Diurnal Raptors (Accipitriformes) – LIFE IN THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER WATERSHED

October 1, 2026September 30, 2026

Photo of the Day

Sharp-shinned Hawk Harassing a Juvenile Bald Eagle — The coming week or two may offer your best single-day opportunity to see as many as a dozen or more species of diurnal raptors migrating past one of the region’s numerous hawkwatching lookouts. Early October is prime time for observing big birds like this hatch-year Bald Eagle as well as diminutive predators like this brazen little Sharp-shinned Hawk. Lingering Ospreys and the last of the season’s Broad-winged Hawks are now being joined by growing numbers of other buteos including both Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks as well as falcons, harriers, and vultures. To find regional hawk-counting stations and to learn how to identify our local species, visit our “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” page by clicking the tab at the top of this page.

September 22, 2026September 23, 2026

Equinox and Neotropical Migrants

In the Northern Hemisphere, the autumnal equinox marks the end of astronomical summer, the instant when the sun’s path, the ecliptic, crosses the celestial equator and enters southern skies. The days that occasion both the spring and the fall equinoxes are renowned for their equal periods of both daytime and night—12 hours each.

In the six months since last spring’s equinox in March, the period of daylight at latitudes to our north has been longer each day than those same periods at latitudes to our south. Many breeding birds have found improved success by taking advantage of these prolonged intervals of sunshine to nest. Extended daylight gives them a lengthened opportunity to collect for their nestlings the plentiful food produced by the prolonged hours of solar exposure provided during the growing season. This enhanced feeding regime shortens the length of time vulnerable young must spend in the nest before fledging. Long northern days can provide significant survival advantage for these birds that migrate to breed.

During the thousands of years since the retreat of the most recent North American glaciers, the birds we call Neotropical migrants have developed migration patterns to take full advantage of this phenomenon. As various ecosystems have edged their way north with the moderating climate, these birds have, with each successive generation, followed. They leave their tropical wintering grounds each spring to work their way north to find favorable habitats for efficient reproduction. Natural selection has given them specialized capabilities for recognizing when it’s time to move and how to find their way. In large part, we’re just beginning to understand some of these fascinating capabilities.

Right out of the nest, juvenile Indigo Buntings learn to recognize the rotation of the stars around Polaris, the north celestial pole. This faculty allows them to successfully navigate their way south to the tropics during their first autumn migration. Keep that North Star behind you during the fall flight!

Today’s autumnal equinox is the moment of change. For the coming six months, the period of daylight at latitudes to our south will be longer each day than those same periods at latitudes to our north. Neotropical migrants are fully aware of this change, and these survivors of the ages have already mobilized.

Seldom noticed during their nocturnal migrations through the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed, Neotropical species including flycatchers, vireos, tanagers, orioles, and warblers like this Magnolia Warbler have been passing through on their way south by the thousands since August.

In the next week or two, most of the Neotropical migrants still to our north will pass us by. On a quiet night, you may hear their “chip” notes as they communicate with one another while flying overhead. In the mornings, a visit to a forest, a woodland edge, or a successional field may provide a chance for a good look at a migrant “fallout”.

A Common Yellowthroat in a thicket at daybreak.

Nocturnal migrants have acquired this nighttime flight behavior in large part to successfully escape the threat of predation. There are, however, some diurnal Neotropical travelers. These day trippers include birds possessing exceptional speed and maneuverability such as hummingbirds, swifts, and swallows, the latter two engaging in flocking behavior to further reduce the chances of becoming a raptor’s lunch.

During recent days, the bird that may be our most conspicuous daytime Neotropical migrant—the Broad-winged Hawk—has been putting on a show as it passes through the region. Itself a raptor, it has little to fear while flying in the daytime. In fact, thermal updrafts generated by solar heating under bright sunlight are the key to its energy-saving method of covering as many as 200 miles per day while migrating.

Broad-winged Hawks on Thermal Updraft — Broad-winged Hawks rising on a thermal updraft to gain altitude above the Rocky Ridge Hawk Watch.

Broad-winged Hawks Gliding — Broad-winged Hawks gliding in a southwest direction toward Houston, Texas, after gaining altitude on a thermal.

Counting Broad-winged Hawks — Volunteers spotting and enumerating high-flying Broad-winged Hawks above the counting station at Rocky Ridge on Saturday. The day’s “broad-wing” count: 2,704.

"Kettle" of Broad-winged Hawks — A large “kettle” of Broad-winged Hawks boiling skyward on a rising column of air.

More “broad-wings” streaming off to the southwest in the skies of the lower Susquehanna valley. Upon reaching eastern Texas, the entire population of North American Broad-winged Hawks will turn south along the Gulf Coast to make their way to the tropics for winter. Survivors will begin returning to our neck of the woods during April, several weeks after our spring equinox.

A "kettle" of migrating Broad-winged Hawks — Another large “kettle” of migrating Broad-winged Hawks above Rocky Ridge Hawk Watch.

Hawk migration and the movements of other sub-tropical and temperate bird species will continue throughout the fall. To find regional hawk-counting stations and to learn how to identify our local species, visit our “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” page by clicking the tab at the top of this page.

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026

Shocking News

Juvenile Osprey in Nest — The cackle of Osprey nestlings emanating from atop this communications tower adjacent to Wildwood Lake in the Susquehanna River floodplain in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, begins at sunrise and continues throughout the day. These fast-growing raptors are begging for food.

Osprey Searching for Fish — The adult birds respond by searching endlessly for enough fish to keep these hungry mouths full, though seldom silent.

Osprey Hovering — Upon sighting a potential catch, the mature Osprey hovers before plunging talons and head first to seize its prey. The parents supplying their offspring in this particular nest were hauling in mostly non-native species, especially small Common Carp, fish that are easily located as they roam the shallows of the lake and nearby river.

Juvenile Osprey — On recent afternoons, the oldest of the young has ventured off the nest into tree snags along the lakeshore where its cries for a meal in an attempt to intercept mom and pop before they have a chance to carry fish to its younger siblings in the nest.

Little do these raptors know that coming years may not prove so ideal for their reproduction here or elsewhere along this stretch of the Susquehanna. Within recent weeks, Northern Snakeheads, the dastardly demons that are decimating fisheries in the lower-most reaches of the river and its tributaries in Maryland, were reported in the Paxton Creek watershed in Pennsylvania—both at Wildwood Lake in Harrisburg and upstream in the impoundment at Susquehanna Township’s Boyd Park. The specimen at Boyd Park was caught by an angler on May 29th and destroyed. Upon being notified, biologists from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PF&BC) electrofished the lake on June 2nd and found no further evidence of non-native Northern Snakeheads there. Downstream at Wildwood Lake, county park staff reported sightings of a snakehead in the shallow waters of a flooded segment of the ruins of the Pennsylvania Canal on July 15th. The electrofishing crew from the PF&BC surveyed the area on the 17th and found no snakeheads. These reports follow an event in mid-October of 2023 when an angler caught a Northern Snakehead on the west side of the Susquehanna in an impoundment at Grantham Park on Trout Run, a tributary of the Yellow Breeches Creek. The angler, unfamiliar with snakehead identification, released the fish. After it was reported to PF&BC representatives, they and staff from Upper Allen Township, owners of the park, implemented “rapid response measures” to control the invasive pests.

The latest map produced by the United States Geological Survey’s Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program shows the range of the invasive, non-native Northern Snakehead. That range now includes the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed in Pennsylvania.

This news doesn’t mean the gig is up. Anglers should learn to identify Northern Snakeheads (see our “Fishes” page) and are required to dispatch them upon capture. It remains illegal to transport or possess live snakeheads. It is also forbidden to release/stock snakeheads or any other fish into Commonwealth waters without permission from the PF&BC.

