The Baypoll Blog

An Act of God

2015-02-01T16:08:00.000-08:00

An administrator here at Harvard once proclaimed that "Harvard University will close only for an act of God, such as the end of the world."

Classes began for the spring semester on Monday morning. We students were excited for the beginning of a new set of classes, but the massive winter storm headed our direction was the topic of most conversations. Winter Storm Juno was closing in on the East Coast with predictions of two to three feet of snow along with tremendous winds.

The university preemptively canceled Tuesday classes on Monday afternoon shortly after a State of Emergency was declared by Governor Baker. Whispers traveled through the lecture halls and cheers erupted from the halls. For many students, especially those from warmer climates, this was to be their first ever snow day.

I awoke to shovels scraping on the sidewalk on Tuesday morning and looked out the window in hopes of seeing the effects of the "historic" blizzard. Unfortunately, the wind had blown snow against much of the window, making it difficult to peer outside.

When I made my way downstairs and opened the door to the courtyard of Standish Hall, I saw that over two feet of snow was now piled where just a few inches had sat the evening before.

I wandered along the slushy sidewalks and made my way towards the Charles River. Memorial Drive, the typically-bustling riverside road was silent.

The sycamores lining the drive were splattered with windblown snow.

Some students deemed it a good idea to leave their bikes out for the winter. Without a shovel and plowed roads, cycling would've been rather difficult on Tuesday. Skiing was the most common form of transportation I saw on the major roads.

Snowball fights ensued and snowmen popped up between the river houses and around Harvard Yard. Some students even rode sleds (aka cafeteria trays and laundry baskets) down the steps of Widener Library.

Unfortunately, while other schools received notices of further closer through Wednesday, Harvard students were sent a message confirming that normal operations would resume the next morning.

Come Wednesday morn, students with boots laced them up and trudged to class through sidewalks that were only partially shoveled and through slush-filled crosswalks. Some crosswalks were not adequately shoveled, leaving piles of snow to jump over to reach to road. Many students elected to simply walk up and down the road, much to the dismay of people in automobiles.

And just as we're settling down from this storm, more is projected to fall within the next week. Up to a foot more. Welcome to New England, I guess.

Winthrop, Eliot, and Kirkland Houses before the major snowfall

A winter catbird

2015-01-22T21:23:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how a fresh layer snow—even just a dusting—can suddenly make birds more active. We got about half of an inch here last night, enough to obscure the frozen ground. I'm not sure if natural food sources were now inaccessible or what, but the feeders were more active this morning than during the past few days. A small flock of half a dozen goldfinches has been loitering in the trees on the edge of the yard, but this morning they dared to fill up the available perches on the hanging sunflower feeder.

As I headed outside around noon, the sun was just starting to poke through the overcast, and the haze in front of the mountain began to clear.

I crossed the road and headed to the edge of our field, where I thought I heard some sparrow commotion. Sure enough, I flushed about fifty birds into the brush. After the birds flew into woods, they sat atop the tangles of wineberry, barberry, and greenbrier long enough for me to get a quick look at them. Most were juncos and white-throated sparrows, with a smattering of cardinals, song sparrows, and American tree sparrows.

American tree sparrow

A few chickadees and titmice and a single downy woodpecker moved around in the walnut above me, but it was another bird that caught my attention. When a bunch of the sparrows took flight, a larger bird went with them. It was pretty far back, but I could see that it was dark, flew with its tail drooped down, and had noticeable dopey wing beats as it made this short flight. I was confused for a second, then realized it must have been a catbird! Gray catbirds are one of the most abundant summertime birds here, but it should be in Central America or at least the southern United States this time of year!
I've seen a few of these in the winter here in Pennsylvania, both during Christmas Bird Counts. However, this was the first wintering catbird I've seen on my property.

The bird eventually came out in the open, where I was able to confirm my identification and get a few quick photographs.

The catbird eventually took off along the forest edge and disappeared. About half and hour later, I was walking along a fencerow in another part of the field and found the bird again. This time, it was picking poison ivy berries off the vine alongside a Hermit Thrush.

poison ivy berries

My catbird is a perfect example of why I find winter birding so exciting. Sure, the bright warblers have left and nothing is singing, but there is a much higher chance of surprises. Western vagrants pop up, finches and owls invade from the North, and sometimes local breeders decide to stick around. Of course I love spring migration, but I basically know what to expect when I go out. That certainty is decreased somewhat in the winter months!

a wren's summer home... maybe home to a deermouse right now

Before I went back inside, a single pine siskin flew over the yard, chreeeeeeing as it moved west. Siskins are one of those winter finches I mentioned, and they are heading south with some redpolls right now. They've reached Pennsylvania just as I head back to the city for the spring semester, but I'm glad I got a glimpse of one before I leave home again.

American goldfinch and pine siskins at a feeder a few years back

Rebirth and Lovejoy

2015-01-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

Ever since I started this blog back in 2009, I have focused my posts on the exciting critters and plants that I found while exploring the outdoors. Then college happened. My time to write posts was greatly reduced, and more importantly, it became more difficult to spend time outdoors and away from the city.

As somewhat of a resolution for 2015, I've decided to revive The Baypoll Blog. While I will still write about nature as I have for years, this rebirth will allow me to expand my blog to my other interests. I have a passion for photography, other aspects of science, and music to name a few.

One such interest is astronomy, and there happens to be something new in the nighttime sky right now!

I first heard about Comet Lovejoy in an online post last week. The article showed a brilliant image of a bright green comet with a thin, turquoise tail behind. Intrigued, I headed outside with binoculars in hand on a recent clear night. I scanned the sky between Orion and Taurus until...

taken with a 400mm lens

There it is. That fuzzy green spot. After seeing all the dramatic pictures online, I was hoping for a little more than a blurry dot, but it was not to be. I suppose it makes sense that something 44 million miles away doesn't look too interesting through binoculars.

