owls - Nemesis Bird

11May/121

Somerset County Big Day, Spring 2012

Somerset County Spring '12 Big Day

On Sunday May 6, Jeff Payne, his son, Chris and I decided to do a big day in Somerset County PA. We were shooting for 150, a total Jeff thought would be very hard to hit in this county. We loosly planned a route in the days leading up to our big day, but did not put too much effort into really laying out a schedule. We met at 3am and headed out for owls, rails, and whatever else we could get before light.

3:30 am- We started the day at the Buffalo, a private wetland where we hoped to get Sora or Virgina Rail, Bittern and others. It was bright out, in fact the moon was full and at perigee, and the closest it will be to earth in 2012. It was so bright many birds were singing like it was dawn chorus! American Robin was our first bird, many sang loudly as we got out of the car. Solitary Sandpiper and Swamp Sparrow quickly became #2 and #3. We spent a long time trying to get rails and bitterns, but after a lot of calling, only Virginia Rail obliged us with a call back! Black-billed Cuckoo and Dickcissel were heard migrating overhead, and a calling Killdeer brought us to 7 species.

Mt Davis, you can see how bright the moon is!

4:30am- We arrived at the Mount Davis area, beginning in an area hit by a series tornadoes many years ago. It is a great spot for Whip-poor-wills, which we quickly ticked. The extremely bright moon made for an interesting early morning, with so many species calling as if it were day. We added 34 more species by 6:30am making many stops in this area. Highlights were Canada, Black-and-white, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue Warbler. We also nearly struck out on Owls, until on one of our last night stops we finally got one to call back to us, a Northern Saw-whet Owl! Total Species tally: 41

6:30am- We moved down in elevation a bit to Deer Creek Lake area scoring a slew of woodpeckers, including Hairy which can easily be missed on big days. We also picked up 9 species of warblers and 4 species of Flycatchers, including Louisiana Waterthrush, Blackburnian Warbler, Great Crested and Acadian Flycatchers. These series of stops landed us 36 more species. Total Species tally: 77

Jeff an Chris Payne scan High Point Lake

7:45am - We arrived at High Point Lake to a Green Heron still doing its night flight notes as it flew around. Pretty neat! Even though the lake was fairly baren, we still picked up several key birds. Pied-billed Grebe, Common Loon and Bald Eagle were amongst the birds we saw. But the highlight hands down was an American Bittern which flushed when a boat with two fisherman got too close to it. It flew around the bend from them and perched on the bank allowing me to get it in the scope for everyone else! Awesome bird and a great quick look. The High Point area was good for 19 species. Total Species Tally: 96

Black Vultures can be difficult in Somerset County

9:30am- After spending a bit more time than we wanted to in some spots we finally arrived in Confluence/Ursina area. We quickly picked up many more warbler species including Kentucky, Worm-eating, several Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers and a Yellow-throated and Pine, both of which made us work a little too hard to get them. We also picked up 2 key vireos- Yellow-throated and White-eyed, as well as Common Merganser and one key vulture- Black, which can be hard in this county. These stops added 24 species.
Total Species Tally: 120

Blue-winged Warbler singing

Golden-winged Warbler gleaning little caterpillars

1:30pm We started working our way north to Somerset Lake. One important stop early on was in a spot with a nice overlook of several ridges. We spotted many soaring raptors moving along the ridges, which were most likely resident species just up soaring around. Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged and Raven were all new. A Prairie warbler was also added nearby. A little furthur north we stopped by a known Kestrel nest and added it to the tally. Now almost to Somerset, we decided to hit an Upland Sandpiper location I had found many years ago. The car was not even stopped when we heard the distictive loud song from the field in front of us! We also noticed in the adjacent field there was a good number of shorebirds. Here we added Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, American Pipit, and Semipalmated Plover. Before we left we saw 3 more Upland Sandpipers standing out in the field, making a total of 4!! One last detour before Somerset for a scouted Red-headed Woodpecker, and several minutes later 2 flew by chasing each other. This can be a tough bird, usually only on big days though These stops added only 13 species, but some tough ones though. Total Species Tally: 133

2 Upland Sandpipers in front of us, total of 4 we saw at this site!

3:30pm We arrive at Somerset Lake. Like High Point, Somerset Lake was pretty devoid of birds too. However, there were a few species of waterfowl and gulls. We found Bonaparte's and Ring-billed Gull, Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall, American Wigeon, a single Ring-necked Duck, Coot, and Double-crested Cormorant. We also made one error here, forgetting to stop at the place I had scouted for White-throated Sparrow... It will come back to haunt us later. We added 11 species. Total Species Tally: 144

