If maybe you would like to order trees but you’re not quite ready to put them in the ground, why not pot them up and start your own plant nursery. It’s a great way to build an inventory of hardy stock for planting around your own property or for use in community or civic conservation projects.
Earlier this week we potted up some bare-root seedlings in a mix of compost and sand to give them a head start before planting them in the ground either during the coming fall or in years to come. These happen to be some young American Sweetgum trees we purchased from a nursery in Perkasie, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.After watering them in, we added our new trees to the inventory we have available for stream buffers, rain gardens, reforestation, and other rewilding projects. We’ll either stake or trim them to remedy the curved stems.In just a season or two, we have nice robust saplings ready to install in a project or in the headquarters garden. Starting plants in the nursery gives them the size they need to improve their chances of survival.This is one of ten Norway Spruce trees we purchased in a pack from a local conservation district sale almost ten years ago. We started each two-year-old seedling in a pot, then transplanted them into the ground a year later. All have been thriving ever since.Since being installed as a potted sapling reared in the headquarters nursery about fifteen years ago, this sturdy Eastern Sycamore has matured and is producing seeds relished by American Goldfinches and other birds.Growing in a streamside woodland, a really massive sycamore that got its start in your nursery could continue to provide valuable wildlife habitat over a lifespan extending one hundred, two hundred, maybe even three hundred years or more. These long-lived denizens of the floodplain provide homes for such beloved breeding birds as Baltimore Orioles, Bald Eagles, Warbling Vireos, Yellow-throated Warblers, and several species of owls,……including this Great Horned Owl, seen currently incubating eggs inside a legacy sycamore that has been an active nest site among its neighboring Norway Spruces and Eastern White Pines for decades.Yellow-crowned Night Herons, an endangered species in Pennsylvania, nesting in an Eastern Sycamore planted during the early twentieth century as a street tree very near the Susquehanna in mid-town Harrisburg. Ordering and planting trees today is essential for their tomorrow.
During winter’s harshest conditions, one must frequently marvel at the methods various forms of wildlife have to survive. Take a look at some of the animals we found using their life-sustaining adaptations to find food amidst the snow-covered landscape and bitter cold air.
We watched this Blue Jay digging to retrieve an acorn from beneath the tuft of leaves and dried grasses where it had apparently concealed it earlier in the season.It then carried it to a nearby limb and chiseled away the husk to devour the nutritious contents. Blue Jays are known to cache hundreds or even thousands of seeds, nuts, and acorns for winter consumption. Want to see it for yourself? Just put out some unshelled no-salt peanuts and watch the jays haul them away, that is if the hoarding squirrels don’t get them first!Like other members of the Picidae family, Red-headed Woodpeckers pry and chisel away at decaying and insect-infested trees to find food during the winter.Like jays, Red-headed Woodpeckers including this first-winter bird are very fond of acorns and will often collect them from the ground. And like jays, they’ll cache acorns for use as a backup supply when a blanket of snow may prevent them from gathering those that remain beneath the oaks.Native to eastern Asia, Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) has escaped from mostly urban cultivation to become naturalized and often invasive in some wooded areas of the lower Susquehanna River watershed. It can be quite aggressive, usually found growing as a climbing vine or less frequently as a shrub. In the absence of native and more palatable foods, the berries are an attractive survival fare for members of the Turidae (thrush) family and other birds.We found this and several hundred more American Robins surviving the current winter weather while feeding on Wintercreeper in a suburban woods with a heavy growth of the invasive plant.Several Eastern Bluebirds were seen among the Wintercreeper tangles as well. They too are relying upon this non-native plant to provide at least a portion of the energy they need to make through blustery February nights.The Hermit Thrush, a species that nests in the coniferous and mixed forests of the northern United States and Canada, winters sparingly in the lower Susquehanna valley. We found this one among the robins and bluebirds of the Wintercreeper thicket where it too was probably attracted by the supply of berries.Frequently escaping notice in the winter woods is the Brown Creeper, another species that nests primarily in coniferous and mixed forests to our north, though it does breed in our area at scattered locations, primarily in mountainous or swampy terrain.As their name suggests, Brown Creepers spend nearly all of their time creeping along the bark of mature trees searching for small insects, spiders, and other arthropods and their eggs. The creeper’s diet changes little with the seasons, but you may occasionally see them visit your bird feeders in winter for a nip of suet.The petite Winter Wren exhibits mouse-like behavior as it hops and crawls among logs, rocks, and brush along the banks of wooded waterways. Like the creeper, it is primarily an insectivore, spending much of its time escaping notice searching beneath streamside structure for its daily nourishment. In summer, Winter Wrens nest in damp coniferous forests.Seeing a Red Fox repeatedly during daylight hours is typically considered to be a sign that one may be observing a diseased animal, but we soon determined that there was nothing at all wrong with this vulpid we found patrolling a large woodland lying along the outskirts of a lower Susquehanna city.Typically when the ground is covered with snow, a Red Fox will hunt for voles or mice by listening for their movements in the runways below, then leaping and pouncing to plunge snout first into the fluff to grab the pinpointed prey. But the recent rain-soaked snow which is now frozen rock hard prohibits the usual hunting tactic, so this canine has adapted to current conditions.It has switched from its habitually nocturnal schedule to a day shift in pursuit of a diurnal species of prey rodent which can currently be found in abundance at ground level. After about forty minutes of watching this fox dart back and forth through the understory growth without ever paying much attention to us, we became certain of its target when the alarm chatter turned to a series of screams as one of the numerous Eastern Gray Squirrels that had been scurrying around fell into the fox’s grip.Just as suddenly as it had begun, our Red Fox encounter ended as our visitor opted to carry away its quarry and dine in peace. From all appearances, this particular fox’s only ailment was hunger. By adapting to prevailing conditions, it was able to fully utilize its opportunistic feeding traits and may thus survive to pass on these qualities to the next generation of Red Foxes. As for the squirrel, it exhibited a vulnerability that led to its demise. This vulnerability will not be passed on to a future generation of squirrels. Though it may run counter to public perception and understanding, the event strengthens local populations of both native species. And so it goes.
