Birds (Aves) – LIFE IN THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER WATERSHED

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026

It’s Snow Goose Time at Middle Creek

In case you haven’t already heard, the Snow Geese are at last filtering north from the Atlantic Coastal Plain to congregate at the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties.

Snow Geese at Middle Creek W.M.A. — As many as 60,000 Snow Geese have been enumerated in recent days at the refuge.

Tundra Swans at Midle Creek WMA — And more than 500 Tundra Swans are making a stopover.

Snow Geese at Willow Point — When not in the fields feeding, Snow Geese are concentrated around the small area of open water on the otherwise frozen lake, making them easily observed from the Willow Point viewing area. If you’re planning to visit and have a look, don’t wait. The urge to begin their 2,000-mile journey to breeding areas on the arctic tundra is strong, and as soon as conditions permit, they’ll be resuming their excursion. This could very well be an abbreviated stay.

February 25, 2026February 25, 2026

Start Your Own Tree Nursery

Just a reminder—there’s still time to order trees and shrubs from your local county conservation district’s annual sale, but you need to act soon…

Cumberland County Conservation District 48th Annual Tree Seedling Sale

Order by Friday, March 20, 2026

Pick Up on Thursday, April 16, 2026, or Friday, April 17, 2026

Dauphin County Conservation District Seedling Sale

Order by Monday, March 16, 2026

Pick Up on Thursday, April 23, 2026, or Friday, April 24, 2026

Franklin County Conservation District Tree Seedling Sale

Order by Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Pick Up on Thursday, April 23, 2026

Huntingdon County Conservation District Tree/Seedling Sale

Order by Friday, April 3, 2026

Pick Up on Thursday, April 16, 2026, or Friday, April 17, 2026

Lancaster County Conservation District Annual Tree Seedling Sale

Order by Friday, March 6, 2026

Pick Up on Friday, April 10, 2026

Lebanon County Conservation District ALL NATIVE! Tree & Plant Sale

Order by Monday, March 2, 2026

Pick Up on Friday, April 17, 2026

Mifflin County Conservation District Tree Sale

Order by Friday, March 6, 2026

Pick Up on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, or Thursday, April 16, 2026

Schuylkill County Conservation District/Sweet Arrow Lake Conservation Association 51st Annual Seedling Sale

Order by Saturday, March 21, 2026

Pick Up on Saturday, May 2, 2026

Snyder County Conservation District Tree Seedling Sale

Order by Monday, March 30, 2026

Pick Up on Wednesday, April 15, 2026

York County Conservation District Seedling Sale

Order by Sunday, March 15, 2026

Pick Up on Thursday, April 16, 2026

If maybe you would like to order trees but you’re not quite ready to put them in the ground, why not pot them up and start your own plant nursery. It’s a great way to build an inventory of hardy stock for planting around your own property or for use in community or civic conservation projects.

Potting Sweetgum Seedlings — Earlier this week we potted up some bare-root seedlings in a mix of compost and sand to give them a head start before planting them in the ground either during the coming fall or in years to come. These happen to be some young American Sweetgum trees we purchased from a nursery in Perkasie, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Native Tree Nursery — After watering them in, we added our new trees to the inventory we have available for stream buffers, rain gardens, reforestation, and other rewilding projects. We’ll either stake or trim them to remedy the curved stems.

Yellow Birch Sapling — In just a season or two, we have nice robust saplings ready to install in a project or in the headquarters garden. Starting plants in the nursery gives them the size they need to improve their chances of survival.

This is one of ten Norway Spruce trees we purchased in a pack from a local conservation district sale almost ten years ago. We started each two-year-old seedling in a pot, then transplanted them into the ground a year later. All have been thriving ever since.

Since being installed as a potted sapling reared in the headquarters nursery about fifteen years ago, this sturdy Eastern Sycamore has matured and is producing seeds relished by American Goldfinches and other birds.

Eastern Sycamore and Conifers — Growing in a streamside woodland, a really massive sycamore that got its start in your nursery could continue to provide valuable wildlife habitat over a lifespan extending one hundred, two hundred, maybe even three hundred years or more. These long-lived denizens of the floodplain provide homes for such beloved breeding birds as Baltimore Orioles, Bald Eagles, Warbling Vireos, Yellow-throated Warblers, and several species of owls,…

Great Horned Owl Nest in Eastern Sycamore — …including this Great Horned Owl, seen currently incubating eggs inside a legacy sycamore that has been an active nest site among its neighboring Norway Spruces and Eastern White Pines for decades.

Yellow-crowned Night Herons at Nest — Yellow-crowned Night Herons, an endangered species in Pennsylvania, nesting in an Eastern Sycamore planted during the early twentieth century as a street tree very near the Susquehanna in mid-town Harrisburg. Ordering and planting trees today is essential for their tomorrow.

February 14, 2026February 16, 2026

Adapting to Winter Extremes

During winter’s harshest conditions, one must frequently marvel at the methods various forms of wildlife have to survive. Take a look at some of the animals we found using their life-sustaining adaptations to find food amidst the snow-covered landscape and bitter cold air.

We watched this Blue Jay digging to retrieve an acorn from beneath the tuft of leaves and dried grasses where it had apparently concealed it earlier in the season.

Blue Jay Eating Acorn — It then carried it to a nearby limb and chiseled away the husk to devour the nutritious contents. Blue Jays are known to cache hundreds or even thousands of seeds, nuts, and acorns for winter consumption. Want to see it for yourself? Just put out some unshelled no-salt peanuts and watch the jays haul them away, that is if the hoarding squirrels don’t get them first!

Like other members of the Picidae family, Red-headed Woodpeckers pry and chisel away at decaying and insect-infested trees to find food during the winter.

First-winter Red-headed Woodpecker — Like jays, Red-headed Woodpeckers including this first-winter bird are very fond of acorns and will often collect them from the ground. And like jays, they’ll cache acorns for use as a backup supply when a blanket of snow may prevent them from gathering those that remain beneath the oaks.

Native to eastern Asia, Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) has escaped from mostly urban cultivation to become naturalized and often invasive in some wooded areas of the lower Susquehanna River watershed. It can be quite aggressive, usually found growing as a climbing vine or less frequently as a shrub. In the absence of native and more palatable foods, the berries are an attractive survival fare for members of the Turidae (thrush) family and other birds.

We found this and several hundred more American Robins surviving the current winter weather while feeding on Wintercreeper in a suburban woods with a heavy growth of the invasive plant.

Several Eastern Bluebirds were seen among the Wintercreeper tangles as well. They too are relying upon this non-native plant to provide at least a portion of the energy they need to make through blustery February nights.

The Hermit Thrush, a species that nests in the coniferous and mixed forests of the northern United States and Canada, winters sparingly in the lower Susquehanna valley. We found this one among the robins and bluebirds of the Wintercreeper thicket where it too was probably attracted by the supply of berries.

Frequently escaping notice in the winter woods is the Brown Creeper, another species that nests primarily in coniferous and mixed forests to our north, though it does breed in our area at scattered locations, primarily in mountainous or swampy terrain.