Angler with Northern Snakehead at Conowingo Dam — Northern Snakeheads were imported from Asia as a food fish and escaped makeshift aquaculture attempts to become apex predators in numerous North American waters. They reproduce quickly as they expand their range and decimate both native and non-native fish populations. They are easily angled and excellent eating, but cannot be transported or possessed alive, so kill ’em when you catch ’em. Whether or not Osprey will be able to adapt to these altered fisheries remains to be seen. The presence of snakeheads could rapidly eliminate infested waterways from the nesting ranges of these and other piscivorous birds.

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.

Migrating American Robins are still transiting region, but an abundance of wild fruits can prompt hundreds to linger through winter. Look for them near supplies of wild grape, Poison Ivy, dogwood, Virginia Creeper, hackberry, hawthorn, American Holly,…

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 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.

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.

Not to be outdone, this Northern Parula joined in with a cheery tune from yet another Staghorn Sumac.

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.

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 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

May 17, 2025

Photo of the Day

May 2, 2025May 3, 2025

Fresh Foliage and Plumes

Despite what seemed to be a chilly early spring, the bright green leaves that unfold to close the canopy of our deciduous forests were dense and casting shade by the last days of April. For northbound migrants, this fresh foliage provides the cover they need for foraging, resting, and, for those that will stick around to breed in the lower Susquehanna valley, nesting.

We recall many occasions when sparse foliage during the first days of May seemed to delay the big push of Neotropical species, but the seasonal arrival of these birds in 2025 is thus far mostly ahead of schedule. This absence of delay is due in part to the lushness of the oaks. Some stands have not only leafed out, but are finished flowering and have added up to 12 inches of new branch growth. We spent these early hours of May among the oaks. Here’s a look at the Neotropical migrants and other species we found…

Dozens of species of Neotropical warblers have arrived in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed. Some will nest locally while others will continue along flight paths that will ultimately take them far to our north. We spotted this Cape May Warbler in the upper reaches of a Northern Red Oak feeding among its spent flowers. Its destination: the spruce forests of northern New England and Canada.

Always a fan favorite, we found this marvelously tropical Baltimore Oriole among the foliage of a flowering White Oak.

We were taking a break beneath this Pin Oak when suddenly an American Kestrel arrived to begin scolding a trespasser that was straying a bit too close to its nest;…

…the intruder, a Northern Harrier, soon took the hint and continued on its way.

While among the oaks, it pays to check the understory where Neotropical thrushes including the Veery are arriving to fill the forests with their melodious songs.

Following their nocturnal flights, the last of the season’s northbound White-throated Sparrows may presently be found spending the day in the cover of the oak woodland understory.

The movements of our migratory birds typically continue through much of the month of May. And peak numbers of Neotropical species often occur sometime during the second week of the month. But with habitat at the ready, favorable flight conditions could facilitate quick arrival and/or passage of the bulk of the remaining migrants during the coming week. You may want to venture out sooner rather than later—but watch your step!

The Mayapple, a native wildflower also known as the Mandrake, is now in bloom among the oak leaf litter.

And the Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), a native species also known as Wild Lily-of-the-valley, is blooming in moist mixed-oak forests.

At the edge of an oak-maple woodland, we found this lingering White-crowned Sparrow foraging among the leaf litter and fresh, shiny foliage of Poison Ivy. Songbirds can spend their days scratching the ground among these leaves of three. If you do it, you’ll be scratching something else, and you may need an ocean of calamine lotion to boot!

March 24, 2025March 24, 2025

Wildlife in the Burn Zone

During Saturday’s Prescribed Fire Demonstration at the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, we noticed just how fast some species of wildlife return to areas subjected to burns administered to maintain grassland habitat and reduce the risk of high-intensity blazes.

Back Fire Ignition during prescribed burn demonstration. — Pennsylvania Game Commission crews ignite a back fire to contain a prescribed burn along its downwind/upslope perimeter during a demonstration at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area on Saturday.

Dozens of recently arrived Tree Swallows swept in to patrol for flying insects as the burn was in progress.

These three Eastern Meadowlarks spent the morning in the grassland areas adjacent to the prescribed fire site, mostly where a burn had been conducted one week prior. During the demonstration, one even perched and sang from the oak trees in the museum/visitor’s center parking lot.

Following the Prescribed Fire Demonstration, we decided to pay a visit to some of the parcels where burns had been administered one week earlier on the north side of Middle Creek’s main impoundment. We found a surprising amount of activity.

White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows — Apparently feeding upon slightly heat-treated seeds, sparrows were found by the dozens. White-crowned (left), White-throated (right), Song, and Savannah Sparrows were identified.

This Downy Woodpecker was finding something to its liking among the scorched leaves, stems, and twigs.

American Robins seem to find areas with lightly burnt vegetation and ash-dusted soil advantageous for finding invertebrates following a fire.

Mixed Flock of Blackbirds — We found this flock of Red-winged Blackbirds, Browned-headed Cowbirds, and a few European Starlings feeding throughout a grassland field cleared of early-successional growth by a prescribed fire administered one week ago.

Nearby, in an island of unburned grass in the same field, we found yet another Eastern Meadowlark, our fourth of the day. High-intensity agriculture, particularly early hay mowing and pesticide treatments, have mostly eliminated this and other grassland species from modern farms. Management practices like prescribed fire and delayed mowing (no spinning blades until at least early August) can maintain ideal grassland habitat for stunningly colorful blackbirds including nesting Eastern Meadowlarks, Bobolinks, and many other species as well.

American Kestrel at Nest Box — A male American Kestrel at a nest box located among Middle Creek’s warm-season and cool-season grassland habitats, the former maintained by prescribed fire, the latter by delayed mowing.

March 16, 2025

Bald Eagles in March

Second-year Bald Eagle — Having survived its first winter of life, this second-year (Basic I) Bald Eagle nears its first birthday beginning the long process of molt that could culminate in it attaining definitive adult plumage in about four years. Soon, the area of the belly will become bright white and will remain that way for almost two full years. Though showing signs of wear, the flight feathers in the wings and tail have yet to be replaced, but by the time autumn arrives, the mix of new and slightly longer juvenile feathers will give the wings a conspicuously messy appearance.

Third-year Bald Eagle — In March, a third-year (Basic II) Bald Eagle with a mix of new and retained juvenile wing feathers has a noticeably sloppy appearance. By fall, nearly all of the juvenile feathers will be replaced and the bird will look much more presentable. The head will show a conspicuous two-toned “osprey-face”.

Almost an adult, a Bald Eagle in the early months of its fifth and sometimes its sixth year still has dark-edged tail feathers and a thin dark line through the eye. Many birds at this age are sexually mature.

March 12, 2025March 14, 2025

Spring Golden Eagle Migration

It appears that spring has at last arrived. It’s time to have a look around!

Diurnal flights of northbound blackbirds including Common Grackles have been overspreading the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed since late February.

And thawed soils are providing opportunities for nocturnal migrants like American Robins to search for earthworms and other invertebrates during their daytime layovers.

Now that there is open water between here and the Great Lakes, flocks of waterfowl like these migratory Canada Geese are flying day and night on an excursion that will ultimately take them to their nesting grounds in the wilderness areas of Canada and Alaska.

Of the bird species that pass southbound through the lower Susquehanna valley during autumn, we can generally observe many of the surviving individuals as they return north during the spring. But there are numerous exceptions. One of them is Golden Eagles.

