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Spring Migration in Eastern Pennsylvania (1 Viewer)

Had a pleasantly busy day birding-wise. I went to various spots at Green Lane Reservoir in the morning.

Highlights/migrants at the Walt Rd area included Northern Shoveler (3), Ring-necked Duck (13), Common Merganser (9), Mallard (3), Bufflehead (2), Eastern Phoebe (1), and Fox Sparrow (1).

Highlights/migrants at Church Rd included Wood Duck (8+), Blue-winged Teal (1), Northern Shoveler (7), Gadwall (2), Northern Pintail (2), American Black Duck (6), Mallard (2), Green-winged Teal (13), and Tree Swallow (3).

Here is a link to a digiscoped picture that I got of an Eastern Bluebird:

https://download.ams.birds.cornell....sc=60209138.3.1522196873281&__hsfp=2760813498

Highlights/migrants at the Green Lane Flyfishing Area included Wood Duck (2), American Black Duck (2), Great Blue Heron (1), Eastern Phoebe (1), Tree Swallow (1), swallow sp (1), Fox Sparrow (1), and a possible American Woodcock.

I stopped at the Wissahickon Waterfowl Preserve in the afternoon. Highlights/migrants there included Wood Duck (7+), Mallard (4), Ring-necked Duck (14+), Common Merganser (8), Osprey (1), Eastern Phoebe (1-2), and Tree Swallow (2).

There are S winds (6 miles/hour) and light rain in the forecast tonight. We'll see how that bodes for action at the reservoir tomorrow morning.
 
Busy day today, with lots of migrants over the yard and a S wind picking up in the afternoon. By far the highlight was an Eastern Meadowlark flyover, my first seen from the yard!

Lots of American Robins over the yard in the morning, with some blackbirds, 7 Great Blue Herons, and about 40 Snow Geese noted.

Highlights/migrants in the afternoon included goose sp (about 40), Great Blue Heron (9), heron sp (1), gull sp (50+), Turkey Vulture (1), Osprey (4+), falcon sp (2), raptor sp (1), swallow sp (9), Common Grackle (46), and blackbird sp (about 95). Many birds were so far away that I was fortunate to ID them to family, let alone species.

S winds will increase tonight, with rain and a cold front pushing through late tonight into tomorrow morning. I am hoping for a waterfowl fallout.
 
Fallout and some passerines!

An excellent day had, mostly at Green Lane Reservoir, with lots of action for an early spring day.

Highlights/migrants at the Walt Rd area included Wood Duck (4), American Wigeon (2), Mallard (4), American Black Duck (2), Lesser Scaup (28, high count due to fallout), Bufflehead (5), Common Merganser (28), Common/Red-breasted Merganser (1), Common Loon (1), Pied-billed Grebe (2), Horned Grebe (24, high count due to fallout), Double-crested Cormorant (5), Osprey (1), American Coot (1), Belted Kingfisher (2 migrants), Tree Swallow (2), and Eastern Towhee (1, first of year).

Highlights/migrants at the Ward Rd/Knight Rd bridge area included Common Merganser (35), Common/Red-breasted Merganser (1), duck sp (2), Common Loon (1, same as Walt Rd?), Double-crested Cormorant (10), Great Egret (1, my first for the state this year), Osprey (1), Tree Swallow (2), Barn Swallow (1, FOY), and swallow sp (1).

Highlights/migrants at the Pottstown Riverfront Park included duck sp (3), Eastern Phoebe (1), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (1, FOY), Tree Swallow (1), swallow sp (5+), and Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1, possibly wintering?).

Highlights/migrants at the Church Rd area of Green Lane Reservoir included Snow Goose (3), Blue-winged Teal (2), Mallard (2), Northern Pintail (2), Green-winged Teal (4), Lesser Scaup (1), Common Merganser (5), Pied-billed Grebe (1), Horned Grebe (20, I suspect different birds than at Walt Rd!), Double-crested Cormorant (18), Tree Swallow (2), and swallow sp (1).

Finally, highlights/migrants at the Green Lane flyfishing area included Mallard (1, possible resident), American Black Duck (2), Hooded Merganser (3), Common Merganser (3), Osprey (1), Eastern Phoebe (3), Common Raven (2, not migrants but certainly highlights and my FOY), swallow sp (1), Fox Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow (likely 5+ migrants), and Rusty Blackbird (6).

Truly an enjoyable day for sure!
 
I heard my first of year Chipping Sparrow on Monday, about right for their arrival time.

A cold front passed through this afternoon, so I went to Green Lane Reservoir and had some good birds.

Highlights/migrants included Snow Goose (1), Northern Shoveler (1), Mallard (2), American Black Duck (3), Ring-necked Duck (4), Lesser Scaup (2), Common Merganser (11), Common/Red-breasted Merganser (11), duck sp (2), Red-throated Loon (2!), Common Loon (20, my personal high count, I think), loon sp (1), Double-crested Cormorant (32+), Bonaparte's Gull (2, my first for the reservoir), Ring-billed Gull (4), Herring Gull (1), gull sp (1), Tree Swallow (4), swallow sp (1), and Chipping Sparrow (1).

