From: TimeTraveler To: Subject: Central PA Birdline for 10/12/2000 Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2000 9:37 PM - RBA * Pennsylvania * Central Pennsylvania * October 12, 2000 * PACE0010.12 Bird Highlights Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk Broad-winged Hawk Golden Eagle American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Sora Black-bellied Plover American Golden Plover Semipalmated Plover Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Dunlin Long-billed Dowitcher FRANKLIN'S GULL (Lancaster Co., PORC* needs documentation) Bonaparte's Gull Forster's Tern Blue-headed Vireo SEDGE WREN (Lancaster Co., PORC* needs documentation) Marsh Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush American Pipit Tennessee Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Palm Warbler NELSON’S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW (Lancaster Co., PORC* needs documentation). Fox Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco - Transcript Hotline: Central Pennsylvania Birdline Date: 12 October 2000 Number: (717) 255-1212 ext. 5761 or 5760 for menu To Report: (717) 255-1212 ext. 5761 (Voice) at end of birdline message Compiler: Mark A. McConaughy TimeTraveler@email.msn.com mcconaughy@delphi.com Coverage: Central Pennsylvania, Susquehanna River Drainage System Transcriber: Mark A. McConaughy Welcome to Pennsylvania Audubon's and the Patriot-News' Birdline. This Birdline covers sightings made primarily during the week prior to Thursday, October 12, 2000. Berks/Schuykill County: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary reports tabulating 23 TURKEY VULTURES, 40 OSPREY, 13 BALD EAGLES, 5 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 1154 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 205 COOPER’S HAWKS, 1 NORTHERN GOSHAWK, 9 RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, 6 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 75 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 6 GOLDEN EAGLES, 89 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 48 MERLINS and 23 PEREGRINE FALCONS between October 5 and 10 (LG, Hawk Mountain count web page). Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is located on top of Blue Mountain north of Reading. From Interstate 78, take PA Route 61 north to PA Route 895. Take PA Route 895 north to Drehersville, turn right onto SR 2018 and take it to the top of Blue Mountain and the Sanctuary. The Hawk Mountain homepage is: http://www.hawkmountain.org/index.html and daily counts are at: http://www.hawkmountain.org/count/index.html Cumberland County: Waggoner's Gap reported counting 10 BLACK VULTURES, 242 TURKEY VULTURES, 36 OSPREY, 10 BALD EAGLES, 19 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 1873 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 287 COOPER'S HAWKS, 4 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS, 10 RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, 2 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 160 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 12 GOLDEN EAGLES, 74 AMERICAN KESTELS, 36 MERLINS and 10 PEREGRINE FALCONS migrating past the site from October 5 through 11 (DG, CH). Waggoner's Gap is located north of Carlisle and just east of PA Route 74 where it crosses the top of Blue Mountain. Please note that Route 74 will be closed for construction until November 2000. The detour is as follows: at the square in Carlisle, take route 34 north. Follow it to the village of Carlisle Springs where you turn left onto route 944 west. Route 944 connects to 74 N at the base of the mountain. Turn right onto Route 74 and go up to the top of the mountain. Additional information about the site location can be found at: http://user.pa.net/~waggap/waggdir.htm Fulton County: The Haines-Seville Wetlands produced 1 GREEN HERON, 2 BLUE-WINGED-TEAL, EASTERN PHOEBE, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, 2 PALM WARBLERS, SAVANNAH SPARROWS, SONG SPARROWS and SWAMP SPARROWS on October 6 (DS). Huntingdon County: Stone Mountain Hawk Watch reported counting 21 OSPREY, 2 BALD EAGLES, 1 NORTHERN HARRIER, 335 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 69 COOPER'S HAWKS, 3 RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, 44 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 25 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 25 MERLINS and 18 PEREGRINE FALCONS between October 4 and 10 (GG). Stone Mountain Hawk Watch (elevation 2100, established 1991) is located on the Huntingdon/Miffli n County border in central Pennsylvania, about 20 miles south of State College. The hawk watch platform is located on a trail 1/3 mile north of the crossing of Stone Mountain ridge by the Allensville (dirt) road. It is a very rocky 10 minute walk for the nimble; and can be difficult for some folks. The site is usually staffed on weekends and sporadically during the week. Best days are on northwest or west winds. Lancaster County: Birds seen at Conojehela Flats on October 7 included 1 GREAT EGRET, 45 WOOD DUCKS, 32 AMERICAN WIGEON, 4 OSPREY, 2 immature BALD EAGLES, 48 AMERICAN COOT, 12 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 3 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS, 2 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 33 KILLDEER, 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 3 SANDERLINGS, 8 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 14 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 1 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, 1 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, 42 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 7 DUNLIN, 1 first winter FRANKLIN'S GULL, 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL, 1 FORSTER'S TERN, 50 TREE SWALLOWS, 1 BARN SWALLOW, 8 AMERICAN PIPITS and 3 BOBOLINKS (BS, JW, DH). Conojehela Flats are located in the section of the Susquehanna River that runs from Washington Boro to above Turkey Hill. The best place to view birds from the shore is from the end of Blue Rock Road, located about a mile south of Washington Boro. Turn right off of River Road and cross the railroad tracks, then turn left and drive to a large opening through the trees. A scope is needed to scan for shorebirds on Avocet Point from this spot. However, the best way to see the Flats is by boat. Please Note: A shorebird decoy flock is used to attract birds to Avocet Point and has