I have not seen many comets in my lifetime. I can only think of three. Vague memories remind me of my dad pointing out Hale-Bopp when I was quite young, then I saw Comet PanSTARRS almost two years ago:

Comets are interesting, as they come and go. I was lucky enough to see Hale-Bopp, but that particular ice and rock chunk won't come close to Earth for another two millennia or so. PanSTARRS may take over 100,000 years.

Meteor showers and comets convince people to peer into the night sky, but many of the fascinating interstellar phenomena that are visible every night are generally ignored! To me, seeing a galaxy full of stars and planets situated millions of light years away from Earth is more exciting than a small piece of rock that burns up as it enters our atmosphere! While I was out taking a look at Comet Lovejoy, I took a moment to find a few of my favorite space objects that are visible this time of year.

The first was Jupiter, which was sitting fairly low in the eastern sky. I became familiar with Jupiter in my senior year of high school, when I worked on a project that involved photographing Jupiter and its four Galilean moons. Here is a photo series taken over one night of observation, which shows Jupiter and its moons. With images like this, I was able to plot the sine curves that modeled the periods of Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto (and from there, it is possible to approximate some physical properties of Jupiter).

Jupiter hasn't changed much, but it is always incredible to look up and see what Galileo first noticed at the beginning of the 17th century.

Jupiter and two of its moons

Orion is a favorite constellation of many. His distinctive belt makes him easy to find—especially this time of year, when he stands at the southern horizon at dusk, then moves higher up in the southern sky through the night.

The three stars lined up on the top left constitute Orion's belt

Despite Orion's popularity, few people know about the nebula that sits right about where his knees should be.

A cropped version of the image above, showing the Orion Nebula

A nebula is a cluster of gas and dust, which acts as a center for the formation of new stars. This particular nebula resides with us in the Milky Way. The faint coloration of the nebula comes from the gas composition inside the cluster—primarily hydrogen and helium.

During my second semester at Harvard, I had a chance to explore another interesting interstellar object, supernova SN 2014J, which was located within the Cigar Galaxy (M82). I was able to use the fancy Clay Telescope to observe and photograph this exploding star.

The Cigar Nebula with SN 2014J

After reaching its brightest in January 2014, the supernova faded dramatically over the next few months. This GIF shows a similar view of M82 before and after the supernova:

source: Wikipedia

The next time you're out trying to find a comet or enjoying a meteor shower, take some time to consider and appreciate all that you've been missing in the nighttime sky. I've shared a few of my favorites, but there is much, much more to see. If Terry Lovejoy is any indication, maybe you'll find something new...

Finally a Snowy...

2014-01-26T14:04:00.002-08:00

This winter has been a tremendous year for finding Snowy Owls in the United States. While a few of these Arctic visitors can be found in the States most years, hundreds or maybe thousands of Snowy Owls have been observed irrupting from their typical northern wintering grounds to places as far south as Arkansas, Florida, and Bermuda!

These northern owls have captured the attention of everyone from nonbirders to bird researchers. For someone who is hardly interested in birding, the sight of a majestic, white owl could easily turn them on to the pleasure and excitement of the hobby. Scientists, too, are excited, as they see this winter's irruption as an opportunity to learn more about these visiting birds. A group of researchers rapidly got together funds and materials and began placing transmitters on Snowy Owls. Project Snowstorm has already placed transmitters on five owls in the Mid-Atlantic region. Maps tracking the movements of these owls can be found on the project website along with more information about Snowy Owl movements and biology.

These owls started showing up in this region just as I was getting into final exam period, so I did not have time to go looking. When I got home for the holidays, some of the owls that had been around had moved on, and my search for any others was fruitless. So, when I arrived back here in Cambridge, Massachusetts to begin my second semester, I figured that I was going to have to live without seeing a Snowy this year. However, I saw on eBird that one had been seen in the Boston area that morning--and even better, it was just a short walk from a subway stop! I got on the subway from the Harvard Square station and within thirty minutes I was near Revere Beach where the owl had been spotted.

The beach was covered with gulls, mostly Herrings with a few Ring-billed and Great Black-backs thrown into the mix. I walked out towards the breakwater, where I soon spotted the owl sitting about halfway out on the jetty. It was distant, but the coloration and posture was enough for the identification. I sat at the end of the beach for a while, hopping to get a better view of the owl, but it remained still. A small group of Ruddy Turnstones ran past me along the icy rocks and small rafts of Common Eiders floated a little ways offshore. While scanning some rocks out in the water, I noticed a single Harbor Seal "perched" atop a rock, presumably enjoying the brief bit of sunshine.

As I walked back along the beach, I looked back to get another peak at the Snowy Owl. He must have flown, because he was now perched at the very end of the jetty, providing only a slightly improved view. While scanning for the owl, I noticed that some ducks that had been pretty far out when I arrived were now much closer—almost at the shoreline. They were White-winged Scoters—52 of them! This is not a species I regularly see. In fact, I just saw my first for Monroe County, PA over winter break.

White-winged Scoter with Mallards at Witmers Lake, Monroe County, PA

I watched the scoters bounce up and down on the rough surf for a while, but soon decided that the driving wind was too much to handle, and I headed back towards the subway station. I picked out a single "Kumlien's" Iceland Gull along the way, but didn't manage to watch it for long, as it flew towards a person who was throwing bread for the gulls way down the beach. Nevertheless, it was another good sighting on a (finally) successful search for the Snowy Owl!

Why did the turkey cross the road?

2013-10-03T08:18:00.003-07:00

Wild Turkey marching down Harvard Street, Cambridge, MA

Juniper Hairstreaks

2013-07-23T19:12:00.002-07:00

I'll post some more reports from my Alaska trip soon, but I had to share these images of a Juniper Hairstreak I found nectaring on butterfly milkweed this afternoon. I rarely see this species away from redcedars (the caterpillar host plant), so this was a very exciting find.

After finding this female, my mom and I discovered a male nectaring on a bergamot flower not too far from the patch of milkweed!

Alaska, Day Two: Seward and Exit Glacier

2013-07-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

We started Wednesday morning by heading towards Lowell Point, a small establishment a few miles south of Seward. The road between Seward and the point ran right along the shore, giving us wonderful views of the mountains on the other side of the bay.