While the strong northwest winds of late autumn create ideal lift for migrating Golden Eagles along our linear ridges, they also tend to enhance the birds’ tendencies to “ridge hop” their way south, thus pushing many of them southeast from the main corridor of the eastern population’s route through the central Appalachian Mountains. Here in the lower Susquehanna region, we observe these vagabonds at our numerous hawk watches which happen to be located along the outer periphery of the birds’ primary flight path. It appears that a greater percentage of these wayward eagles tend to be younger, less-experienced birds than those seen passing hawk-counting stations in the central Appalachians. Lucky for us, we get to see more of the showy juvenile and immature Golden Eagles—at least during the fall season.

In the spring, southerly breezes and the urge to “ridge hop” in a northerly direction tend to concentrate Canada-bound migrating Golden Eagles along the northernmost ridges in their Appalachian flyway. To see them, we took a short drive up the Juniata River valley to the 90,000 acres of Rothrock State Forest and Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch. During our visit there earlier this week, gusty winds from the southwest brought us an opportunity to see the elusive northbound flights of some of the members of eastern North America’s population of Golden Eagles.

Jo Hays Vista, Rothrock State Forest — Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch is located along State Route 26 atop Tussey Mountain, just south of State College, Pennsylvania. Visitors can find ample parking at the Jo Hays Vista along the west side of the road on the crest of the ridge .

State College, Pennsylvania — Looking north from Jo Hays Vista to State College and the main campus of Penn State University. Bald Eagle Mountain is in the background and behind it lies Allegheny Front and Plateau.

From the Jo Hays Vista parking area, follow the Mid State Trail (orange blazes) south along the ridgetop for about a half mile to the Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch lookout.

Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch lookout — The lookout at Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch is located within a utility right-of-way with talus slopes flanking the ridgetop clearing.

Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch — An interpretive sign shows a statistical graphic describing the seasonal abundance of Golden Eagle sightings at the site. The peak time: late February through early April.

Observers at Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch — Tussey Mountain is the only hawk-watching station in the lower Susquehanna region staffed by an official counter to collect data during the spring migration season. You can view the daily counts at hawkcount.org. You can contribute to them by visiting the hawk watch to help scan the skies.

By late morning, a small flight of Golden Eagles had commenced. Most of the birds seen at Tussey Mountain are adult or near-adult birds with dark wing linings and slightly paler flight feathers. It’s a two-toned appearance similar to that of a Turkey Vulture and there is little if any variation in the length of the flight feathers. These birds are three years of age or older, are or soon will be sexually mature, and often travel in pairs separated by a minute or two of flight time.

This Golden Eagle caught our attention with its longer central tail feathers and some longer secondary feathers in the wings that create a wavy appearance. As they get older, immature eagles should become more skilled as fliers, so each new set of flight feathers is usually shorter than those they’re replacing. Based upon the characters contributing to its ragged appearance, this bird is probably in the early months of its fourth or fifth calendar year of life.

Common Raven and Golden Eagle — Ravens really like to harass younger birds like this second or third-year Golden Eagle.

Third-year Immature Golden Eagle — One of the final sightings of the day was this magnificent Golden Eagle. Look closely and you can see evidence of some molt completed last year in the outer tail feathers and the innermost primaries in the wings. On top, there were tawny bars on the wing coverts. This bird is probably just beginning its third calendar year of life and will start replacing many more flight feathers later this spring.

For more information on the region’s hawk watches and the birds you’ll see there, be certain to click the “Hawkwatchers Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” tab at the top of this page. And for a more detailed look at how to determine the age of Golden Eagles, particularly during the autumn migration, click the “Golden Eagle Aging Chart” tab at the top of this page.

February 26, 2025August 4, 2025

Winter Survival: Generalists and Specialists

We’ve seen worse, but this winter has been particularly tough for birds and mammals in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed. Due to the dry conditions of late summer and fall in 2024, the wild food crop of seeds, nuts, berries, and other fare has been less than average. The cold temperatures make insects hard to come by. Let’s have a look at how some of our local generalist and specialist species are faring this winter.

House Sparrows and a House Finch — House Sparrows (bottom) and House Finches (top) are generalists. To survive and thrive, they are adapted to a variety of habitats and types of food. House Sparrows live almost anywhere man-made structures are found. They are true omnivores and will eat almost anything, especially if they see something else try to eat it first. The House Sparrow’s close association with humans has allowed it to become the most widespread and successful living avian dinosaur. On a cold night, they’ll take shelter either within dense vegetation alongside a building or within the structure itself. Though not nearly as cosmopolitan, the House Finch has successfully colonized much of the eastern United States after escaping from captivity as a cage bird in New York during the middle of the twentieth century. Upon being trans-located here from the arid southwest, they adapted to suburbs and farmlands consuming primarily a granivore diet of seeds supplemented with seasonally available berries. They quickly became accustomed to offerings at bird-feeding stations as well. To survive the harsh winters in the northern sections of their range, eastern populations of House Finches are developing a pattern of migration. These movements are most evident in late fall when dozens or sometimes hundreds can be seen heading south over regional hawk-counting stations.

Northern Flicker feeding on Poison Ivy — Though they require dead trees for nesting and as places to find the grubs and adult insects upon which they primarily feed, woodpeckers including the Northern Flicker are generalists, seldom passing by a supply of fruits like these Poison Ivy berries as a source of winter food. Flickers regularly visit suburban areas where they’ll drop by at bird-feeding stations for suet. During the warmer months, they are the woodpecker most frequently seen on the ground where swarms of ants garner their full attention.

The Pileated Woodpecker is seldom found outside of mature forests where it digs relentlessly to remove grubs and other infestations from dead wood. But it is not a true specialist…

Pileated Woodpecker eating Poison Ivy — …it too finds a supply of Poison Ivy berries to be indispensable during a cold winter day.

The Golden-crowned Kinglet, seen here on a Poison Ivy vine, is more of a specialist than the Ruby-crowned species, though the two will often occur in mixed groups during the winter. The Golden-crowned Kinglet nests in Spruce-Fir forests and in conifers within mixed woodlands. Even during migration, and particularly in winter, these birds are seldom found far from a stand of large evergreens within which they find shelter for the night.

The Hermit Thrush’s generalist lifestyle allows it to survive cold season weather in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed. During summer, it breeds in coniferous and mixed woods from the northern parts of our valley north into Canada and feeds primarily on worms, insects, and other arthropods. During migration and in winter, the Hermit Thrush becomes a regular visitor to deciduous forests, woody parks and suburbs, particularly where a supply of wild berries is available to supplement its diet.

It’s insects for the nestlings during spring and summer, then berries through the winter for the cheerful Eastern Bluebirds, another generalist species.

Another career generalist is the widely worshiped White-tailed Deity, a species adapted to nearly all man-made landscapes with adequate vegetation upon which to browse. Pushed to the limit during severe weather, some individuals will consume carrion and even resort to cannibalism.

You might think the Great Blue Heron is a specialist. Nope, it’s an accomplished generalist. Great blues will live, feed, and breed on almost any body of fresh or brackish water. And their diet includes almost anything that swims. In winter, you’ll even see them in fields hunting mice and voles.

During its periodic winter visits to the region, the American Tree Sparrow feeds on seeds among the grasses and forbs of semi-open country with scattered short shrubs and trees. A generalist species, it will show up at backyard bird-feeding stations, particularly during periods of inclement weather. In summer, the American Tree Sparrow nests in tundra with growths of stunted willows and spruce and their diet includes insects as a source of protein for themselves and their young.

White-crowned Sparrows — …it becomes adaptable and something of a generalist when searching for food during bad winter storms.

The Savannah Sparrow is an omnivore favoring insects in summer and seeds in winter. Though very closely tied to its grassland habitat year-round, snow cover can push these birds to enter woodier environs to consume fruits like these rose hips.