It looks like the worst of the cold may be behind us. With temperatures trending upwards during the coming days and weeks, some species of wildlife will soon find their search for food made a whole lot easier.
White-crowned Sparrows spend the winter seeking shelter in dense tangles of early successional growth, particularly among thorny shrubs and vines. Extended periods with snow cover can make their search for food a real challenge, but we spotted this one hitting the jackpot on a bare patch of sun-drenched ground along the edge of a thicket of briars. It has found the earliest green buds of a clover or other herbaceous plant. Many songbirds in the finch, cardinal, and sparrow families turn to buds in late winter and early spring as a source of energy-rich sugars.In woodlands, sweet sap will soon swell the buds of maples, much to the delight of Eastern Gray Squirrels whose favorite dining spot will suddenly become the treetops instead of the leaf litter. Often selected by property owners for their colorful autumn foliage and fast growth, the prevalence of both native and non-native maples in the suburban landscape helps more squirrels survive the winter to expand their numbers in the spring.Nibbling late-winter buds is a daylong pastime for the hungry White-tailed Deity. While high-intensity twig browsing can alter forest ecology and practically eliminate understory growth and regeneration, bud snacking only tends to make some of the trees more stout than others. It’s similar to the trimming and snipping a bonsai artist may do to maintain a prized specimen.Those of you installing stream buffers or reforesting all or part of your property may not want your newly planted trees turned into bonsai or lost entirely to hungry ungulates. If you’re seeking some relief from a browsing problem, you’ve got to nip it in the bud. Tree shelters offer protection during the first half a decade or more of your sapling’s new life. You can find these tubes for sale from many online sources including some of the local county conservation districts during their annual spring tree sales (which happen to be underway right now, hint-hint). Installing these plastic protectors may not only relieve you from the frustration of worrying about your new trees, it might also excuse you from risking involvement in the sometimes heated quarrel between the worshipers of the White-tailed Deity who practice sacrifice and those who religiously oppose it.
With another round of single-digit and possibly sub-zero temperatures on the way, birds and other wildlife are taking advantage of a break in the extreme conditions to re-energize. During the past day, these species were among those attracted to the food and cover provided by the habitat plantings in the susquehannawildlife.net headquarters garden…
Dark-eyed Juncos, one of our numerous species of native sparrows, are sometimes called “snowbirds”, and for good reason. They spend the majority of their time on the ground searching for seeds and are particularly noticeable when the landscape is blanketed in white.Juncos are seldom seen far from trees, shrubs, and brushy patches of herbaceous growth where they can find both the foods and the protective cover they need to survive the cold.To make it through the winter, a Northern Mockingbird is again defending the garden’s supply of fruits adorning Common Winterberry, American Holly, and Eastern Red Cedar. Robins, starlings, waxwings, and bluebirds must be stealthy and quick if they want to grab a snack before the ever-alert mockingbird aggressively moves them on their way.As they mature, our plantings of junipers, hollies, Eastern Hemlock, Norway Spruce, and Eastern White Pine offer the environs needed by evergreen-loving species like this Red-breasted Nuthatch to remain as winter residents instead of just seasonal transients.
For overwintering birds and other animals, finding enough food is especially difficult when there’s snow on the ground. And nighttime temperatures in the single digits make critical the need to replenish energy during the daylight hours. Earlier this afternoon, we found these American Robins seizing the berry-like cones from ornamental junipers in a grocery store parking lot. It was an urgent effort in their struggle for survival.
A hungry American Robin at the local Weis Market.Though seldom considered ideal wildlife plants, low-growing ornamental junipers often produce an abundance of seed-containing cones that resemble berries.In a pinch, they’ll attract dozens of robins and other fruit-eating birds as a quick source of nourishment on a windy, bitter-cold day.After all, these landscape shrubs are often derived from native species including the Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) of Canada and the northernmost United States, a plant resembling a recumbent version of the local Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) with which these birds are quite familiar.
County conservation district offices will soon be taking orders for their spring tree sales. Be sure to load up on plenty of the species that offer food, cover, and nesting sites for birds and other wildlife. These sales are an economical way of adding dense-growing clusters or temperature-moderating groves of evergreens to your landscape. Plus, selecting four or five shrubs for every tree you plant can help establish a shelter-providing understory or hedgerow on your refuge. Nearly all of the varieties included in these sales produce some form of wildlife food, whether it be seeds, nuts, cones, berries, or nectar. Many are host plants for butterflies too. Acquiring plants from your county conservation district is a great opportunity to reduce the amount of ground you’re mowing and thus exposing to runoff and erosion as well!
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.
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.The panoramic view of the Susquehanna from Fisherman’s Park offers excellent opportunities to witness Bald Eagle activity.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.Soon enough, we experienced a close fly-by from this second-year Bald Eagle.Another of the many second-year Bald Eagles seen on the Susquehanna at Conowingo Dam.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.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.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.An adult Bald Eagle.Meanwhile, a little action gets the shutters clicking,……a fourth-year Bald Eagle (top) is drawing the ire of an adult bird,……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,……then quickly changing focus to check the humans along the shoreline for discarded bait or fumbled snack foods.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;……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.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!