now grown to 20 birds, including a Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, a few weird plovers, a possible Temminck's Stint, and a handsome American Oystercatcher. Several birds are a yet totally unidentified, and probably will remain that way (BS). A survey of the grass islands in the Susquehanna River near Bainbridge on October 11 found 1 SORA, 3 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 7 DUNLINS, 2 juvinile LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 1 SEDGE WREN, 9 MARSH WRENS, 50 AMERICAN PIPITS, 6 NELSON’S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS and over 25 SWAMP SPARROWS (DH). Mifflin County: Jack's Mountain Hawk Watch reported counting the following birds on October 4; 3 OSPREY, 2 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 78 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 2 RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, 1 BROAD-WINGED HAWK, 2 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 4 AMERICAN KESTRELS and 1 MERLIN (MK). Schuylkill County: Birds seen along the Woodland Trail at Tumbling Run watershed on October 10 included 1 MOURNING DOVE, 1 EASTERN SCREECH OWL, 2 DOWNY WOODPECKERS, 1 HAIRY WOODPECKER, 2 NORTHERN FLICKERS, 1 PILEATED WOODPECKER, 1 EASTERN PHOEBE, 2 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, 6 BLUE JAYS, 30 AMERICAN CROWS, 6 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, 10 TUFTED TITMICE, 1 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 11 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 8 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, 1 HERMIT THRUSH, 24 AMERICAN ROBINS, 1 GRAY CATBIRD, 100 EUROPEAN STARLINGS, 1 EASTERN TOWHEE, 2 CHIPPING SPARROWS, 2 FIELD SPARROWS, 1 FOX SPARROWS, 3 SONG SPARROWS, 20 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 5 DARK-EYED JUNCOS, 2 NORTHERN CARDINALS and 7 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES (TC). There also were 4 WOOD DUCKS at the dambreast (TC). Somerset/Bedford County: The Allegheny Front Hawk Watch reported tabulating 71 TURKEY VULTURES, 11 OSPREY, 6 BALD EAGLES, 1 NORTHERN HARRIER, 152 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 29 COOPER'S HAWKS, 5 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS, 1 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, 81 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 50 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 1 GOLDEN EAGLE, 13 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 11 MERLINS and 5 PEREGRINE FALCONS between October 4 and 10 (AB). Allegheny Front Hawk Watch is located east of Central City on the Somerset/Bedford County border off the end of SR 1035 (Lambert Mountain Road - DeLorme Gazetteer page 74, D2). Tioga County: Birds seen around Wellsboro on October 6 included 1 BLUE-HEADED VIREO, 1 TENNESSEE WARBLER, 10 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 1 EASTERN TOWHEE, CHIPPING SPARROWS, FIELD SPARROWS, SONG SPARROWS and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS (B). On October 6 at Tioga/Hammond Lakes there were 1 OSPREY, 2 adult BALD EAGLES, 1 RING-BILLED GULL, BLUE JAYS and 40 CHIPPING SPARROWS (B). Hill's Creek Lake produced 1 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, 1 GREAT BLUE HERON, 30 CANADA GEESE, 15 MALLARDS, 12 KILLDEER, 1 SOLITARY SANDPIPER, 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 8 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 3 RING-BILLED GULLS and 1 BELTED KINGFISHER on October 6 (B). There were several GREAT BLUE HERONS, 200 CANADA GEESE, 12 WOOD DUCKS, a few dozen MALLARDS and a SWAMP SPARROW at Tauscher Pond on October 6 (B). York County: Rocky Ridge Hawk Watch in Rocky Ridge County Park reported 14 BLACK VULTURES, 2 OSPREY, 2 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 29 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 5 COOPER'S HAWKS, 3 RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, 11 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 6 AMERICAN KESTRELS and 2 PEREGRINE FALCONS on October 7 and 8 (BM, PK, AS, RP). The following birds were observed on Brunner’s Island on October 10; 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, over 20 PALM WARBLERS, 7 LINCOLN’S SPARROWS and some WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS (DH). 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://members.delphi.com/MCCONAUGHY/web/currentbl.htm The address for the home page of the web site is: http://members.delphi.com/MCCONAUGHY/web/index.html Also, I now have a site where I can post birdlines as part of a bulletin board system. People can access both the current and older birdlines at: http://content.communities.msn.com/MarkMcConaughyHomePage/messageboard/gener al Web users should be able to view the MSn message board without getting a free MSn hotmail account. However, to reply to posts on the bb, you must have a hotmail account. *PORC = Pennsylvania Ornithological Record Committee. Rare bird sightings should be documented with written descriptions and photographs whenever possible and sent to PORC for review. I would like to acknowledge people who have contributed to this report; Ben (B), Anthony Barle (AB), Tom Clauser (TC), Laurie Goodrich (LG), Dave Grove (DG), Greg Grove (GG), Deuane Hoffman (DH), Craig Houston (CH), Phil Keener (PK), Margaret Kenepp (MK), Bob Moul (BM), Randy Phillips (RP), Bob Schutsky (BS), Dan Snell (DS), Al Spiese (AS) and Jeff Wentz (JW). I apologize if I have misspelled or mispronounced their names. I will try to acknowledge those people who have helped with the weekly report. 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: http://www.birdtreks.com I want to thank Bob for his reports and recommend booking one of his tours if you want to view local and extraregional birds. That is all for now. I'm Mark McConaughy thanking you for listening to the Central Pennsylvania Birdline. You can leave a message about any sightings you have after the end of this report. Have a good week and let me know what you see out there! -End Transcript ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mark A. McConaughy TimeTraveler@email.msn.com Bushy Run Battlefield mcconaughy@delphi.com P.O. Box 486 Harrison City, PA 15636-0468 (724) 527-5585 x103 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For Birdeast archives, and to join, leave, or change address, see: http://listserv.arizona.edu/lsv/www/birdeast.html