Dusk and dawn during the short days of winter are the prime hunting times of a mammal specialist, the Short-eared Owl. Its presence in the lower Susquehanna valley is dependent on two dominant factors: extensive grassland habitat and an adequate population of the owl’s favored food, the Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus). The Short-eared Owl’s requirements as a specialist species make finding a suitable place to live difficult. Unlike the generalist birds and mammals that often adapt to the widespread man-made disturbances in the region, populations of specialists frequently become fragmented, reduced in abundance, and subject to extirpation.

The Meadow Vole is a generalist rodent that can be abundant in grasslands, early successional growth, fallow fields, marshlands, and, of course, meadows. They are primarily herbivores, but will occasionally consume insects and other arthropods. Usually nocturnal, some individuals venture out along their surface runways during daylight hours becoming vulnerable to diurnal raptors including kestrels, harriers, and buteos.

Short-eared Owl patrolling a grassland for Meadow Voles — A Short-eared Owl in near darkness patrolling a grassland for Meadow Voles.

The eastward expansion of the Coyote (Canis latrans), a species of western North America’s grasslands and scrublands, and its progressive mixing with the Wolf (Canis lupus) in these eastern extensions of its range, has produced an expanding population of very adaptable generalists we call Eastern Coyotes (Canis latrans var.). These omnivorous canines colonized the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed during the last four decades to replace extirpated wolves as the top-tier natural predator in the region. Their primary diet includes Meadow Voles in grasslands and other small mammals along woodland edges and in successional habitats. Seasonally, they consume the berries of numerous wild plants. Slightly larger than their western ancestors, Eastern Coyotes with the admixture of Wolf genetics can subdue small ungulates. Like other apex predators, they are attracted to vulnerable prey and thus play a crucial role in culling the weak and diseased among their potential quarry species to assure the health and potential of populations of these species as long-term sources of food energy. The benefit to the prey species is however largely diluted in populous areas of the northeast; most venison consumed by Eastern Coyotes here is in the form of road kill. During periods of extended snow cover when small rodents and other foods become inaccessible, Eastern Coyotes, particularly young individuals, will wander into new areas seeking sustenance. Sometimes they venture into cities and suburbs where they explore the neighborhoods in search of garbage and pet foods placed outside the home. (Video clip courtesy of Tyler and Grace Good. Click image to view.)

Wildlife certainly has a tough time making it through the winter in the lower Susquehanna valley. Establishing and/or protecting habitat that includes plenty of year-round cover and sources of food and water can really give generalist species a better chance of survival. But remember, the goal isn’t to create unnatural concentrations of wildlife, it is instead to return the landscape surrounding us into more of a natural state. That’s why we try to use native plants as much as possible. And that’s why we try to attract not only a certain bird, mammal, or other creature, but we try to promote the development of a naturally functioning ecosystem with a food web, a diversity of pollinating plants, pollinating insects, and so on. Through this experience, we stand a better chance of understanding what it takes to graduate to the bigger job at hand—protecting, enhancing, and restoring habitats needed by specialist species. These are efforts worthy of the great resources that are sometimes needed to make them a success. It takes a mindset that goes beyond a focus upon the welfare of each individual animal to instead achieve the discipline to concentrate long-term on the projects and processes necessary to promote the health of the ecosystems within which specialist species live and breed. It sounds easier than it is—the majority of us frequently become distracted.

Being an individual from a population of a very successful generalist species is no guarantee of survival. This Eastern Gray Squirrel fell from a tall tree when the limbs became ice covered during a storm earlier this month. Just a freak accident? Maybe, but mistakes like this are often fatal in the natural world. This squirrel’s passing may seem brutal, but it provides a better opportunity for other squirrels and animals that share its food and cover requirements to make it through the winter. And those survivors that didn’t suffer such a fatal mistake or, more importantly, don’t possess a vulnerability that may have contributed to such a mishap will have a chance to pass those traits on to a new generation. This squirrel as an individual is gone, its species lives on, and may be stronger for its passing.

Prescribed Burn of a Grassland — Pennsylvania Game Commission crews maintain a grassland ecosystem for Short-eared Owls and other specialists using prescribed fire to prevent succession beyond its earliest stages. Among the additional specialist species benefiting from this management tool are Monarchs and other butterflies whose host plants survive early-season fire, but not competition with woody vines, shrubs, trees, and invasive herbaceous growth.

On the wider scale, it’s of great importance to identify and protect the existing and potential future habitats necessary for the survival of specialist species. And we’re not saying that solely for their benefit. These protection measures should probably include setting aside areas on higher ground that may become the beach intertidal zone or tidal marsh when the existing ones become inundated. And it may mean finally getting out of the wetlands, floodplains, and gullies to let them be the rain-absorbing, storm-buffering, water purifiers they spent millennia becoming. And it may mean it’s time to give up on building stick structures on tinderbox lands, especially hillsides and rocky outcrops with shallow, eroding soils that dry to dust every few years. We need to think ahead and stop living for the view. If you want to enjoy the view from these places, go visit and take plenty of pictures, or a video, that’s always nice—then live somewhere else. Each of these areas includes ecosystems that meet the narrow habitat requirements of many of our specialist species, and we’re building like fools in them. Then we feign victimhood and solicit pity when the calamity strikes: fires, floods, landslides, and washouts—again and again. Wouldn’t it be a whole lot smarter to build somewhere else? It may seem like a lot to do for some specialist animals, but it’s not. Because, you see, we should and can live somewhere else—they can’t.

The Allegheny Woodrat (Neotoma magister), a threatened species in Pennsylvania and a critically imperiled species in Maryland, is a habitat specialist requiring the forested rocky slopes, talus-flanked ridgetops, and caves of the Ridge and Valley Province for its nest sites and survival. Isolated populations survived within similar environs in the lower Susquehanna River valley’s Piedmont Province and on South Mountain through at least the first half of the twentieth century, but have since been extirpated. Human encroachment that fragments their habitat and promotes exposure to parasite-hosting mammals including the Raccoon (*Procyon lotor)*, carrier of the Raccoon Roundworm (Baylisascarius procyonis), could prove fatal to remaining populations of this native mammal. (National Park Service image by Rick Olsen)

The American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) is a specialist species that uses its highly adapted bill to feed on marine invertebrates including mollusks, few of which are actually oysters. Reliant upon tidal ecosystems for its survival, many of the seashore animals that make up this wader’s diet are themselves specialist species. Oystercatchers spend nearly their entire lives in tidal marshes or within the intertidal zone on beaches. They also frequent rocky jetties, particularly during high tide. This individual was photographed near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay in Northhampton County, Virginia, a location that, when the waters of the Atlantic started rising over 10,000 years ago, was the lower Susquehanna valley about 60 miles from the river’s mouth at present-day Norfolk Canyon along the edge of the continental shelf. Get the drift?

December 31, 2024January 1, 2025

A Final Look at the Bald Eagles of 2024

As it turns out, 2024 was a big year for Bald Eagles—being officially named the national bird and all. You may be surprised to learn that the ringing in of a new year brings with it a new age class designation for all non-adult eagles. Sound confusing? No need to worry. We were fortunate enough to get pictures of about half of the Bald Eagles we happened to see in the lower Susquehanna valley earlier today, so we thought it only proper to share with you both the images and an explanation.

Hatch-year Bald Eagle — A hatch-year/juvenile Bald Eagle beginning to show the abundance of white it will possess in the wing linings and on the belly during its second and third years. Under the age classification system we’ve adopted here, non-adult eagles will be advanced to the next in the series of sequential age categories beginning tomorrow, New Year’s Day. This first-year bird, born sometime during 2024, will thereafter be designated as a second-year/Basic I Bald Eagle for the duration of 2025.