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,……Eastern Red Cedar,……and Common Winterberry.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.
Peak numbers of Fox Sparrows are now moving through the lower Susquehanna valley on their way south. Nearly as large as our Catharus thrushes, these native songbirds are among the last of our regularly occurring autumn migrants. In tangled dense thickets along the edges of fields and woodlots, small numbers may linger into winter eating berries and the seeds of herbaceous plants.
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.Ravens are frequently seen in small groups of just two to five birds. During November however, they may assemble into playful bands of ten or more birds as they roam the ridges in search of suitable places to pass the winter.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.Always a crowd-pleaser among the observers on the lookouts are the eagles.Flights right now consist primarily of Bald Eagles.Updrafts created as strong autumn winds strike the slopes of local ridges are providing the lift needed for these birds to cover many miles per day with minimal energy expended.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.But nearly everyone’s favorite is the close approach of a Bald Eagle in definitive adult plumage.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.
Bright moonlight tonight……will bring familiar nocturnal migrants like this Dark-eyed Junco to your garden, feeding station, or other favorite birding place by morning.
Small numbers of Rusty Blackbirds are currently moving south through the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed. Look for individuals and small flocks feeding in damp woods and along lake and river shorelines. These uncommon birds nest far to our north in wet coniferous and mixed forests as well as willow thickets, often in muskeg or beaver pond-created habitat. Rusty Blackbirds spend the colder months in the wooded swamps of the southeastern and south-central United States. Loss of habitat has reduced their numbers dramatically, as has their misfortune to occasionally join flocks of foraging Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles on the wintering grounds where all of these species fall victim to avicide poisons placed on feedlots to eradicate European Starlings.
Having experienced our first frost throughout much of the lower Susquehanna valley last night, we can look forward to seeing some changes in animal behavior and distribution in the days and weeks to come. Here are a few examples…
Unlike their close relatives the Tree Swallows, which include berries as well as invertebrates in their diet, Northern Rough-winged Swallows are strictly insectivores and will find it necessary to promptly move south to assure a frost-free environment where they can secure an adequate supply of food. Their one alternative: find a local sewage treatment plant where warm water attracts populations of flying insects through the remainder of autumn and maybe into winter.Warblers too are insect eaters. Look for most of our dozens of species to evacuate the area in coming days and leave behind only the Yellow-rumped Warbler, another bird with a fondness for berries during cold weather. Into the winter months, they remain in small numbers in habitats with an abundant supply of berries like Poison Ivy, holly, wild grape, bittersweet, and Eastern Red Cedar. For lingering Yellow-rumped Warblers, thickets of cedars and other evergreens provide essential protection from frigid nighttime winds.This Eastern Chipmunk will soon feel the pinch. Instead of eating the sweet, fruity portions of Mile-a-minute Weed berries, it’ll have to get serious about stocking its den with larger seeds, acorns, hickory nuts, and other foods to snack on through the winter. Better get busy, little friend!
These juvenile Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are among the last big southbound push of Neotropical migrants we’ll see moving through the lower Susquehanna valley in coming days. Be certain to get outside and have a look.
Less than ideal flying conditions can cause some of our migrating birds to make landfall in unusual places. Clouds and gloom caused a couple of travelers to pay an unexpected visit to the headquarters garden earlier today.
Here in our urban oasis, this Northern Parula was our first warbler of the season. We noticed it gleaning small insects from the leaves and stems of the taller trees.It was joined by this Red-breasted Nuthatch near a trickle of water at one of the ponds.Our resident Carolina Chickadees made good foraging companions for our temporary guests.
Be sure to keep an eye open for visiting migrants in your favorite garden or park during the overcast and rainy days ahead. You never know what might drop by.
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.Migrating Broad-winged Hawks, sometimes traveling in large flocks known as kettles, seek out thermal updrafts to gain altitude before gliding away on a southwest heading bound for Houston, Texas. Once there, they’ll make a turn to the south and follow the gulf coastline toward the tropics for winter.While passing through the lower Susquehanna valley in fall, Broad-winged Hawks can be seen ascending to greater heights above almost any sun-drenched surface including large parking lots or barren fields. But to get your best look, visit a ridgetop hawk watch where these birds circle on the rising air created by solar heating of the south-facing slopes.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…
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.
Here at susquehannawildlife.net headquarters, we really enjoy looking back in time at old black-and-white pictures. We even have an old black-and-white television that still operates quite well. But on a nice late-spring day, there’s no sense sitting around looking at that stuff when we could be outside tracking down some sightings of a few wonderful animals.
American Toad tadpoles have hatched from clusters of eggs deposited in this wet roadside ditch furnished with a clean supply of runoff filtered through a wide shoulder of early successional growth. Recent rains have kept their vernal nursery flooded, giving them the time they need to quickly mature into tiny toads and hop away before scorching summer heat dries up their natal home.Weekend rains and creek flooding haven’t stopped these Water Striders from pairing up to begin their breeding cycle.Around streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, the Common Whitetail is one of our most conspicuous dragonflies.Now that’s what we call a big beautiful bill, on a Great Blue Heron stalking fish.These mating Golden-backed Snipe Flies (Chrysopilus thoracicus) are predatory insects, as are their larvae. They are most frequently found in bottomland woods.About three feet in length, this Eastern Ratsnake is unusual because it still shows conspicuous remnants of the diamond-patterned markings it sported as a juvenile.The plumage of the Black-and-white Warbler lacks any of the vibrant colors found in the rainbow, but is nevertheless strikingly beautiful.This male Black-and-white Warbler appears a little bit ruffled as he dries out his feathers following a brief afternoon downpour. But as the sunshine returns, he bursts into song from a forest perch within the nesting territory he has chosen to defend. In addition to the vocalizations, this eye-catching plumage pattern helps advertise his presence to both prospective mates and would-be trespassers alike. But against the peeling bark of massive trees where this bird can often be found quietly feeding in a manner reminiscent of a nuthatch, the feathers can also provide a surprisingly effective means of camouflage.
