BOOM....Grassland Birds

By Cory DeStein



The Imperial Grasslands in Allegheny County is a large reclaimed strip mind with impressive grasslands, wetlands, and shrub habitat. The area has a long history when it comes to property development,  trespassing and some remarkable bird records for the county. In the past Blue Grosbeak and Short-eared Owls bred in the area. In the winter White-winged Crossbills, Common Redpolls, Northern Shrike, and Rough-legged Hawks can be viewed here. The area known to local birders as Main Pond has held impressive records such as; Snowy Plover, American Avocet, Whimbrel, Western Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and all three phalaropes. For my walk this week I was able to enjoy breeding birds such as Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlarks, Prairie Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Henslow's Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow and Grasshopper Sparrows.

Just 1 of 30 Grasshopper Sparrows

Hitting the area at sunrise I immediately stumbled upon a Black Rat Snake being scolded by Prairie, Yellow, and Blue-winged Warblers. With my accidental interruption the reptile retreated to denser cover and the birds went back to their business. Coming to extensive grasslands I could hear Eastern Meadowlarks, Grasshopper Sparrows, and Vesper Sparrows singing. A Red-winged Blackbird chased a male Bobolink across a small pond where 4 Lesser Yellowlegs were feeding. Scanning the fields I spotted another male Bobolink singing, the bird was exceptionally tame and allowed me to approach within a respectable distance for some photography.

Male Bobolink

While photographing the Bobolink, I began to hear a new song being sung nearby, Henlow's Sparrow! This was a new bird in Allegheny County for me. I ended with at least 6 birds total for the day, including a very cooperative male singing from a nearby shrub.

Allegheny County Henslow's Sparrow!

Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Yellow Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Wood Thrush, Great-crested Flycatcher as well as a Yellow-breasted Chat were singing from a nearby woodlot as I worked my way back to the car. Sadly this ever shrinking grasslands continues to be threatened with development  The ponds are drained, new roads are paved, and new construction flags seem to appear daily. I am only enjoying a small portion of what the grasslands was when birders began heavily using it in the 90's. Interesting in one of the new industrial parks a small pond was developed which held a pair of Ross's Geese in 2011, Red Phalarope in February of 2012!!? And breeding Sora this past summer. Time will tell what development holds in store for this unique area.

Eastern Meadowlark 

Male Bobolink

Eastern Meadowlark 

Prairie Warbler and other Notes (Shark Notes)

I've been two weeks on the island now, and if you haven't noticed it's been pretty incredible.  No megas (yet), but always plenty of good birding to be had.  We sea watch twice per day on the island, and although numbers of birds (specifically Sooty Shearwaters) are down from the first week, I've had Pomarine Jaegers migrating close to the island on my last two afternoon watches.  Today I had an adult and an immature within a few minutes of each other.

The interesting landbirds continue to move through including a Prairie Warbler that showed up yesterday afternoon at the lighthouse.

As you may know, one of the specialties of the Farallon Islands is white sharks.  Each intern spends two hours per day on the lighthouse watching for shark attacks.  We look for gulls swarming, pools of blood in the water,

and, of course, sharks thrashing and feeding on a carcass in the water.

These photos were taken on Thursday of a white shark feeding on an immature elephant seal less than a quarter of a kilometer from the island.  This was one of five attacks we've gotten to see in the past week.

Before the Levee Breaks...

By Luke Musher

As the weather continues to be poor for migration, birding continues to be relatively slow around Cape May county.  The wise bird-master and much revered veterinarian-in-training, Ryan Ford, came into town today to bird with me.  We started the morning off at Higbees Beach, expecting it to be slow, and had an okay morning anyway.  2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird, an American Redstart and an Indigo Bunting were first of years for us.  We also had a few Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Black-and-white Warbler, Great-crested Flycatcher and the ubiquitous Prairie Warblers were other good spring birds.  There were a number of White-throated Sparrows around as well, which, for whatever reason, was fairly surprising to me.

Prairie Warbler, Higbees Beach, Cape May, NJ

Prairie Warbler, Higbees Beach, Cape May, NJ

Indigo Bunting, Higbees Beach, Cape May, NJ

After Higbee we birded around Cape Island, but to be honest not too much of note was around.  We checked everywhere from Sunset Beach to Poverty Beach to Bunker Pond to the Beanery to the Meadows.  The only birds of note were a Prothonotary Warbler at the Beanery, Purple Sandpipers at the Canal jetty at Higbees beach, and the 3 Eurasian Collared-Doves at their usual spot.

