Jo Hay Vista / Jackson Trail

This past Saturday, September 29, I chose not to follow my plans in going to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, PA. So instead, I went to Jo Hay Vista and enjoyed the scenery for a little while.

 

The view of State College, Pennsylvania

 

I hung out at Jo Hay Vista for about half an hour not seeing or hearing too much other than Blue Jays, Red-Tailed Hawks, and American Crows. So I decided to check out the Jackson Trail. Waiting to greet me at the trail head was this juvenile Yellow-Rumped "Myrtle" Warbler foraging on the ground and in the underbrush.

 

Juvenile Yellow-Rumped "Myrtle" Warbler

Juvenile Yellow-Rumped "Myrtle" Warbler

 

This bird let me crawl up within ten yards and watch as it picked through the grass and foliage at insects and larvae.

 

Just up the trail from the Yellow-Rumped Warbler, an Eastern Phoebe caught my attention as it crossed in front of me and perched in a low-hanging branch of a sapling.

 

Eastern Phoebe

 

This bird also let me get close and allowed me to watch as it chased after flying insects.

 

I continued my walk up the trail when calls caught my attention to my left. I not-so-gracefully fumbled through some thick saplings and came upon a group of about 15 more Yellow-Rumped Warblers foraging in the canopy and understory.

 

Female Yellow-Rumped "Myrtle" Warbler

 

I watched this group of warblers for a few minutes until they moved on, and then so did I. I walked for about a half mile up the trail without hearing or seeing anything other than alarm calls of Chipmunks as they would scurry across the forest floor and under a rotted stump, or the buzzing and chirps of insects. So I turned around, and headed back. On the way back to my Jeep, I spotted the Eastern Phoebe where I last saw it, along with a handful of Black-Capped Chickadees following a group of about fifteen Black-Throated Green Warblers. The warblers were high in the saplings, and stayed concealed by the foliage. One particular bird did come down from the group and perched, allowing me to get great looks and a few shots.

 

Female Black-Throated Green Warbler

 

Thursday I am banding at the Arboretum at Penn State before classes. Be sure to visit Birding Pennsylvania again soon to see how I make out!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Bird Banding at the Arboretum; Day two

 September 20, was my second day banding songbirds at the Arboretum at Penn State. Though I didn't get to spend much time banding before class, two hours total, I got to get some looks at a couple good birds. It took a while for me to finish this post, I had to download some software from the web so I could upload the pictures from my new camera!!

 

Here is a checklist of the birds captured on the 20th.

 

New Banded

T.Titmouse - 3
Gray Catbird - 14
Brown Thrasher - 1
Magnolia W. - 2
Ovenbird - 1  
N. Cardinal - 1
E. Towhee - 2
Song Sp. - 2
Purple Finch - 3
House Finch - 1

Recaptures

T. Titmouse - banded 9/9/12
Gray Catbird - banded 9/13/12
Gray Catbird - banded 9/13/12
E. Towhee - banded 4/25/12

 

And a link to the checklist for the birds that I tallied and captured for my short two hours.

 

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S11656444

 

Watching the sunrise waiting for the rest of the group to arrive.

 

 

 

First catch of the day, An adult male Eastern Towhee.

One of my favorite forest birds!

 

Traveling with the male, a female Eastern Towhee was caught in the net within six inches of the male.



 

Here is a close up of the male EATO, I love how dramatic the contrast between blood red and flat black is in this bird.

 

My Aunt Susie lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is always telling me about how the deer and turkeys are in her yard. She sent me a picture of a hawk that was posing for her in her back yard on morning.

 

 

Even in the city you can enjoy the beauty of wildlife and nature, such as this Red-Tailed Hawk.