As we approached Lowell Point, we stopped to walk along the road. A small group of Harlequin Ducks swam just off the shore, and a family of Common Ravens sat and squawked from the rocks above us.

The most abundant birds here were the "Sooty" Fox Sparrows singing from the low shrubs on either side of the road. This subspecies occurs along the Pacific Coast of North America and looks quite different from the "Red" Fox Sparrows I am used to seeing migrate through Pennsylvania.

The woods around Lowell Point were mostly filled with the usual suspects, especially Hermit Thrushes and Townsend's Warblers. We did find one gorgeous "Pacific" Steller's Jay. This species, although common in areas where I had birded before, had somehow eluded me. These coastal individuals differ from the inland subspecies (like the ones I missed in the Rockies) in that they lack white markings on the face.

As we headed back towards Seward along the same road on which we had arrived, we noticed a number of birds out on the water. Several more Harlequin Ducks had arrived and were now floating near two playful Sea Otters! A single Pigeon Guillemot swam up to the ducks, but soon took off and flew farther out into the bay. Another alcid, this one a Marbled Murrelet, swam close to shore. Although the bird was close, its frequent dives made photography extremely tricky!

On the shore itself, I spotted two fairly large shorebirds running over the rocks. I immediately recognized them as Wandering Tattlers, yet another lifer for this tiny stretch of road!

one of two Wandering Tattlers along the shore

We then worked our way from Seward north just a few miles to Exit Glacier, situated within the Kenai Fjords National Park. This glacier, formerly known as Resurrection Glacier, was renamed after it served as an exit for the first party to traverse the Harding Icefield. Along the path to the base of the ice, we were serenaded by Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Wilson's, and Orange-crowned Warblers. A few thrushes—Hermit and Swainson's—sang from the brush as well.

The glacier was spectacular. I had never seen one up-close before, so the size and color were incredibly fascinating and awe-inspiring. Murky, silty water flowed heavily in the glacial river as gallons and gallons of the ice melted. It's still hard for me to understand how a massive chunk of ice like this can carve away the land on which it is situated leaving behind water and gravel. Wow.

From the base of the hill near the bottom of Exit Glacier, my dad, brother, and I decided to hike the Harding Icefield Trail that meandered up the mountain and above the glacier. The icefield itself is a massive (700 square miles) block of permanent ice from which many of the glaciers within the park originate. The trail was very steep as we hiked through small trees, then shrubs, and eventually made it to open tundra above the treeline. It was here that a park volunteer pointed out a distant mountain goat, and we spotted a couple of Hoary Marmots running across the trail.

Trees may not have been able to grow at this altitude, but many wildflower species covered the landscape.

We slowly worked our way up, and after several miles of hiking, we made it to a flatter area that provided a stunning view of Exit Glacier from above.

One the most beautiful aspects of the glacier was the series of deep crevices in the closest portion of the ice. Deeper and deeper, the blue got darker until color gave way to shadows.

The trail from this spot on was almost entirely on snow pack. Fortunately, many people had walked this portion of the trail before we did, so it was easy to figure out where to go.

We soon began hearing odd noises from the slope above us, but we were unable to see anything more than twenty feet away. From the other direction, some small birds flew across the trail and landed on a patch of vegetation that was attempting to revive itself after a winter under the snow.

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches! As we continued hiking, we saw several small groups (no more than five) of these alpine finches along the trail. None of them seemed particularly concerned with our presence as shown by the photo above, which was taken with a lens that I typically use for scenery, not birds! These individuals are "Hepburn's" Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches, a subspecies that has an entirely gray face rather than just a gray crown.

Not much farther along the path, we started hearing the strange noises again. They got closer and closer until it seemed as if they were right above us; yet, we could see nothing. Then, I spotted a silhouette in the fog. The bird flew up fairly high above our heads while calling, then dove towards the ground and sat on a barely-visible outcrop. It was a ptarmigan! We could hardly see the bird through the fog, but what we did see and the calls we heard identified it as a White-tailed Ptarmigan, another awesome alpine bird!

We soon left the birds behind and entered into an area of rock, snow, and ice. The fog grew even thicker; at times it was impossible to see each other even though we were quite close. We tried to follow small orange flags placed in the snow pack, but the fog was so thick that the next flag was not always visible. Nevertheless, we trudged on despite a diminishing number of footprints in the snow.

the excellent view from along the Harding Icefield Trail (yes, I'm being sarcastic)

After a long climb, we reached a flat area of snow and fog. We were walking on a spur of the icefield that seemed to be home to nothing at all, except Chlamydomonas nivalis, a fascinating "green" alga that can be found living on snow and ice. The common name for this organism is "watermelon snow," as the cells contain a red pigment that seems to stain the snow blood-red.

After about four miles of hiking, I spotted the faint image of a structure twenty feet ahead of us. We had reached the emergency shelter at last!

Every inch of the interior walls, rafters, and ceiling was covered with the names of people who had made the same trek to the icefield. Here is just one wall:

After a short rest at the shelter, we began the hike back down. The fog was not as heavy during the return, giving us a view of the slopes we would have slid down had we slipped on the way up! We eventually made it back near where Exit Glacier was visible.

By this point, the sun was low enough in the sky that it shone beneath the fog and illuminated the glacier.

We continued to work our way through the snow and rock and eventually through the willow scrub. It was here that we witnessed our last treat of the day: a Golden-crowned Sparrow sitting a few feet from the trail. Again, I did not have my telephoto lens on the camera, but even the short lens was able to capture this bird that gave no notice of our presence.

The Harding Icefield Trail is one of the most incredible hikes I've ever done; the scenery, birds, and challenge were phenomenal. I hope that I have the chance to return to this spot someday—perhaps when it's not so foggy!

