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

Snowy Egert in Lebanon County Pa

After being reported few a few days, on August 9, 2019 I decided to try and see the Snowy Egret that was being reported at the Quittapahilla  Educational  Wetland Preserve  in nearby Lebanon, Pa.

Quittie Wetland Preserve

Quittie Weland Preserve Ebird Hotspot

As I arrived in the parking area, there was no one else present...not a good sign...was the bird gone.

I walked the trail to the viewing platform and started scanning the area. After a short time, I spotted the Snowy Egret. Below are some rather poor quality pictures that I took with my iPhone thru the scope. The are definitive in that you can see the Snowy Egrets yellow feet on them

This was the first sighting of a Snowy Egret in Lebanon County in several years and the first Lebanon County sighting for me.

Snowy Egret - notice the yellow feet

Snowy Egret and Great Egret.

Until Next time

Hawaii - Maui birding - April 12, 2019

After packing and eating a quick breakfast - it was off to the airport for a short shuttle ride to Kauai...but first as we where passing the https://www.fws.gov/refuge/kealia_pond/ Kealia Pond NWR we decided to make one last stop.

As it turned out the stop proved rather productive as we added a Chestnut Munia and Java Sparrow to my life list.

Chestnut Munia

Java Sparrow

As we left Maui my life list was a 537.

We boarded the plane at 11:30am and arrived in Kauai at 12:45pm and after picking up luggage and rental car we headed for https://www.fws.gov/refuge/kilauea_point/ Kilauea Point NWR on the northern end of the island arriving at 3;30pm. My search for the Laysan Albatross was about to begin.

More on this on the next post.

Until then good birding.

Western Tanager in Bombay Hook NWR, Delaware

A Western Tanager was being reported over several weeks from mid-December. I had seen this species on my Arizona trips but had never seen it on the East coast.

So on January 2, 2020 several members of the local Audubon made the 3 hour trip to Bombay Hook NWR in an attempt to see the Western Tanager. It was a mild mid-winter day and drive was uneventful. We arrived around 10:45am to find the main parking around the visitors center full with lots of birders and photographers.

We parked, and started walking in the general direction of the visitors center and had only been there l/t 5 minutes when someone shouted...'there it is'.

Sure enough, less that 100 ft away feeding on some berry next the VC building was our bird - the Western Tanager.

We had great looks and after about 10 minutes it flew off, so we decided to drive the tour road as we had plenty of time before heading home later that afternoon.

On the tour road loop we had Long Tailed, Pintail, Black, Mallard, Ruddy, Green winged and several other duck species.

We ended the day with 43 species and started for home around 3:30pm - after another successful 'chase' for a rare bird species.

It was a great day and a nice start to my 2020 birding season.

Until Next time

Hawaii - Maui birding - April 10, 11, 2019

We arrived in Maui after a short flight from the Big Island and after picking up the rental unit drove to our hotel - the Grand Wailea  Grand Wailea hotel - Maui . After checking in, we decided to drive to the nearby Wai'Anapanapa State Park - where I observed two more life birds - a White Tailed Tropic bird and a Black Noddy. As it was getting late, we returned to the hotel for dinner and plan the next day's activities.

White Tailed Tropic Bird

Black Noddy

After breakfast we drove the the Kelia Pond NWR in search of the endemic Hawaiian Coot. We arrived shortly after 7am and were no sooner there when we spotted our taget bird: the Hawaiian Coot - another life bird for the trip #24

Hawaiian Coot

While at Kealia Pond NWR I also added Pacific Golden Plover, Wandering Tattler and African Silverbill before leaving for Homers Grove and Haleakala Natl Park. Haleakala Natl Park 

African Silverbill

As it was raining and very foggy we really didn't get to see much at the top of the volcano, although they told us the view is spectacular -maybe next time -  but we where there!

On the way back from the top of the volcano, we stopped at Homers Grove and I picked up two more lifers: Maui Alauahio and a Red Crested Cardinal #29 for the trip. 

