Cold morning eventually led into a hot afternoon. Started out with most of the regulars: Song Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Tree Swallows. Notably absent was Indigo Buntings, which we ended up catching! Not sure if they don't sing when on the nest or not or what was going on but the individual we captured was responding to playback. There was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the blueberry bushes in the middle of the fields. I have seen this before where there obvious leaf damage on shrubs. Other interesting birds were Least and Alder Flycatchers, White-throated Sparrows. in the fields. A Red-shouldered Hawk was in the far forest edge.
Tuesday:
Did three points at the Trumbower farm in Hunlock Creek. Site is full of Song Sparrows, Tree Swallows, and Common Yellowthroats. I kicked up a hen Wild Turkey with chicks. No Indigo Buntings or Common Ravens although these were picked up last year.
Wednesday:
zzzzzzz
Thursday: SGL221, Cresco, Pennsylvania
This shrubland was created by cutting down the overstory trees and then burning. It must be a few years since the shrubs, mostly young oaks and sweet fern, are head high and DENSE. It rained early in the morning so the shrubs were soaking wet. After a few minutes of walking through, so was I. Then it rained for 15 minutes or so, which saturated me completely.
There are few grasses so I wouldn't call this a grassland. The birds are more suggestive of a shrubland too. I picked up tons of Eastern Towhees, Gray Catbirds, Common Yellowthroats, but I even picked up a number of Field Sparrows. Again, there were few Indigo Buntings although I did have one come in in response to playback. I didn't get Golden-winged Warblers, despite the habitat being appropriate (I wouldn't call it perfect). There were a number of large trees left, which had Baltimore Orioles, Great Crested Flycatchers, and even Scarlet Tanagers.
Walking to the site was interesting too. There was a Least Flycatcher on the road and I kicked a Wild Turkey up on the edge of the site. There were some interesting plants on critters on the road too.
Friday: Lehigh Gap Nature Center and Kittatinny Ridge
Beautiful sites for sure. Not too many surprises except a Blue Grosbeak (BLGR) at Lehigh Gap Nature Center, which I picked up there for the past two years. Any female BLGR? That would be fantastic! And I also got to see a Worm-eating Warbler.
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