Lark Sparrow in Lancaster Pa

Every year I help with the Lititz CBC – this year it was held on Dec 29 – and I was helping Bruce Carl in his section 12 area – which is in and around the Elm/Locust Grove area of Lancaster county.

The day was cool and overcast with rain forecast starting in the early afternoon…so our game plan to hit all the ‘hot’ spots before the rain began. We started the day owling at 4am and had Saw whet, Great Horned and Screech Owl before the sun had risen.

The day was proceeding as planned when we arrive at a woodlot along Boyer Run Road around 1:45 pm – we noticed a few Junco’s, White Throated sparrows some other birds moving around the area. We scanned those birds and as we are standing along the roadside talking – another bird popped up – a lighter colored slightly larger bird then the other sparrows we had been seeing…we immediately put our bins on the bird and where amazed to see a Lark Sparrow.

















Needless to say, we where both rather excited about this rare find. As of this writing the Lark Sparrow has been hanging around the same area and been providing many birders the opportunity to add a rare bird to their PA and overall life list. It always amazes me where these rare birds show up and how the are mostly accidently found – makes you wonder how many are out there that we don’t know about. Below is a link to the ebird hotspot with directions and recent sightings.

Lark Sparrow ebird hotspot

The moral of the story – keep looking at all the birds you see as you never know what you will see in your bins or where it will show up…. perhaps the next rare bird will be in your backyard.

Until next time

Pink Footed Goose in Lebanon County

A Pink Footed Goose was being reported in nearby Lancaster county since mid February but none had been reported in Lebanon county.

On March 22, 2020 a Pink Footed Goose was found and reported on a pond at Middle Creek wildlife area. The pond was in Lebanon County.

After I saw the notice on the Pa rare ebird alert, I drove to MCWA and was lucky enough to see the species. There where several other birders when I arrived and someone pointed the gooses location out to me.

The sighting of the Pink Footed Goose was unofficially a first Lebanon county record.

I took some very poor quality pictures thru my scope with my iPhone and they are posted below.

Several unusually species have been showing up in the area (and around the country), so keep your eyes opened  - you may the one reporting the next rare bird in your area.

Until next time

Hanalie NWR Hawaii April 13 & 14, 2019

My families last two days in were April 13 & 14 on Kauai. This is a beautiful Island and we enjoyed traveling around it and enjoying it's many sites and activites.

I did get to do some birding on our travels as we visited the Hanalie NRW.  The Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge on the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi. It is located within the Hanalei River Valley along the island's northern shore. The Refuge was established on 30 November 1972 for the conservation of endangered plants and animals, especially the Hawaiian stilt, Hawaiian coot, Hawaiian gallinule and Hawaiian duck.(see link below).

 Hanalei NWR

We arrived at Hanalie around 9:30am and started our tour of the area. I was searching for Hawaiian Duck that had eluded me so far on the trip. One of the first species we saw was a Scaly Breasted Munia -  another lifer to my life.

Scaly breasted Munia

We continued our exploration of the area and observed 17 species other species including the target species - Hawaiian Duck. Actually, it looked very similar to the Mallards I see back home in Pennsylvania.

Hawaiian Duck

We left the NWR with a total species count of 17 and my life list for trip standing at 44.

We did continue to explore the island, and revisited Kilauea Point NWR were I added the last lifer for the trip - the Great Frigatebird.

I ended my Hawaiian vacation with a total of 45 lifers and my overall life list at 550.

Great Frigatebird

Our last day in Hawaii was April 14, we had an early flight to SF - unfortunately no birding was done except what we saw on the way to the airport.

I can't wait to return the Hawaii Islands sometime in the future.

Until next time.

Hawaii - Kauai birding - April 12, 2019

After arriving in Kauai and picking up our rental car we traveled https://www.fws.gov/refuge/kilauea_point/ Kilauea Point NWR in search of off shore waterfowl in particular the Laysan Albatross, Red Tailed tropicbird  and Red Footed Booby.

We paid our entrance fee and found a parking spot at the near full lot and walked a short distance to the overlook and were stunned and amazed at the site before us.

There on the cliffs where over 600 Red Footed Booby's. I was speechless at the site. I have heard stories but never expected what I saw...it was a birders paradise.

Red Footed Booby

Red Footed Booby

After recovering my senses, and a many minutes of observation, we moved on in search of our other target birds. We didn't have to go far before we spotted a Laysan Albatross & Wedge Tailed Shearwaters.

The Laysan Albatross where taking off from the so called 'albatross hill' and watching them making the running start before taking flight was an amazing experience.

Laysan Albatross - lifer 542

Laysan Albatross

Laysan Albatross in flight  - and amazing wingspan

The wedge tailed Shearwaters where nesting in the sands right along the walkways...quite and amazing site.

Wedge Tailed Shearwater - lifer 541

Shearwater's in flight

As we moved toward the lighthouse, we spotted both Red & White Tailed tropicbirds - all our target birds in less than 1 hour...amazing.

We spend the next 2 hours there (until they closed and we had to leave) and planned on returning before leaving and the 14th.

In addition, I added a Warbling White Eye to my life life...which now stood at 545

Warbling White Eye lifer - 543

I have already added 41 species to my life list - how many more would I add before leaving in two days...the next post will hi-light the birds I saw on our last two days in Hawaii.

Until next time - good birding.

 

Golden Plovers sighted in Lebanon County Pa

On August 30, 2019 several Golden Plovers where sighted in a small flooded field in South Lebanon township, Lebanon County Pa.

Golden Plovers are a very rare sighting in this part of the county and I was excited to get a chance to view them.

As the sighting location was only 6 miles from my home, I packed my gear and headed there soon after the reporting. I arrived to find many other birders at the area. This was a good sign. As I parked and walked toward the area were everyone was looking, I didn't even need my bins to spot the plovers.

I set up my scope and took a few photo's with my iPhone for my records. I lingered watching the Golden plovers for quite a while talking to many birders as they came and went.

It's nice to see these rare species, but it has me wondering why there are so many showing up in the last few months...could it be global warming and changing migration patterns....only time will tell.

Golden Plovers

Golden Plovers

Until Next time