The petite Winter Wren exhibits mouse-like behavior as it hops and crawls among logs, rocks, and brush along the banks of wooded waterways. Like the creeper, it is primarily an insectivore, spending much of its time escaping notice searching beneath streamside structure for its daily nourishment. In summer, Winter Wrens nest in damp coniferous forests.

Seeing a Red Fox repeatedly during daylight hours is typically considered to be a sign that one may be observing a diseased animal, but we soon determined that there was nothing at all wrong with this vulpid we found patrolling a large woodland lying along the outskirts of a lower Susquehanna city.

February 13, 2026February 14, 2026

Today’s Middle Creek Snow Goose Count: One

For those of you who may be wondering if there are Snow Geese at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, the answer is yes—just one!

So where are the thousands of Snow Geese we’ve grown accustomed to seeing during recent decades as they gather at the refuge in February while preparing to fly north for the summer?

With much of the river and nearly all of the lower Susquehanna basin’s lakes and ponds frozen, Snow Geese and many other migratory waterfowl remain concentrated on the Atlantic Coastal Plain where salty tidewater provides ice-free conditions for feeding and loafing. In fact, some ducks, particularly diving species, may still be evacuating freshwater locations to our north such as the Eastern Great Lakes where, during the past week, even more surface area has succumbed to freezing. Look for migrants to begin pushing north in bigger numbers as soon as rising temperatures start to melt local ice. (NOAA/U.S. National Ice Center image)

February 11, 2026February 11, 2026

To Stave Off Starvation, Nip It in the Bud

It looks like the worst of the cold may be behind us. With temperatures trending upwards during the coming days and weeks, some species of wildlife will soon find their search for food made a whole lot easier.

White-crowned Sparrows spend the winter seeking shelter in dense tangles of early successional growth, particularly among thorny shrubs and vines. Extended periods with snow cover can make their search for food a real challenge, but we spotted this one hitting the jackpot on a bare patch of sun-drenched ground along the edge of a thicket of briars. It has found the earliest green buds of a clover or other herbaceous plant. Many songbirds in the finch, cardinal, and sparrow families turn to buds in late winter and early spring as a source of energy-rich sugars.

In woodlands, sweet sap will soon swell the buds of maples, much to the delight of Eastern Gray Squirrels whose favorite dining spot will suddenly become the treetops instead of the leaf litter. Often selected by property owners for their colorful autumn foliage and fast growth, the prevalence of both native and non-native maples in the suburban landscape helps more squirrels survive the winter to expand their numbers in the spring.

Nibbling late-winter buds is a daylong pastime for the hungry White-tailed Deity. While high-intensity twig browsing can alter forest ecology and practically eliminate understory growth and regeneration, bud snacking only tends to make some of the trees more stout than others. It’s similar to the trimming and snipping a bonsai artist may do to maintain a prized specimen.

Tree Shelters Protecting Saplings — Those of you installing stream buffers or reforesting all or part of your property may not want your newly planted trees turned into bonsai or lost entirely to hungry ungulates. If you’re seeking some relief from a browsing problem, you’ve got to nip it in the bud. Tree shelters offer protection during the first half a decade or more of your sapling’s new life. You can find these tubes for sale from many online sources including some of the local county conservation districts during their annual spring tree sales (which happen to be underway right now, hint-hint). Installing these plastic protectors may not only relieve you from the frustration of worrying about your new trees, it might also excuse you from risking involvement in the sometimes heated quarrel between the worshipers of the White-tailed Deity who practice sacrifice and those who religiously oppose it.

February 5, 2026

An Intermission Between Deep Freezes

With another round of single-digit and possibly sub-zero temperatures on the way, birds and other wildlife are taking advantage of a break in the extreme conditions to re-energize. During the past day, these species were among those attracted to the food and cover provided by the habitat plantings in the susquehannawildlife.net headquarters garden…

Dark-eyed Juncos, one of our numerous species of native sparrows, are sometimes called “snowbirds”, and for good reason. They spend the majority of their time on the ground searching for seeds and are particularly noticeable when the landscape is blanketed in white.

To make it through the winter, a Northern Mockingbird is again defending the garden’s supply of fruits adorning Common Winterberry, American Holly, and Eastern Red Cedar. Robins, starlings, waxwings, and bluebirds must be stealthy and quick if they want to grab a snack before the ever-alert mockingbird aggressively moves them on their way.

As they mature, our plantings of junipers, hollies, Eastern Hemlock, Norway Spruce, and Eastern White Pine offer the environs needed by evergreen-loving species like this Red-breasted Nuthatch to remain as winter residents instead of just seasonal transients.

January 29, 2026

In the Frozen Foods Aisle

For overwintering birds and other animals, finding enough food is especially difficult when there’s snow on the ground. And nighttime temperatures in the single digits make critical the need to replenish energy during the daylight hours. Earlier this afternoon, we found these American Robins seizing the berry-like cones from ornamental junipers in a grocery store parking lot. It was an urgent effort in their struggle for survival.

American Robin on Juniper — Though seldom considered ideal wildlife plants, low-growing ornamental junipers often produce an abundance of seed-containing cones that resemble berries.

American Robins Eating Juniper — In a pinch, they’ll attract dozens of robins and other fruit-eating birds as a quick source of nourishment on a windy, bitter-cold day.

American Robins Feeding on Juniper "Berries" — After all, these landscape shrubs are often derived from native species including the Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) of Canada and the northernmost United States, a plant resembling a recumbent version of the local Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) with which these birds are quite familiar.

County conservation district offices will soon be taking orders for their spring tree sales. Be sure to load up on plenty of the species that offer food, cover, and nesting sites for birds and other wildlife. These sales are an economical way of adding dense-growing clusters or temperature-moderating groves of evergreens to your landscape. Plus, selecting four or five shrubs for every tree you plant can help establish a shelter-providing understory or hedgerow on your refuge. Nearly all of the varieties included in these sales produce some form of wildlife food, whether it be seeds, nuts, cones, berries, or nectar. Many are host plants for butterflies too. Acquiring plants from your county conservation district is a great opportunity to reduce the amount of ground you’re mowing and thus exposing to runoff and erosion as well!

January 7, 2026January 8, 2026

The Variety of Medium and Large-size Gulls Visiting for the Winter

You may find this hard to believe, but during the colder months in the lower Susquehanna valley, gulls aren’t as numerous as they used to be. In the years since their heyday in the late twentieth century, many of these birds have chosen to congregate in other areas of the Mid-Atlantic region where the foods they crave are more readily available.