5:30pm We made a quick stop for Mute Swans before arriving at Quemahoning Reservoir. The Que was a bit disappointing. Nothing much there and we only added one species, Red-breasted Merganser. Both stops only garnered 2 species. Total Species Tally: 146

6:15pm We decided to go out of our way for a few grassland species we had yet to get. It was a reliable spot, so it was worth the chance this late in the day. We arrived in the vicinity of Flight 93 and quickly got the three we needed- Horned Lark, Vesper and Henslow's Sparrow. Added 3 species. Total Species Tally: 149

One of the grassland bird spots near Flight 93

Horned Lark

7:30pm A quick stop at a scouted micro-habitat hoping for breeding Northern Waterthrush since we did not find a migrant. It was there! Running back to car... and Wooooaaahh BARRED OWL calling, nice!! Two more down! Total Species Tally: 151

7:50pm We arrive at a local wetland complex. It was late and we were not coming up with anything new. But half way in we saw 2 Rusty Blackbirds. We stopped at many spots to call for Sora Rail, but nothing. The sound of the peepers was a bit deafening to hear much over them, but we tried and could not get one. Then out of the north, about 1/2 hour after sunset, 2 Sandhill Cranes appeared, flying low over us and landed in the marsh behind us! Very Cool!! Total Species Tally: 153

2 Greater Sandhill Cranes coming into roost

9:30pm We made several stops calling for owls. At one, we had barely stopped the car and could hear a Screech Owl calling!! Total Species Tally: 154

10:30pm After stopping at half dozen more places calling for owls and listening, we spotted a Great-Horned Owl sitting along side of the road. It flushed up into a small grove of trees, and when the car got a few feet closer to where it had been 2 bunnies darted out. They got lucky this time! Total Species Tally: 155

11:30pm We made several more stops hoping for something to add, but nothing. All in all it was an awesome day, breaking the old Somerset County record and exceeding our target by 5 birds. Even-though we were just before the peak of spring migration, 28 of our species total was warblers! We had some huge misses, and a couple species we did not count because we all could not all get on them, but that always happens on big days. Better planning and route coordination next time may make the difference in breaking this record too. Midnight always comes too early, we wondered what we might have got if we planned better or did not miss some key birds, well it will have to wait until next time to find out!
GRAND BIG DAY TOTAL: 155 SPECIES!

Complete Big Day List

Canada Goose

Mute Swan

Wood Duck

Gadwall

American Wigeon

Mallard

Blue-winged Teal

Ring-necked Duck

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Ring-necked Pheasant

Ruffed Grouse

Wild Turkey

Common Loon

Pied-billed Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

American Bittern

Great Blue Heron

Green Heron

Turkey Vulture

Black Vulture

Osprey

Bald Eagle

Red-shouldered Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

American Kestrel

Virginia Rail

American Coot

Sandhill Crane

Semipalmated Plover

Killdeer

Spotted Sandpiper

Solitary Sandpiper

Greater Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

Upland Sandpiper

Least Sandpiper

Wilson's Snipe

American Woodcock

Bonaparte's Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Rock Pigeon

Mourning Dove

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Black-billed Cuckoo

Eastern Screech-Owl

Great Horned Owl

Barred Owl

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Eastern Whip-poor-will

Chimney Swift

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Acadian Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Least Flycatcher

Eastern Phoebe

Great Crested Flycatcher

Eastern Kingbird

White-eyed Vireo

Yellow-throated Vireo

Blue-headed Vireo

Warbling Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Blue Jay

American Crow

Common Raven

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Tree Swallow

Barn Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Black-capped Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

White-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Carolina Wren

House Wren

Winter Wren

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Eastern Bluebird

Veery

Hermit Thrush

Wood Thrush

American Robin

Gray Catbird

Brown Thrasher

European Starling

American Pipit

Cedar Waxwing

Ovenbird

Worm-eating Warbler

Louisiana Waterthrush

Northern Waterthrush

Blue-winged Warbler

Golden-winged Warbler

Black-and-white Warbler

Tennessee Warbler

Nashville Warbler

Kentucky Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Hooded Warbler

American Redstart

Cerulean Warbler

Northern Parula

Magnolia Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Blackpoll Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Pine Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-throated Warbler

Prairie Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Canada Warbler

Yellow-breasted Chat

Eastern Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Field Sparrow

Vesper Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Grasshopper Sparrow

Henslow's Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Scarlet Tanager

Northern Cardinal

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Indigo Bunting

Dickcissel

Bobolink

Red-winged Blackbird

Eastern Meadowlark

Rusty Blackbird

Common Grackle

Brown-headed Cowbird

Orchard Oriole

Baltimore Oriole

Purple Finch

House Finch

American Goldfinch

House Sparrow

Filed under: Big Day, blogging, ducks, families, General Info, gulls, hummingbirds, listing, owls, raptors, shorebirds, sparrows, swallows, warblers, waterfowl 1 Comment

23Mar/121

Birds to Look For – Centre Co, PA (Last week of March)

written by Alex Lamoreaux

This coming weekend marks the beginning of the last week of March. April is so close and beginning in just the first week of April, we will see huge pushes of newly-arriving spring migrants into our area. This last week of March is very important too, however, and I have tried to go through eBird bar charts for Centre County and make some predictions and offer some tips for birding this weekend and coming week.