Red Crested Cardinal

We returned to the hotel (after some stops a few beaches & lookoutd) for dinner and while walking around the grounds I spotted a Gray Francolin - lifer #30 for the trip.

Gray Francolin

After two days in Maui my life list now stands at 535.

The next post will look at our last half day in Maui and our first afternoon in Kauai and my search for a Laysan Albatross.

Until next time - good birding.

Hawaii - Big Island Birding - part 2

after we finished lunch on our guided tour of the Hakalau Forest NWR forest, we continue to travel along the downward trail continuing to see some of the same species as in the morning. There was still four endemic that I need to see to complete my target list: the Iiwi, Hawaii Akepa, Akiapolaau, and the Omao.


We saw several more  Hawaiian Creeper and the Hawaiian Goose or Nene.

We kept looking for the needed species and finally heard a Omao calling. We searched for the calling Omao for about 25 minutes before it finally showed itself...a rather secretive bird. I now only had 3 more endemics to go.

After watching the Omao for several minutes our guide heard another trget bird calling the Iiwi - and again we started our search. The Iiwi didn't prove to be as elusive as the Omao and we found several rather quickly. This quickly became one of my favorite birds for the entire trip - as you will see.

We watched to Iiwi feeding in the tree tops for several minutes and then continue our quest for the last 2 endemic species. We first heard and then a  Akepa while we where still watching the Iiwi's - a nice site watching them both in same view. The Akepa is a striking orange color and a species you willnot soon forgot after seeing them.

  We now only have 1 more endemic species to go and it would prove to be the hardest to find. We continue walking down and then ack up the trail several times over thec ourse of abut 2 hours...hearing Akiapolaau calling on several occasions but not being able to see them. 

Finally the guide found a pair and we all quickly rushed over to get some great looks at what because the #1 bird species for the day and maybe the entire trip. The Akiapolaau are absolutely stunning to see and watch. The needle beak is until anything have I ever seen...simple stunning! 

the finding of the Akiapolaau capped off a great day of birding and with some regret we started the trek back to our vehicle and the return trip. I must say it was one of the most interesting days of birding I have had and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Big Island. 

We arrived back at the guides vehicle with a total species count of 28 - not a particularly high count - but we had found al the endemics and the was the main purpose of the trip.

My next post will be on the birds I observed in Maui


Until then - good Birding

Hawaii - Big Island Birding

I traveled to Hawaii on a family vacation from April 4 - 13 and visited the Big Island, Maui and Kauai. while the intend of the trip was a family vacation - I did find some time to do a little birding.
On Monday, April 8 I had a guide hired for a day of birding in the Hakalau Forest NWR forest - the intend was to look for and find all the endemic honeycreepers on the Big Island.
I met the guide at 8am and we proceeded to the forest - a rather interesting drive over some unimproved dirt roads that took us over an hour to travel about 15 miles. But as you will see, it was worth the drive and wait. Here is a link to the refuge: refuge/hakalau



As we arrived at the restricted gated tract forest - you could only be impressed by the site of the native trees and plants and the work that we being done by a group of dedicated people to preserve the area.



After a short intro about the area, we started our walk and had not gone 100 yards when we spotted our endemic species - a Hawaiian Creeper (actually several at very close views). we also saw several other species with one of my favorites being the red-billed-leiothrix

Red Billed Leiothrix

Hawaiian Creeper

After watching the Creepers , we continued our walk toward the Old Barn Area and encountered a several more endemic species including: Apapane, Hawaii Amakihi (Hawaii),  and Hawaii Elepaio (Hilo coast), and Hawaiian Hawk.

Apapane - #1 target bird for the trip

Hawaii Amakihi

Hawaii Elepaio - Hilo

As we where taking a short rest break - a Hawaiian Hawk flew over - and we had apanane in the tree tops...does it get any better than that.

Hawaiian Hawk flying overhead 

We moved further down the trail and as 1pm approached we decided to stop for lunch. We ended our morning with 18 species.

The next entry will be on the afternoon of birding we had, and the many more species we saw and one that was rather difficult to find and took us almost 2 hours till we finally got some good looks at it.

Until then - good Birding