As you may have guessed, the population boom of the 1980s and 1990s was largely predicated on human activities. These four factors were particularly beneficial for wintering gulls…

- 1. Disposal of food-bearing waste in open landfills
  2. High-intensity agriculture with disc plowing
  3. Gizzard Shad population boom in nutrient-impaired river/Hydroelectric power generation
  4. Fumbled Fast Food

Earthworms lifted to the soil's surface by plowing attracted Ring-billed Gulls by the thousands to Susquehanna Valley farmlands during the late twentieth century. — Earthworms lifted to the soil’s surface by plowing attracted Ring-billed Gulls by the thousands to Susquehanna Valley farmlands during the late twentieth century. (Vintage 35 mm image)

Young Gizzard Shad — Filter-feeding Gizzard Shad populations thrive in nutrient-rich waters like the Susquehanna. Their rambunctious feeding style stirs up benthic sediment deposits to release more nutrients into the water column and promote the algal blooms that often lead to detrimental eutrophic conditions. Decades ago, hundreds and sometimes thousands of gulls gathered below the river’s hydroelectric dams to feed on the seemingly endless supply of small Gizzard Shad disoriented by their passage through the turbines during electric generation. (Vintage 35 mm image)

So what happened? Why are wintering gulls going elsewhere and no longer concentrating on the Susquehanna? Well, let’s look at what has changed with our four man-made factors…

1. 1. A larger percentage of the lower Susquehanna basin’s household and food industry waste is now incinerated/Landfills practice “cover as you go” waste burial.
  2. Implementation of “no-till” farming has practically eliminated availability of earthworms and other sub-surface foods for gulls.
  3. The population explosion of invasive Asiatic Clams has reduced the Gizzard Shad’s relative abundance and biomass among filter feeders.
  4. Hold on tight! Fast food has become too expensive to waste.

The non-native population of Asiatic Clams in the Susquehanna and most of its larger tributaries exploded during the last two decades of the twentieth century. Its present-day biomass in the river is exceeded by no other macroinvertebrate species. The share of plankton and other tiny foods that the Asiatic Clam harvests from the water column is no longer available to native filter-feeders including Gizzard Shad. Hence, Gizzard Shad biomass has been reduced and far fewer are available to attract amazingly enormous flocks of hungry gulls to hydroelectric dams. (Vintage 35 mm image)

GULLS THIS WINTER

Despite larid abundance on the lower Susquehanna not being the spectacle it was during the man-made boom days, an observer can still find a variety of medium and large-sized gulls wintering in the region. We ventured out to catch a glimpse of some of the species being seen both within the watershed and very nearby.

Ring-billed Gulls on Lake Clarke — By far, most of the gulls you’ll encounter in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed right now are Ring-billed Gulls. Some of them still drop by at the business end of the drive-thru lane looking for a lost order of fries and maybe a cheeseburger in paradise.

Ring-billed Gulls in winter plumage. — First-winter (left), second-winter (center), and adult Ring-billed Gulls on the Susquehanna.

Ring-billed and American Herring Gulls — Nearly every flock of gulls found in our area right now is composed exclusively of Ring-billed Gulls. The trick to finding other species, particularly rarities, is to look for slightly larger birds mixed among them, particularly American Herring Gulls like the first-winter (back row left) and third-winter (back row right) birds seen here. Herring and other species of similar-sized gulls seem to prefer each other’s company while on the wintering grounds.

American Herring Gulls with Ring-billed Gulls — Five American Herring Gulls with smaller Ring-billed Gulls. The bird to the upper left and the bird hunkered down to its right are adult American Herring Gulls, the three brownish birds are in their first winter.

Non-adult American Herring Gulls in flight. Always look for birds with all-pale wing tips when encountering herring gulls in flight.

Four Species of Medium-sized Gulls — Midway in size between the Ring-billed Gulls in the foreground and the first-winter American Herring Gulls in the upper left and middle right of this image is a Lesser Black-backed Gull (dark-mantled bird resting at center). The similar-sized bird in the water behind it is a first-winter Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides), a rare visitor from the arctic.

First-winter Iceland Gull — Another look at the first-winter Iceland Gull from the previous image. Did you notice the all-white primary feathers and compare them to the dark wing tips on the Ring-billed Gulls seen here in its company?

Iceland Gull Bathing — The conspicuously pale wings of the first-winter Iceland Gull, seen here bathing in the presence of two first-winter American Herring Gulls.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls like this one observed at Blue Marsh Lake are uncommon in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed. They are progressively more likely as you travel east toward the aforementioned Bucks County landfills where hundreds of these birds make up a core Atlantic seaboard population.

Great-black-backed Gull with Ring-billed Gulls — Great Black-backed Gulls are the most frequently encountered large gull on the Susquehanna. They’re easily identified by their enormous size and, as adults, their dark mantle.

First-winter Glaucous Gull — Rivaling the Great Black-backed Gull in size is the Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus), another rare arctic visitor with pale wing tips. There are numerous reports of these unusual winter visitors from sites on Delaware Bay north to the Tullytown landfills on Delaware River where half a dozen or more have been occurring. Seen near the mouth of the Susquehanna on Chesapeake Bay at North East, Maryland, has been a first-winter bird similar to this one that we photographed at Blue Marsh Lake in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

For us, seeing a Glaucous Gull brought back memories of the last time we saw the species. It was forty-five years ago on New Year’s Day 1981 that we discovered two first-winter birds feeding on Gizzard Shad in open water on an otherwise ice-choked Susquehanna below the York Haven Dam powerhouse at Conewago Falls. Hey Doc Robert, do you remember that day?

December 10, 2025December 11, 2025

Observing Susquehanna Bald Eagles: A Chart for Determining Age

As part of an update to our “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” page, we’ve just added this chart for determining the age of the Bald Eagles you might observe on the lower Susquehanna River and elsewhere in coming weeks.

Bald Eagle age classes in late autumn in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed. — Bald Eagle age classes as they typically appear during late autumn in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed. (Click the image for a full-size PDF version of the chart)

Bald Eagles in each age class often retain their fall appearance through much of the winter. However, beginning January 1st, each bird is reclassified into the next in the series of chronological plumage designations. Consequently, during the early part of the new year until a new generation of eagles is hatched in late winter and spring, there are no birds in our area designated “hatch-year/juvenile”. After fledging, these youngest eagles, the new generation of juveniles, often show little change in appearance until after their first birthday, by which time they are already classified as second-year/Basic I immature birds. For birds other than the new generation of hatch-year/juvenile eagles, the majority of the molt that produces their new autumnal appearance each year occurs during spring and especially summer, when food is abundant and the bird’s energy needs for purposes other than growing feathers are at a minimum. Hence, by the time fall migration rolls around, the next in the successive progression of plumage changes is evident. For more details and year-round images of Bald Eagles, check out our “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” page by clicking the tab at the top of this page.

December 8, 2025

Cuisine to Crow About!

Red-shouldered Hawk and thigh of frog (cuisses de grenouille). — Our VIP guest, a discerning Red-shouldered Hawk, dining yet again on cuisses de grenouille (thigh of frog) at susquehannawildlife.net headquarters.

December 6, 2025December 6, 2025

Eagle Time At Conowingo Dam’s Fisherman’s Park

Wintering Bald Eagles are again congregating on the lower Susquehanna River, particularly in the area of Conowingo Dam near Rising Sun, Maryland. To catch a glimpse of the action earlier this week, we took a drive on U.S. Route 1 atop Conowingo’s impounding structure to reach Fisherman’s Park on the river’s west shore below the powerhouse.

Eagle Watching at Conowingo Dam — Scores of dedicated eagle watchers and photographers brave the raw weather to see and document the concentration of eagles that gather to feed and roost in the vicinity of Exelon Energy’s Fisherman’s Park.

Susquehanna at Conowingo Dam — The panoramic view of the Susquehanna from Fisherman’s Park offers excellent opportunities to witness Bald Eagle activity.