One of dozens of Cedar Waxwings seen descending upon ripe juneberries in a mini grove consisting of either Smooth Shadbush (Amelanchier laevis) or the allied and very similar-looking hybrid juneberry Amelanchier x lamarkii. Smooth Shadbush can be grown as a shrub or small tree and is also known as Smooth Serviceberry, Allegheny Serviceberry, or Smooth Juneberry. The hybrid Amelanchier x lamarkii is believed to be a naturally occurring cross between Smooth Shadbush (A. laevis) and either Canadian Serviceberry (A. canadensis) or Downy Serviceberry (A. arborea). Juneberries/serviceberries/shadbushes, including a number of man-made cultivars, produce white flowers in early spring and can be obtained through numerous suppliers for inclusion in conservation projects, home gardens, or for use as street trees. Believe it or not, the very productive planting seen here was located in a parking lot island at a busy Walmart store.
Here’s a short preview of some of the finds you can expect during an outing in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed’s forests this week…
The Mountain Laurel, designated as Pennsylvania’s state flower, is now in bloom.The buds of the Mountain Laurel remind us of a sugary frosting freshly squeezed from a baker’s pastry bag.The flowers of the Mountain Laurel, an evergreen understory shrub, invite pollinators to stop by for a sweet treat.Little Wood-Satyrs (Megisto cymela) are patrolling forest edges looking for mates and, to host their eggs and larvae, the stands of grasses they find most suitable.Many of the species of small butterflies we call skippers are now active. The Zabulon Skipper can be found patrolling grassy forest edges, particularly near streams, ponds, and wetlands.Among the showiest of our butterflies, the Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) is seen here on the leaves of a Black Cherry, its favored host plant.Another red-spotted Purple seen picking up minerals from a dried up puddle depression on a gravel road.Butterfly observers will do well to pay a visit to the new Susquehanna Riverlands State Park on Furnace Road north of Hellam in York County, Pennsylvania.Upon arrival at Susquehanna Riverlands, drive back the gravel road for about a mile to the parking area at the edge of the agricultural field. Then, hike the trail through the woods and farm hedgerow to the Schull’s Rock overlook on the river. In the forests along this route, the understory is dominated by colonial stands of Common Pawpaw trees.Along the lookout trail to Schull’s Rock, the Common Pawpaws’ large leaves help them to shade out potentially fast-growing competition. In proper growing situations, pawpaws develop clonal suckers that mature over time to create colonial stands of a single genetic plant.A Common Pawpaw understory along the approach to Schull’s Rock.A colonial stand of Common Pawpaw along the trail leading to Schull’s Rock.During our recent visit to Schull’s Rock, dozens of Zebra Swallowtails were seen along the trail, many in the vicinity of their sole host plant, the Common Pawpaw. But even more were observed along the edges of the fields and woods where nectar sources like this Multiflora Rose were being visited by numbers of butterflies we normally see only among abundant species like Cabbage Whites. Absolutely amazing!And the view of the Susquehanna and the Shock’s Mills railroad bridge at the mouth of Codorus Creek is pretty good too!You can look for colonial stands of Common Pawpaw at other parks and preserves along the lower Susquehanna as well. Birds like this Hooded Warbler can sometimes be found among them in mature riparian forests along the steep slopes of the river gorge.A Baltimore Oriole in a Common Pawpaw along a forest edge.Meanwhile in the treetops, the spring thrust of Neotropical migrants is drawing to a close. The Blackpoll Warbler is typically one of the last to transit the lower Susquehanna valley on its way to northern coniferous forests for summer. They’ve had an unusually protracted movement through the region this spring, the earliest individuals reported during late April. Though very difficult to see in the canopy of the mature trees where it feeds and sings, hearing one is often a benchmark for senior birders each spring. Older observers have often said of the Blackpoll Warbler’s high-pitched song, a rapid series of insect-like staccato “tseet” notes, that it was the first they could no longer detect as their ears started losing sensitivity.In many tracts along the lower Susquehanna this spring, the American Redstart is turning out to be the most common nesting warbler. Conditions favoring their reproductive success in recent cycles, as well as good survival rates during their migrations and stays on wintering grounds, have filled many lowland forests with redstart songs in 2025. Is this the start of a trend or just an exceptionally good year? Time will tell.Yet one more reason for a stroll in local forests this week is the chance to see and hear the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Look for these Neotropical relatives of the cardinal nesting on territories in mature stands of deciduous trees like this Yellow Poplar, a species also known as the Tuliptree.They spend nearly all their time among the canopy foliage of the largest timber……but pause frequently to repeat a song often described as something akin to that which might be performed by a robin subjected to voice lessons. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is certainly a bird worth seeing and hearing.
Let us travel through time for just a little while to recall those sunny, late-spring days down on the farm—back when the rural landscape was a quiet, semi-secluded realm with little in the way of traffic, housing projects, or industrialized agriculture. Those among us who grew up on one of these family homesteads, or had friends who did, remember the joy of exploring the meadows, thickets, soggy springs, and woodlots they protected.
During much of the twentieth century, low-intensity agriculture provided a haven for wildlife. Periodic disturbances helped maintain cool-season grassland and early successional habitat for a number of species we currently find in decline.
For many of us, farmland was the first place we encountered and began to understand wildlife. Vast acreage provided an abundance of space to explore. And the discovery of each new creature provided an exciting experience.