Northern Shoveler (male in molt) - This week is your last best chance to see this bird in the county until next fall! (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

Waterfowl Peaks:

Perhaps the most important event that is happening during this week, is that it is the last big peak of most waterfowl species through the county. American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Common Merganser, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneye are all at their peak levels throughout the county during this week. Most of these species may not be seen again until next November. The next few weeks also mark the peak levels and best chance to find a White-winged Scoter in the county. Horned Grebes are almost at peak levels right now - we had 96 around Bald Eagle SP on the morning of 3/22/12. Any rain and harsh weather events during this week should put down waterfowl and other waterbirds. Drew and I may try to plan out a day or two ahead of a weather event to see if we can have different people check particular bodies of water, that way we can really get total coverage of the county and really see what the weather was able to put down. Our best chance for both Red-necked Grebe and Eared Grebe (both very uncommon in the county) is this coming week - any Horned Grebe should be studied closely. We wont have another chance for those two grebes again until late next fall. On Sunday (March 25th) there is a State College Bird Club trip to Bald Eagle State Park - I highly recommend joining us for that trip.

Horned Grebes - one of the larger groups we saw at BESP on the 22nd; numbers should peak this coming week! (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

New Arrivals this Coming Week:

Bonaparte's Gull are going to increase in numbers at our larger bodies of water in the county, these next few weeks. (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

A fresh surge of new spring arrivals will hopefully occur this coming week. Osprey and Double-crested Cormorant should show up any day now at local hotspots. Bonaparte's Gull, which just began showing up in decent numbers over the past few days, should continue to build. Most of the overwintering Red-shouldered Hawks have moved out of the county and north to where they will breed. This coming week we should start to see migrant Red-shouldered Hawks passing through the county as well as potentially seeing (or more likely hearing) Red-shoulders staking out their territories. Great Egret is possible this week. Pectoral Sandpipers should become more regular as this week goes on - Tadpole Rd is the best option for finding them right now.

Northern Flickers should continue their invasion into the county this week, reaching peak numbers soon. Drew was already complaining about their constant chattering the other day at Millbrook Marsh. Brown Thrashers and Gray Catbirds should show up at various locations any day now. Yellow-rumped and Pine Warbler as well as Louisiana Waterthrush are all possible this coming week. I plan on checking some good looking waterthrush habitat one morning this week. Also, Ruby-crowned Kinglet should begin showing up in better numbers this week.

A few days ago, some of us saw the county's first Pine Warbler so far this year. I wouldn't be surprised if they started to become commonplace by the end of the month. (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

Continuing to Grow in Numbers:

Many spring arrivals that have already returned, seem to grow in numbers every day. Eastern Phoebe, Tree Swallow, Swamp Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, and Golden-crowned Kinglet are all growing to larger and larger numbers every day. Most of those species will officially peak during the first half of April. Fox Sparrow, a secretive and often over-looked sparrow in the county is currently at its peak numbers through our area - Scotia Barrens has had the highest numbers the past week, so that is a great place to check. Just walk the road, and listen for their loud and harsh chip note. The song of the Fox Sparrow is also fairly distinct.

Eastern Phoebe - one of my favorites. (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

If you have been out birding at all the past few days, you have probably noticed that there are LOADS of Song Sparrows around. Interesingly, this species is not even at peak levels yet! More individuals should arrive this week - I don't know if there is any more room!

Owls:

This week is realistically the last chance to try and hear (or see) a Long-eared Owl in the county, before most birds move north to their breeding grounds. We have heard a bird calling behind Scotia Range and there was also a Long-eared near the airport. Eastern Screech-Owls have begun nesting and so this week is the last good week for going out and hearing or trying to lure in a screech-owl.

Summary:

No matter what happens (rain or sun or whatever) this week should be great for birding. I hope to run in to a lot of you out in the field and if you aren't up to anything on Saturday morning (March 24th) consider joining us for our monthly bird survey of the Rockview Property, we are sure to see some interesting species out in those fields and brush. Drew and I also plan on posting daily updates on weather events in our area, with more tips on where to try birding that day.