Immature Bald Eagles — When you arrive, it’s not unusual to hear the sounds of squabbling eagles immediately upon exiting the shelter of your vehicle. During our visit, we sighted probably 60 to 80 individuals of various age classes among the rocks and trees along the river shorelines below the dam.

Second-year (Basic I) Bald Eagle — Soon enough, we experienced a close fly-by from this second-year Bald Eagle.

Hatch-year (Juvenile) Bald Eagle — We were a little bit concerned to see only one hatch-year (juvenile) Bald Eagle among the birds at Fisherman’s Park. Perhaps the aggressive behavior of the large number of older and more experienced eagles in the area has these first-year individuals shying away. We discerned no third-year birds either, though they may certainly have been present.

Fourth-year (Basic III) Bald Eagle — A probable fourth-year Bald Eagle shows a white head with the remains of a dark line through the eye, a trait often more conspicuous in third-year birds often known as “osprey face” eagles.

Fifth-year (Basic IV) Bald Eagle — This probable fifth-year Bald Eagle has nearly lost the dark markings on the head and tail that differentiate immature birds from adults. A molt during the coming year will yield adult plumage and mark the completion of this bird’s sexual maturity.

Eagle Photographers at Fisherman's Park — Meanwhile, a little action gets the shutters clicking,…

Eagle Dogfight in the Incipient Stage — …a fourth-year Bald Eagle (top) is drawing the ire of an adult bird,…

Eagle Dogfight — …necessitating a reprisal for the taunting behavior.

To the delight of photographers at Conowingo, some of the eagles can be seen grabbing fish, mostly Gizzard Shad, from the tailrace area of the river below the powerhouse. But Bald Eagles are opportunistic feeders, and their feeding habits are similar to those of numerous other birds found in the vicinity of the dam at this time of year—they’re scavengers. Here’s a glimpse of some of the other scavengers found in the midst of this Bald Eagle realm…

Fish Crows are recognized by their nasal call. They’ll eat almost anything they can find including garbage, fish remains, discarded bait, lunch scraps, road kill, and more.

Visitors to Fisherman’s Park are warned to keep out of sight any food they may have stored in their cars. Black Vultures are known to peel rubber away from windows as they search for something to eat, a habit they possibly learned during productive forays to landfills where the edges of rubber coverings sometimes hide a freshly dumped buffet of potential sustenance.

During our stop at Conowingo Dam earlier this week, we saw only one Turkey Vulture, though more are certainly in the vicinity feeding on road kill and other carrion.

Like eagles, Ring-billed Gulls are opportunistic feeders, seen here looking for disoriented Gizzard Shad and other fish,…

Ring-billed Gull — …then quickly changing focus to check the humans along the shoreline for discarded bait or fumbled snack foods.

Juvenile Ring-billed Gull — Even young Ring-billed Gulls learn the value of watching people for activities that provide an opportunity to scavenge food.

While Ring-billed Gulls and other scavengers aren’t particularly fussy about what they eat, Double-crested Cormorants are;…

Double-crested Cormorant — …they’re targeting Gizzard Shad and other fish in the waters below the dam. Thus, we would categorize cormorants as predators, eating mollusks and other aquatic organisms as well.

And while you’re on the lower Susquehanna, keep an eye on the sky. Common Mergansers winter on ice-free sections of the waterway and are now arriving in the vicinity of Conowingo and elsewhere.

Bald Eagles at Heron Rookery — But if perhaps winter isn’t your thing, don’t despair. These Bald Eagles came upon last year’s Great Blue Heron rookery on the island below the dam and it seems to be giving them some ideas. If you think like an eagle, spring is just weeks away!

November 28, 2025

Maybe They’ll Stay, Maybe They Won’t

Here are a few more late-season migrants you might currently see passing through the lower Susquehanna valley. Where adequate food and cover are available, some may remain into part or all of the winter…

During the summer, Ruby-crowned Kinglets nest in northern coniferous forests. Through the colder months, these petite songbirds can often subsist on tiny insects and other invertebrates found among the bark, limbs, and buds of leafless deciduous trees and shrubs. In our region, look for wintering kinglets in woodlands that include at least a small percentage of evergreens to provide protection from frigid nighttime temperatures.

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is our shiest of woodpeckers. These migrants are still quite common among stands of deciduous and mixed woods, but local numbers will soon decrease as the majority of the population continues moving along to the forests of the southeastern United States for winter.

In case you were wondering…Yes, the adult Red-shouldered Hawk continues to visit the garden pond at susquehannawildlife.net headquarters. Earlier today, we watched it plunge into the shallows after a Green Frog. We’re enjoying the privilege of having it around, so we hope it decides to remain for as long as the food supply is accessible.

November 21, 2025November 21, 2025

Photo of the Day

Peak numbers of Fox Sparrows are now moving through the lower Susquehanna valley on their way south. Nearly as large as our Catharus thrushes, these native songbirds are among the last of our regularly occurring autumn migrants. In tangled dense thickets along the edges of fields and woodlots, small numbers may linger into winter eating berries and the seeds of herbaceous plants.

November 17, 2025November 17, 2025

Photo of the Day…Again

November 17, 2025November 17, 2025

Photo of the Day

November 6, 2025November 8, 2025

Windy and Dark November Skies

Those cold, blustery days of November can be a real downer. But there’s a silver lining to those ominous clouds, and it comes with the waves of black and mostly dark-colored migrants that stream down the ridges of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed on their way south at this time of year.

For protection from predators, blackbirds including these Common Grackles typically assemble into sizeable flocks numbering hundreds of birds following the nesting season. These noisy bands of passerines are currently being seen as they move south into the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain for winter.

American Crows are now working their way into the area. To avoid falling prey to owls and other predators during the night, they form often enormous roosts in well-lit urban areas. They spend their days fanning out across the landscape in search of food, primarily relying upon human-generated fare including road kill and scraps found among trash and litter for sustenance.

Formerly confined largely to remote mountainous terrain, the crow’s close relative the Common Raven has, during this century, become more widespread and tolerant of human activity.

Second Mountain Hawk Watch — Spending time at one or more of the regional hawk-counting stations during coming weeks will afford you not only the chance to see ravens, but many of our largest raptors as well. Their migration is just now reaching its peak.

Peak numbers of Red-tailed Hawks are migrating through the area right now. Though their population is in decline overall, they may appear very common along rural roadways and in suburbia during coming weeks as they try to find prey before continuing south. Inexperienced juvenile “red-tails” are particularly vulnerable to fatal traffic mishaps and other hazards during this time. Give them some room if you can.

Early November brings the last of the season’s Osprey down local ridges. Many, including this one seen earlier in the week, will fly right up until sunset to expedite their journey to warmer climes.

Bald Eagle — Always a crowd-pleaser among the observers on the lookouts are the eagles.

Juvenile Bald Eagle — Right now, migrating Bald Eagle numbers are often exceeding a dozen birds per day at local counting stations. They include those like this one in juvenile (hatch-year) plumage as well as the various molt sequences experienced by immature eagles prior to reaching maturity.

At present, Golden Eagle numbers are just starting to build. Look for the peak of their fall migration to arrive in coming weeks. Gusty days following passage of a cold front are often your best bet for seeing these regal raptors from local lookouts.