Distributed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, artist Ned Smith’s wildlife posters introduced many residents of the lower Susquehanna region to its birds and mammals. This poster of “Birds of Field and Garden” helped us learn what to expect and search for during our forays to the farm.
Today, high-intensity agriculture, relentless mowing, urban sprawl, and the increasing costs and demand for land have all conspired to seriously deplete habitat quality and quantity for many of the species we used to see on the local farm. Unfortunately for them, farm wildlife has largely been the victim of modern economics.
For old time’s sake, we recently passed a nostalgic afternoon at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area examining what maintenance of traditional farm habitat has done and can do for breeding birds. Join us for a quick tour to remember how it used to be at the farm next door…
Always found nesting under the forebay of the barn, the Barn Swallow relentlessly pursued flying insects over the pond and meadow.Eastern Meadowlarks arrived during March and April to begin nesting in their namesake. Their song, “spring-of-the-year”, heralded the new season.Arriving in meadows and pastures during early May, the Eastern Kingbird provided for its nestlings by ambushing a variety of flying insects. By August, congregations of these birds could be found gathering along ponds and streams ahead of their fall migration.In the cherry grove down by the creek, the Orchard Oriole would be singing incessantly to defend its territory.Normally seed eaters through the colder months, American Goldfinches would regularly find a source of protein in the occupants of Eastern Tent Caterpillar nests.Along the wet margins of the creek, Yellow Warblers would nest in the shrubs and small trees.The “Traill’s Flycatcher” was a familiar find in low-lying areas of successional shrubs and small trees. Today, “Traill’s Flycatcher” is recognized as two distinct species, the Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) and the Willow Flycatcher. In the lower Susquehanna valley, the latter (seen here) is by far the most common of the two.During the nineteenth century, Eastern Bluebirds became a rarity on lower Susquehanna farms due to a combination of factors: pesticide (DDT) use, habitat loss, and competition with other birds for nest sites. The species saw a resurgence beginning in the 1970s with discontinuation of DDT applications and widespread provision of nesting boxes. Around human habitations, competition with invasive House Sparrows continues to be detrimental to their success.Purple Martins suffered a similar fate to the bluebirds. The potential for their recovery remains dubious and they continue to be very local breeders, fussy about selection of suitable man-made provisions for nesting. After considerable effort, Purple Martins have at last been attracted to nest in the condos placed for their use at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. In the artificial gourds, there are nesting Tree Swallows, a species which also benefits from the placement of boxes intended for bluebirds.Abandoned fields and other successional habitats were and continue to be favored homes for Field Sparrows.At almost any time of year, roving bands of Cedar Waxwings would suddenly visit old field habitat looking for berries among the shrubs and other pioneering woody growth. In early summer, after most species have already hatched their young, nesting would commence and these fruit eaters would transform into accomplished fly catchers.During the twentieth century prior to the 1980s, Ring-necked Pheasant populations in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed were comprised of breeding descendants of introduced birds supplemented by additional releases to maintain numbers sufficient for hunting. Year-round populations did and can reside in mosaic landscapes of early successional and grassland habitats, the latter including hay fields left unmowed through the nesting season.Red-winged Blackbirds have always been a fixture of hay fields and meadows on farms. While the increase in mowing frequency has reduced their nesting success, they have persevered as a species by nesting earlier than other birds and by utilizing other landscape features such as densely vegetated stormwater basins for breeding sites.Do you recall the last time you saw a Bobolink nesting in a hay field near you? Arriving in early May as a Neotropical migrant, the Bobolink requires a cool-season grassland such as hay field through at least July to complete its nesting cycle. Even earlier this century, we remember nesting Bobolinks being more widespread on farms throughout the region. Now, you almost have to go to Middle Creek if you want to see them.Formerly more widespread in hay fields throughout the lower Susquehanna valley, the native Grasshopper Sparrow is yet another species falling victim to early mowing and intensive farming.The solution to their dilemma is as advertised. Instead of cutting the grass, why not take heed of the example set here and cut back on the tens of thousands of acres that are excessively or needlessly mowed in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed? How ’bout letting a significant percentage of your property regenerate as successional habitat as well? It can and does make a difference!Beautiful cool-season grasses waving in the spring breeze. Meadows and hay fields can be managed to function as cool-season grasslands to provide nesting opportunities for many of the species we used to find down on the farm.
