This is one of the eastern screech owls we have caught at the saw-whet banding operations. There are usually one or two that get curious enough each year to get caught in the nets.
A couple weeks ago I started at a new job as the field tech for the Northern Saw-whet Owl telemetry project run by the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in central PA.
So far most of the time has been spent training and waiting for the owls to begin migrating thru our area. Due to several factors including weather, saw-whet migration is behind normal schedule but we have radio-tagged one saw-whet owl so far, Xena.
We also radio-tagged a screech owl, Skreech, for training purposes while we were waiting for our first saw-whet. Here is a shot of her, high up in a chestnut oak staring down at us.
I took some distance shots of the Red-necked Phalarope that is in a flooded field on Evansville Rd in Berks County. Pretty far away for a good picture but it was neat to watch it actively swimming around. Hopefully it will stick around for a few days for more people to see it. Check out the map below for directions.
View Red-necked Phalarope in a larger map
Yesterday at Speedwell Forge Park in northern Lancaster County, PA I came across a pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers building a nest and pulling material from the tent catepillars tent. I was able to get pretty close as they flew in and out and got some neat pictures and a video. Enjoy!
recent sightings