For more information on regional hawkwatching sites and raptor identification, click the “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” tab at the top of this page. And for more on Golden Eagles specifically, click the “Golden Eagle Aging Chart” tab.

November 4, 2025November 5, 2025

The Guiding Light

October 21, 2025October 21, 2025

Photo of the Day

Small numbers of Rusty Blackbirds are currently moving south through the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed. Look for individuals and small flocks feeding in damp woods and along lake and river shorelines. These uncommon birds nest far to our north in wet coniferous and mixed forests as well as willow thickets, often in muskeg or beaver pond-created habitat. Rusty Blackbirds spend the colder months in the wooded swamps of the southeastern and south-central United States. Loss of habitat has reduced their numbers dramatically, as has their misfortune to occasionally join flocks of foraging Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles on the wintering grounds where all of these species fall victim to avicide poisons placed on feedlots to eradicate European Starlings.

October 10, 2025

Changes Following the Season’s First Frost

Having experienced our first frost throughout much of the lower Susquehanna valley last night, we can look forward to seeing some changes in animal behavior and distribution in the days and weeks to come. Here are a few examples…

Unlike their close relatives the Tree Swallows, which include berries as well as invertebrates in their diet, Northern Rough-winged Swallows are strictly insectivores and will find it necessary to promptly move south to assure a frost-free environment where they can secure an adequate supply of food. Their one alternative: find a local sewage treatment plant where warm water attracts populations of flying insects through the remainder of autumn and maybe into winter.

Warblers too are insect eaters. Look for most of our dozens of species to evacuate the area in coming days and leave behind only the Yellow-rumped Warbler, another bird with a fondness for berries during cold weather. Into the winter months, they remain in small numbers in habitats with an abundant supply of berries like Poison Ivy, holly, wild grape, bittersweet, and Eastern Red Cedar. For lingering Yellow-rumped Warblers, thickets of cedars and other evergreens provide essential protection from frigid nighttime winds.

This Eastern Chipmunk will soon feel the pinch. Instead of eating the sweet, fruity portions of Mile-a-minute Weed berries, it’ll have to get serious about stocking its den with larger seeds, acorns, hickory nuts, and other foods to snack on through the winter. Better get busy, little friend!

September 27, 2025

Photo of the Day

Juvenile Rose-breasted Grosbeaks — These juvenile Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are among the last big southbound push of Neotropical migrants we’ll see moving through the lower Susquehanna valley in coming days. Be certain to get outside and have a look.

September 22, 2025September 22, 2025

Migrants Seeking Shelter to Weather the Storm

Less than ideal flying conditions can cause some of our migrating birds to make landfall in unusual places. Clouds and gloom caused a couple of travelers to pay an unexpected visit to the headquarters garden earlier today.

Here in our urban oasis, this Northern Parula was our first warbler of the season. We noticed it gleaning small insects from the leaves and stems of the taller trees.

Our resident Carolina Chickadees made good foraging companions for our temporary guests.

Be sure to keep an eye open for visiting migrants in your favorite garden or park during the overcast and rainy days ahead. You never know what might drop by.

September 12, 2025September 12, 2025

Tropical Treats and an Early Surprise

Crisp cool nights have the Neotropical birds that visit our northern latitudes to nest during the summer once again headed south for the winter.

Flying through the night and zipping through the forest edges at sunrise to feed are the many species of migrating vireos, warblers, and other songbirds.

A Tennessee Warbler peers from the cover of a Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina), a small native tree which is not, as many assume, a poisonous plant. Staghorn Sumac is in fact an excellent wildlife species with brilliant autumn colors.

Though its breeding season has come to an end, this southbound Yellow-throated Vireo was found singing its heart out in the limbs of a Staghorn Sumac early this morning.

Black-throated Green Warblers are particularly numerous right now. To see them, visit a ridgetop forest clearing at sunrise.

As the nocturnal migrants fade into the foliage to rest for the day, the movement of diurnal migrants picks up the pace.

Southbound flights of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are reaching their peak this week with chilly temperatures hustling them along. Remember to keep your feeders clean and your nectar fresh through at least early October; they may really need the supplemental energy.

Migrating Broad-winged Hawks, sometimes traveling in large flocks known as kettles, seek out thermal updrafts to gain altitude before gliding away on a southwest heading bound for Houston, Texas. Once there, they’ll make a turn to the south and follow the gulf coastline toward the tropics for winter.

While on the crest, you might notice that the Neotropicals aren’t the only bird species heading through. Migrants like this Sharp-shinned Hawk are beginning to show up in increasing numbers with a peak expected in about two to three weeks.

To find a hawk-counting station near you, check out our “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” page by clicking the tab at the top of this page. And plan to spend some time on the lookout during your visit, you never know what you might see…

Second-year Golden Eagle — This very early Golden Eagle surprised observers at Second Mountain Hawk Watch in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, this morning. It appears to be an immature, more specifically a second-year bird beginning molt (replacing its innermost primaries), so it may not have traveled all the way to the eastern population’s breeding areas in northern Canada for the summer. Instead, it may have wandered the vast wilderness hundreds of miles further south. Expect to see these regal eagles more regularly when adults and hatch-year juveniles from the nesting region start passing through our area, primarily during the period between Halloween and Thanksgiving. In the meantime, you’ll have time to check out our “Aging Golden Eagles” page by clicking the tab at the top of this page.

August 28, 2025

The Nighthawks and the Hummers

Chilly nights and shorter days have triggered the autumn migration of Neotropical birds. You may not have to go far to see these two travelers. Each is a species you may be able to find migrating through your neighborhood.

Common Nighthawks are large insect-eating nightjars. Watch for them feeding and migrating overhead during the late hours of the afternoon and continuing through nightfall. While skies above the Susquehanna and large tracts of forest or grassland offer the best viewing opportunities, even city residents may witness their evening flights during the coming weeks. Though nighthawk numbers appear to be in decline, as many as a hundred or more are currently being seen nightly at Pine Grove Furnace State Park along South Mountain in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. For daytime roosting during their southbound movements, nighthawks seem to be attracted to deep shade in areas of vast forest. They will often seek sanctuary and become concentrated in “islands of darkness” like Michaux State Forest on South Mountain after passing over light-polluted urban areas such as Harrisburg and the adjoining metroplex of the Great Valley during the previous night.

Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird — Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are now moving south. It’s time to be extra vigilant about keeping your sugar-water dispensers clean and filled with fresh nectar mixture. For tips on feeding hummingbirds safely, check out our post from August 5, 2022, “Two Feeders Are Better Than One”.

August 10, 2025August 18, 2025

Migratory Shorebirds on the Freshwater Impoundments at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

It may seem hard to believe, but the autumn migration of shorebirds and many Neotropical songbirds is now well underway. To see the former in what we hope will be large numbers in good light, we timed a visit to the man-made freshwater impoundments at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna, Delaware, to coincide with a high-tide during the mid-morning hours. Come along for a closer look…

Bombay Hook NWR tour road at Shearness Pool — Along a large portion of its route, the tour road at Bombay Hook N.W.R. sits atop the man-made dikes that create several sizeable freshwater pools (left) along the inland border of one of the largest remaining salt marsh estuaries in the Mid-Atlantic States (right).

