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Spring Migration in Eastern Pennsylvania (1 Viewer)

birdmeister

Well-known member
United States
Hello all,

I had so much fun with last autumn's migration thread, I decided to start another one for this spring.

As the Great David Attenborough said in the BBC series Planet Earth, "Creatures are stirring" (though he referred to cicada larvae:)).

My local Green Lane Reservoir has been very active recently, with new species almost every day. New arrivals today included 2 Horned Grebes, an American Coot, and 1200+ Ring-billed Gulls. I will be more specific in upcoming reservoir updates.

Blackbirds are on the move as well. Several hundred have flown over the house today, heading north.

Here's to a great migration season!
 
Today I went to Peace Valley Park in Bucks County, PA.

Highlights and migrants included Green-winged Teal (2, my first of the year), Long-tailed Duck (1 drake flew by briefly, rather unusual at this site!), and Common Merganser (900+).

At nearby Pine Run Reservoir I added American Black Duck (1), Common Merganser (6), American Wigeon (2), and American Pipit (1). I also got fantastic looks at the continuing Sandhill Cranes.

Here are links to a couple pictures ("digibinned", the birds were that close!):

https://download.ams.birds.cornell....sc=60209138.6.1518909399955&__hsfp=1013500191

https://download.ams.birds.cornell....sc=60209138.6.1518909399955&__hsfp=1013500191

It is currently snowing outside. 3-5 inches are expected to fall tonight.
 
Another visit to Green Lane brought about 26 Snow Geese, 2 Northern Pintails, 1 American Wigeon, 4 Common Mergansers, 11 American Black Ducks, 4 Buffleheads, 230 Ring-billed Gulls, 5 Herring Gulls, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 135+ Red-winged Blackbirds, 3+ Brown-headed Cowbirds, and 40+ Common Grackles as migrants/new arrivals.
 
A rather short visit to the Wissahickon Waterfowl Preserve brought Ring-necked Duck (4), Common Merganser (7), Ruddy Duck (1), Killdeer (3), and a few more blackbirds.

Here's a link to a Red-winged Blackbird picture that I digiscoped today:

https://download.ams.birds.cornell....sc=60209138.4.1519165648058&__hsfp=1013500191

As dusk fell back at home, I watched 1700+ Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Brown-headed Cowbirds heading north in mixed flocks.
 
Early this morning, I managed a very good variety of waterfowl at Green Lane Reservoir.

Highlights/migrants included Tundra Swan (1), Wood Duck (8, first of year), Northern Shoveler (7), American Wigeon (7), Mallard (10+), American Black Duck (1), Northern Pintail (2), Green-winged Teal (2), Canvasback (1), Ring-necked Duck (15), Common Merganser (25), Ruddy Duck (5), Eastern Meadowlark (1, FOY), Red-winged Blackbird (1), Brown-headed Cowbird (1), Common Grackle (10+), and blackbird sp (90+).

Additional visits to two locations at the reservoir later in the day added Greater White-fronted Goose (1), an additional Canvasback (maybe 2), another Ruddy Duck, 1 Snow Goose, 17 Gadwalls, and 29 more pintails.
 
Tonight's blackbird show was even better than the last one. I estimated conservatively 7840+ flying north past my house this evening!
 
Had another great morning at Green Lane Reservoir. Higher numbers of ducks than yesterday, and some different variety.

Highlights/migrants included Snow Goose (16), Tundra Swan (7), American Wigeon (23+), Mallard (24+), American Black Duck (2), Northern Pintail (15), Green-winged Teal (6), Canvasback (3), Redhead (2), Ring-necked Duck (41), Common Goldeneye (1), Hooded Merganser (2), Common Merganser (14), American Coot (3), and Ring-billed Gull (likely 700+).

At a different Green Lane location I added more Ring-necked Ducks (4), Wood Ducks (2), and American Black Ducks (9).

A brief stop at the Wissahickon Waterfowl Preserve yielded 7 Common Mergansers, 4 Mallards, 1 American Black Duck X Mallard hybrid, and my first of year Eastern Phoebe.
 
Highlights from Nockamixon State Park this morning included Common Goldeneye (2), Ring-necked Duck (2), Red-throated Loon (1, continuing rarity), American Wigeon (about 30), and Bufflehead (3).

Highlights from Quakertown Swamp included Hooded Merganser (2) and Rusty Blackbird (6, first of year and my personal high count!). The Great Blue Herons are active at their nests again.