Fourth-year Bald Eagle — A fourth-year/basic III immature Bald Eagle on the eve of becoming a fifth-year/basic IV immature bird. By the end of 2025, this eagle may very well be indiscernible from older adult Bald Eagles in definitive plumage.

Bald Eagle and Red-shouldered Hawk — A fourth-year/basic III immature Bald Eagle and an adult Red-shouldered Hawk doing a New Year’s Eve tango.

That’s a wrap, and that’s it for 2024. Have a Happy New Year! See you in 2025.

December 18, 2024December 19, 2024

Seven Reasons to Visit Middle Creek’s Willow Point Right Now

Here are 7 reasons why you, during the coming week or so, should consider spending some time at Willow Point overlooking the lake at the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area.

REASON NUMBER ONE— Wildlife is at close quarters along the trail leading from the parking lot to Willow Point…

REASON NUMBER TWO— A variety of waterfowl species are lingering on ice-free sections of the lake surrounding Willow Point…

Noisy flocks of Tundra Swans and Canada Geese on open water at Willow Point.

Mallards — Mallard drakes near the point.

A small flock of Green-winged Teal feeding among the Mallards.

A flock of Northern Shovelers has been frequenting the shallows along the south side of Willow Point for at least two weeks.

REASON NUMBER THREE— Bald Eagles are conspicuous, easily seen and heard…

REASON NUMBER FOUR— Northern Harriers have been making close passes over Willow Point as they patrol Middle Creek’s grasslands while hunting voles…

REASON NUMBER FIVE— The annual observance of the White-tailed Deity holidays may be drawing to a close for the gasoline and gunpowder gang, but for the supreme ungulates, the rituals that lead to consummation of their unions are still ongoing…

REASON NUMBER SIX— Sandhill Cranes are still being seen from Willow Point…

REASON NUMBER SEVEN— The crowds that will accompany the arrival of thousands of Snow Geese in early 2025 can make visiting Willow Point a stressful experience. Visit now to see these birds and mammals at Willow Point and you might just have the place all to yourself. Then you can spend your time looking through the flocks of waterfowl and other birds for unusual new arrivals instead of wading through a sea of humanity.

December 2, 2024December 3, 2024

Eagles at Conowingo Dam

Few places in North America offer an observer the opportunity to stand in one spot and, with a single 180° sweep of a pair of binoculars, count 165 Bald Eagles. Sounds impossible, but we experienced just that earlier today along the Susquehanna River below Conowingo Dam at Fisherman’s Park off U.S. Route 1 west of Rising Sun, Maryland. More than 200 eagles are there right now, so you really ought to think about visiting to see it for yourself. If you can’t make the trip, or if you need a little more convincing, we’ve put together a big collection of photographs for you to enjoy. Have a look…

Eagle Watchers at Fisherman's Park, Conowingo Dam — In late November and December, hundreds of eagle watchers and photographers travel to Fisherman’s Park along the west shore of the Susquehanna River below Conowingo Dam/U.S. Route 1 to witness the largest annual gathering of our national symbol on the east coast.

Fisherman's Park at Conowingo Dam — The park provides facilities for viewing right on the waterfront and is maintained by the operator of the hydroelectric dam, Constellation Energy.

Bald Eagles along the East Shore of the Susquehanna below Conowingo Dam — From the riverside viewing area, we counted 165 Bald Eagles on the rocks along the east shore of the river and on the electric transmission line trestles. That count didn’t include scores of additional birds obstructed from our view along the near shore downstream and along the east shore behind the mid-river island below the dam.

Third-year Bald Eagles — Third-year/basic II immature Bald Eagles exhibiting aggressive behavior.

Gulls at the Conowingo Dam Turbine House — The water passing through the dam not only attracts eagles, but other birds as well. Many, including these gulls, are looking for fish stunned or disoriented by their trip through the turbines, gates, or spillways.

We saw a few American Herring Gulls as well.

Juvenile American Herring Gull — A juvenile American Herring Gull.

Probably a hundred Black Vultures or more were in the vicinity.

We heard this Peregrine Falcon as it tangled with several eagles behind us before it quickly darted away across the top of the powerhouse and dam.

Double-crested Cormorant eating Gizzard Shad. — A composite image of a Double-crested Cormorant gulping down a Gizzard Shad.

Eagle Photographers at Conowingo Dam — But these vigilant eagle watchers and photographers don’t come to Conowingo Dam and Fisherman’s Park to see Bald Eagles of various age classes flying around. Nor do they come to see the other amazing birds attracted to the waters passing through the dam.

Bald Eagles Mix It Up — And they don’t even come to see some pretty good aerial fights among the numerous eagles congregated in the river gorge.

Immature Bald Eagle Fishing — They come specifically to see and photograph Bald Eagles swooping in to grab a fish. That’s their objective and they’re serious about it!

Fourth-year Bald Eagle with Gizzard Shad — A probable fourth-year/basic III immature Bald Eagle with a Gizzard Shad.

Bald Eagle with Gizzard Shad — A Bald Eagle, possibly a fifth-year/basic IV bird, carrying away a freshly caught Gizzard Shad.

Adult Bald Eagle Fishing — An adult Bald Eagle comes in for the grab.

If you go to Fisherman’s Park, time your visit for when the light is at its best—late morning through early afternoon. Don’t forget, it’s very cold down along the river, so dress appropriately. And finally, visit on a weekday if you can. The parking area can fill to capacity during the weekend and you may be turned away.

Don’t wait. The eagles visiting the Susquehanna at Conowingo Dam could get pushed further south by rough winter weather. Then again, adult pairs may take advantage of milder conditions to begin returning north early to nest.

November 29, 2024November 30, 2024

Photo of the Day

Bald Eagle at Nest — The arrival of arctic air and sub-freezing temperatures reminds us that winter is soon here. But for this Bald Eagle, preparations for spring are already underway. Pairs nesting in the lower Susquehanna valley have begun courtship and many females will be incubating eggs in January. By March, parents will be bringing food to hungry nestlings. The timing of the Bald Eagle’s breeding cycle provides the best chances for an adequate supply of provisions for their young. Their peak demand for food coincides with the arrival of thousands of migrating waterfowl and other birds and with the migration of suckers and other fish on local streams. From these massive legions of migrants, adult eagles cull the weak and vulnerable, or scavenge the carcasses of those that have already perished. Bald Eagles in Florida and elsewhere in the south have a nesting schedule with similar benefits; their young are hatching now to fed by parents taking advantage of the immense numbers of waterfowl and other birds presently arriving to spend the winter there.

November 14, 2024November 15, 2024

Another Unusual Golden Eagle?

Golden Eagle and Common Raven — This Golden Eagle was seen tangling with a Common Raven as it passed a lower Susquehanna valley hawk-counting station earlier today.

Unusual Golden Eagle? — A composite image shows a close-up view of the migrating raptor. It has the showy white tail with a black terminal band that Golden Eagle enthusiasts regard as particularly spectacular on these majestic birds when they’re young. But where are the conspicuous white patches in the wings? And just how old is this eagle? We’ll give you a hint; if you note the appropriate field marks, this is actually a classic example of a bird its age. To learn the critical field marks and to determine the age of this bird, be certain to click the “Golden Eagle Aging Chart” tab at the top of this page.

November 12, 2024November 13, 2024

Yet Another “Barthelemyi Golden Eagle” at Second Mountain Hawk Watch

Earlier today, observers at Second Mountain Hawk Watch at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, were treated to excellent looks at a migrating “Bartelemyi Golden Eagle”, a rare variant of the species recognized by white scapulars that mimic a pair of epaulets on the shoulders.