Tidal Creek at High Tide — Twice daily, the rising tide from Delaware Bay flows along the tidal creeks to flood Bombay Hook’s extensive marshes.

High Tide in the Bombay Hook coastal estuary. — At high tide, mudflats in Bombay Hook’s coastal estuary become inundated by salt water, forcing migratory shorebirds to relocate to bay side beaches or other higher ground to rest and feed for several hours.

Shearness Pool — At Bombay Hook, migratory shorebirds, waterfowl, and waders can find refuge from high tide in the freshwater impoundments created by capturing water along the inland west side of a system of earthen dikes.

Water Level Control System — Mechanical or stacked-board gate systems are used to control water depth in the impoundments. Levels can be adjusted seasonally to manage plant growth and create conditions favorable for use by specific groups of birds and other wildlife.

Shorebirds on Raymod Pool — A mix of mudflats and shallow water on Raymond Pool provides ideal habitat for a variety of shorebirds forced from the vast tidal marshes by the rising tide. For us, a mid-morning high tide places these birds in perfect light as they feed and loaf in the pools to the west of the tour road located atop the dikes.

Shorebirds arrive on Raymond Pool during high tide. — Migrating shorebirds arrive on Raymond Pool to find refuge from the rising tide to the east. Showing a single ring around their breast, many Semipalmated Plovers can be seen here among the Semipalmated Sandpipers, the latter the most abundant shorebird presently populating Bombay Hook. Feeding in deeper water in the background are Short-billed Dowitchers. All of these birds consume a variety of invertebrates they find both in and on the mud.

Semipalmated Plovers and Semipalmated Sandpipers arriving on a mudflat at Raymond Pool.

A Short-billed Dowitcher glides in from the salt marsh to visit the shallows of Raymond Pool for a couple of hours.

Short-billed Dowitcher and other Shorebirds — A Short-billed Dowitcher feeding among Semipalmated Plovers and Semipalmated Sandpipers.

Short-billed Dowitchers in water almost too deep for the Semipalmated Sandpipers in their company.

Black-bellied Plover and Short-billed Dowitchers — A lone Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) among the abundance of Short-billed Dowitchers.

A Lesser Yellowlegs arrives at Raymond Pool as a high-tide refugee.

A Greater Yellowlegs wades into shallow water to feed.

Searching through the Semipalmated Sandpipers, one could regularly find a very similar species among them.

We identified the longer-billed and slightly larger Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) and found the species to be present possibly by the hundreds among the masses of thousands of Semipalmated Sandpipers. These seem to be unusually high numbers for this more western species, but who’s complaining?

Western and Semipalmated Sandpipers — As we sifted through these groups of tiny shorebirds known as “peeps”, we found Western Sandpipers (top) regularly distributed among the multitudes of Semipalmated Sandpipers (bottom) we encountered.

Of course, shorebirds aren’t all there is to see at Bombay Hook. More than 100 Snowy Egrets were found on the freshwater pools alongside birds like this Semipalmated Plover.

Great Egrets could be seen stalking small fish in the channels of the pools.

And a few Green Herons were found lurking in the vegetation.

Shorebirds Feeding on Mudflat during Receding Tide — By early afternoon, we noticed the tide beginning to retreat from the saltwater marsh and mudflats opposite Shearness Pool. As shorebirds began returning there to feed, we decided to make our way to Raymond Pool to watch the exodus.

Shorebirds Depart Raymond Pool — With the high tide receding from the coastal estuary back into Delaware Bay, shorebirds promptly departed their concentrated environs on Raymond Pool to spread out over thousands of acres of salt marsh to feed.

Black-bellied Plovers and other Shorebirds Leaving Raymond Pool — More shorebirds exit Raymond Pool en route to the adjacent tidal areas to feed. This outbound group includes two Black-bellied Plovers (top center and four birds to the right).

Shorebirds Entering the Saltmarsh Estuary at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge — These migrants have just begun their autumn journey from breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska to wintering areas located as far south as southern South America. For them, Bombay Hook and other refuges are irreplaceable feeding and resting locations to help them refuel for their long journey ahead. For them, a little vacation along the coast is a matter of life and death.

White-tailed Fawn — A goodwill ambassador bids us farewell at the end of our visit to Bombay Hook. Remember to support your National Wildlife Refuges by purchasing your annual Federal Duck Stamp. They’re available right now at your local United States Post Office, at the Bombay Hook visitor’s center, or online at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service website.

Planning a visit? Here are some upcoming dates with morning high tides to coax the birds out of the tidal estuary and into good light in the freshwater impoundments on the west side of the tour road…

Tuesday, August 19 at approximately 07:00 AM EDT

Wednesday, August 20 at approximately 08:00 AM EDT

Thursday, August 21 at approximately 09:00 AM EDT

Friday, August 22 at approximately 10:00 AM EDT

Saturday, August 23 at approximately 11:00 AM EDT

July 15, 2025July 15, 2025

It’s Prime Time for Hummingbirds

Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Scarlet Bee Balm — Now that the nesting season is drawing to a close, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are a bit less fussy about where they spend their time. Even in urban settings, gardens with an abundance of nectar-producing flowers like this Scarlet Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) have a good chance of attracting them. Hummingbirds will be wandering the landscape and starting to drift south during the coming two months, so keep your feeders clean and filled with a fresh blend of sugar water to keep them energized and happy. If you’re feeding hummingbirds, or thinking about feeding hummingbirds, be sure to review the helpful tips contained in our post from August 5, 2022, “Two Feeders Are Better Than One”. Their health and your peace of mind may depend on it.

June 2, 2025June 3, 2025

Photographs in Living Color: Black and White is Beautiful

Here at susquehannawildlife.net headquarters, we really enjoy looking back in time at old black-and-white pictures. We even have an old black-and-white television that still operates quite well. But on a nice late-spring day, there’s no sense sitting around looking at that stuff when we could be outside tracking down some sightings of a few wonderful animals.

American Toad Tadpoles — American Toad tadpoles have hatched from clusters of eggs deposited in this wet roadside ditch furnished with a clean supply of runoff filtered through a wide shoulder of early successional growth. Recent rains have kept their vernal nursery flooded, giving them the time they need to quickly mature into tiny toads and hop away before scorching summer heat dries up their natal home.

Water Striders mating. — Weekend rains and creek flooding haven’t stopped these Water Striders from pairing up to begin their breeding cycle.

Around streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, the Common Whitetail is one of our most conspicuous dragonflies.

Now that’s what we call a big beautiful bill, on a Great Blue Heron stalking fish.

These mating Golden-backed Snipe Flies (Chrysopilus thoracicus) are predatory insects, as are their larvae. They are most frequently found in bottomland woods.

About three feet in length, this Eastern Ratsnake is unusual because it still shows conspicuous remnants of the diamond-patterned markings it sported as a juvenile.

The plumage of the Black-and-white Warbler lacks any of the vibrant colors found in the rainbow, but is nevertheless strikingly beautiful.

