The morning started out a little slow, as we met Tim Shreckengost at the Scotia Ponds, where he had a few shorebirds scoped out, including a Lesser Yellowlegs, 6 Least Sandpipers, 2 Spotted Sandpipers, and a Solitary Sandpiper. On Sunday, as the hurricane passed, someone had reported a Red-necked Phalarope here, but not many people had a chance to see it before it apparently zoomed off. There were also a few Canada Geese and Wood Ducks, and a few Common Nighthawks flew over, along with a male Northern Harrier. Tim spotted a flycatcher on a snag, and it turned out to be an Olive-sided Flycatcher…a new Centre county bird for Alex and I, and a new state bird for Tim! Nate Fronk and Drew Webber stopped by too, to check it out.
Warblers were slow as the sun rose on the dreary horizon, but a Tennessee Warbler made a brief appearance. Everyone else left, but Alex and I headed up the road to the warbler hot spots. As soon as we arrived at one of the hotspot clearings, a mixed flock was moving through. It was a little overwhelming at first, since I haven’t birding in PA much this year, but whoever says the skill of identifying fall warblers can leave you must not go birding enough in the fall. In my opinion, once you learn them, you can never forget them. Red-eyed Vireos were darting around, as were Magnolia Warblers, and a male Hooded Warbler was singing nearby. It the near bushes amongst Gray Catbirds and Eastern Towhees, loads of Chestnut-sided Warblers were bouncing around, posing nicely for photos. A few Pine Warblers made brief appearances, and I thought I got a quick glimpse of a Cape May Warbler (Alex later spotted a pair!). High in the tree tops, a Black-throated Green Warbler darted away with the majority of the flock, and in the distance where the flock headed, we picked out a few Blackburnian Warblers chasing each other. Titmice and Chickadees were also darting around eating berries, as a Downy Woodpecker investigated some dead trees nearby, and a Least Flycatcher fluttered above our heads. A Blue-winged Warbler made a brief appearance, reminding me that the majority of these birds are not only Centre County birds for me, but also year birds! (Have I mentioned that I love PA in the fall?!) In the distance, Great-crested Flycatchers were calling, and I briefly got looks at their large bodies dropping through the branches, looking more like large clumsy bats in comparison to the fast and skillful branch crawling and hopping of the warblers. Eventually a few American Redstarts came into view and few and started calling, and Black-and-white Warblers were jumping around an apple tree fighting over worms. At this point I was in warbler overload mode, and started snapping photos of anything that moved; this was our third large flock of the morning! Chestnut-sided Warblers and Common Yellowthroats were the most oblivious warblers, staying very close to the road…so close that I wish I had my 300mm lens on versus my 400mm. Eventually, Alex spotted a Canada Warbler where I was photographing American Redstarts, and within a few minutes I was surrounded by more Chestnut-sided Warblers, Black-and-white Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, and angry Magnolia Warblers who were intent on getting rid of a single Canada Warbler. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers also hopped around nearby with a Hooded Warbler. Somehow I managed a few decent shots of most of the warbler species we saw, but the Blackburnian and Cape May Warblers stayed high in the trees out of reach of my lens. A Bay-breasted Warbler made a very brief appearance, and as fast as they had arrived, they were all gone, leaving Scotia silent except for the calls of a few Gray Catbirds.
Black-and-white Warbler - first fall male
Black-and-white Warbler - first fall male
Chestnut-sided Warbler - female
Chestnut-sided Warbler - first fall male
Hooded Warbler - male
American Redstart - first fall male
American Redstart - first fall male
Magnolia Warbler - first fall male/adult female
Magnolia Warbler - first fall male/adult female
Better brush up on your warbler booty IDs....Common Yellowthroat
Another bird booty....Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Star of the day! Canada Warbler - probable female
Canada Warbler - probable female
Sick looking bird of the day....Pine Warbler? This little guy looked a bit rough and was noticeably slower than his flock mates. He was so slow, we saw him at least 5 different time, almost unheard of for a healthy fall warbler! I am fairly sure it is just a Pine Warbler, possibly on the edge of death.
This post is a part of WORLD BIRD WEDNESDAY!!!! :o) :o) :o)