With all this warm weather, many butterfly species have been out and about. A few days ago, I spotted by first few Eastern Commas along the trail back to the Tussey Mtn Hawk Watch (picture above). I also saw Moarning Cloaks and American Coppers around the county. (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

With all this warm weather, many butterfly species have been out and about. A few days ago, I spotted my first few Eastern Commas along the trail back to the Tussey Mtn Hawk Watch (picture above). I also saw Mourning Cloaks and American Coppers around the county. (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

2Feb/121

What’s in the box? Part One

written by Anna Fasoli

Over the past week I’ve been cleaning out American Kestrel nest boxes in Marion and Levy Counties. These boxes are most commonly mounted on utility poles or longleaf pine trees. Over the years, debris can pile up in nest boxes and make them nearly unusable for kestrels, especially if a squirrel has moved in. If a box has been used by kestrels, the floor is covered with a thick layer of bug parts, usually with a few pellets and feathers mixed in, and the walls are covered in white wash. If the debris isn’t too thick, we leave it, or add some wood shavings so the kestrels have somewhere to lay their eggs; they won’t bring in nesting material. Right now, pairs are starting to check out their nest boxes, and are perching very close to them. It is not uncommon to be dive-bombed by angry kestrels, but more often, the adults just sit on a powerline nearby and scream. One female sat within 10 meters of me, and waited rather impatiently for me to clean out the box. Still others sat at far distances and could have cared less that a human was investigating their nest cavity. Eggs will start being laid at the end of the month, so when I check boxes again in early March, I should start seeing them.

Sometimes, other cavity-loving critters can move into nest boxes. The big roomy space is irresistible to the three kinds of squirrels you can find inFlorida; the southern flying squirrel, the eastern gray squirrel, and the fox squirrel, and all are intent on stuffing the boxes full of leaves, moss, and babies. Gray squirrels live absolutely everywhere in Florida and are extremely common. These are likely the bird seed addicts that live in your back yard; they range in color from gray to grayish brown.

Fox squirrels are much less numerous, and are distinguishable from gray squirrels by their enormous size, bushy tail, and “black mask” that most adults show. There are 3 subspecies of fox squirrel inFlorida. The Big Cypress Fox Squirrel is found in the Everglades, and Sherman’s Fox squirrel is found in central Florida (where I am); both are listed as threatened. The third is found in the panhandle. Because they are threatened, we don’t mind that they take over nest boxes. Natural cavities in Florida are hard to find for all critters, so I am always glad to find the yellowish-brown bodies of baby fox squirrels in a box (although most of the time, I find gray squirrel babies!). Adult fox and gray squirrels can both be pretty defensive of their nests, and more than one time, an angry parent squirrel has stood its ground in the nest box, or run up the pole *while* I am on the ladder at their nest! While I don’t think I’d ever get attacked by a squirrel, an adult squirrel is pretty much the scariest thing to see when I open the door to a nest box. It even beats spiders and snakes.

baby eastern gray squirrels

Fox squirrel sitting on nest box

Fox squirrel sitting on nest box; refusing to leave!

On the not-so-intimidating side of squirrels is the southern flying squirrel. There is no way I could ever be afraid of those huge dark eyes on that super soft-looking little body. On chilly mornings, I’ve found up to 5 flying squirrels huddled together in nest boxes, and the last thing they want to do is leave their warm bed. If they don’t have babies, I give them a little poke, and most of them scatter while I clean out the box. I am sure they jump right back into the box after I leave though, because unlike the other 2 squirrel species, they choose to run up poles and trees rather than down.

Southern flying squirrel waiting for his chance to slip back into the nest box...

By far my favorite thing to see when I open a nest box is an Eastern Screech-Owl. Some are wide-eyed and awake and others are flat-out comatose. I haven’t found any on eggs yet, but I imagine my nest box checks in a month will reveal some. So far, I've encountered 4 different screech-owls. I didn't get a good look at the first, the second two were red phase, and the third was a gray phase. The gray phase owl was holding onto two eastern spadefoot toads! He was at first alert and active within the box, but then decided to completely shut down and go into "camo" mode, holding tightly to his spadefoots.

Eastern Screech-Owl - Red phase; this owl was active and "bill-clapped"

Eastern Screech-Owl - Red phase; this owl never opened its eyes and I had to move it around to look for eggs!

I also encounter many other nests made by a variety of cavity-nesting birds (think Eastern Bluebirds, Great Crested Flycatchers, European Starlings), but I'll save that for another post!