May 30, 2025May 31, 2025

Photo of the Day

Cedar Waxwing Feeding on Juneberries — One of dozens of Cedar Waxwings seen descending upon ripe juneberries in a mini grove consisting of either Smooth Shadbush (Amelanchier laevis) or the allied and very similar-looking hybrid juneberry Amelanchier x lamarkii. Smooth Shadbush can be grown as a shrub or small tree and is also known as Smooth Serviceberry, Allegheny Serviceberry, or Smooth Juneberry. The hybrid Amelanchier x lamarkii is believed to be a naturally occurring cross between Smooth Shadbush (A. laevis) and either Canadian Serviceberry (A. canadensis) or Downy Serviceberry (A. arborea). Juneberries/serviceberries/shadbushes, including a number of man-made cultivars, produce white flowers in early spring and can be obtained through numerous suppliers for inclusion in conservation projects, home gardens, or for use as street trees. Believe it or not, the very productive planting seen here was located in a parking lot island at a busy Walmart store.

May 25, 2025May 25, 2025

Late May Action in the Forest

Here’s a short preview of some of the finds you can expect during an outing in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed’s forests this week…

The Mountain Laurel, designated as Pennsylvania’s state flower, is now in bloom.

Mountain Laurel Flower Buds — The buds of the Mountain Laurel remind us of a sugary frosting freshly squeezed from a baker’s pastry bag.

Mountain Laurel Flowers — The flowers of the Mountain Laurel, an evergreen understory shrub, invite pollinators to stop by for a sweet treat.

Little Wood-Satyrs (Megisto cymela) are patrolling forest edges looking for mates and, to host their eggs and larvae, the stands of grasses they find most suitable.

Many of the species of small butterflies we call skippers are now active. The Zabulon Skipper can be found patrolling grassy forest edges, particularly near streams, ponds, and wetlands.

Among the showiest of our butterflies, the Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) is seen here on the leaves of a Black Cherry, its favored host plant.

Butterfly observers will do well to pay a visit to the new Susquehanna Riverlands State Park on Furnace Road north of Hellam in York County, Pennsylvania.

Trail to Schull's Rock Overlook — Upon arrival at Susquehanna Riverlands, drive back the gravel road for about a mile to the parking area at the edge of the agricultural field. Then, hike the trail through the woods and farm hedgerow to the Schull’s Rock overlook on the river. In the forests along this route, the understory is dominated by colonial stands of Common Pawpaw trees.

Along the lookout trail to Schull’s Rock, the Common Pawpaws’ large leaves help them to shade out potentially fast-growing competition. In proper growing situations, pawpaws develop clonal suckers that mature over time to create colonial stands of a single genetic plant.

Common Pawpaw understory. — A Common Pawpaw understory along the approach to Schull’s Rock.

During our recent visit to Schull’s Rock, dozens of Zebra Swallowtails were seen along the trail, many in the vicinity of their sole host plant, the Common Pawpaw. But even more were observed along the edges of the fields and woods where nectar sources like this Multiflora Rose were being visited by numbers of butterflies we normally see only among abundant species like Cabbage Whites. Absolutely amazing!

Scull's Rock Overlook — And the view of the Susquehanna and the Shock’s Mills railroad bridge at the mouth of Codorus Creek is pretty good too!

Common Pawpaw and Hooded Warbler — You can look for colonial stands of Common Pawpaw at other parks and preserves along the lower Susquehanna as well. Birds like this Hooded Warbler can sometimes be found among them in mature riparian forests along the steep slopes of the river gorge.

Common Pawpaw and Baltimore Oriole — A Baltimore Oriole in a Common Pawpaw along a forest edge.

Meanwhile in the treetops, the spring thrust of Neotropical migrants is drawing to a close. The Blackpoll Warbler is typically one of the last to transit the lower Susquehanna valley on its way to northern coniferous forests for summer. They’ve had an unusually protracted movement through the region this spring, the earliest individuals reported during late April. Though very difficult to see in the canopy of the mature trees where it feeds and sings, hearing one is often a benchmark for senior birders each spring. Older observers have often said of the Blackpoll Warbler’s high-pitched song, a rapid series of insect-like staccato “tseet” notes, that it was the first they could no longer detect as their ears started losing sensitivity.

In many tracts along the lower Susquehanna this spring, the American Redstart is turning out to be the most common nesting warbler. Conditions favoring their reproductive success in recent cycles, as well as good survival rates during their migrations and stays on wintering grounds, have filled many lowland forests with redstart songs in 2025. Is this the start of a trend or just an exceptionally good year? Time will tell.

Yet one more reason for a stroll in local forests this week is the chance to see and hear the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Look for these Neotropical relatives of the cardinal nesting on territories in mature stands of deciduous trees like this Yellow Poplar, a species also known as the Tuliptree.

They spend nearly all their time among the canopy foliage of the largest timber…

May 19, 2025May 26, 2025

Back in the Day: Down on the Farm

Let us travel through time for just a little while to recall those sunny, late-spring days down on the farm—back when the rural landscape was a quiet, semi-secluded realm with little in the way of traffic, housing projects, or industrialized agriculture. Those among us who grew up on one of these family homesteads, or had friends who did, remember the joy of exploring the meadows, thickets, soggy springs, and woodlots they protected.

Low-intensity Farming — During much of the twentieth century, low-intensity agriculture provided a haven for wildlife. Periodic disturbances helped maintain cool-season grassland and early successional habitat for a number of species we currently find in decline.

For many of us, farmland was the first place we encountered and began to understand wildlife. Vast acreage provided an abundance of space to explore. And the discovery of each new creature provided an exciting experience.

Ned Smith's Birds of Field and Garden — Distributed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, artist Ned Smith’s wildlife posters introduced many residents of the lower Susquehanna region to its birds and mammals. This poster of “Birds of Field and Garden” helped us learn what to expect and search for during our forays to the farm.

Today, high-intensity agriculture, relentless mowing, urban sprawl, and the increasing costs and demand for land have all conspired to seriously deplete habitat quality and quantity for many of the species we used to see on the local farm. Unfortunately for them, farm wildlife has largely been the victim of modern economics.

For old time’s sake, we recently passed a nostalgic afternoon at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area examining what maintenance of traditional farm habitat has done and can do for breeding birds. Join us for a quick tour to remember how it used to be at the farm next door…

Always found nesting under the forebay of the barn, the Barn Swallow relentlessly pursued flying insects over the pond and meadow.

Eastern Meadowlarks arrived during March and April to begin nesting in their namesake. Their song, “spring-of-the-year”, heralded the new season.

Arriving in meadows and pastures during early May, the Eastern Kingbird provided for its nestlings by ambushing a variety of flying insects. By August, congregations of these birds could be found gathering along ponds and streams ahead of their fall migration.

In the cherry grove down by the creek, the Orchard Oriole would be singing incessantly to defend its territory.

Normally seed eaters through the colder months, American Goldfinches would regularly find a source of protein in the occupants of Eastern Tent Caterpillar nests.

Along the wet margins of the creek, Yellow Warblers would nest in the shrubs and small trees.

The “Traill’s Flycatcher” was a familiar find in low-lying areas of successional shrubs and small trees. Today, “Traill’s Flycatcher” is recognized as two distinct species, the Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) and the Willow Flycatcher. In the lower Susquehanna valley, the latter (seen here) is by far the most common of the two.