Alaska: The Adventure Begins

2013-07-05T16:35:00.001-07:00

My family and I just returned from a trip to Alaska, where we witnessed many incredible sights that I hope to share in my next few blog posts. Our adventure began at the Newark airport, where security caused no problems for us, so we arrived at the gate with plenty of time to spare. When we boarded the plane, however, things took a turn for the worse. Even well after everyone was seated and the cabin door was closed, the plane sat the gate. Eventually, we pulled out, taxied about 100 yards, and then stopped. For half an hour. Hour. Hour and a half. It seemed as if no planes were taking off. To make matters worse, we suddenly began moving back towards the gate. Apparently one of the passengers had to be removed from the aircraft because of his lack of regard for instructions from the flight crew. Once he and few others disembarked, we still had to wait another thirty minutes before we made it to the runway. No one was happy about having to sit in cramped airplane seats for two hours longer than expected, and many, including us, had absolutely no chance of making our connecting flight out of Denver.

After over six hours in the airplane, we eventually made it to Colorado, where an airline representative promptly provided us with airplane tickets for the next morning (Denver to Seattle to Anchorage) as well as hotel and meal vouchers. It could have turned out a lot worse. Now, we'd at least be getting a good rest before arriving in Alaska, where we would have originally had to sit in the airport for several long, boring hours before the car rental service opened for the morning.

We awoke early the next morning for our flight and flew the first leg to Seattle, where we had a few hours in the airport. Having never been to the west coast, I immediately headed to the windows in search of new birds! I initially found a number of species with which I was already familiar: White-crowned Sparrows, Cedar Waxwings, and Bald Eagles. A small, gray bird caught my attention as it flew in a rather gnatcatcher-like manner across a small garden near the airport. It stopped for a moment to gather some sort of fuzzy material caught on a small branch, allowing me to get a decent view of my first ever Bushtit! Then, a Glaucous-winged Gull soared over the terminal giving me my second and final lifer in Seattle. We boarded this plane without delay, and we were off to the 49th state at last!

Our first Alaska birding experience was in the city of Anchorage. Much like in Pennsylvania, we found gulls patrolling the restaurant parking lots. The difference was that these were not Ring-billed and Herring Gulls, but rather Glaucous-winged and Mew Gulls!

We were headed south from the city towards the Kenai Peninsula where we planned to spend the first few days of our trip. Not far from the city, we discovered a large marsh filled with friendly Mew Gulls...

...and cooperative Arctic Terns.

Bald Eagles lined the nearby river flats, watching wigeon flocks swimming around the marshy areas. The roadside ponds and meadows were home to the abundant residents of the region that welcomed us as we passed: Trumpeter Swans, Black-billed Magpies, small flocks of Pine Siskins, and Northwestern Crows.

As we headed deeper into the peninsula, the scenery became more and more spectacular, with large, rocky mountains jutting from the water's edge. We certainly were not in Pennsylvania any more...

By nine in the evening, we made it to the cabin just north of the town of Seward. We fell asleep to still-lit skies—exhausted from a long day of travel and exhilarated by thoughts of the adventures to come. We were in Alaska!

White-rumped Sandpipers

2013-06-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

While birding around western Monroe County, Michael David and I came across some flooded soybean fields near the town of Kresgeville. Michael spotted a group of sandpipers in a distant pool, but they were too far way to identify without a spotting scope. We birded a few more stops including my house (heard the chat!) where we picked up my scope. When we returned to the sandpipers, we determined that we had found nine White-rumped Sandpipers, a very unusual species for the county!

White-rumped Sandpipers in flight

when the sandpipers landed, it was possible to see the characteristic white rump of this species, as the left-most bird is displaying

Yellow-breasted Chat

2013-06-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

While on a walk in our field almost two weeks ago, my mom and I heard a strange noise coming from one of the overgrown fencerows. When we heard the unique whistles, toots, and chattering of the bird a second time, it was clear that we were hearing a Yellow-breasted Chat, an odd olive and yellow songbird that is currently classified with wood warblers (although it looks and acts very differently than the rest of our warblers). Chats are very uncommon in this part of Pennsylvania, and this bird was my first record for the yard and county! We searched and searched for the bird in the tangles of autumn olive, barberry, and blackhaw, but he stayed hidden. However, he continued to sing throughout the evening and into the night:

(If the audio player does not work for you, check out the recording here: http://www.xeno-canto.org/137107)

Since that first encounter, we have heard the chat every day... and night too! In the earliest hours of the morning--when even the treefrogs have quieted--the chat continues singing, presumably from atop his favorite perch in a dead sassafras. In the morning hours, before the sun gets too hot and the cicadas begin their chorus, we have seen the chat perched alongside the resident thrashers and towhees. Unfortunately, he is extremely skittish and takes refuge in the densest brush whenever someone approaches. Nevertheless, it is still awesome to have this rare bird around and hear his distinct song coming through the window as I fall asleep each night.

A typical, distant view of the chat on his favorite perch

The Kestrels of State Game Lands #205

2013-06-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

Last year, I wrote a about my experience banding American Kestrels in State Game Lands #205 in Lehigh County. I had a chance to return this past Tuesday to do some birding and check the nest boxes. The morning started out with a bird survey of the game lands that involved five-minute point counts at about twenty locations throughout the property. We found many common grassland bird species, including Field and Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Eastern Kingbirds, and Indigo Buntings. We also found a few less common species: Alder Flycatcher, Vesper and Grasshopper Sparrows, and Bobolink. The Bobolink and Vesper Sparrow were especially exciting, as these were species previously unrecorded in this game lands and are indicators of the excellent grassland habitat being created and managed there. For me, the singing Alder Flycatcher was intriguing, as there are very few known breeding territories of this species in Lehigh County.

After the bird survey, we checked on the nest boxes to determine the success of breeding kestrels this year.

All of the occupied nest boxes had chicks that were still too young to band, but we noted how many young and eggs were present in each nest.

Although the chicks were still too small for banding, we were able to capture several of the adult females. Most of these birds were unbanded, so we took measurements and placed a band around each bird's leg.

When we pulled the last bird of the day out of the nest box, we realized that she had was already banded and had a patagial tag, a type of wing marker used to identify individual birds without having them in the hand.

It turns out that this bird was banded as a chick in Warren County, NJ last June! One other adult female kestrel we caught was previously banded at the same location in New Jersey, but did not have a wing tag.