For many animals, an adequate shelter is paramount for their successful reproduction. Here’s a sample of some of the lower Susquehanna valley’s nest builders in action…
Many of our year-round resident bird species get a head start on the breeding season as cavity nesters. Some of these mated pairs use naturally occurring hollows, while still others take advantage of the voids left vacant by the more industrious previous occupants. Woodpeckers in particular are responsible for excavating many of the cavities that are later used as homes by a variety of birds and mammals to both rear their young and provide winter shelter. Pileated Woodpeckers, like other members of the family Picidae, have an almost mystic ability to locate diseased or insect-infested trees for selection as feeding and nesting sites. In this composite image, a pair is seen already working on a potential nursery during mid-January. After use by the woodpeckers, abandoned cavities of this size can become nesting sites for a variety of animals including bees, small owls, Great Crested Flycatchers, Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and squirrels.After use as a nesting site, a void excavated by Downy Woodpeckers can be occupied in subsequent years by chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, wrens, and other cavity-dwelling species.This Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) with a leafy twig in tow takes advantage of spring’s new growth to construct or repair its house,……a process that can be repeated or renewed as necessary throughout the year.A Muskrat house in March. In the absence of leafy twigs, dried cattail stems will suffice. As it ages and decays, the house’s organic matter generates heat and makes an ideal location for turtles to deposit and hatch their eggs.Soon after Neotropical migrants begin arriving in the forests of the lower Susquehanna watershed, they begin constructing their nests. The majority of these species build “outdoors”, not within the confines of a tree cavity. Here we see a Wood Thrush with its bill full of dried leaves and other materials……ready to line the cup of its nest in the fork of a small understory tree.Though it often arrives during early April after spending the winter in sub-tropical and even some temperate climes, the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher must wait to start construction of its nest until many of the Neotropical migrants arrive in early May.You see, the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher relies on plenty of web-spinning spider activity to supply the construction materials it needs.A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher pulling apart a spider’s web on a warm May morning.Back at the nest site……the sticky spider webs bind together lichens and small bits of bark……to form a perfect little cup for the nesting Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.Baltimore Orioles weave one the most unique nests of any species occurring in eastern North America.Unfortunately for them, man-made litter can often seem to be the ideal material for binding the nest together. In an area only sporadically visited by anglers, this oriole had no trouble finding lots of monofilament fishing line, trash that can fatally entangle both adult and young birds of any species. If you see any fishing line at all, please pick it up and dispose of it properly.Always keep an eye open for fishing line and get it before the birds do!Like many other avians, male Brown-headed Cowbirds are now relentlessly pursuing females of their kind.All his effort is expended in an attempt to impress her and thus have a chance to mate.This male can indeed put all his energy into the courtship ritual because Brown-headed Cowbirds toil not to build a nest. They instead locate and “parasitize” the nests of a variety of other songbirds. After mating, the female will lay an egg in a host’s abode, often selecting a slightly smaller species like a Yellow Warbler or native sparrow as a suitable victim. If undetected, the egg will be incubated by the host species. Upon hatching, the larger cowbird nestling will dominate the brood, often ejecting the host’s young and/or eggs from the nest. The host parents then concentrate all their efforts to feed and fledge only the young cowbird.Watching and waiting. The Indigo Bunting evades cowbird parasitism by first recognizing the invader’s egg. They then either add a new layer of nest lining over it or they abandon the nest completely and construct a new one. Some patient buntings may delay their breeding cycle until after cowbird courting behavior ceases in coming weeks.
After repeatedly hearing the songs of these Neotropical migrants from among the foliage, we were finally able to get a look at them—but it required persistent effort.
Often found closer to the ground among shrubs and small trees, this Magnolia Warbler was a challenge to find in the upper reaches of a Chestnut Oak.Not far away, we spied this Yellow-rumped Warbler.Despite its status as probably the most common Neotropical songbird to nest in the deciduous woodlands of the lower Susquehanna valley, the Red-eyed Vireo is nevertheless notoriously difficult to locate among the leaves.The Ovenbird spends much of its time on the forest floor where it builds a domed, oven-like nest.A fortunate observer may catch a glimpse of one perched in an understory shrub or small tree.But hearing the Ovenbird’s song, “teacher-teacher-teacher”, is frequently the only way to detect it.The Worm-eating Warbler nests in understory thickets on steep forested slopes. Its rich chipping song is often the only indication of its presence.Frequently easier to locate is the American Redstart, a Neotropical warbler that calls out its territory in damp woodlands from perches atop shrubs or among the lower limbs of trees.Warbling Vireos nest near streams or other bodies of water in large deciduous trees like this Northern Hackberry.Gray Catbirds are abundant in shrubby gardens and thickets. Most will come out of hiding to investigate disturbances like an observer making a pishing sound.Another inhabitant of brushy successional growth is the Common Yellowthroat. It too is curious and responds quickly to squeaky sounds made by human visitors to their home ground.The Yellow-breasted Chat is a bird of early successional growth. To establish and defend a breeding territory, this one adopted a perch along the edge of a woodlands overlooking a field in which prescribed fire was administered less than two months ago.Like the mockingbird and thrasher, the Yellow-breasted Chat is a mimic. Its song is a repertoire of the calls and songs of the bird species with which it may compete for food and nesting space. Unique to the chat is an occasional pause, whistle, or “chuck” note that creates a bridge between many of its song’s elements.The intensely territorial chat dropping down to look us over.
Sometimes we have to count ourselves lucky if we see just one in five, ten, or even twenty of the birds we hear in the cover of the forest canopy or thicket. But that’s what makes this time of year so rewarding for the dedicated observer. The more time you spend out there, the more you’ll eventually discover. See you afield!
A singing Scarlet Tanager lurking in the shade of an oak.Seeing is believing.
Neotropical birds are fairly well acquainted with repetitive periods of thundershowers. With that in mind, we decided not to waste this stormy Tuesday by remaining indoors.
Periods of rain need not put a damper on a day outdoors observing birds that wintered in a rain forest or other tropical environment.We hiked this utility right-of-way to the north of a heavy thunderstorm and found plenty of activity in the shrubby successional habitat there.Rain or shine, male Indigo Buntings were busy singing. All this exuberance is intended not only to establish and defend a nesting territory……but to attract the attention of a mate as well.Prior to the implementation of the intensive manicuring practices we see currently applied to most utility right-of-ways, shrubby thickets filled miles of these linear corridors to create a webbed network of early successional growth throughout the lower Susquehanna valley. Loss of this specialized habitat has led to the almost total elimination of the formerly common Blue-winged Warbler as a breeding species here.We found three male Blue-winged Warblers singing on territories in this bushy clearing where electric transmission lines pass over Third/Stony Mountain on State Game Lands 211.Their presence at this site is testament to the importance of maintaining corridors of quality successional habitat in the landscape.The Blue-winged Warbler is a Neotropical migrant with an easy-to-learn song. It’s a very simple, buzzy sounding “beeee-bzzz”.Another Neotropical species that nests in successional thickets is the Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor), seen here during one of this morning’s downpours.The Prairie Warbler can sometimes be found in stands of pioneer plants like Eastern Red Cedar on sites with barren soils or those that have been subjected to wildfire.The Hooded Warbler is fond of wooded thickets along the edge of forested land such as those in the Third/Stony Mountain utility right-of-way.The presence of a Mountain Laurel thicket also enhances a forest’s ability to host breeding Hooded Warblers.