During the nineteenth century, Eastern Bluebirds became a rarity on lower Susquehanna farms due to a combination of factors: pesticide (DDT) use, habitat loss, and competition with other birds for nest sites. The species saw a resurgence beginning in the 1970s with discontinuation of DDT applications and widespread provision of nesting boxes. Around human habitations, competition with invasive House Sparrows continues to be detrimental to their success.

Purple Martins and Tree Swallows — Purple Martins suffered a similar fate to the bluebirds. The potential for their recovery remains dubious and they continue to be very local breeders, fussy about selection of suitable man-made provisions for nesting. After considerable effort, Purple Martins have at last been attracted to nest in the condos placed for their use at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. In the artificial gourds, there are nesting Tree Swallows, a species which also benefits from the placement of boxes intended for bluebirds.

Abandoned fields and other successional habitats were and continue to be favored homes for Field Sparrows.

At almost any time of year, roving bands of Cedar Waxwings would suddenly visit old field habitat looking for berries among the shrubs and other pioneering woody growth. In early summer, after most species have already hatched their young, nesting would commence and these fruit eaters would transform into accomplished fly catchers.

During the twentieth century prior to the 1980s, Ring-necked Pheasant populations in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed were comprised of breeding descendants of introduced birds supplemented by additional releases to maintain numbers sufficient for hunting. Year-round populations did and can reside in mosaic landscapes of early successional and grassland habitats, the latter including hay fields left unmowed through the nesting season.

Red-winged Blackbirds have always been a fixture of hay fields and meadows on farms. While the increase in mowing frequency has reduced their nesting success, they have persevered as a species by nesting earlier than other birds and by utilizing other landscape features such as densely vegetated stormwater basins for breeding sites.

Do you recall the last time you saw a Bobolink nesting in a hay field near you? Arriving in early May as a Neotropical migrant, the Bobolink requires a cool-season grassland such as hay field through at least July to complete its nesting cycle. Even earlier this century, we remember nesting Bobolinks being more widespread on farms throughout the region. Now, you almost have to go to Middle Creek if you want to see them.

Formerly more widespread in hay fields throughout the lower Susquehanna valley, the native Grasshopper Sparrow is yet another species falling victim to early mowing and intensive farming.

Cool-season Grasses — **Beautiful cool-season grasses waving in the spring breeze.** Meadows and hay fields can be managed to function as cool-season grasslands to provide nesting opportunities for many of the species we used to find down on the farm.

May 17, 2025

Photo of the Day

May 13, 2025May 13, 2025

Nest Builders at Work

For many animals, an adequate shelter is paramount for their successful reproduction. Here’s a sample of some of the lower Susquehanna valley’s nest builders in action…

Pileated Woodpecker Excavating Nest — Many of our year-round resident bird species get a head start on the breeding season as cavity nesters. Some of these mated pairs use naturally occurring hollows, while still others take advantage of the voids left vacant by the more industrious previous occupants. Woodpeckers in particular are responsible for excavating many of the cavities that are later used as homes by a variety of birds and mammals to both rear their young and provide winter shelter. Pileated Woodpeckers, like other members of the family Picidae, have an almost mystic ability to locate diseased or insect-infested trees for selection as feeding and nesting sites. In this composite image, a pair is seen already working on a potential nursery during mid-January. After use by the woodpeckers, abandoned cavities of this size can become nesting sites for a variety of animals including bees, small owls, Great Crested Flycatchers, Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and squirrels.

Downy Woodpecker at Nest — After use as a nesting site, a void excavated by Downy Woodpeckers can be occupied in subsequent years by chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, wrens, and other cavity-dwelling species.

Muskrat with Leafy Twig — This Muskrat (*Ondatra zibethicus)* with a leafy twig in tow takes advantage of spring’s new growth to construct or repair its house,…

Muskrat House — A Muskrat house in March. In the absence of leafy twigs, dried cattail stems will suffice. As it ages and decays, the house’s organic matter generates heat and makes an ideal location for turtles to deposit and hatch their eggs.

Soon after Neotropical migrants begin arriving in the forests of the lower Susquehanna watershed, they begin constructing their nests. The majority of these species build “outdoors”, not within the confines of a tree cavity. Here we see a Wood Thrush with its bill full of dried leaves and other materials…

Wood Thrush Nest — …ready to line the cup of its nest in the fork of a small understory tree.

Though it often arrives during early April after spending the winter in sub-tropical and even some temperate climes, the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher must wait to start construction of its nest until many of the Neotropical migrants arrive in early May.

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers — Back at the nest site…

Baltimore Oriole with Nesting Material — Baltimore Orioles weave one the most unique nests of any species occurring in eastern North America.

Baltimore Oriole Nest — Unfortunately for them, man-made litter can often seem to be the ideal material for binding the nest together. In an area only sporadically visited by anglers, this oriole had no trouble finding lots of monofilament fishing line, trash that can fatally entangle both adult and young birds of any species. If you see any fishing line at all, please pick it up and dispose of it properly.

Baltimore Oriole — Always keep an eye open for fishing line and get it before the birds do!

Like many other avians, male Brown-headed Cowbirds are now relentlessly pursuing females of their kind.

Watching and waiting. The Indigo Bunting evades cowbird parasitism by first recognizing the invader’s egg. They then either add a new layer of nest lining over it or they abandon the nest completely and construct a new one. Some patient buntings may delay their breeding cycle until after cowbird courting behavior ceases in coming weeks.

May 9, 2025May 26, 2025

Their Songs Give Them Away

After repeatedly hearing the songs of these Neotropical migrants from among the foliage, we were finally able to get a look at them—but it required persistent effort.

Often found closer to the ground among shrubs and small trees, this Magnolia Warbler was a challenge to find in the upper reaches of a Chestnut Oak.

Despite its status as probably the most common Neotropical songbird to nest in the deciduous woodlands of the lower Susquehanna valley, the Red-eyed Vireo is nevertheless notoriously difficult to locate among the leaves.

The Ovenbird spends much of its time on the forest floor where it builds a domed, oven-like nest.

The Worm-eating Warbler nests in understory thickets on steep forested slopes. Its rich chipping song is often the only indication of its presence.

Warbling Vireos nest near streams or other bodies of water in large deciduous trees like this Northern Hackberry.

Gray Catbirds are abundant in shrubby gardens and thickets. Most will come out of hiding to investigate disturbances like an observer making a pishing sound.

Another inhabitant of brushy successional growth is the Common Yellowthroat. It too is curious and responds quickly to squeaky sounds made by human visitors to their home ground.

The Yellow-breasted Chat is a bird of early successional growth. To establish and defend a breeding territory, this one adopted a perch along the edge of a woodlands overlooking a field in which prescribed fire was administered less than two months ago.

Sometimes we have to count ourselves lucky if we see just one in five, ten, or even twenty of the birds we hear in the cover of the forest canopy or thicket. But that’s what makes this time of year so rewarding for the dedicated observer. The more time you spend out there, the more you’ll eventually discover. See you afield!

A singing Scarlet Tanager lurking in the shade of an oak.

May 8, 2025

Photo of the Day

From a perch overlooking his domain, a Northern Cardinal sings a song of cheer.