Spring in Philadelphia - Heinz NWR

Plenty of signs of Spring at Heinz refuge in Philadelphia in the form of early migrants and early nesting activity.

A particular treat today was the presence of a pair of Blue-winged Teal, which I have found to be uncommon on the mid-Atlantic coast and rare in Vermont.

Blue-winged Teal

Blue-winged Teal - pair

 The eagles appear to be on the nest, but too distant for any photos. In the early migrant category, Eastern Phoebes are "fee - bee - ing", and a flock of Pine Warblers proclaimed their buzzy presence ...

Eastern Phoebe

Pine Warbler

In the early breeding/nesting activity category, there was vigorous singing by cardinals, Song Sparrows, blackbirds, and robins. A mallard hen was on the nest while her mate kept wary watch nearby.

Mallard - hen on nest

American Tree Swallows were staking claim to nest boxes and actively seeking to pair bond.

American Tree Swallows

American Tree Swallow

Carolina Wren males were singing with enthusiasm. I observed several individuals who were giving a buzzy call, were not singing, and who appeared to be in early stages of finding/building nests in hidden places.They were also less richly colored. I suspect these were females.

Carolina Wren (female?)

Carolina Wren (female?)

A good opening chapter to the season of really Good Birding!!

Spring Signs - 1

There have been lots of Spring Signs around the Philadelphia area during the last week.

At Heinz NWR the Rusty Blackbirds were back and the boys were singing there thin little blackbird song, while in the air the Tree Swallows were twittering their love songs and looking for territory to claim as their own.

Rusty Blackbird

American Tree Swallow

Not quite so quiet were the Red-winged Blackbirds, the Song Sparrows, and the chickadees (who provided photo ops), along with robins, cardinals, and wrens.

Red-winged Blackbird

Song Sparrow

Carolina Chickadee

Turtles were soaking up the sun, and the first butterfly of the season flittered through the woods, and toads were croaking their love song.

Eastern Comma

Waterfowl are decked in their finest (I never tire of the handsome shovelers or pintails).

Northern Shovelers

Along the Wissachickon Creek Wood Ducks (I counted at least 30) were resplendent.

Wood Duck (drake)

Wood Ducks

Wood Duck (hen)

 Good Birding!! and Happy Spring!

Still Here! Brattleboro CBC

I'm still here, although for various reasons I have not posted for several weeks.

Yesterday we did the Brattleboro Area Christmas Bird Count in southeastern Vermont. Rain held off and we had a good count, with 56 species recorded.

Highlights included
 -- Barrow's Goldeneye among several hundred waterfowl coming in to roost above the Vernon Dam in the late afternoon (previous cw in '04 & '10)
-- Rough-legged Hawk seen near the fish hatchery along Connecticut River (last record '04)
-- count week Common Grackle  (last record cw '06)
-- count week White-crowned Sparrow (last records '90, '92)

The White-crowned Sparrow was at my feeders. I photographed it on December 14. It was seen everyday through December 20.

White-crowned Sparrow - South Newfane

Northern Cardinals have been common at my feeders this month. A resident pair plus a "flock" of 5 males and 4 females; I suspect these are yearling birds yet to pair and establish territory. Cardinals in Vermont are colonizers from the south. Old-time Vermonters often look askance at "flatlanders," but cardinals seem to be the exception ... and for good reason ...

The backyard feeders also host the "snowbirds" who come south to enjoy to temperate winters of Vermont (temperate? really) and the several residents like the chickadees ...

American Tree Sparrow

Black-capped Chickadee

Good birding!

LBJs - IDs for Exercises 11 & 12

Song Sparrow (default sparrow) - see! We don't need to use the breast spot to ID this songster.

Pine Siskin

American Tree Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow (l), Blue Grosbeak, female (r)

Fox Sparrow (foreground), White-throated Sparrow (2)

White-throated Sparrow (l), White-crowned Sparrow (r)

Purple Finch, female (foreground), White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco (background)

Song Sparrow (foreground), White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco

LBJs - IDs for Exercises 9 & 10

If you are following these LBJ posts, I hope they are getting easier for you. Exercise 9 was posted last Thursday. Exercise 10 was posted Sunday.

#41 - American Tree Sparrow - similar to juvenile White-crowned and juvenile Chipping. Note warm wash on sides, sometimes a breast spot. Study the bird guides for differences in size and shape

#42 - Chipping Sparrow

#43 - Indigo Bunting, female - Note traces of blue on the wings, finch-like beak

#44 - House Finch, female

#45 - Swamp Sparrow

#46 - Rose-breasted Grosbeak, female

#47 - Savannah Sparrow

#48 - Song Sparrow

#49 - Song Sparrow - See! You don't need to see the breast spot to ID this sparrow.

#50 - Pine Siskin







Good Birding!!

LBJs - IDs for #7 & 8

#31 - American Tree Sparrow

 #32 - Field Sparrow

 #33 - Fox Sparrow

 #34 - Purple Finch, female

#35 - Seaside Sparrow -a large and awkwardly shaped sparrow found in the coastal salt marshes. Habitat is one of the best "field marks." Drab, with just a hint of yellowish lores. Big bill and a tail that looks like it has been clipped off with scissors, if you manage to get any kind of a look at it.

#36 - White-crowned Sparrow - an adult in molt. Note the absence of a tail.

#37 -White-throated Sparrow (oops - I did not catch the typo until after this was posted, but this is truly a White-throated, not a White-Crowned)

#38 - Seaside Sparrow - singing male, if you can call his buzzy hissing a song.

#39 -White-crowned Sparrow, juvenile

#40 - Lincoln's Sparrow