Monday, August 30, 2010

Warbler Weekend

I guess that I have been an idiot for years now thinking that fall migration meant that it happened in fall because I have seen a TON of stuff this month/week including shorebirds and warblers.

I already told you about the shorebirds that I saw at the shore but how about shorebirds in the middle of Pennsylvania.  How about that?  I went to Green Lane Reservoir up by Quakertown on Saturday with our trusty Bausch and Lomb scope to check out the shorebirds that have been posted on eBird.  The water level had dropped significantly since last month when we took our first trip up there.  On Saturday I was standing (with Roxy and Sammy) on firm ground where the big red marker is:

Lots of shorebirds along the water's edge.  I was very pleased with the fact that I could tell the difference between Least, Semi-Palmated, Stilt, White-rumped, and Pectoral Sandpipers - by myself, for sure.  Of course, some other jerk posted Baird's Sandpiper on Sunday which I didn't see.

Lori and I headed up to Lake Galena/Peace Valley Nature Center on Sunday morning for a quick look around.  We hit paydirt with warblers - at least 6American Redstarts, Canada, Blackburnian, Magnolia, Parula, Common Yellowthroat - along with other species including . . . 3 not-so-Solitary Sandpipers and a family of Towhees. Mom, Pop and fuzzy adolescent.

We tried our luck again tonight after work at Pennypack Trust.  Jackpot right out of the car with warblers, vireos and flycatchers flitting all around.  We made rookie identification mistake with one particular bird.  Drab gray, warblery size and shape, complete white eye ring, maybe a hint of olive on the back but not quite, double wing bar.  Yes, you guessed right - Chestnut-sided Warbler.  After an hour of looking up in the trees we finally figured it out.  Ouch.  My neck might not last until "Fall".

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