We hope you enjoyed our walk in the rain as much as we did. If you venture out on a similar excursion, please remember this. The majority of the wild animals around us have busy lives, particularly at this time of year. Most don’t take a day off just because it rains—that includes ticks.
Be certain to check yourself for ticks, especially these very small Deer Ticks (Ixodes scapularis), also known as Black-legged Ticks. Deer Ticks are vigilantly looking for something to latch onto, even in the rain, and they can be vectors of Lyme disease. We found this adult female as a stowaway on the editor’s neck just before heading home from today’s stroll.
Brilliantly colored migrants continue to arrive from their tropical wintering grounds. Look for the Indigo Bunting in thickets and other successional habitat. They are particularly fond of seldom-manicured utility right-of-ways and railroads where males like this one can be seen singing from an exposed perch to defend a nesting territory and attract a mate.
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.Slightly larger than the warblers are the vireos, including this Yellow-throated Vireo that has arrived to nest in an oak-maple bottomland.Always a fan favorite, we found this marvelously tropical Baltimore Oriole among the foliage of a flowering White Oak.This young Red-tailed Hawk has survived its first winter. It appears to have learned from experience how to hunt from advantageous locations such as this Chestnut Oak along a utility right-of-way where prey may include numerous squirrels as well as mice and other small mammals.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!
In early April of each year, we like to take a dreary-day stroll along the Susquehanna in Harrisburg to see if any waterfowl or seabirds have dropped in for a layover before continuing their journey from wintering waters along the Atlantic seaboard to breeding areas well to our north and northwest. As showers started to subside this Saturday morning past, here are some of the travelers we had the chance to see…
Hundreds of scaup were feeding at mid-river. To remain in suitable foraging habitat, the group is seen here flying upstream to the area of the Governor’s Mansion where they would commence yet another drift downstream to Independence Island before again repositioning to a favorable spot.By far, the majority of the ducks in this flock were Lesser Scaup showing white inner margins of the secondary flight feathers and more grayish margins in the primaries. Several Greater Scaup, including the one denoted by the hairline in this image, could be detected by the presence of bright white margins not only in the secondary flight feathers, but extending through the primaries as well.A pair of Lesser Scaup feeding along the river shoreline at the Governor’s Mansion. Both scaup species spend the colder months in bays and coastal estuaries, but the Lesser Scaup is the most likely to be found venturing inland to fresh water in the southern United States during winter. The Lesser Scaup nests in the northwestern United States and in the southern half of Canada. The Greater Scaup is the more northerly nesting species, spending its summers at the northern edges of the border provinces and beyond.Common Loons spend the winter in Atlantic surf. April is the best time to see them on the lower Susquehanna River as they drop in to rest and reenergize during a break in their annual northbound trip to nesting sites on the lakes and ponds left behind by the retreat of Pleistocene glaciers.We saw dozens of Buffleheads during our morning hike, often segregated into paired couples like this one. Being cavity nesters, these migrating ducks are headed no further north than southern Canada, to lakes and ponds within forests, for the summer.Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) spend the summer nesting on turbulent high-gradient streams in Canada and Greenland. They mostly winter along rocky coastlines as far south as New England, but have adapted to feeding along man-made rock jetties in coastal New York and New Jersey. This winter, they were seen along jetties and sea walls at least as far south as Cape Charles, Virginia, and the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. During the past month, at least two Harlequin Ducks, including this male seen in flight on Saturday, have appeared on the river in the Harrisburg area, possibly as strays from this year’s wintering population at the mouth of the bay. These ducks are very rare habitat specialists, possibly (according to Behrens and Cox, 2013) numbering less than 1,500 birds along the entire east coast.In spring, the Horned Grebe transitions from a drab gray-brown winter (basic) plumage into rather surprisingly colorful breeding (alternate) plumage.An adult Horned Grebe in breeding (alternate) plumage. Horned Grebes spend the winter on large rivers, bays, and ocean waters from Nova Scotia to Texas. They are presently on their way to breeding areas on ponds and lakes in Alaska and Canada west of Ontario.
If you want a chance to see these seldom-observed visitors to the lower Susquehanna at Pennsylvania’s capital city, try a morning walk along mid-town’s Riverfront Park from Maclay Street to Forster Street. Also, try a stroll on City Island, particularly to the beach at the north end where you have a view of the mid-river areas upstream. To have better afternoon light, try the river’s west shore along Front Street in Wormleysburg from the Market Street Bridge upstream to Conodoguinet Creek. Once there, be certain to check the river from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s West Fairview Access Area at the mouth of the creek. And don’t be afraid to visit on a gloomy day; you never know what you might find!
Don’t forget to check the trees along the river shoreline where early stonefly hatches can often attract hungry insectivores. We found this and six other Eastern Phoebes crowded into the trees at water’s edge just upriver from the Governor’s Mansion during Saturday’s migrant fallout.
SOURCES
Behrens, Ken, and Cameron Cox. 2013. Seawatching: Eastern Waterbirds in Flight. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. New York, NY.