Based on the age of the young kestrels we saw, banding will take place in just a few weeks! All in all, the grassland songbird species we found in the morning and the many young kestrels we saw are good signs of a healthy grassland habitat that is sure to bring more birds in the future as the habitat matures and improves.

Brook Snaketail -- Pennsylvania's First

2013-06-06T13:31:00.002-07:00

The Pennsylvania Game Commission recently acquired a large tract of land on the north face of the Kittatinny Ridge in southern Monroe County. This property, once slated for development, contains a variety of habitats including a sedge and alder wetland that borders the Aquashicola Creek. This habitat looked like an excellent place to search for dragonflies, so I headed down there with my net and camera in hopes of finding some interesting species.

Sedges, cattails, and alders (in back)

While walking through the sedges, I found numerous Ashy Clubtails--a very common species this time of year:

The sedges also held many Calico Pennants and Twelve-spotted Skimmers. Once I worked my way through the sedges, I decided to focus my search close to the creek where it would be easier to see and catch the insects. Here I found many more Ashy Clubtails as well as hundreds of Ebony Jewelwings.

male Ebony Jewelwing--a type of damselfly

I soon spotted a large dragonfly with a distinctive green color, unlike the other species I had been seeing. I netted this individual in order to get a closer look:

This green, black, and yellow dragonfly is a Maine Snaketail, a species that inhabits rocky streams. This species is ranked as an S2S3 species within the state by the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, which means that this is a rare species in Pennsylvania.

Not long after catching the Maine Snaketail, I spotted another dragonfly that appeared to be similar. In fact, when I saw it flying, I figured it might be of the same species. However, closer inspection suggested that was not the case.

The general appearance is very similar to that of the Maine Snaketail, but there are few differences in coloration and a distinct terminal appendage shape. Examination of the male's terminal appendages can be extremely helpful when identifying dragonflies. Notice the difference in shape of the appendages between the Maine Snaketail and this individual:

Maine Snaketail--note the two distinct "spines" on the lower appendage

On this snaketail, note the single spike on the lower appendage and the different shape of the upper

When I got home, I was able to research this species and determined it to be a Brook Snaketail (Ophiogomphus aspersus). After consulting a few experts, my identification was confirmed. I also discovered that this is a species that had never been recorded in the state of Pennsylvania before!

I can't wait to get back to these game lands to see what other species may be hiding there!

They're coming!

2013-05-30T03:40:00.000-07:00

After several days of hearing and seeing a few periodical cicadas around the yard, the warm, muggy night of the 29th provided the perfect conditions for many more to emerge. This is what we found in the yard:

Maine Snaketail and other dragons

2013-05-26T19:03:00.002-07:00

While attempting to photograph Indian Skippers on the property this afternoon (I did not succeed thanks to the strong wind), I noticed that there were quite a few dragonflies and damselflies out and about. Most of the damsels were bluets in the Northern/Vernal/Boreal species-group, which are not identifiable in the field. Although I was unable to identify them, I enjoyed watching them nervously fly between swaying blades of grass and occasionally perching on a sunny leaf or twig.

The most common dragonflies this afternoon were Common Whitetails, which will likely be the most abundant species throughout the summer months as well. It was slightly tricky to spot other species among the throngs of whitetails, but I managed to spot this Ashy Clubtail thanks to his flight style.

While I was observing the clubtail, he was dive-bombed by a Juvenal's Duskywing, a butterfly that seems to feel no fear when defending its territory against other butterflies, predatory insects, and even people! Although the clubtail disappeared after the incident with the butterfly, the pesky duskywing alerted me to the presence of another dragonfly that was perched just a few feet away:

This gorgeous odonate is a Painted Skimmer, a species that is fairly common this time of year in damp meadows. Its color and pattern is unique and definitely makes it stand out among the duller species! Unfortunately, Painted Skimmers tend to be skittish. I was only able to take a few photographs before he took flight and was out of sight.

Just as I headed back towards the house, I flushed another dragonfly off its perch. It flew different and looked strange compared to the others I had previously seen, so I followed it for a bit until it landed on the tip of a small greenbrier stem.

This gorgeous yellow, green, and black dragonfly is a Maine Snaketail, a new species for the yard. Typically, this species is found along streams, not ridgetop meadows. I can only imagine that this individual was engaging in "hill-topping," a mate-seeking behavior demonstrated by many insect species that often takes them out of their typical habitats. In fact, this is not the first time I have observed this behavior in this same meadow. Last May, I found an Uhler's Sundragon (a relatively rare species) in almost the same place as this year's snaketail.

A less-than-desirable photo of the Uhler's Sundragon I found in 2012

The fact that I found both of these species so far away from their typical stream habitats suggests that naturalists should always keep an open mind and be on the look-out for unexpected species. Who knows what is out there!

A Maine Snaketail that I found in 2011 in a more typical "northern" stream habitat in Sullivan Co., PA (State Game Lands #57)

Wilson's Warblers

2013-05-24T15:11:00.003-07:00

The Wilson's Warbler is a relatively uncommon migrant warbler species in this region of Pennsylvania. In addition, their aptitude for staying in dense brush can make them difficult to find. I have discovered that the brushy edges and water sources in the yard provide excellent habitat for migrating Wilson's Warblers. Of the seven I have observed in the yard (including three this spring!), five have been from the same overgrown patch of greenbrier, spicebush, and highbush blueberry that shades a small muddy spring near the house.

male Wilson's Warbler staying hidden in the brush

the edge of the yard where I find the Wilson's Warblers

As I mentioned, this was an excellent spring for Wilson's Warblers, as I found three in my yard and another at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center in Carbon County. Maybe the relatively high number of this species has something to do with the weird migration this spring... who knows! Nevertheless, I don't mind having a few more of these singing in the yard for a couple days during migration.

This brushy area is also where I frequently find related species, such as this Canada Warbler. Like the Wilson's, it is unusual to find a Canada away from the dense brush. This bird popped up for no more than two seconds before disappearing back into the tangles.

