Lancaster County Bird Club
preservation of our native bird life.
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Lancaster County Bird Club |
| Lancaster, Pennsylvania | |
| Founded December 8, 1937 | |
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to secure the cultivation of public sentiment in the preservation of our native bird life. |
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This is the 12th edition of the Research Issue. It represents the field activities conducted by the Lancaster County Bird Club within the county. This issue reflects the Club's commitment to documenting the county's birdlife. It shows the dedication and hard work of many of our members in pursuit of this goal.
Included this year is an article by Jerry Book which utilizes the records of shorebird sightings on the Conejohela Flats from 1950-1970 kept by Ted Hake. It was this information that aroused renewed interest among some of our Club members in these river islands.
I would encourage all Club members to get out and enjoy the county's birds and thus assist in the compilation of data.
This year's issue includes the following reports:
The tenth annual North American Migration Count (NAMC) was held on Saturday, May 12, 2001. Lancaster County participated in this annual event for the sixth consecutive year. All three Warbler Walk areas were included in this year's count, along with other areas in Lancaster County, including Octoraro Lake, Landis Woods, the Ted Parker Natural Area, and areas along the Susquehanna River, just to name a few.
There were 161 species identified by 44 participants. This marked the sixth year in a row in which 160 or more species were identified on this count.
Top reports for the day included a first-summer Black-headed Gull, found on the Susquehanna River Conejohela Flats, and five Lapland Longspurs, found at the intersection of South Fairview Road and Clay Road, just west of Ephrata. Both of these species are new additions to the NAMC bird list.
Some additional highlights for the day included the following:
14 Species of Waterfowl - One Canvasback, three Bufflehead, one Long-tailed Duck, two Common Loon, 14 Snow Geese, plus American Coot
11 Species of Shorebirds - One White-rumped Sandpiper, five Dunlin, one Common Snipe, four Black-bellied Plovers, and 30 Solitary Sandpipers
4 Species of Terns - Three Caspian, one Common, one Forster's, and one Black
27 Species of Warblers - One Brewster's (third year in a row for this hybrid), two Tennessee, one Nashville, four Blackburnian, one Blackpoll, two Cerulean, one Wilson's, and two Prothonotary
Other Notable Sightings - Two Common Nighthawks, one Least Flycatcher, one Swainson's Thrush, nine American Pipits, two Wild Turkeys, one Bobwhite, five Blue Grosbeaks, four Vesper Sparrows, ten Grasshopper Sparrows, four White-throated Sparrows, two White-crowned Sparrows, and one Purple Finch
The North American Migration Count for 2002 will be held on May 11th. If anyone has questions about the count or would like to volunteer their time to the NAMC, please contact Bruce A. Carl at (717) 859-4179 or Carls@desupernet.net.
The year 2000 was a banner year for the Flats and a tough act to follow. It produced a record 32 species of shorebirds, including Little Stint, Piping Plover, both Godwits, all three Phalaropes, and many Whimbrels. An adult Long-tailed Jaeger, Gull-billed Tern, Black Skimmer, two Least Terns, three Franklin's Gulls, and a Sedge Wren were significant highlights.
The year 2001 made a valiant effort to continue the strong showing of Conejohela Flats migrants. It succeeded in tallying 28 species of shorebirds, the second highest count ever recorded. Marbled Godwit, two Willets, and a good count of Whimbrels were noteworthy. A pair of Arctic Terns (first county record) put in a brief appearance in May and four Least Terns were located during the season. A flock of 68 Red-throated Loons, two Common Black-headed and four Little Gulls were added to the mix.
The Conejohela Flats habitat has been exceptional the last two years. The Safe Harbor Water Power Company's habitat maintenance program has provided significant resting habitat when the water level is high. They are to be commended for their efforts. Shorebirds are no longer forced to abandon the Flats each night when river levels rise due to reduced hydropower generation.
Freshly exposed mudflats, rather than dry habitat, are preferred by the shorebirds for feeding. This condition is still very much influenced by river flow. If it is strong, Safe Harbor can increase generation, thereby lowering the river level in Lake Clark and exposing mudflats. The reverse is true when the river flow is light. This year, during the summer and early fall shorebird migration peak, the river flow was very light; therefore, the amount of mudflat habitat was below average.
