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Lancaster County Bird Club |
Lancaster, PennsylvaniaFounded December 8, 1937to secure the cultivation of public sentiment in the
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This, the 15th edition of the Lancaster County Bird Club's Research Issue, documents the Club's special projects in Lancaster County for the year 2004. It reflects the dedication and hard work of many of our members in pursuit of the Club's goal to record the county's bird life. I would continue to encourage more members to take an active part in the compiling of this data by participating in these Club activities.
The format for the report of the three Christmas Bird Counts has again been consolidated. This provides an easier and more comprehensive look at the county, as well as a means of comparing these counts. Additionally, new for this year is the inclusion of the report on the Volunteer Waterfowl Identification at Middle Creek WMA held in February and March. The Club continues to monitor the Conejohela Flats Important Bird Area (IBA), as well as the other two IBAs in the county--the Black-crowned Night-Heron Rookery on Creek Road and the Middle Creek WMA driving route.
This year's issue includes the following reports:
- Jan Witmer
President and Newsletter Editor
I would like to again thank everyone who volunteered their time in 2004 with bird identification at Middle Creek WMA. This was the fifth year that the Lancaster County Bird Club (LCBC) has participated in helping others with the wonders of nature at Middle Creek WMA during this special time of year. In 2004 there was coverage on Sunday afternoons between 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m. for five weeks beginning February 22 and ending March 21. A brief description of each week's highlights, including visitor numbers, weather conditions, and species highlights, plus the names of the volunteers, follows. To date, there have been 24 LCBC members who have helped out with this worthwhile event. If you have an interest in helping in the future, please contact Bruce Carl at (717) 859-4179 for information.
Willow Point (Estimated Visitors - 520)
Weather: Cloudy, then becoming clear with NW winds at 5-15 mph.
Temps in low 40s.
Volunteers: Larry Coble with help from Randy Miller
Species: 600 Tundra Swan, one Mute Swan, 6,000 Canada Geese, one
small race of Canada Goose, 45,000+ Snow Geese, two Ross' Geese,
100+ Mallards, 100+ Black Ducks, one Green-winged Teal, one American Wigeon,
50+ Pintails, 70+ Ring-Necked Ducks, 80+ Common Mergansers,
one Hooded Merganser, two Ruddy Ducks, two adult, one imm. Bald Eagles,
two dark-phase and one light phase Rough-legged Hawks, one Northern Harrier,
one American Coot, and seven Herring Gulls. Snow Geese with yellow neck
collars: KK18, HF14, KH10, CY20, JH53, JP35, and JM64
Willow Point (Estimated Visitors - 5,000)
Weather: Sunny, mild conditions with temps in the high 50s
Volunteers: Jan Witmer with help from Doug Anderson, Bruce Carl,
Tom Garner, Dave Gochnauer, Jonathan Heller, Steve Rannels, and Eric Witmer
Species: 130,000 Snow Geese, 2,000 Tundra Swans, 4,000 Canada Geese,
a few hundred Black Ducks, eight Ruddy Ducks, two American Coot, one Redhead,
one Canvasback, one Ring-necked Duck, 25+ Pintails, one American Wigeon,
one Hooded Merganser, 12 Common Mergansers, two or three Ross' Geese,
four adult and one imm. Bald Eagles, one dark-phase Rough-Legged Hawk, one Herring Gull.
Snow Geese with yellow neck bands: KK11, KK08, KY51, KR03, KR14, KT43, and KH10
Willow Point (Estimated Visitors - 4,000+)
Stop #1 (Estimated Visitors - 3,300)
Boat Launch (Estimated Visitors - 450)
Weather: Sunny with light winds, temps in low 50s
Volunteers: Charles & Elaine Chalfant, Tom Hopson, and Bruce Carl
Species: 1,000+ Tundra Swan, 150,000 Snow Geese, Canada Geese, 45 Ring-necked Ducks,
63 Gadwall, 115 Black Ducks, 75 Mallards, 43 Common Mergansers, 54 Northern Shovelers,
one Mute Swan, 27 Pintail, 30 American Wigeon, two Canvasbacks, 22 Hooded Mergansers,
one Lesser Scaup, two Greater Scaup, two Green-winged Teal, 30 Ruddy Ducks, one Ross' Goose,
one Greater White-fronted Goose, 400+ Ring-billed Gulls, two Herring Gulls,
one Northern Harrier, one Cooper's Hawk, one adult Golden Eagle, four adult and
two imm. Bald Eagles
Willow Point (Estimated Visitors - 300)
Boat Launch (Estimated Visitors - 250)
Weather: Overcast, windy and cold day with temps in upper 30s to low 40s
Volunteers: Darryl & Sally Lownsbery, Dave Gochnauer
Species: Snow Geese (55,000) and Tundra Swan numbers were down from past weeks,
Canada Geese, 40 Mallards, ten Northern Shovelers, three Gadwall, 25 Black Ducks,
ten Common Mergansers, 110 Northern Pintails, four Green-winged Teal, 12 American Wigeons,
one Brant, 14 Ring-necked Ducks, six Ruddy Ducks, one Ross' Goose, six Scaup species,
200 Ring-billed Gulls, two adult and one imm. Bald Eagles. The eagles were harassing the
Snow Geese for most of the day.
