Snow Buntings & Lapland Longspurs

After a failed attempt to locate the Snow buntings and Lapland Longspurs on Monday, I decided to try again today as they are still being reported. As I arrived in the area, I decided to drive a circle route around the roads closest to the area they where being seen in. It didn't take long to spot some Horned Larks foraging along the roadway and so I pulled over and started to scan the fields.

In a few minutes, I located several Lapland Longspurs and shortly thereafter a Snow Buntings mixed in with the Horned Larks.

Lapland Longspur with Horned Larks

Many birds in field and flying around

  I started scanning the hundreds of Horned Larks and quickly found more Snow Buntings. I counted at least 20 Snow Bunting - the largest number of them I have ever seen in one location...quite the site watching them fly back and forth across the road mixed in with Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs.

Snow Bunting

I spent the next 55 minute watching them fly about before I decided to leave....all in all a good morning of birding.

Until next time.

Evening Grosbeaks in Pennsylvania

On Friday, January 11, I embarked on a quest looking for the Evening Grosbeaks that have been reported near Animal Drive, Centre County, Pennsylvania, US. I left my home at 6:30am and after stopping for a quick breakfast arrive in the area at 8:45 am. There was one other birder in the area when I arrived. As I exited my car, I saw several dozen birds flying off, and talking to the other birder - they where indeed the grosbeaks. I didn't get really good looks at them (and as a lifer I wanted better looks) and according the other birder, they where coming and going quite frequently during the last hour he was there. We chatted for about 10 mins (as it was very cold 17 degrees - but luckily there was no wind) and he decided to leave for work. 

After about another 10 minutes, I spotted my first Evening Grosbeak - a nice male - sitting in the tree directly in front of me. The colors are striking on the male Evening Grosbeaks - as seen below. After another few minutes, a flock of about 15 birds was observed flying into the trees right above me...quite the site!!! I watched them for about 20 minutes, just flying back and forth to the feeder and other perches in the area. They eventually, flew off and I packed my gear and headed for home. I was there a total of about 1 hour and 10 minutes and recorded 10 species - including 19 Evening Grosbeaks - Life bird #505 .

Male Evening Grosbeak - life bird #505

Evening grosbeaks perched in tree

Evening grosbeak

Evening grosbeak perched in tree

Until next time - good birding.

John Heinz NWR day trip

On Sunday, January 6, I drove to John Heinz NWR located near Philadelphia Airport - a 95 mile one trip from my home. I left my home at 8am and with fairly light traffic - enter the NWR at 9:45am. I was surprised to see the parking lot almost completely full - a little more on why coming. Below is a link to the site.

John_Heinz NWR

The visitors center was closed (due the gov't shutdown) so I started my walk around the 3 mile loop trail. The firs thing I noticed was how wet and muddy the trails where and also how the wind was gusty up to 20mph across the lake...things where not looking good for birding. My target species for the day where Black Headed Gull, Northern Saw whet Owl and Rusty Blackbird.

Rusty Blackbird - target species not seen

As walked about a 50 feet on the trail when I saw my first species - a downy woodpecker. after another 1/2 mile is began seeing more species including: white throated sparrows, Carolina wrens, and Red bellied woodpeckers. a passed a few birders heading back toward the parking lot and we chatted...I learned that the saw Whet was being seen another 1/4 mile along the trail.

As I approached the area where the saw Whet was being seen, I spotted some movement in the brush - and added the following species to my day list: Tufted titmouse, Yellow Rumped Warbler, Carolina Chickadee and several others....being my total to 21 species.

I was lucky enough to have people standing near where the saw whet owl was being seen and they quickly pointed it out to me....lifer number 504!!! Yeah!!.

Northern saw Whet Owl - lifer number 504

As I continued my walk I added a few more species...but didn't get to see the Black headed gull or a Rusty Blackbird....maybe next trip.

I did however find out why everyone was walking the trails,...a Long Eared Owl was spotted the day before and everyone was looking for it...with no luck...here is picture from the ebirder that found the owl on Saturday.

Long eared Owl

A I walked back toward the parking area, along the impoundment, there where hundred of Ruddy Ducks, a few tundra Swans, Hooded Mergansers and Ring necked Ducks to name a few. The last bird of day was a pair a Belted Kingfishers flying along the canal just off the parking lot.


I ended the day with 38 species after 3 1/2 hours and 3 miles of walking - all in all a good day.

Until next time good Birding 

Black Throated Gray Warbler 

Wow..it's been awhile since I lasted posted anything in this blog. well it's a new year and good time to renew my efforts in keeping this blog up to date starting today.

Yesterday, January 4th was a rather mild winter day....with temps in the low to mid 40's...so I decided to start my year off by looking for the mega rare Blacked throated gray warbler that has been seen for about the past 3 months on and off in Noel Dorwart park near Millersville, Lancaster County, Pa. 

I left my house around 8am and it's about a 45 minute to the park. I arrived at 8:35am..there we very little traffic, and was the only one in the parking lot. I gather my gear and started walking the trails, immediately I saw several species of birds including White Throated, House, and Song sparrow in the weedy area next to the parking lot - a good start - 8 species and I didn't even leave the parking lot yet.

after checking the map of the trails I decided to walk the river trail where the BTGW was consistently being from. as I proceeded thru the now forested area, I didn't have my luck in seeing anything...a few red Bellied and Downy Woodpeckers...but as I emerged to the weedy area along the creek I heard the distinct call of a Catbird. I spotted and listened and watched and sure enough after about 5 minutes the Catbird popped up giving my a short but good look....another rare bird for the winter in this area   

After viewing, I continued on the trail, but had no luck seeing the BTGW on my first loop...I did see lots of other species but not he target bird I was looking for. I made two more loops around the 1/2 mile trail and finally after 2-1/2 hours I spotted movement in a large Sycamore tree. The movement turned out to be the Black throated gray warbler, that I was looking for...not the best looks but they where diagnostic enough to make a positive id..below is a photo taken the same day by another birder in the same area as I observed the species.

I returned to my car, with a total species of 27...that included two rare species for our area...the Black throated gray warbler and Catbird.

Until next time - good birding.