All in all, a good day.
 
Finally got around to updating again.

I haven't done much birding as of late, but expect to do more now.

Pottstown Riverfront Park yesterday held Double-crested Cormorant (1), Eastern Phoebe (4), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2, will no longer add as migrants on this thread as they breed here), Tree Swallow (6), swallow sp (about 30), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1), and Pine Warbler (1, first of year).

I had a prodctive day at Green Lane Reservoir today.

Highlights/migrants at the Knight Lake area included Wood Duck (6, possibly breeders), Mallard (5), American Black Duck (7), Mallard/American Black Duck (1), Green-winged Teal (12), Bufflehead (2), Hooded Merganser (8), Common Merganser (2), Pied-billed Grebe (1), Double-crested Cormorant (7), Greater Yellowlegs (1, first of year), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1, wintering bird?), Eastern Phoebe (5), swallow sp (2), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1, wintering bird?), Palm Warbler (3, FOY), and Yellow-rumped Warbler (5+).

Steady SW winds are predicted in a few days, with much warmer temperatures.
 
The SW winds have delivered, and hopefully this story isn't over yet!

I've had a really solid past two days of birding. April 11th was decent, but not the numbers and variety of the next two days.

It started on the morning of the 12th, at the Walt Rd area of Green Lane Reservoir. Highlights/migrants included Gadwall (1), Ring-necked Duck (1), Bufflehead (3), Common Merganser (2), Double-crested Cormorant (61), Great Blue Heron (3), Northern Flicker (9+), Golden-crowned Kinglet (5), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1), Brown Thrasher (1), Palm Warbler (2), Yellow-rumped Warbler (4), Chipping Sparrow (1), Field Sparrow (4), Fox Sparrow (1), White-throated Sparrow (5), Song Sparrow (5), and Swamp Sparrow (1).

At the Church Rd area of the reservoir I added Wood Duck (1), Blue-winged Teal (3), Northern Pintail (2 lingerers), Green-winged Teal (9), Common Merganser (15+), Common Loon (6 flyovers), loon sp (1), Northern Flicker (1), Eastern Phoebe (1), and Savannah Sparrow (1), with other sparrows possibly being residents.

At the flyfishing area I added two more Blue-winged Teals, Eastern Phoebe (1), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1), Brown Thrasher (1), Field Sparrow (3), White-throated Sparrow (2), Song Sparrow (5, maybe not all migrants), and Swamp Sparrow (2, 1 maybe resident).

At Trewellyn Park that same afternoon, I added migrant Northern Harrier (1), American Kestrel (1), Eastern Phoebe (1), Palm Warbler (6), Pine Warbler (1), Yellow-rumped Warbler (1), and had excellent looks at a local Pileated Woodpecker.

I saw my first of year Broad-winged Hawk in the afternoon over my house.


This morning, things were still moving at Green Lane. Walt Road had Gadwall (6), Mallard &, at least two non-migrants likely), Ring-necked Duck (7), Ruddy Duck (1), Double-crested Cormorant (2), Broad-winged Hawk (1), Bonaparte's Gull (7), Ring-billed Gull (1), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1, FOY), Golden-crowned Kinglet (2), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2), Field Sparrow (1 migrant), and White-throated Sparrow (6+).

Pottstown Riverfront Park was pretty quiet, with one Broadwing being the highlight.

Green Lane Flyfishing Area brought Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1), Brown Thrasher (4!), White-throated Sparrow (4), and one each of Palm, Pine, and Yellow-rumped Warblers.

A raptor watch from my house yielded 37 raptors, including 6 Osprey, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 8 Broad-winged Hawks, 3 Buteo sp, 2 raptor sp, 2 falcon sp, 1 Red-shouldered Hawk, 2 American Kestrels, and 10 Turkey Vultures. Non-raptor migrants included Great Blue Heron (1), gull sp (20), and Barn Swallow (1).

Here's hoping for another FOY or two tomorrow!
 
Well, I ended up recording not one, not two, but four first-of-year birds today. A very fine morning was had at Peace Valley Park in Bucks County.

Scans of the lake from two different spots revealed highlight/migrant Common Merganser (2), Ruddy Duck (6), Common Loon (1), Horned Grebe (1), Double-crested Cormorant (37), Chimney Swift (2, FOY), Barn Swallow (1), and Yellow-rumped Warbler (1).

I heard a FOY House Wren as I approached the first lake stop.

The trail system beyond the nature center yielded Wood Duck (2), Double-crested Cormorant (78), Osprey (2), Cooper's Hawk (1), Red-shouldered Hawk (1), American Kestrel (1), Eastern Phoebe (1), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (7), Golden-crowned Kinglet (2), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (6), Northern Parula (1, FOY!), Yellow-rumped Warbler (2), Yellow-throated Warbler (1, FOY!), White-throated Sparrow (26), Savannah Sparrow (1), and Swamp Sparrow (3).