Colorful songbirds like this Palm Warbler are beginning to migrate through the lower Susquehanna valley on their way north. Even when the weather is damp and gloomy, be certain to spend some time outdoors if you’d like the chance to see them. Palm Warblers are most frequently found in damp thickets and streamside, but they’ll sometimes show up in densely vegetated parks and gardens during a springtime fallout.
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.
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.Visitors observe a fire planned to maintain this section of the refuge as warm-season grassland. A species with roots several feet deep, the light-colored vegetation is Indiangrass, a plant adapted to thrive following periodic episodes of wildfire. Prescribed fire can be used to replace naturally occurring infernos with much safer controlled burns that eliminate successional and invasive plants to promote the establishment of Indiangrass and other native warm-season species including Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Switchgrass, and a variety of wildflowers as well.Even as the fire reached its brief peak of intensity, we noticed birds already attracted to the site…Dozens of recently arrived Tree Swallows swept in to patrol for flying insects as the burn was in progress.One even stopped by to have a look inside the kestrel nest box as fire approached the dry stand of goldenrod on the slope behind.Red-tailed Hawks and other raptors, including nocturnal owls, are frequently the first visitors attracted to the scene of a prescribed burn or wildfire. In grassland and successional habitats, they come looking for any vulnerable voles or mice that may be moving about looking for cover.
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.
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.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.They seemed to favor gleaning seeds from among the lightly burned areas of the plot.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.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.
Find a stand of Common Cattails in a marsh, a stormwater basin, or along a pond edge right now and you’re almost certain to find a male Red-winged Blackbird ……singing and displaying to defend a territory and attract a partner. Upon their arrival and selection of a mate, the brown-streaked females will weave well-hidden nests among the stems and leaves of these essential water-purifying wetland plants.
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.
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 .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.The lookout at Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch is located within a utility right-of-way with talus slopes flanking the ridgetop clearing.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.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 Ravens are forever vigilant around our regional hawk watches. They can sometimes help us find otherwise hard-to-spot migratory raptors in the bright, sunny skies.Ravens really like to harass younger birds like this second or third-year Golden Eagle.Older, more stoic raptors like this adult Bald Eagle spend less time contending with the antics of the persistent ravens.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.
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 (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.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……it too finds a supply of Poison Ivy berries to be indispensable during a cold winter day.The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a generalist, feeding mostly on insects, but also consuming small seeds and some berries, including those of Poison Ivy. It nests well to our north in tall spruces and other evergreens. During migration and in winter, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet may be found in deciduous trees, brush, and tall grass in habitats ranging from forests to parks and suburbia. This male is displaying its seldom-seen red crown.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.Iconic as it pulls earthworms from lawns during the warmer months, the generalist American Robin is fully dependent upon a crop of berries to survive winter conditions in the lower Susquehanna valley. The drought afflicted wild food crop of 2024 has led to fewer robins spending the season here and has delayed the northward push of migrating birds until the ground thaws and the earthworms make the ground rumble once again.It’s insects for the nestlings during spring and summer, then berries through the winter for the cheerful Eastern Bluebirds, another generalist species.American Crows are an excellent example of a generalist species. They’ll go anywhere to find food and they’ll eat almost anything. Like the House Sparrow and several other generalists, they adapt very well to human activity and actually thrive on it. Garbage anyone?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.The Red-shouldered Hawk is a generalist with a diet ranging from amphibians and reptiles to small rodents and large insects. Mostly regarded as a species of bottomlands, they’ll frequent woodland edges, roadsides, and suburbia during the winter months.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.The White-crowned Sparrow has similar winter habitat preferences to the tree 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.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.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?
After decades of heavy manual labor, it’s time for your editor to go under the knife and have his guts put back where they belong. We hope you won’t mind if we take a little break while he behaves like this Hermit Thrush and becomes a bit of a recluse for a while. We’ll be back soon.
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…
Eastern Gray Squirrels are common and easily seen along the edge of the woods.Eastern Bluebirds are investigating nest boxes and may presently be using them as communal roost sites during cold, windy nights.A Hermit Thrush was just one of the songbirds we found foraging along the edge of Willow Point Trail.Look carefully and you may see one or more species of woodpeckers in the mature trees. We found this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in a maple near the trail’s terminus at the Willow Point viewing area.
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.American Black Ducks on a fly by.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.Common Mergansers diving for benthic fare.
REASON NUMBER THREE— Bald Eagles are conspicuous, easily seen and heard…
Bald Eagles on tree stumps in the lake.A hatch-year/juvenile Bald Eagle on a glide over Willow Point.
REASON NUMBER FOUR— Northern Harriers have been making close passes over Willow Point as they patrol Middle Creek’s grasslands while hunting voles…
A female Northern Harrier over Willow Point.A hatch-year/juvenile Northern Harrier gazing over a field of goldenrod adjacent to Willow Point.Hatch-year/juvenile Northern Harrier patrolling a field of goldenrod and preparing to pounce.A Northern Harrier buoyantly flying past Willow Point just prior to sunset.
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…
Mystical White-tailed Deities hiding in plain sight near Willow Point.Having so far survived the ceremonies of sacrifice practiced by worshipers clad in vibrant orange attire, these divine idols agree to a more civilized ritual, a gentlemanly duel.
…then it’s off to find the fair maidens.
REASON NUMBER SIX— Sandhill Cranes are still being seen from Willow Point…
Sandhill Cranes have been spending time on dry portions of the lake bed and in grasslands and croplands to the north.
These Sandhill Cranes could depart from Middle Creek’s refuge at any time, particularly if the deep freeze returns to make feeding more difficult. You’ll want to visit soon if you want to see them.
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.
White-crowned Sparrows at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area’s Willow Point.