For more information on the “Barthelemyi Golden Eagle” sightings at Second Mountain, see our post from December 6, 2023.

Remember, it ain’t over ’til it’s over, there are still more eagles and other raptors on the way! And if you’d like to catch a glimpse of one of these rare “Barthelemyi Golden Eagles”…well, you know where you oughta be.

November 12, 2024November 14, 2024

A Visit to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Mid-November is our favorite time of year to visit Hawk Mountain Sanctuary on Blue Mountain/Kittatinny Ridge just to the east of the lower Susuquehanna valley near Kempton, Pennsylvania. By now, the huge crowds that come to see October’s world-famous raptor flights and spectacular fall foliage have dwindled to small groups of serious hawkwatchers and hardy trail enthusiasts. Join us as we drop in on the Keystone State’s most famous birding destination.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Entrance — The entrance to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is located at 1700 Hawk Mountain Road off PA Route 895 east of PA Route 61.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Headquarters — Start your visit with a stop inside the refuge headquarters building where you’ll find raptor ecology and migration displays, a gift shop, and a window overlooking a busy bird-feeding station. Hawk Mountain is a non-profit organization that receives no taxpayer support and relies largely upon membership fees and donations for the majority of its operating expenses. Inside the headquarters building, you can pay dues and join on the spot.

Native Plant Garden — The native plant habitat includes a pond and a rain garden that collects stormwater from the roof of the headquarters building. There’s also a memorial fern garden named for the refuge’s first curator, Maurice Broun, author of a 1938 index to the ferns of North America.

Trail Sign — After a visit to the habitat garden, it’s time to make our way toward the lookouts.

PA Historical Marker, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. — 2024 marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. We stopped at the trail crossing along the mountain road to admire this newly erected sign.

Hawk Mounatin Sanctuary Trailhead Gate — Trail fees are collected to support the sanctuary’s operations and maintain its 2,600 acres. Members enter free.

Hawk Mountain Interpretive Kiosk — Interpretive signs and trail information are provided throughout the refuge, particularly along the mile-long climb to the North Lookout.

River of Rocks Trail — Aside from the route to the lookouts (along which sturdy shoes and good balance are a must), many of the sanctuary’s hiking trails require special equipment and preparations. Be certain to follow the posted guidelines.

Raptor education panels along the lookout trail. — The scope of Hawk Mountain’s educational mission includes topics ranging from local Appalachian natural history to global raptor conservation.

Hawk Mountain South Lookout — Just a few hundred yards from the entrance gate, South Lookout provides a panoramic view of the “River of Rocks” talus outcrop and beyond. On days with southerly winds, autumn raptor flights are sometimes enumerated from this location.

Hawk Mountain’s “classroom in the sky”, the North Lookout, hosts school and scout groups learning raptor identification and ecology. It’s the sanctuary’s primary location for counting thousands of migrating birds of prey each fall.

Hawk Mountain North Lookout — After the pupils depart for the day, there are but few observers remaining to find and count passing hawks and eagles during mid-November.

While sitting quietly among the boulders of North Lookout waiting for the next bird to come along, one can be treated to a visit by one or more of a local population of Southern Red-backed Voles (Clethrionomys gapperi).

While you were busy looking up, the Southern Red-backed Vole was at your feet scarfing up the crumbs from your sandwich. When not availed of our leftovers, its diet includes seeds, various plant parts, and subterranean fungi.

Playful groups of Common Ravens often provide comic relief during interludes in the parade of migrants.

Don’t look now, but your friend the vole has scurried away and a Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda) has arrived from beneath the rocks to finish the remnants of your lunch. On the rocky outcrops atop the ridges of southeastern Pennsylvania, these mammals are often found in close company; Red-backed Voles traveling through the burrows and runways created by Northern Short-tailed Shrews instead of excavating their own. Unlike the vegetarian voles, shrews are classified as insectivores, behaving mostly as carnivorous mammals. Equipped with salivary venom, they can consume prey as large as other similarly sized vertebrates, including small voles.

Hatch-year/juvenile American Goshawk — We got very lucky during a recent day on North Lookout, spotting this rarity, a hatch-year/juvenile American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus), a species which, in 2023, was split from the Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), a species which was simultaneously assigned the new common name Eurasian Goshawk. Even more recently, within the past several weeks, the genus name Astur has replaced Accipiter for the goshawks, now formally known as the the American Goshawk (Astur atricapillus) and the Eurasian Goshawk (Astur gentilis). The new classification includes Cooper’s Hawk in the genus Astur, while the Sharp-shinned Hawk remains in the genus Accipiter.

If the cold of mid-November doesn’t cramp your style, and if you’d like to seize your best opportunity for a much-coveted sighting of one or more of the late-season specialties, then now is the time to visit Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Bring a cushion upon which to sit, dress in layers, pack a lunch, and plan to spend the day. You could be rewarded with memorable views of the seldom-encountered species some people spend years of their lives hoping to see.

To learn more, check out the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary website.

November 6, 2024

Photo of the Day

November 1, 2024December 2, 2024

Eagle Time on the Ridges and River

As we enter November, migratory raptor flights through the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed transition to the bigger birds. Whether you’re on the river, on a mountain, or just outside your humble abode, persistent alertness to soaring avians can yield rewarding views of a number of late-season specialties.

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk — Juvenile (hatch-year) Red-tailed Hawks are generally less wary and more inquisitive than the more experienced adult birds. Their curiosity frequently gets them into trouble, particularly when they try to hunt small rodents in traffic along busy roadways.

Adult Red-shouldered Hawk — Far fewer in number are migratory Red-shouldered Hawks. In our region, these denizens of bottomland forests more commonly migrate along the southern edge of the Piedmont and through the upper Atlantic Coastal Plain.

A hatch-year (juvenile) Red-shouldered Hawk — A southbound hatch-year (juvenile) Red-shouldered Hawk.

A visit to a ridgetop on a breezy day—particularly after passage of a cold front—may give you the chance to see numerous eagles as well.

A second-year (Basic I) Bald Eagle rolls over while pursuing an adult Bald Eagle. — A second-year (Basic I) Bald Eagle barrel rolls while pursuing an adult Bald Eagle.

This afternoon, we got lucky and were treated to a bit of an aging clinic presented by the Bald Eagles we observed and photographed. Careful determination of the age classes of raptors counted by hawkwatchers can provide an early warning of problems in the ecosystems that support populations of these top-of-the-food-chain predators. For example: during the 1950s and early 1960s, a progressively lower percentage of juvenile and other non-adult age classes among the Bald Eagles being observed forewarned of the dangers of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) pesticide in the environment. The principle effect of accumulations of the DDT toxins in eagles, Ospreys, Peregrine Falcons, and other predatory birds that consumed waterfowl and/or fish was to thin their eggs shells. The result was widespread brood failure and a near total loss of new generations of offspring. Eventually, nearly all Bald Eagles being seen in areas impacted by DDT were progressively older adults, most of which failed as nesting pairs. As the adult birds began dying off, the Bald Eagle population dwindled to numbers that raised fears of the species’ extinction. Implementation of the DDT cancellation order and the Clean Water Act in 1972, and the Endangered Species Act in 1973, helped save the Bald Eagle. But our regional “Eastern Peregrine Falcon”, a bird with a shorter life span than the Bald Eagle, was unable to endure the years of DDT use, dioxin pollution, and illegal hunting and egg collecting. Its population is gone.

Bald Eagle Age Classes: First Three Years — Composite image of Bald Eagles in typical November plumage during their first three years. To see more images like this, be certain to click the “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” tab at the top of this page.