Now we're bracing for another cold front tomorrow, temperatures will drop drastically.
 
I did manage my first of year Caspian Terns (2) and two Common/Forster's Terns (maybe Common?) last Sunday.

I won't be going out this week, but hopefully I'll be back in business in some capacity next week.
 
I was able to spend most of the day at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.

Highlights/migrants included Common Loon (9), Double-crested Cormorant (12), Turkey Vulture (1), Osprey (7), Northern harrier (1-2), Sharp-shinned Hawk (4), Bald Eagle (1), Broad-winged Hawk (47), Red-tailed Hawk (4), American Kestrel (1), Merlin (1), Eastern Phoebe (1), Purple Martin (1, first of year), Barn Swallow (1), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3), Hermit Thrush (4), Brown Thrasher (1), and Chipping Sparrow (2).

A good day overall.
 
Lots to update here. I picked up my first of year Louisiana Waterthrush (2), Blue-headed Vireo (2), and Black-and-white Warbler (1) at Coventry Woods in Chester County on the 25th. Then, I followed that up with an afternoon trip to Pottstown Riverfront Park, which produced my FOY Yellow Warbler in with the Yellow-rumped Warblers.

I saw my FOY Green Herons (2) at Trewellyn Park in Montgomery County on the 26th.

Then came yesterday and today. Yesterday I went on a field trip to Central Park in New York City, which produced 50+ species, including 44+ warblers of 11 species. I won't get into more details on this trip, since the thread title happens to refer to migration observed in eastern Pennsylvania.;)

I will get into this morning's outing to Peace Valley Park in Bucks County. I ended up with 66 species!

Highlights/migrants included Common Loon (1), Green Heron (1), Osprey (2), Sharp-shinned Hawk (2), Solitary Sandpiper (1, FOY), Least Flycatcher (1, FOY and fourth one reported in eBird for the state this year, with the other three reports coming today as well), Great Crested Flycatcher (1, FOY), Eastern Kingbird (1, FOY), Blue-headed Vireo (4), Purple Martin (1), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (9, one possibly scoping out potential nest site), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (9), Hermit Thrush (1), Catharus sp (1, likely Veery), Wood Thrush (1, FOY), Gray Catbird (8), Ovenbird (2), Northern Waterthrush (2), Blue-winged Warbler (2, FOY), Black-and-white Warbler (8+), Common Yellowthroat (3), Palm Warbler (3), Pine Warbler (1), Yellow-rumped Warbler (25+), Black-throated Green Warbler (1, FOY), warbler sp (1, likely Hooded), Wite-throated Sparrow (24+), Swamp Sparrow (7), Blue Jay (13), and Baltimore Oriole (1).

An excellent morning indeed.
 
Had a fairly quiet day, with highlights being good looks at a male American Redstart, and a heard only Northern Parula.

There is major migration in the works for tomorrow night and Wednesday night. Should be good.
 
Great stuff these last few days.

Coventry Woods on May 2nd produced Great-crested Flycatcher (1), Blue-headed Vireo (3), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (8), Hermit Thrush (2), Wood Thrush (4), Gray Catbird (3), Ovenbird (11), Louisiana Waterthrush (2), Black-and-white Warbler (1), Hooded Warbler (1), Northern Parula (3), Blackburnian Warbler (1, first of year), Black-throated Blue Warbler (5), Yellow-rumped Warbler (22+), Black-throated Green Warbler (4), Scarlet Tanager (3), and Baltimore Oriole (3).

This morning at Leaser Lake near Hawk Mountain, I added FOY Warbling Vireo (1) and FOY Nashville Warbler (1). Great looks at Baltimore Orioles (4)!

Then I stopped at Fruitville Rd near Green Lane Reservoir, adding FOY Grasshopper Sparrow (1) and FOY Bobolink (7+). This location is one of the last sites in the county for these breeders, as well as Eastern Meadowlark.
 
Added a few more birds in the past few days.

First of year Common Nighthawk was on May 6th.

May 8th produced Warbling Vireo (2), FOY Red-eyed Vireo (4), Northern Parula (1), Yellow Warbler (4), FOY Blackpoll Warbler (1), Yellow-rumped Warbler (7+), FOY Indigo Bunting (1), Baltimore Oriole (10), FOY Black-billed Cuckoo (1, great views!), Great Crested Flycatcher (1), Common Yellowthroat (7), Bay-breasted Warbler (1, FOY and my first breeding plumage male), Scarlet Tanager (1), and Rose-breasted Grosbeak (3).
 
I've added more FOYs in the last couple days in Montgomery and Bucks Counties.

Yellow-throated Vireo (2), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1), Magnolia Warbler (2), Chestnut-sided Warbler (1), and the highlight, one Wilson's Warbler (just my second ever!). Some migrants still around, plenty of breeders now.

I'll be out birding for most of the day tomorrow.
 
Migration beginning to wind down now, but I had a fantastic spring. I only missed a few of the regular warblers, and had a very good variety of species. will post if I get anything more noteworthy, but hope you all enjoyed this.
 
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