Final grades were coming in, students are returning home, some are committing to summer employment, graduates are on the search for jobs, and families have celebrated comencement ceremonies as the semester has come to a close. The weather in State College, Pennsylvania has been nothing short of beautiful for the past several weeks, and I have been doing my best to take advantage of that. On April 29th, the weather wasn't as great, but I got great looks at a first of year spotted sandpiper at the Scotia Barrens game land.
Spotted Sandpiper
I went back to the Scottia Barrens game land on the 1st of May, where I got great looks at several species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and added common yellowthroat to my year list.
Midland Painted Turtles soakin some sun.
Broad-winged hawk
This was one of 3 BWHA that I observed that afternoon.
Carolina Wren
This bird was very vocal, and put on quite a show.
This Common Yellowthroat was very vocal and very territorial. He flew from bush to bush, letting me and anything else that could hear him that this was his turf, giving me great looks.
I spent May the 2nd, banding birds at the Arboretum at Penn State with Nick Kerlin and several other volunteers. Despite the acceptional weather, the banding station has been somewhat slow as far as new migrants, we have mostly been catching white-throated sparrows. But this blue-winged warbler that I banded was a good bird to start off the day!!!
Blue-winged Warbler
I observed many species that morning, one of them were this Orange crowned warbler, a rare find, only the second OCWA that I have ever recorded!!
Orange-crowned warbler
This House Wren trying to take over a barn swallow nest that is near the banding station was making quite a racket.
I counted at least 4 different Red-tailed hawks last Thursday morning, this one got pretty close and gave me a photo opp!
This was one of 2 Yellow Warblers that I observed.
One of MANY Eastern Towhees
I believe that this is some species of dusky.