A possible fifth-year (Basic IV) Bald Eagle.

Adult Bald Eagles in definitive plumage. Birds in this plumage class are often the most frequently observed because the group includes all eagles five or six years of age and older.

While the Bald Eagles are still stealing the show, cold and gusty weather should bring an increasing number of Golden Eagles our way during the remainder of the month. Some are already trickling through…

A "before-third-year" Golden Eagle. — This “before-third-year” Golden Eagle shows no visible signs of molt in its juvenile (hatch-year) plumage, but a look at the upperwing coverts is needed to properly age the bird. To learn more about the molt sequence in Golden Eagles, be sure to click the “Golden Eagle Aging Chart” tab at the top of this page.

A "before-third-year" Golden Eagle passing the lookout along with a second-year Bald Eagle. — A “before-third-year” Golden Eagle (top) passing the lookout along with a second-year Bald Eagle (bottom).

"Before-third-year" Golden Eagle. — Another “before-third-year” Golden Eagle. More are on the way!

Later this month, Bald Eagle numbers on the lower Susquehanna below Conowingo Dam (U.S. 1) near Rising Sun, Maryland, will begin to grow. Fisherman’s Park, located along the west shoreline below the dam, is an excellent place to observe and photograph scores of these regal birds. And few places provide a better opportunity to learn to differentiate Bald Eagle age classes. If you’re really lucky, a Golden Eagle or two may drop in as well. So plan to make the trip. The best time to visit is on a weekday. The parking lot can become overcrowded on weekends and will be closed under such circumstances. It’s best to avoid the long Thanksgiving weekend as well.

Migrating Adult Bald Eagles — Remember to always look up.

October 12, 2024

Things to See While You’re Leaf Peeping

During your foray to view the colorful foliage of the autumn landscape, a little effort will reveal much more than meets the eye of the casual observer.

Fallen Foliage in the Forest — Don’t just stand there like a bump on a log, go for a stroll, watch your step, and have a look around. There’s a lot to see out there!

The dense understory of this forest on Blue Mountain consists almost exclusively of Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).

Witch-hazel in Flower — Witch-hazel is unique among our native flowering shrubs; it blooms in autumn.

Until we experience a heavy frost, some of our most beautiful butterflies, including this Common Buckeye, remain active along forest edges.

The arrival of large numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers heralds the transition to movements of migrants that will spend the colder months in temperate climates like ours instead of continuing on to the tropics. In winter, small numbers of “yellow-rumps” sometimes linger in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed, as long as a supply of wild berries is readily available.

The Palm Warbler, a persistent “tail wagger”, is another late-season migrant that occasionally spends the winter. The migration of these drab “Western Palm Warblers” will be followed in coming weeks by the more yellowish “Eastern Palm Warblers” of the eastern third of the species’ breeding range in Canada.

Another native sparrow, the familiar Dark-eyed Junco, is now arriving.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers — The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a secretive migratory woodpecker that is currently moving through the region on its way to southern pine forests for the winter. Juveniles like this one in the lower right remain close to their parents during migration and continue to beg for food.

You may see Eastern Bluebirds year-round in the lower Susquehanna valley, but many are migratory. A southbound push is currently transiting our area.

Hawk Watching on Blue Mountain at Boyd Big Tree Preserve. — Mix your leaf watching with hawk watching by visiting a ridgetop vista like this one at Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area on Blue Mountain north of Harrisburg and you can double your pleasure.

Screaming Red-tailed Hawk — …or a migrating Red-tailed Hawk that gives you a good scream as it passes by…

…or a couple of migrating Red-tailed Hawks…

You too can experience the joys of walking and chewing gum at the same time, so grab your field glasses, your camera, and your jacket, then spend lots of time outdoors this fall. You can see all of this and much more.

Don’t forget to click the “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” tab at the top of this page to help you find a place to see both fall foliage and migrating birds of prey in coming weeks. And click the “Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines” tab to find a photo guide that can help you identify the autumn leaves you encounter during your outings.

October 5, 2024October 6, 2024

A Sunny Day to Get Things Moving Again

At last, the bird migration is picking up where it left off after the third week of September when rain, fog, and gloom arrived for a two week stay in the lower Susquehanna valley. Now that this persistent meteorological interluder has departed the stage, our stalled avians can resume the autumn spectacle.

There are still a few Barn Swallows around. By October, they’ve usually departed for more southern climes. Our more common late-season species are the Tree and Northern Rough-winged Swallows, both of which tend to be found close to water and are thus able to still grab flying insects on mornings when the air temperature over land is too cold for their favored prey. We found this Barn Swallow following the lead of its cool-weather counterparts, hawking up its breakfast over a warm sun-drenched pond.

While the vast majority of the Neotropical flycatchers are now gone for the year, Eastern Phoebes are currently moving through in large numbers. Like the late-season swallows, these insectivores are a temperate species with an affinity for habitats near water.

Despite the inclement weather, diurnal flights of southbound Blue Jays have continued throughout the past week.

Migrating Blue Jays are best seen during the first few hours after sunrise.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers, after extending their range north through the Susquehanna watershed and beyond during the past century, have now become a regular fall migrant as they withdraw from the northernmost periphery of their breeding grounds. This individual was photographed while taking a break from its diurnal flight and was one of more than three dozen seen at Second Mountain Hawk Watch on Thursday, October 3.

September 21, 2024September 21, 2024

This Week’s Enormous Diurnal Flights

For the past several weeks, we’ve given you a look at the fallout of Neotropical songbirds on mornings following significant nocturnal flights of southbound migrants. Now let’s examine the diurnal (daytime) flights that have developed in recent days over parts of the lower Susquehanna basin and adjacent regions.

For those observing diurnal migrants, particularly at raptor-counting stations, the third week of September is prime time for large flights of tropics-bound Broad-winged Hawks. Winds from easterly directions during this year’s movements kept the greatest concentrations of these birds in the Ridge and Valley Province and upper areas of the Piedmont as they transited our region along a southwesterly heading. Counts topped 1,000 birds or more on at least one day at each of these lookouts during the past seven days. Meanwhile at hawk watches along the Piedmont/Atlantic Coastal Plain border, where flights topped 10,000 or more birds on the best days last fall, observers struggled to see 100 Broad-winged Hawks in a single day.

Among the challenges counters faced while enumerating migratory Broad-winged Hawks this week was the often clear blue skies, a glaring sun, and the high altitude at which these raptors fly during the mid-day hours.

"Kettling" Broad-winged Hawks — Large numbers of Broad-winged Hawks climbing on a thermal updraft to gain altitude can become increasingly difficult to spot in a clear blue sky.

Another factor complicating the hawk counters’ tasks this week, particularly west of the Susquehanna River, was the widespread presence of another group of diurnal fliers.

Hawkwatchers Scanning the Skies — So what was it that complicated the hawkwatchers’ efforts to find high-flying Broad-winged Hawks during this week’s flights?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No. And it’s nobody’s superhero either. It’s the non-native Spotted Lanternfly and it is now very numerous west of the Susquehanna and common enough to the east to make even experienced observers take a second look while scanning the skies for Broad-winged Hawks and other migrating raptors. Just how many do raptor counters have to contend with? Even where these invasive insects have become less populous in the lower Susquehanna valley, hundreds still fill the skies above forest clearings around hawk-counting stations including Waggoner’s Gap, Second Mountain, and Rocky Ridge County Park.