Double-check your sparrows!

2013-05-19T16:54:00.004-07:00

Be sure to take a careful look at any sparrows you find during the migration season. When I saw this bird hopping around the garden and bathing in the bird bath, I figured it was a Song Sparrow. What a surprise when it turned out to be a Lincoln's Sparrow—an uncommon species in this area!

Cobwebs

2013-05-04T18:39:00.002-07:00

My posts to this blog have been few and far between thanks to my busy schedule as I finish my senior year of high school. Today I finally had a chance to spend quite a bit of time outside and to enjoy the wonderful weather. Migrant birds--vireos, flycatchers, warblers--are beginning to return from their southern wintering grounds. A few new species showed up in the yard this morning, including Red-eyed Vireo and Baltimore Oriole.

A number of butterflies were also out enjoying the sunshine. Among the throngs of Juvenal's and Sleepy Duskywings, I found this lovely Cobweb Skipper, a species that can only be found for a few weeks each spring!

February Flowers

2013-02-18T18:06:00.000-08:00

The ground is still frozen and patches of snow dot the landscape, but that hasn't kept the winter aconite from opening a few blooms in a sun-filled patch of the yard! These bright yellow flowers are almost always the first blossoms to appear each year—often around the middle of February.

winter aconite (Eranthis)

Serving as a reminder that spring is not far off, the aconite flowers mark the beginning of the blooming season, as other (mostly non-native) species will also begin to flower before long. Snowdrops, crocuses, and daffodils will soon brighten up the drab winter ground as the days continue to grow longer and the temperatures start to rise.

Great Backyard Bird Count

2013-02-16T09:13:00.000-08:00

This weekend (February 15-18) is the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, a citizen science event where birders are encouraged to submit their sightings in order to contribute to scientific research. Despite the name of the event, bird observations can be submitted from any birdy location, not just backyards. That said, everyone should take the time to see what species are visiting their feeders and gardens. To submit sightings, simply visit the GBBC website or eBird. Entering a checklist takes only a few minutes and will provide valuable data for researchers around the world.

As I write this, over 5,000,000 individual birds representing more than 1,700 species have been counted in the 2013 GBBC! Don't forget to contribute!

Northern Lapwings in New Jersey

2013-01-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

On January 14, a lucky birder found a group of three Northern Lapwings in a cow pasture in New Egypt, NJ. On Sunday, my mom and I decided to go see these unusual plovers that had somehow made their way from Europe to central New Jersey. We when arrived at the location along Brynmore Road in New Egypt, we found a number of birders set up along the roadside with spotting scopes pointed into the field. As soon as we started scanning, we spotted one of the birds. Not long after, we found the other two even farther back.

Although the lapwings never came close while we were watching, we were able to get excellent views of the birds through a spotting scope. Even with the great distance from which we were watching, the green iridescence on the wings was spectacular!

Several times as we watched, one of the lapwings raised its large wings into the air. After doing this a few times, the bird flew into the air, circled around a few times, and then landed again.

These gorgeous rarities represented yet another "lifer" that my mom and I were able to see so far this year!

Pink-footed Goose

2013-01-20T15:18:00.005-08:00

In the movie The Big Year, two of the main characters, Brad Harris (played by Jack Black) and Stu Preissler (Steve Martin) finish off their year of intense birding by watching a Pink-footed Goose, a bird that eluded Brad up until that point. Although I am not doing a "big year," I did not have to wait long to see this species in 2013.

On January 7, Scott Burnet discovered a Pink-footed Goose at Lake Muhlenberg in Allentown, Lehigh County, PA. This rare species is uncommon in this state and throughout the country, although it is making an impressive showing in Pennsylvania this winter! At least three have shown up in the region: one at Peace Valley Park, one at Fogelsville Quarry, and this bird at Lake Muhlenberg. Even though this goose species is quite rare in this area, Matt Loyko and Mike Moser found one at this same urban lake back in 2009.

On the morning of January 12, my mom and I decided to try for this goose that would be a lifer for both of us. We arrived around 7:00am to ensure that we could get a look at the bird before it took off around 8:00am as it had in the previous days. When we got to the spot, the entire area was covered with a dense layer of fog. As the sky got lighter, we walked through the misty air with a crowd of birders hoping for a look at the rarity.

I stopped briefly to scan the barely-visible flock when I spotted the Pink-footed Goose. It was sitting in front of the Canada Geese; its small size and white tail were evident, although we could hardly see anything more.

Our first glimpse of the Pink-footed Goose

After a little while of sitting in place, the Pink-footed Goose slowly swam across the lake. During this time, the fog slowly began to dissipate. When the goose reached the far end of the lake, it did something totally unexpected--it stepped out onto the grass! We watched as the goose (and its uncovered pink feet) waddled on the grass for a while, occasionally pestered by some of the larger Canadas.

Look at those feet!

After about ten minutes on the grass, the Pink-foot wandered back to the water and swam all the way across the lake. By now, most of the lowest fog had lifted, although the sun was still hidden, which made photography a bit tricky.

Then, after a few honks, the goose lifted off the water with a small group of Canada Geese and headed West. In flight, the gray coloration and white tail stood out from the other birds.

The Pink-footed Goose was a lifer for me, my mom, and several of the other observers we met that morning!

Birding Barnegat Light

2013-01-17T15:56:00.002-08:00

Two Saturdays ago, my mom and I traveled to Barnegat Lighthouse State Park in New Jersey. Although slightly chilly, the sun and lack of wind made the birding conditions excellent... or at least better than on most January days along the Jersey shore! Upon arriving, a small group of Black-crowned Night-Herons passed directly overhead, circling around the lighthouse several times before moving over the open water.

The "typical Barnegat" birds became visible while walking along the jetty for which the birding hotspot of Barnegat is known. Long-tailed and Harlequin Ducks swam close to shore, and Common and Red-throated Loons swam just a bit farther out in the inlet. At the start of the jetty, Long-tailed Ducks were the most cooperative species, as small groups would float up to me as I sat on the rocks with my camera. At times, these gorgeous ducks came so close that my camera could not focus.