A late-day trip to Skymount Park brought American Wigeon (9) and Ring-necked Duck (137, known to congregate here but still impressive).
 
I had two first of year birds at Green Lane this morning in the form of Tree Swallow (2) and Fox Sparrow (1).

A Common Goldeneye, Pied-billed Grebe, and a nearby Eastern Meadowlark were other migrant highlights.

We are currently in a strange storm that will bring 1-2 inches of rain and NW winds gusting up to 55 mph (about 80 kph)! I'm sure something strange will turn up somewhere in Pennsylvania (perhaps some scoters and Long-tailed Ducks blown from the Great Lakes?). I will be on the lookout tomorrow morning before the wind picks up.
 
Well, not as much as I had hoped for this morning. Just 4 Lesser Scaup and 9 sleeping Greater/Lesser Scaup.

Maybe it will take a while for something to blow in.

As it turns out, we didn't get quite as much rain as expected. We did, however, get more snow than expected (2-3 inches). The wind is still going strong outside. I will probably be out tomorrow morning again to see what's there.
 
We've had quite a lot of cold and some snow, too.

Migration has slowed down quite a bit, but temperatures are forecast to rise at the end of this week.

I saw my first confirmed Iceland Gull today, a continuing bird at Green Lane Reservoir.
 
Still very quiet on the migration front. I saw five Ring-billed Gulls circling very high, from the yard, then got a report of about 24 circling and heading north. Calm winds tonight will provide a brief break from near-constant N/NW?W winds. Maybe that will move some things along?

Birds are pushing through even without S winds in western Pennsylvania, perhaps they'll start doing the same here.
 
Finally, some migration to report!

Duck numbers and variety at Green Lane Reservoir this morning were up a little from previous days.

At the Walt Rd area, Wood Duck (3), Northern Shoveler (2), Gadwall (3), Mallard (16), American Black Duck (8), Ring-necked Duck (14), Bufflehead (2), Common Merganser (4), and Ruddy Duck (2) were noted. 19 American Robins flew north after sunrise.

At the Church Rd area, Snow Goose (about 270), Canada Goose (about 330 migrants), Wood Duck (5), Northern Shoveler (2, likely same as Walt Rd), Gadwall (3, likely same as Walt Rd), American Wigeon (1), American Black Duck (2), Green-winged Teal (2), Common Merganser (2), grebe sp (1), and Tree Swallow (1) were noted.

From my house, I saw American Kestrel (2), Red-tailed Hawk (2), Turkey Vulture (3), Buteo sp (3), and raptor sp (1) migrating north on calm/light N winds.

It is supposed to get cold again with breezy NE winds and a touch of snow. Winter is on its way back...again...
 
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One last bit of migration before the snow.

The Walt Rd area of Green Lane Reservoir didn't have much waterfowl-wise, but a Pied-billed Grebe fairly close to shore was nice. A singing Fox Sparrow was pleasant and likely a migrant.

Church Rd duck numbers increased a bit from yesterday, with highlights being Northern Shoveler (6), Gadwall (2), American Black Duck (11), Northern Pintail (1), and Green-winged Teal (8). I also saw my first Brown Thrasher of the year.

We are forecast to get up to 8 in (20 cm) of snow tomorrow, with temperatures staying cold for the rest of the week. Tentatively, the forecast calls for a bit of a warm-up after the weekend.
 
Wow! We got 13 inches (approx. 33 cm) of snow dumped on us today! Very unusual for mid to late March. Temps should be cold with N/NW/W wind through the weekend.

Fortunately, it looks like it will warm up next week. Tuesday 50F (10C), Wednesday and Thursday mid 50s (about 13C). I assume there will be S winds, and rain showers are predicted on some days. I am anticipating lots of raptor movement, possibly a few shorebirds, and hopefully a duck fallout.
 
Highlights for me this afternoon at Green Lane Reservoir included Eastern Phoebe (1), Merlin (1), and Common Loon (1). Good to see some birds moving even with cold temperatures and N wind.
 
Warmer weather is starting up, with a light E wind changing to SE tomorrow. A few more waterfowl and other migrants at Green Lane Reservoir today.

Highlights/migrants included Blue-winged Teal (1, first of year!), Northern Shoveler (6), Gadwall (12), American Black Duck (2), Northern Pintail (2), Ring-necked Duck (2), Bufflehead (6), Common Merganser (4), Mallard (2), duck sp (6), Double-crested Cormorant (3), and Turkey Vulture (7).

Hopefully something settles down on the reservoir tomorrow morning.
 
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