Spotted Lanternflies on Radar — Spotted Lanternfly populations explode with great vigor as they colonize areas with plenty of tender new growth on native, non-native, and cultivated shrubs, trees, and vines. Earlier this week, National Weather Service Doppler Radar in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, captured enormous mid-afternoon flights of Spotted Lanternflies in recently invaded areas of southwestern Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. (NOAA/National Weather Service Doppler Radar image)

As the Broad-winged Hawk migration draws to a close during the coming ten days, the occurrence of the one dozen other migratory diurnal raptors will be on the upswing. They generally fly at lower altitudes, often relying upon wind updrafts on the ridges for lift instead of high-rising thermal updrafts. They therefore present better observation opportunities for visitors at hawk watch lookouts and are less frequently confused with high-flying Spotted Lanternflies.

A Merlin seen earlier this week migrating through the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed. The numbers of migrating Merlins and other falcons will peak sometime in coming weeks.

September 12, 2024September 13, 2024

A Rare Find Among the Migrants at Second Mountain Hawk Watch

Yesterday morning’s fallout of hundreds of nocturnally migrating birds was followed overnight by the influx of one hundred or more new arrivals atop Second Mountain in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Visitors to the forest clearing used as a hawk watch lookout were treated to the antics of these colorful Neotropical species and more…

A Great Crested Flycatcher. — …Great Crested Flycatcher,…

Juvenile Northern Paula — …juvenile Northern Paula,…

These night-flying warblers, vireos, and flycatchers did again provide a thrilling show during the hours after sunrise, but today’s rarity passed through among the hundreds of migrating diurnal raptors—the tropics-bound Broad-winged Hawks—that made their way down the ridges of the lower Susquehanna valley this afternoon.

Light-morph and dark-morph Broad-winged Hawks — A closer look reveals something unusual. While the Broad-winged Hawk at the bottom center of the image displays the typical light-morph plumage, the bird in the upper left appears to be a dark-morph Broad-winged Hawk, a rarity in the eastern United States.

Dark-morph Broad-winged Hawk — A zoomed-in view of the probable dark-morph Broad-winged Hawk seen over Second Mountain this afternoon. Populations of these variants nest in areas of central and western Canada.

The peak of the autumn Broad-winged Hawk migration will likely occur during the coming two weeks with many counting stations tallying more than one thousand birds on the best of days. Visit one of these prominent lookout points so that you too can witness this amazing spectacle. Click the “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” tab at the top of this page to find a hawk watch near you!

September 5, 2024September 30, 2024

This Week’s Review of the Morning Fallouts

Clear, cool nights have provided ideal flight conditions for nocturnal Neotropical migrants and other southbound birds throughout the week. Fix yourself a drink and a little snack, then sit down and enjoy this set of photographs that includes just some of the species we found during sunrise feeding frenzies atop several of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed’s ridges. Hurry up, because here they come…

The Blackburnian Warbler was another plentiful species.

Cape May Warblers have an affinity for conifers like this Eastern White Pine.

Like the Tennessee Warbler, the Nashville Warbler was common among mixed flocks.

This Chestnut-sided Warbler was one of several found among the more common species of migrants.

A Black-and-white Warbler uses its nuthatch-like feeding behavior to search the tree bark for edible invertebrates.

Here we found a perky little House Wren.

Back in the middle and upper reaches of the trees, we find what has been by far the most numerous of the flycatchers seen during our visits to fallout sunrises. Eastern Wood-Pewees are appearing in very good numbers and can be seen quarreling and battling for hunting perches from which they are ambushing flying insects.

Scarlet Tanagers are currently a common find following nocturnal flights.

A Scarlet Tanager peers down from the top of a Red Maple.

Did you hear a loud squeak in the treetops? It could be a southbound Rose-breasted Grosbeak stopping by for the day.

Swainson's Thrush — The Neotropical thrushes are beginning to move south now as well. We found this newly arrived Swainson’s Thrush at Rocky Ridge County Park in York County during sunrise this morning.

…and a Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) at the hawkwatch at Rocky Ridge County Park in York County.

Though not a Neotropical migrant, the easier-heard-than-seen Red-breasted Nuthatch is beginning to wander south into the lower Susquehanna region. Most of these birds will eventually continue on to the pine forests of the southern United States for winter, but a few could remain to become seasonal visitors at feeding stations.

The Red-headed Woodpecker is another diurnal migrant. This denizen of temperate climates is currently beginning to move to its wintering grounds, an area that extends from the latitudes of the lower Susquehanna south to the Gulf of Mexico and central Texas.

Juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker — A juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker during a brief pit stop.

The flights of roving bands of masked Cedar Waxwings continue. Their numbers appear to be an improvement over those of 2023.

The migration is by no means over; it has only just begun. So plan to visit a local hawkwatch or other suitable ridgetop in coming weeks. Arrive early (between 7 and 8 AM) to catch a glimpse of a nocturnal migrant fallout, then stay through the day to see the hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Broad-winged Hawks and other diurnal raptors that will pass by. It’s an experience you won’t forget.

Broad-winged Hawk Gliding Away to the Southwest — A Broad-winged Hawk gliding away to the southwest.

Be certain to click the “Birds” tab at the top of this page for a photo guide to the species you’re likely to see passing south through the lower Susquehanna valley in coming months. And don’t forget to click the “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” tab to find a hawk-counting station near you.

More birds are on the way. Here’s a look at this evening’s liftoff of nocturnal migrants detected by National Weather Service Radar in State College, Pennsylvania. (NOAA/National Weather Service Doppler Radar image)

August 26, 2024September 13, 2024

Southbound Flights: On Their Way Both Night and Day

It’s hard to believe, but for almost two months now, sandpipers, plovers, and terns have been filtering south through the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed on their way to the Atlantic coastline as they complete the first leg of their long autumn migration—a journey that will take some species all the way to the far reaches of the South American continent for winter.

Caspian Terns and Osprey — Migrating Caspian Terns and an Osprey take a break on a lower Susquehanna valley gravel bar.

As August draws to a close, these early birds are being joined by widespread nocturnal flights of Neotropical migrants—those species, primarily songbirds, on their way to wintering grounds which lie exclusively south of the continental United States.

To catch a glimpse of these night-flying avians, your best bet may be to position yourself on the crest of a ridge or along a linear break in the forest such as a utility right-of-way where waves of warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and other Neotropical passerines sometimes feed on invertebrates after making landfall at daybreak. Pick a place where the trees are bathed in the warm light of the rising sun and be there by 7 A.M. E.D.T. The activity can be tremendous, but it usually ends between 8 and 9.

Diurnal migrants, birds that make their movements during the daylight hours, are ramping up their flights now as well. Broad-winged Hawks, Bald Eagles, and falcons are currently being tallied at hawk-counting stations throughout the northeast. Many of those lookouts are seeing Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, swallows, and other daytime migrants too.

Chimney Swifts are fast-flying diurnal migrants. They are beginning to congregate into larger groups in preparation for their departure. Some are already on the move.

Cedar Waxwings are currently being seen in roving flocks throughout the region. Their migration is less of a point-to-point flight and more of a continuous wandering in search of berries and other wild foods.

Not everyone is yet ready to go. American Goldfinches are still in the midst of their nesting cycle and won’t begin leaving until the young are on their own and colorful adult males like this one are beginning to molt into their drab winter plumage.

Autumn migration flights are an ever-changing process, with different species peaking at different times throughout the season. In these months just after the nesting season, each of these species is more numerous than at any other time of the year. And of course, the more often we as observers get out and have a look, the more of them we’ll see.

Be certain to click the “Birds” tab at the top of this page for a photo guide to the species you’re likely to see passing through the lower Susquehanna valley this fall. Nearly four months of autumn hawk migration flights lie ahead, so don’t forget to click the “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” tab to find a hawk-counting station near you, then stop by for a visit or two. See you there!