As we went farther out on the jetty, Harlequin Ducks soon out numbered the Long-tails, with small groups of 6-8 birds loitering on the algae-covered boulders.

Whenever someone approached, the ducks would slip into the water. As soon as the "danger" had passed, the birds would wobble back out of the frigid ocean and onto the rocks.

When not milling around, the male Harlequin Ducks were busy chasing after females. Many times, groups of male Harlequins would swim up to a small group of females and chase them through the water. For the most part, the females simply scooted out of the way and ignored the males.

About halfway out on the rocks, I was sitting close to the water when two Ruddy Turnstones flew onto a nearby rock. Not minding my presence, the two birds searched for food on their rock, then fluttered over to the rock I was sitting on! For a little while, the turnstones were feeding inches from my feet!

A bit later, we came across a group of sleeping shorebirds consisting primarily of Purple Sandpipers, except for one Red Knot (the larger, paler bird):

One of the Purple Sandpipers woke up for a bit and walked to the top of the rock to stretch before taking another rest.

When I got to the very top of the jetty, I found a number of Harlequin Ducks, Black and Surf Scoters, and Common Eiders swimming in the water in this area. While not nearly as approachable as the birds closer to the shore, they still came close enough for decent photographs.

While scanning out into the ocean from this vantage point, I spotted a distant group of four Razorbills flying just above the horizon.

When I walked back part of the way to shore, a number of the brilliantly-plumaged male Long-tailed Ducks were even closer to the rocks than before. While some of the Long-tails had come close before, none of the brightest birds had been very cooperative.

One particular male Harlequin was also quite obliging... and apparently amused!

As I got off the jetty and walked along the beach, we watched a raft of about 80 Common Eiders (with a few Black Scoters mixed in) floating just offshore.

Barnegat is an incredible location for seeing amazingly beautiful species up-close. This is definitely a favorite winter birding spot of mine!

New Year Rarities

2013-01-02T17:53:00.000-08:00

Late in the afternoon on January 1, I received an email that Rich Rehrig had discovered a Harris's Sparrow not far from my house. This rarity is a large sparrow species that is usually found in the central portion of the continent, although vagrants are encountered with some frequency in the eastern states. However, I had never had the opportunity to see a Harris's Sparrow, so my mom and I headed to the location to search for the bird.

At the location where the bird was found, we scoured the brush in search of an unusual sparrow. Unfortunately, we only found a number of common sparrow species, including Song, White-throated, and American Tree. Before long, the sky began to get darker, so we headed home without having found the bird.

This morning, I decided to head out to the sparrow spot around sunrise to search for the bird when it would be more active than late in the afternoon. When I arrived, I noticed a few White-throated Sparrows and two Dark-eyed Juncos sitting on the tallest autumn olive shrub, but the Harris's was nowhere to be seen. I walked up the road a bit, where I heard a Red Crossbill flying overhead. I never saw it, but I was able to hear the distinctive flight calls for about thirty seconds as the bird flew west over the nearby woods.

Not long after the crossbill, local birders Dave Hawk and Dustin Welch appeared on the scene with similar hopes of finding the rare sparrow. After a while of birdlessness, Dave had to leave, but Dustin and I decided to stick around for a bit longer. Around 9:15, a sparrow flew across the road with incredible speed and promptly disappeared into the densest brush. Dustin jokingly said, "There it was!" Then, the concealed bird started chipping with a call note unfamiliar to both me and Dustin. Dustin tried "pishing" to lure the bird into the open. Sure enough, the bird showed itself after a bit of coaxing. It was the Harris's! Although the view through the brambles was less than excellent, it was no doubt that we were looking at a bird that I never seen before other than in field guides and photographs!

The bird flew through the brush a little, even popping into the open for a few seconds before flying down the hill and completely out of sight. Nevertheless, we had seen the bird!

After finding the Harris's Sparrow, I returned home where the redpolls were again visiting the bird feeders! With better lighting than the day before, these cute little finches allowed for some great photos!

A little while after returning home, my mom decided she too wanted to see the unusual sparrow. We hopped in the car and headed back to the spot. As we pulled up, we saw the Harris's Sparrow sitting under a large autumn olive with a small group of juncos.

We watched as the sparrow occasionally ran out from the cover to grab a seed, then returned to the safety of the bushes. When it did come into the open, it gave us great views unlike the ones I had earlier in the morning!

Excited from seeing this rarity, we decided to head to the Nazareth Quarry where a pair of Eared Grebes, another uncommon species in this area, had taken up residence since at least the 13th of December, when Billy Weber found them. When we arrived at the quarry, we looked down and saw thousands and thousands of Snow Geese on the water.

The sound of so many geese honking was incredible! Scanning through the geese, we spotted several other waterfowl species including Green-winged Teal, Ruddy Duck, Ring-necked Duck, and a single Cackling Goose. Finally, I spotted a lone Eared Grebe on the quarry while scanning through the spotting scope. My mom and I both got looks at the bird before it swam out of sight. Just as we were leaving, several thousand of the Snow Geese lifted into the air and swirled over the quarry before returning to the water. It was a truly magnificent and beautiful sight.

Today was a perfect continuation of my birdy start to 2013! If only the rest of the year could be as productive!

A New Year

2013-01-01T19:38:00.001-08:00

It has become a tradition for birders to make note of the first species that one finds while birding in the new year. For me, this is usually a species that is common around the house or at the feeder. This year is no different, as the first bird I spotted was a Dark-eyed Junco near the feeder on the deck.

Not long after, I was outside when I happened to check the cherry tree in the back of the house to see if anything was visiting the feeders. When I raised my binoculars, I noticed this bird among a group of chickadees and titmice:

Even from an awful view of the back of the bird, I knew that this was not a typical feeder visitor... it was a redpoll! I quickly ran inside and alerted my family of the Common Redpoll visiting the feeder. We got decent looks as it chowed down on black oil sunflower seeds. While watching this bird, my mom noticed three more redpolls high in the trees that border the yard.

