I haven't been able to do a whole lot of serious birding or spend much time outdoors for a while, but here and there I have been stopping at local birding hotspots when there are gaps in my schedule, and even got away for a weekend camping trip last week. I haven't posted in a while, so here is a recap.
On April 10th, I made a quick stop at the Toftrees Pond in State College searching for a pair of great egrets that were reported a day prior. There were no egrets when I got there, but I did see plenty of tree swallows, wood ducks, a yellow-rumped warbler, and an osprey.
Tree Swallows perched in the Toftrees Pond snag
Yellow-rumped "Myrtle" Warbler
I left the Toftrees pond a went to Whipple Dam searching for the "Blue" Snow Goose that was reported the morning prior. Again, I dipped on the target bird, though I did get great looks at this Osprey hunting.
An Osprey with dinner
I left Whipple Dam for the 10-acre pond at Scotia Barrens game land. Not much was happening here, but the herps were very active due to the on and off rain that we had been getting that day.
Red Spotted Newt
"Red Eft" phase
The weekend of April 13th was the opening day of trout season in Northern Pennsylvania, so Friday afternoon I headed home to pack up for a camping trip that I had been planning for about a month. After I packed up all my gear, my girlfriend and I took a quick ride to Halton along the Clarion River, where we got great views of a pair of red-breasted mergansers.
Female Red-Breasted Merganser
Male Red-Breasted Merganser
The next morning, a friend of mine and I headed North to Sinnemahoning State Park for some fishing! Though we didn't catch any trout, we did see some birds! Common loons, double-crested cormorants, mallards, blue-winged teal, bald eagle, and osprey all made an apearance. I only had my point and shoot with me on my kayak, and since we didn't catch much of anything photo worthy, this is the only photo that is interesting enough to share.
Me testing out my new Old Town Kayak, and giving the sign of approval!!!
Last week we had some rough weather in State College, so I spent alot of time on school projects, though I did have a close encounter with an Eastern Towhee at the Scotia Barrens game lands on the 16th.
Male Eastern Towhee
This past weekend, I took my girlfriend to the Scotia Barrens shooting range to watch American Woodcocks in their courtship displays. While there, we were treated with many eastern towhees, a blue headed vireo, and a whip-poor-will calling, along with two american woodcock. Here is the best picture that I was able to get of one of the American Woodcock in courtship display.
American Woodcock
This evening, I had a pretty exciting hour of birding at the Scotia Barrens 10-acre pond after class. When I arrived, I noticed both greater and lesser yellowlegs foraging, lesser being a first of year bird for me. I quickly dropped to the ground and began crawling out onto a spit that jutted into the wetland, getting closer to the birds to get a better look.
Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater on the left.
The Lesser Yellowlegs flushed and began to forage to my left.
Lesser Yellowlegs
I turned back to see what flushed the Lesser Yellowlegs, and standing by the Greater Yellowlegs was a Saolitary Sandpiper, another tick for my year list!
Greater Yellowlegs and Solitary Sandpiper, yellowlegs on the left.
A Killdeer then flew overhead landing on the opposite bank, offering great looks.
Killdeer
The Lesser Yellowlegs that flushed to my left had made its way towards me pretty quick, which offered great photo opportunies!
Lesser Yellowlegs cruisin' the shore
Lesser Yellowlegs
The bird had seemed to find something to snack on, but was having difficulties gaining control of the prey. After a short struggle, the yellowlegs pulled this tasty leach from the water, thrashed it around a bit, then swallowed it whole.
Lesser Yellowlegs with its catch
The Greater Yellowlegs was also on the prowl for dinner.
Greater Yellowlegs with a small fish
After the meal, the greater yellowlegs began to bathe in the shallow water of the pond.
Greater Yellowlegs bathing
And then took a nap
Greater Yellowlegs
Greater Yellowlegs resting
By this time, the Solitary Sandpiper had gotten used to my presence, and began to forage a little closer to where I had been laying for the past twenty minutes.
Solitary Sandpiper
The Canada Geese were being very territorial this evening, and were chasing each other around the pond for most of the time that I was there.
Canada Goose
Canada Geese
I had an Accipiter sp. flyover which I did not get an ID on, but judging buy size I would say it was a Cooper's Hawk. I also heard a Broad-winged hawk's T-shirt call, several eastern towhees, red-winged blackbirds, common grackle, wood duck flyovers, and a first of year Green Heron.
Green Heron
It was a fairly productive evening.....as far as birding goes.
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