Ryan told me that he has had trouble getting photos of Red-winged Blackbirds.  Of course he didn't take his camera out for the meadows so I took this one just to rub it in.

We then drove north through Wildwood, checking the coast guard ponds, Two-mile landing, and back bays, but turning up very little.  We made our way north to Nummy Island where a number of shorebirds were hanging out.  The only highlight here were about ten Whimbrel and a beautiful breeding plumage Red Knot in the few hundred other shorebirds that included Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitchers, and Black-bellied Plovers.  

Red Knot (middle) with other shorebirds, Nummy Island, NJ

Red Knot, Nummy Island, NJ

After that we head to Beaver Swamp to look at ibises - ibi? - with the hopes of pulling out a White-faced.  When we arrived somebody claimed to have seen one, and perhaps he did.  We looked for a LONG time, but most of the birds were far out and the heat distortion made it that much more difficult. Lots of Glossy Ibis, though, so definitely lots of potential.  I'll probably be back.  A Pine Warbler and singing Yellow-rumped Warbler were present in the patch of woods at the end of the trail.

Our last stop of the day was Heislerville.  I was glad to see that the water levels had dropped a little since the last time I was there, though they still seemed high.  Some shorebirds were present, though nothing of note - Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, Dunlin, and Short-billed Dowitcher.  26 Black Skimmer were roosting on the middle island with the Herring, Ring-billed, Laughing, and Great Black-backed Gulls, and Forster's Terns.  Heading back out along the dirt road, we saw our FOY Orchard Oriole.


Tonight, as I'm now looking at the radar, I'm thinking tomorrow we should get a number of new birds as the flood gates open tonight.  I'm sure Drew Weber at Nemesis Bird will have a post on the night's migration in the AM.  Until then, happy birding folks and check out the radar right now!

Radar Right Now (~9PM) from NOAA website. 

Outer Point Reyes Vagrants and other good birds.

Birded outer Point Reyes today on my day off.  Started off the day at the Nunes Ranch where the Dickcissel has been for the past week or so.  I didn't spend a long time looking for it, though, since I had already seen it, and the sparrow flock was quite spread out and hard to follow.  The usual suspects were present including Lincoln's, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows.  As I scanned up the road I noticed a phoebe on the fence, but it was bobbing its tail and had a lot more white in the plumage.  It was indeed an Eastern Phoebe, almost certainly the same bird as was seen yesterday by another birder.

Eastern Phoebe, Nunes Ranch, Point Reyes, CA [Photo by Lukas Musher]

There were plenty of good birds to be had around Point Reyes today, and a visit to the fish docks/elephant seal overlook provided excellent looks at Townsend's, Hermit, and the long-staying Prairie Warbler in the cypresses around the area.

Lincoln's Sparrow, Elephant Seal Overlook, Point Reyes, CA [Photo by Lukas Musher]

Black Phoebe, Elephant Seal Overlook, Point Reyes, CA.  Ubiquitous, but a nice comparison to the Eastern Phoebe (above).  [Photo by Lukas Musher]

White-crowned Sparrow, Elephant Seal Overlook, Point Reyes, CA [Photo by Lukas Musher]

Another Lifer! Hermit Warbler, Fish Docks, Point Reyes, CA [Photo by Lukas Musher]

Prairie Warbler, Fish Docks, Point Reyes, CA [Photo by Lukas Musher]

Praire Warbler fly-catching, Fish Docks, Point Reyes, CA [Photo by Lukas Musher]

Prairie Warbler with insect, Fish Docks, Point Reyes, CA [Photo by Lukas Musher]

Prairie Warbler, Fish Docks, Point Reyes, CA [Photo by Lukas Musher]

Prairie Warbler, Fish Docks, Point Reyes, CA [Photo by Lukas Musher]

Also in Drakes Bay were 1 Long-tailed Duck (pretty good for Point Reyes), several Black Scoter in with the Surf Scoters, four species of grebe including 1 Red-necked Grebe, and most of the usual suspects.  Despite my efforts, I could not turn up the Harlequin Ducks, White-winged Scoters, or any interesting shorebirds.  On my drive home I was treated to a brief glimpse of a bobcat crossing the road just west of Inverness.

By Luke Musher