For the next half-hour, I watched as the redpoll chased goldfinches and House Finches for a place to sit on the feeder.

After a while, the bird flew from the tube feeder to the ground. It spend another fifteen minutes or so plucking seeds off the snow, occasionally squabbling with a junco or White-throated Sparrow.

Unfortunately, the redpoll eventually took off, calling chet-chet-chet as in lifted into the snowy gray sky. An hour or so later, my dad spotted two Common Redpolls feeding on the thistle feeder on the deck! I ran to get my camera, and snapped a few photos of the close birds. Not long after a flock of eight goldfinches showed up at the feeder, the redpolls disappeared again.

Around three in the afternoon, I was working on the dining room table when I happened to look out the window at the feeders. The redpolls were back! And now there were three! These gorgeous little finches sat for a while, hardly caring that my dad and I were snapping photos through the window only a few feet away. Occasionally the birds fluttered into the air, only to return to a different perch on the same feeder.

For anyone who is not entirely familiar with the Common Redpoll, this is a small finch species that typically lives much farther north than Pennsylvania. However, periodic food shortages in typical wintering grounds cause large numbers of these, and other, winter finches to "irrupt" into more southern territories. Avian irruptions are frequent in a number of finch species; Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, and crossbills all move south occasionally. Since each species relies on different food sources, it is uncommon for many species to all move south in the same year. This past fall and winter was an exception. Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, Common Redpolls, Purple Finches, and both crossbill species all moved father south than usual. In fact, I recorded all of those species in my yard during the past few months!

My first experience with redpolls was at the end of November in 2007. I was conducting one of my bird surveys at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center when my mom and I found a flock of about 40 Common Redpolls in a stand of gray birches. As it would turn out, that was an excellent winter for redpolls in the region. Some birders found flocks of more than 200 redpolls in good habitat. I didn't see any more after that year until two flew over the yard early in 2011. Then, a few showed up in November of 2012. I saw small flocks of redpolls on-and-off throughout November and December. Despite a number of encounters with this species, today was only the second time I had seen them at my feeders, so this particular visit from these denizens of the north was a real surprise and treat!

What a way to kick off 2013!

Fall Warbler Quiz - Answers

2012-11-25T15:52:00.001-08:00

It's long overdue, but here are the answers to the fall warbler photo quiz I posted a while back. Be sure to try the quiz before reading the answers.

Photo 1:

Photo 1 shows a bird that, in my opinion, falls under the category of "confusing fall warbler." This particular bird is plain, with some streaks, and relatively few prominent field marks. However, there are some characteristics on this bird that can help narrow it down quite easily. First, there are two prominent wingbars. In addition, the underside of the bird is a pale yellowish color, rather than the bright yellow of some warbler species. Looking through a field guide, there are only a few birds that fit this image, those in the Bay-breasted/Blackpoll/Pine group. These three species can appear very similar when viewed in the field. Pine can be ruled out for our bird by the streaks on the back. This leaves the "Baypoll" warblers. A few things to note are the few, dark streaks on the sides and the yellowish feet. These two field marks help identify this bird as a Blackpoll Warbler.

Photo 2:

Ahh! A warbler in flight. Impossible, right? Actually, this warbler is quite easy to identify. The first thing to notice is the bright yellow underside. This coloration rules out a number of warbler species. What other field marks are visible? One particularly useful field mark to use when identifying fall warblers is the undertail pattern. While many species have a similar pattern, there a few warblers, namely Palm, American Redstart, and Magnolia that have easily recognizable tail patterns. On this quiz bird, note that the tip of the tail is black, while the rest is white. This pattern is unique among the warblers and identifies this as a Magnolia Warbler. The yellow underside supports this identification.

Photo 3:

Like the previous photo, we can easily see the underside of the tail and body of this warbler. Unlike the Magnolia, the tail pattern is very plain. In fact, it appears entirely dark, rather than having a distinct pattern of white and black. This tail pattern narrows the pool of possible species down significantly. Next, take note of the bright yellow underside. This still doesn't identify the bird to species, but it gives us another clue as to its identity. Finally, look at the head. Yes, it is obscured by branches, but the gray color, strong white eyering, and yellow throat are all visible. These characteristics and the field marks previously mentioned all point to Nashville Warbler.

Photo 4:

Here we have a plain warbler species with a yellowish underside and two very strong white wingbars. As with the first photo in this quiz, these field marks leave us with the Blackpoll/Bay-breasted/Pine group. We cannot see streaks on the back to rule out Pine, but noting that this bird has no streaking on the underside and has all-dark feet help to eliminate Blackpoll. Next, look at the bird's flanks. Careful inspection shows a light pinkish wash. This is a characteristic of a fall Bay-breasted Warbler.

Photo 5:

In this photo, we have a very plain warbler. It is obvious that there are no bright colors or even significant field marks. Basically it's a brown, streaky bird. While brown and streaky may make sparrows difficult to identify, once we realize that this is a warbler (bill and body shape, behavior) the identification is actually quite easy. If we compare this bird to the one in the first quiz photo, we see that both birds are dull with dark streaks. However, one noticeable difference is the lack of bright wingbars in this bird. There are two faint lines visible, but nothing close to the immediately noticeable white wingbars on the Pine and "Baypoll" warblers. A lack of bright wingbars on a brown, streaky warbler narrows the identification down significantly. In fact, it really only leaves us with two possibilities, Yellow-rumped and Cape May Warblers. From this angle, we would be able to see a yellow patch near where the wing connects to the body if this were a Yellow-rump. Also, the bill would be shorter. That leaves Cape May Warbler. This is an extremely variable species in the fall, as some adult males are brilliant yellow, orange, and black and younger birds can be entirely brownish. When not immediately identifiable using the typical Cape May Warbler field marks (thick white wing patch, orange mark on face, grayish head on females), a good field mark for this species is the lack of obvious field marks!

I hope this quiz has been somewhat educational for those readers who have been perplexed by these confusing fall warblers! Although most warblers leave for the fall, Yellow-rumped Warblers and occasionally other species remain in this region for the winter... so keep an eye out for any winter warblers!