Willow Point (130 Visitors)
Stop #1 (50-60 Visitors)
Boat Launch (143 Visitors)
Weather: Partly to mostly cloudy and windy (15-30mph), temps around 40 degrees
Volunteers: Jane & Leon Schreffler, Fred Zimmerman, and Milt Steffy
Species: Canada Geese, 55,000 Snow Geese, 55 Tundra Swans, 30 Common Mergansers,
46 Ringnecked Ducks, 34 Black Ducks, four Green-winged Teal, 18 Mallards,
22 Northern Shovelers, four Pintails, 16 Horned Grebes, six Double-crested Cormorants,
ten Ruddy Ducks, one Gadwall, one Pied-billed Grebe, four Lesser Scaup, two American Wigeon,
21 Ring-billed Gulls, two Bald Eagles.
The 13th Annual North American Migration Count was held on Saturday, May 8, 2004. Lancaster County has now participated in this count for the past nine years. A variety of areas throughout Lancaster County were birded, including such places as Middle Creek WMA, three of the Lancaster County Parks, specific locations along the Susquehanna River, Octoraro Lake, Safe Harbor Area, and the Susquehanna State Park/Fishing Creek Road Area, to name just a few.
There were 40 participants on this year's count which tallied 164 species for the day. This number again was the highest total in a county for the state for the third year in a row. The 164 species also extended Lancaster County's streak of at least 160 species on this count to nine years.
Species totals included 11 shorebirds, 11 raptors, 13 waterfowl (includes loons and grebes), 30 warblers, and ten sparrows.
Individual highlights included the following: one Lesser Scaup, 11 Red-breasted Mergansers, three Peregrine Falcons, six Wilson's Snipe, 87 Bonaparte's Gulls, one Saw-whet Owl, two Red-headed Woodpeckers, one Marsh Wren, three Ruby-crowned Kinglets, two Swainson's Thrush, one Golden-winged Warbler, four Yellow-throated Warblers, four Pine Warblers, one Palm Warbler, five Prothonotary Warblers, 15 Yellow-breasted Chats, three Kentucky Warblers, two Blue Grosbeaks, three Vesper Sparrows, two Lincoln's Sparrows, and three Purple Finches.
If you have an interest in or questions about the North American Migration Count, please feel free to contact Bruce Carl via telephone at (717) 859-4179 or by e-mail at carls@dejazzd.com.
Count charts appear in the paper edition of the 2004 Research Issue of "Call Notes," but the presence or absence of species is recorded in the accompanying spreadsheet.
The year 2004 produced our second highest species count with 31, only one under the year 2000 total of 32. There was no attempt to estimate the total number of shorebirds since coverage was sporadic.
A new daily and yearly high count was set for Whimbrel with 250 and 319 respectively. The rocks at the head of Lake Clarke continue to provide a rest stop for migrating Whimbrel in the spring. A new yearly high count was also reached for Western Sandpiper with 19.
The yearly species total was helped by single sightings of Ruff (Reeve), Marbled Godwit, Red Knot, Long-billed Dowitcher, and Wilson's Phalarope. The Ruff (Reeve) was only the third record for the Flats. Both Willets occurred on the same day.
The most noteworthy occurrence of 2003 was the nine species of terns that were recorded. This was not the case in 2004. Only five species were noted and in moderate numbers.
Heavy rainfall in April through October kept the river flow high. This is normally a plus for the Flats since higher than normal flow rates allow for more generation at Safe Harbor. This condition generally produces more extensive mud flats, especially in August and early September when flow rates are usually low. However, the river flow was so high that even more frequent generation at Safe Harbor was not able to pull down the Lake Clarke level enough to produce extensive mud flats.
The flood event on the river was probably the most noteworthy occurrence for the year. The Gull Island habitat just upriver from Sharptail Island was dramatically altered by the high water. It appears as if the area was reshaped and relocated, but did not lose any mass.
Avocet Point had part of its eastern side sharply cut off, resulting in a steep incline rather than a gentle slope. The entire point was lengthened, while being slightly narrower where it joins Seaside Island. None of these changes are thought to be negative.
Two additional mud flat areas were formed down river from Avocet Point and Green Island. These were in the making over the last several years due to normal sediment build-up and the flood event hastened their development.
Boat travel in the shallow waters had been getting more difficult in the last couple years due to normal sedimentation. I think the 2004 flood event will make it even more challenging.
I will continue to serve as compiler for this National Audubon Society designated Important Bird Area. Reports of your sightings are appreciated. I will pull information off the web from the Pennsylvania Birding List. If you post, I'll have your report. You may also e-mail your results to jbook@paonline.com. Data on the Flats dating back to 1950 has been archived at Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and provides a valuable history of this Important Bird Area. Let's keep it going!