Reduced shoreline observation during the summer and fall was a limiting factor as well. Norfolk Southern Railroad's "zero tolerance no trespass policy" prevented access to key observation locations on shore. If they persist in enforcing this policy, it will have a decidedly negative impact on documenting what is happening on the Conejohela Flats, one of Pennsylvania's most "Important Bird Areas." Many of the significant species that have been recorded in recent years were discovered by shoreline observation. Let's hope that Norfolk Southern has a change of heart so that we may continue to document and enjoy this parade of birds.
A chart of "The Ted Hake Years," 1950 through 1970, is included this year [in the paper edition of this "Call Notes" Research Issue]. Ted Hake, Ray Bubb, Sam Dyke, and Carl Fasnacht averaged over twenty trips per year to the Flats from 1950 through 1961. Coverage dropped off gradually until it ended in 1970.
Some of their best shorebird finds were two Curlew Sandpipers in 1955 after Hurricane Connie, a Ruff in 1950, an Upland Sandpiper in 1958, and several Piping Plovers. It is interesting to note the relative abundance, or lack thereof, of different species when compared to more recent times. Hake did not record any sightings of American Avocet or Marbled Godwit. Today, both species are being seen every other year. Whimbrel and Willet are being seen more often these days and in greater numbers than during the Hake years. But the reverse is also true.
There have been no recent records of Curlew (but we did have a Little Stint in 2000) or Upland Sandpipers. Piping Plover has only been documented once since the Hake years. Wilson's Phalarope has only been noted twice in the last 15 years. There are many more comparisons that can be made.
Hake never recorded more than 25 species of shorebirds during any one year. The average during the peak coverage years was 23. Today, the high annual species count stands at 32, with a ten-year average of 26.5. Hake's best one-day high species count was 18, while 20 is the new benchmark.
The Flats were different during the Hake years. Drawdown occurred only once a week, exposing huge mudflats when the river level was lowest. Today, drawdown occurs daily, with mudflat areas ranging from minimal to extensive, depending on river flow. In the Hake years, all exposed habitat was either mudflat or grassy areas. Today, exposed habitat is heavily vegetated, except where cleared by Safe Harbor's maintenance program, with much less extensive mudflats that fringe these areas. In the last several years, there has been better coverage of the Flats than during the Hake years. The shorebird survey commissioned by Safe Harbor and administered by Bob Schutsky has resulted in over sixty trips per year to the Flats. Eric Witmer, Tom Garner, Dan Heathcote, Deuanne Hoffman, and Jerry Book have added another twenty or more.
One thing remains the same. Where there is good habitat for resting and feeding, the birds will come down. And they do, and they will. Fifty years of documentation by members of the Lancaster County Bird Club have provided the evidence.
NOTE: The Conejohela Flats has been given the designation of "Important Bird Area" (IBA) by the National Audubon Society. This official status gives the Flats both state and national recognition. Recently, Audubon has submitted the Flats for world recognition as an IBA.
The Southern Lancaster County Christmas Bird Count was held on Saturday, December 15, 2001. Another exceptionally good count resulted in the identification of 105 species, with a total of 379,657 individuals recorded. Several species had large numbers that accounted for the high individual count: Snow Goose (20,000+), Ring-billed Gull (12,775), Red-winged Blackbird (118,350), Common Grackle (18,000+), Brown-headed Cowbird (12,000+), and over 10,000 more of unidentified blackbird species.
Other species with unusually high counts were Common Loon (4), Bonaparte's Gull (850), Yellow-rumped Warbler (189), and Fox Sparrow (42). Unusual species observed included Brant, Cordillan/Pacific Slope Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Brewer's Blackbird. One additional species--Ring-necked Duck--was observed during Count Week, but not on the day of the count.
The Lancaster Christmas Bird Count was held on Saturday, December 29, 2001. The 33 participants recorded 97 species this year. The most unusual sightings were of two Merlin and one Brant. Species having relatively high counts included Double-crested Cormorant (7), Canada Goose (3,462), Golden-crowned Kinglet (87), and American Robin (3,267)--this was the year of the Robin! Also of interest were sightings of four Long-tailed Ducks (formerly known as Oldsquaw), and three species of warblers--Pine, Palm, and Yellow-rumped. A total of 53,129 individuals was tallied.
The Lititz Christmas Bird Count was held on Sunday, December 30, 2001. There were 37 participants identifying 89 species, plus one Count Week bird. Below are some of the highlights:
There were 78 species identified at Middle Creek WMA alone on Count Day.
Notable sightings for the day were: 16 species of waterfowl, including one Greater Scaup, two Ross' Geese (one white-phase, one blue-phase), 20,000 Snow Geese, and one Bufflehead (Count Week).
Four Owl species with one Saw-whet and four Long-eared.
