes unseen. When they spot a bird they will let you know what they are looking at and help you find it. I took some photos with my phone of the crowds, both what I saw…
What’s that? A Golden-winged Warbler?
And some viewpoints from the birds…
A bird’s view from the ground
A bird’s eye view of the boardwalk
There are other great spot to visit
If the crowds are too much for you, there are quiet spots both on and off the boardwalk to visit. You do not have to even stay at Magee Marsh – you can also go to the trails at Maumee Bay State Park, take the auto tour at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, go for a day trip to Oak Openings, watch birds from the Windows On Wildlife at Pearson Metropark, look for waterbirds at Metzger… there are so many great hotspots!
Red-bellied Woodpecker at taken from the “Windows on Wildlife”
Beautiful view from Oak Openings, taken with my phone
Hard-to-see birds will be in someone’s sights
How many times can you say that you’ve seen a Whip-poor-will perched in a tree??
Other birders directed us to this Whip-poor-will
You can test top-of-the-line scopes and binoculars at Optics Alley
I think this photo speaks for itself…
The scope line-up at Optics Alley
Bird by day, hang out by night!
Birds & Blooms hosted a karaoke night. I did not sing, but those who did gave a great show!
Kim Kaufman killed it on the karaoke floor
There are other great events during the day
While we were making our way out of Magee Marsh, we stopped at the visitor center and were surprised by some live birds of prey from Back to the Wild. These birds were injured and cannot be returned to the wild, so they are now used for educational purposes. It was nice to get some photos of more cooperative birds. And further down the road at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, they were banding wild songbirds – they had a Northern Waterthrush when we were there.
This young Peregrine Falcon was flapping around
This Bald Eagle was hit by a train and is now blind in one eye with an injured wing
My favorite little raptor, the American Kestrel
I hope to see a Barn Owl in the wild some time soon
This Barred Owl was keeping an eye on us
The Great Horned Owl was not as angry as he looks
You will make new friends
It was great birding with friends who we met last year – even after seeing them a year ago at 2012’s Biggest Week, we connected like we see each other all the time. We also met many new friends along the way. Everyone, from the bloggers to the guides to visitors on the boardwalk were pleasant to be around and we could not ask to be around a better group of people!
Kim Kaufman’s sand art
Did I mention that there are lots of great birds to be seen?
Magnolia Warbler
American Bittern out in the open on the Magee causeway
Last Thursday, registration opened for the Biggest Week in American Birding. Hundreds of birders have already signed up to enjoy a 10-day week of some of the best Warbler birding in the country! It’s not just about the Warblers though…
What can you expect from going to the Biggest Week?
If you pay attention to birds, chances are you’ve seen a Hawk get attacked by birds that are much smaller than itself – typically Blackbirds, Grackles, Crows and Jays. Chickadees even work up the courage to crowd around Owls! This behavior is called mobbing. It occurs when species of birds band together to attack a larger bird, usually in an attempt to protect their nest or territory.
I always know when a Hawk is around my neighborhood – the local Crows are almost always pairing up and chasing it away. My view is typically of either birds hidden in a tree or high-tailing it out of the area. Early last summer, however, I had a front row seat of blackbirds mobbing a Red-tailed Hawk at Cornell’s Sapsucker Woods. This resulted in some pretty good photos of the action!
Red-tailed Hawk being mobbed by a Common Grackle
Red-tailed Hawk being mobbed by a Red-winged Blackbird
I even caught one where the Blackbird has his feet and beak on the Hawk!
Red-tailed Hawk being mobbed by a Red-winged Blackbird
While this perch was great for me and my photos, it was not the best choice for the Hawk who kept losing balance.
Red-tailed Hawk loosing balance
Though, even on a more stable perch, he had to dodge the incoming mob.
Red-tailed Hawk dodging incoming birds
This group included Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, American Crows and even Squirrels. If you look closesly at the photo below, the Squirrel is below her nest!
Red-tailed Hawk being mobbed by a Crow and Squirrel
The Hawk eventually broke away with a crowd of over twenty birds following it.
This was not the only time I witnessed such behavior up close – the next victims were even larger than the Red-tail! Bald Eagles were nesting on a platform out in the open on the north end of Cayuga Lake in New York. I went up to go visit them just as the young Eagles fledged. In fact, according to regulars who were there, I witnessed one of the Eagle’s first flights! The local blackbirds did not make it easy for the fledged Eagles to practice. As soon as they would take flight, the smaller birds would come in.
Young Bald Eagle being mobbed by a Red-winged Blackbird
This was the first time I witnessed smaller birds riding on the backs of larger birds! It was a great treat! With some luck, I captured two different angles of this behavior.
Young Bald Eagle with a Red-winged Blackbird on his back
Young Bald Eagle with a Red-winged Blackbird on his back
These little birds are very fearless. I sometimes even see just one bird mobbing a Hawk all alone. Anything to protect their territory!