The count season got off to a rousing start on Sunday, December 19, 2004, with 48 observers grouped into 22 parties. Compiler Bob Schutsky's troops tallied 108 species on this relatively mild winter day. The day started with fog and light rain in the morning and concluded under partly cloudy skies and very mild southwest winds. Temperatures ranged from 29� to 40� F. with some partly frozen ponds. Total number of birds tallied was 228,269.
Unusual species observed were Cackling Goose, Red-throated Loon, Northern Goshawk, a large falcon species, Tree Swallow, and Wilson's Warbler.
Species seen in unusually high numbers for this count included Ross's Goose (3), Cooper's Hawk (15), Wilson's Snipe (29), Northern Saw-whet Owl (7), Downy Woodpecker (240), Hairy Woodpecker (60), Pileated Woodpecker (17), Carolina Wren (292), Brown Thrasher (2), Eastern Towhee (32), and Song Sparrow (881).
The Lititz Christmas Bird Count was held on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with 31 participants identifying 81 species, which added up to 43,318 individuals for the day. Very cold weather leading up to count day froze most open water and limited the number of waterfowl seen.
The following are the individual highlights for the day: one Cackling Goose, two adult Bald Eagles, one Merlin, six Killdeer, 12 Wilson's Snipe, one Barn Owl, three Short-eared Owls, two Red-headed Woodpeckers, one Eastern Phoebe, one Red-breasted Nuthatch, 13 Hermit Thrushes, two Gray Catbirds, 42 Eastern Towhees, 16 Fox Sparrows, and 27 Eastern Meadowlarks.
The following numbers will show it does pay to check those open fields! It was a great year for field birds: 3,293 Horned Larks, 171 American Pipits, five Lapland Longspurs, and three Snow Buntings.
Thanks to all who helped with this year's count! Your efforts are shown with the species identified for the day.
The Lancaster Christmas Bird Count was conducted on Sunday, January 2, 2005 under mild temperatures and little wind. The 31 participants met with some morning fog, but generally had good conditions for the day. Participant numbers were up this year and the nine groups were able to cover all the areas of the count circle for the first time in five or six years.
The teams identified 83 species, with a total of 76,977 individuals. The most notable birds were Glaucous Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, and Black-crowned Night-Heron. Also noteworthy was a high count of 53,100+ Ring-billed Gulls and also 26 Bald Eagles. "The waterfowl list was terrible," according to compiler Chris Pederson.
There were 274 species identified in Lancaster County for the year 2004. Three new species were added to the 28-year composite list, which now stands at 336 species.
Pink-Footed Goose - One bird was located at Greenfield Industrial Park on
February 29 and March l.
Eurasian Collared Dove - There was one bird found in the Willow Street area
near Route 272 on May 15 and relocated on May 19.
Cackling Goose - A recent split from the Canada Goose which is also an addition
to the Lancaster County Year composite list. This species was seen during the last
quarter of 2004 at Middle Creek WMA, Octorara Lake, and Woods Edge Pond.
Listed below are some other notable sightings for 2004:
There were 33 species identified in the county for 2004, plus six species of loons and grebes. Snow Geese again put on another spectacular show at Middle Creek WMA with an estimate of 170,000 present during late February and early March. A high count of 11 Ross' Geese were found among this large flock of Snow Geese. Two sightings of Greater White-fronted Goose also came from Middle Creek WMA with one bird in early February and another on December 12. A Eurasian Wigeon was found at Long Level on March 28. There was an adult Eared Grebe located along the Pequea Creek on April 11 and ten Brant made an appearance at Greenfield Industrial Park on October 23.
Thirty-two species were identified during 2004. Besides the Reeve mentioned earlier, there were some other nice finds. There were two separate sightings of Marbled Godwit, one being found at Middle Creek WMA on April 26, while another was on the SRCF on July 31 and August l. There was a high count of 51 Whimbrel found May 24 on the rocks south of the Wrightsville Bridge, only to be out done by an estimated 250 at the same location on May 26.
There were 32 species identified again this year. Some of the more interesting finds included the nice numbers of Cerulean Warblers found along or near the Lower Susquehanna River area during the spring and summer. Connecticut Warblers were found in two locations during October with one bird in the Borough of Strasburg on October 3 and the other found in the eastern part of the county on October 8 in the vicinity of Gap. On May 15, there were two different reports of singing Mourning Warblers at Middle Creek WMA, one along Conservation Trail behind the Visitors' Center, and the other along the Middle Creek Trail.
This list brings together in a single table the species sighted during the North American Migration Count (in one column), each of the three Christmas Counts (in three columns), and then all the species sighted within Lancaster County during 2004 (in one column). The counts of individuals reported at the Migration Count, the Christmas Counts, and at the Conejohela Flats and along the Susquehanna River from Conejohela north to Bainbridge are in the paper edition of the 2004 Research Issue of the "Call Notes."