Central PA Birdline - RBA * Pennsylvania * Central Pennsylvania * August 24, 2006 * PACE0608.24 Bird Highlights American Golden Plover Semipalmated Plover Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Ruddy Turnstone Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (Lancaster Co.) SEDGE WREN (Lancaster Co.) - Transcript Hotline: Central Pennsylvania Birdline Date:August 24, 2006 To Report: .com Compiler: Mark A. McConaughy .com Coverage: Central Pennsylvania, Susquehanna River Drainage System Transcriber: Mark A. McConaughyWelcome to Pennsylvania Audubon's and the Patriot-News' Birdline. This Birdline covers sightings made primarily during the week prior to Thursday, August 24, 2006.
BEDFORD/SOMERSET COUNTIES: Allegheny Front Hawk Watch reported tabulating 1 BALD EAGLE, 9 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, 1 COOPER'S HAWK, 12 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 4 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 2 AMERICAN KESTRELS and 1 MERLIN between August 18 and 22 (JR, MMc, CM, MM). In addition, a BARRED OWL, 1 OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER were seen on August 22 (CM, MM).
CENTRE COUNTY:
A visit to Bear Meadows on August 19 found RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, WINTER WREN, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, 13 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, 10 HOODED WARBLERS and CANADA WARBLER (NB).
Birds seen at Scotia Barrens on August 23 included 1 OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, 10 EASTERN PHOEBES, EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, HOUSE WREN, AMERICAN ROBINS, GRAY CATBIRDS, 10 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS, 1 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, 1 PINE WARBLER, 4 BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS, 1 AMERICAN REDSTART, 10 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS and EASTERN TOWHEES (GG).
CUMBERLAND COUNTY:
Waggoner's Gap Hawk Watch reported counting 1 BALD EAGLE, 1 NORTHERN HARRIER, 2 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 2 COOPER'S HAWKS, 1 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, 12 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 1 RED-TAILED HAWK and 9 AMERICAN KESTRELS between August 18 and 22 (DG, CH, RF).
FRANKLIN COUNTY:
A CANADA WARBLER was seen above Upper Strasburg on August 19 (MO).
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, numerous PINE WARBLERS and 1 CANADA WARBLER were observed along the shore of Long Pine Reservoir on August 20 (MO).
JUNIATA COUNTY:
Birds seen along Route 235 near McAlisterville on August 19 and 20 included TURKEY VULTURE, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, EASTERN SCREECH OWL, BARRED OWL and AMERICAN CROW (CK).
One GREAT BLUE HERON flew down the Juniata river, 6 GREAT EGRETS were seen roosting across from the Mifflintown River Access and up to 1500 BLACKBIRDS were observed flying east near Mifflintown on August 22 (CK).
LANCASTER COUNTY:
Birds seen from a property near Gap on August 19 included 12 BLACK VULTURES, 5 TURKEY VULTURES, 1 BALD EAGLE, 1 COOPER'S HAWK, 2 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 1 AMERICAN KESTREL, 4 ROCK PIGEONS, 4 MOURNING DOVES, 1 CHIMNEY SWIFTS, 2 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, 1 DOWNY WOODPECKER, 1 EASTERN KINGBIRD, 1 BLUE JAY, 1 AMERICAN CROW, 7 PURPLE MARTINS, 4 TREE SWALLOWS, 5 BARN SWALLOWS, 1 CAROLINA CHICKADEE, 1 TUFTED TITMOUSE, 2 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, 36 AMERICAN ROBINS, 1 GRAY CATBIRD, 26 EUROPEAN STARLINGS, 2 CEDAR WAXWINGS, 1 CHIPPING SPARROW, 2 NORTHERN CARDINALS, 20 COMMON GRACKLES, 1 BALTIMORE ORIOLE, 2 HOUSE FINCHES, 3 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES and 11 HOUSE SPARROWS (PF).
Conejohela Flats yielded 12 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 2 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 3 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 9 BALD EAGLES, 1 PEREGRINE FALCON, 1 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, 4 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 40 KILLDEER, 4 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 1 SOLITARY SANDPIPER, 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 6 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 1 RUDDY TURNSTONE, 15 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 1 WESTERN SANDPIPER, 120 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 1 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 8 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 1 LAUGHING GULL, 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL, 2 CASPIAN TERNS, 10 BLACK TERNS and 8 FORSTER'S TERNS between August 21 and 22 (CR, PR).
LEBANON COUNTY:
Second Mountain Hawk Watch reported tabulating 1 BALD EAGLE, 1 COOPER'S HAWK, 29 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 8 RED-TAILED HAWKS and 2 AMERICAN KESTRELS between August 18 and 22 (RB, DS, GL).
MCKEAN COUNTY:
A family of 4 MERLINS was seen in a Bradford yard on August 22 (JF).
MONTOUR COUNTY:
A trip to the PPL Plant near Washingtonville on August 18 found 1 GREAT BLUE HERON, 1 GREAT EGRET, 2 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 1 PEREGRINE FALCON and 3 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS (WL).
SCHUYKILL/BERKS COUNTIES: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary reported counting 5 OSPREY, 4 BALD EAGLES, 2 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 2 COOPER'S HAWKS and 8 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS between August 18 and 22 (LG).
SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY:
Birds seen at or near Bonnie Dell Farm the last week included 500 CANADA GEESE, 4 WOOD DUCKS, 2 MALLARDS, 1 GREAT BLUE HERON, 2 ROCK PIGEONS, 15 MOURNING DOVES, 4 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, 5 EASTERN KINGBIRDS, 100 BLUE JAYS, 9 AMERICAN CROWS, 12 CEDAR WAXWINGS and 2 YELLOW WARBLERS (HF).
Closing Announcements:
If you miss the usual Thursday postings of the Central PA Birdline on BIRDEAST and PABIRDS, I will also be posting it on my page web site at: http://people.delphiforums.com/MCCONAUGHY/currentbl.htm The address for the home page of the web site is: http://people.delphiforums.com/MCCONAUGHY/index.html Also, people can access both the current and older birdlines at: http://groups.msn.com/CentralPABirdlinebackupfiles/messages.msnw
*PORC = Pennsylvania Ornithological Record Committee. Rare bird sightings should be documented with written descriptions and photographs whenever possible and sent to PORC for review. Send PORC reports to Nick Pulcinella, 613 Howard Road, West Chester, PA 19380.
I would like to acknowledge people who have contributed to this report; Nick Bolgiano (NB), Randy Brenner (RB), John Fedak (JF), Pamela Fisher (PF), Herb Flavell (HF), Ron Freed (RF), Laurie Goodrich (LG), Dave Grove (DG), Greg Grove (GG), Craig Houston (CH), Chad Kauffman (CK), Wayne Laubscher (WL), Gayle Lawrence (GL), Mark McConaughy (MMc), Che Mincone (CM), Marian Mincone (MM), Mik Oyler (MO), Peter Robinson (PR), Jim Rocco (JR), Cameron Rutt (CR), Dave Schwenk (DS). I apologize if I have misspelled their names and I will also refrain from naming that person on request.
I would also like to point out that one of the people who regularly reports to the hotline is Bob Schutsky, owner of BIRD TREKS Tours. Any one wishing to see birds along the Conojohela Flats should contact him about one of his boat tours of the area. He also leads birding tours in other areas of North and Central America. You can contact him at 717-548-3303 or at his new web site:
I want to thank Bob for his reports and recommend booking one of his tours if you want to view local and extraregional birds. -End Transcript
Mark A. McConaughy
Bushy Run Battlefield P.O. Box 486 Harrison City, PA 15636-0468 (724) 527-5585 x103