Two Double-crested Cormorants, nine American Pipits, 29 Lapland Longspurs, two American Coot, three Bald Eagle (two adult, one imm.), one Red-shouldered Hawk, one Ruffed Grouse, one Killdeer, three Common Snipe, two Red-breasted Nuthatches, one Gray Catbird, one Yellow-rumped Warbler, nine Fox Sparrow, one Eastern Meadowlark, and one Common Grackle.
Two species with unusually high counts were White-crowned Sparrow (73) and House Finches (1,089).
If you have any questions regarding the count, please give me a call at (717) 859-4179.
During 2001, 270 species of birds were identified by birders in Lancaster County. No new species were added to the 25-year composite list, which remains at 328 species with the yearly average increasing to 256. Nevertheless there were some exciting discoveries throughout the year.
Some of the more notable highlights for 2001 were as follows:
The Ash-throated Flycatcher that was found at Safe Harbor Dam on December 28, 2000, remained until January 6, 2001.
An Eared Grebe was located near Peach Bottom and remained in the area from March 13-19, 2001 (first since 1993). Lancaster County's possible third Pacific-slope Flycatcher was found on December 16, 2001, during the Southern Lancaster Christmas Bird Count along Fishing Creek Road where it meets the Susquehanna River. The bird remained into January 2002. This is the first sighting since 1990 and 1991 when this species was found in consecutive years on the same Christmas Bird Count.
A Parasitic Jaeger was seen flying down river near Peach Bottom on March 18, 2001 (first since 1996).
Two Arctic Terns were found on the rocks below the Route 30 bridge over the Susquehanna on May 22, 2001 (first since 1989).
A Monk Parakeet took up residence in Lancaster City from May 2001 until late September 2001. This bird was seen by many and at different locations throughout the city. It even attempted to build a stick nest behind one of the billboards near the Lancaster train station. The origin of this bird will probably go unknown.
Waterfowl - 31 species were identified in Lancaster County during 2001 with the highlights being Snow Geese and Ross' Geese. An estimated 80,000 Snow Geese were at Middle Creek WMA from mid-February through mid-March with three Ross' Geese found with this flock during the same time period. On March 18 at Muddy Run the flock of Snow Geese there provided two more Ross` Geese. Middle Creek WMA during the fall until the end of the year again hosted a number of Snow Geese totaling about 20,000 birds. There were two Ross' Geese found with this flock also which included one white-phase and one blue-phase found during the Lititz Christmas Bird Count.
Shorebirds - 28 species were found during 2001, nothing like the record-setting year of 2000 when 33 species were identified, but it is still an above-average year. A Marbled Godwit was found on the Susquehanna River Conejohela Flats (SRCF) from August 5-12, 2001. After finding all three Phalarope species in 2000, none were found in 2001. For the third year in a row Upland Sandpiper was missed. This bird probably does spend some time in Lancaster County during its migration. The best time to possibly view this species would be from mid- to late July into September. Some past locations where this species had been found include the Lancaster Airport area and the Amish Farmland area. Let's find a few in 2002!
Mississippi Kites put on a show in 2001 with four separate birds being discovered. Two sub-adults were found at Chickies Rock on May 28, 2001. One adult was at Middle Creek WMA on May 2, 2001. Another bird, a sick sub-adult, was found at Middle Creek WMA on May 30, 2001.
Gulls - There were two separate sightings of Black-headed Gull during 2001 with one adult found near Accomac on April 14, 2001, and a first-summer bird found on the SRCF from May 8-14, 2001. One Gull that got away was a possible Ross' Gull seen late in the day on February 17, 2001, at Long Level. It was looked for the next day or two but was never relocated.
Warblers - 36 species were identified during 2001 with the highlights being Connecticut Warbler (first since 1995), Orange-crowned Warbler (third in four years), and a Yellow-throated Warbler found at Wissler Run Park on December 16, 2001, and continued into January 2002.
Other highlights from the year include: Red-necked Grebe (fourth in six years), Great Cormorant (first since 1997), Glossy Ibis (fourth year in a row), Eurasian Wigeon (first since 1997), Common Moorhen (first since 1997), and Common Redpoll (fourth year in a row). One notable miss was Tricolored Heron (first miss since 1997).
And, finally--one for the history records--after all the years of records, the confirmed nesting of Great Blue Heron in the county was discovered by Gerry Boltz and Richard Light. Five nests with eight young were observed along Meadow View Road and Risser Mill Road.
Created for the Internet on ... 1 September 2005