This spring, Richard Crossley is releasing a really interesting new bird guide, based on photoshopping multiple images of the same species into one meta-image. The result will be a plate that shows how the bird looks in different settings (in flight, perched, large flocks, etc). In anticipation of the release, Princeton University Press has been posting a couple short videos he has been making about birding. Enjoy! [swf src=”http://press.princeton.edu/video/crossley/why_birding2.
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Cameron and I birded around Philadelphia today, starting at Tinicum where we found lots of ducks and good numbers of Rusty Blackbirds as well a young male American Redstart. Bonus points go to whoever can find the redstart in the images below. I tried my best but it was so active I couldn’t get it in the viewfinder. Afterwords we ran up to the sewage treatment plant just below the Betsy Ross Bridge and found over 100 N. Rough-winged Swallows but no Cave Swallows.
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While spending some time in Lancaster over Thanksgiving, I was able to get out and drive the farm fields looking for birds. One interesting bird phenomenon of the region is the large flocks of blackbirds that roam the fields during winter, presumably attracted by all the grain remaining in the fields after everything is harvested. The flocks usually consist of large numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles. Mixed in the flock in smaller numbers are Brown-headed Cowbirds and European Starlings. With a blackbird congregation this large, it is sometimes possible to pick out a Yellow-headed Blackbird or Brewer’s Blackbird in the flock. No such luck yesterday though. I took a couple videos to give you an idea what the flocks are like.
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For the fourth day of our trip, on the 22nd, we really didnt have anything planned, so we figured we would just spend some more time at the Avalon Sea Watch since we all had a great time there. So after a quick stop at Higbee Beach (where bird activity was basically nonexistent) we drove over to Avalon. As we expected, Northern Gannets, Red-throated Loons, and scoters were still pushing through in massive numbers. Other highlights of the Sea Watch were some Purple Sandpipers, a banded Sanderling, and getting to see many species of waterfowl flying past on their way south. Sanderling with leg band Ruddy Turnstone with some line stuck around its foot Surf Scoters migrating past Finally, it was the 23rd and we had to head home.
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On Sunday morning, November 21st, we started off the day by going to Reed’s Beach in Cape May. It was pretty slow and there wasnt too much around, but we did find 5 Boat-tailed Grackles perched in the top of a tree. Boat-tailed Grackle Next, we drove over to the Cape May Hawk Watch at Cape May Point State Park. They were having a fairly slow day as far as actual raptors migrating out of Cape May and crossing the Delaware Bay, but plenty of raptors were soaring around. The highlight of the morning was a sub-adult Golden Eagle that first appeared to the northeast, soaring and slowly made its way a bit closer to us for some good looks.
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This afternoon I was able to drive over to the Mountain Springs Camping Resort near Hamburg to see the Anna’s Hummingbird that was captured and identified by Scott Weidensaul last Sunday. This is the first time this species has ever been seen in Pennsylvania, so it was quite a treat, especially since just last winter, PA added Allen’s Hummingbird as a new state species. That bird was also banded by Scott Weidensaul. Scott identified the Anna’s Hummingbird as an adult female. While I was there, the bird showed itself three times. Once at 12:17pm for a few seconds as it landed in a tree outside M75, then again at 12:28pm for a few seconds when it flew over to M69 and fed from another hummingbird feeder, and then finally again at 12:37pm when it perched in the top of a tree outside M75 for about 1.5 minutes.
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Last Friday, November 19th, was the start of our Thanksgiving Break so my friends and I decided to go to Cape May, NJ for some birding with the hope of getting Tim and Josh some life birds and get me a few year birds for my Big Year. Nate Fronk, Tim Schrekengost, Josh Lefever, and  a friend of Nate and Tim’s, Cory, and I were all packed up and ready to go Friday morning and made it to Brigantine, NJ by 2:00pm. Our first stop was the Forsthye National Wildlife Refuge. We birded the refuge till dark then went to our campsite in the Bass River State Forest. We managed to find close to 40 species at the refuge.
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Soon after I arrived at Colyer Lake to look for the previously reported Red-throated Loon, I noticed a slate-blue male Merlin perched along the shore. After getting a first shot, it took off from its perch, flew about 100 feet and snatched a bat out of mid-air before returning. Then it proceeded to nosh down on the bat while i took more digiscoped shots. Click on the photos to see them in all their zoomed in, pixelated glory.
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On my way home from seeing the Anna’s Hummingbird, Cattle Egret, White-winged Crossbill, I found out that Nan Butkovitch had reported a Red-throated Loon at Colyer Lake. Not having that for the year in PA I decided to stop. In addition to the Red-throated Loon, 31 Tundra Swans came in while I was there and a merlin caught and eat a bat. Pretty eventful for a short stop. I digiscoped a bunch of shots as the Tundra Swans were coming in and posted the best. I will get the Merlin photos up tomorrow.
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