Baltimore Oriole – LIFE IN THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER WATERSHED

May 13, 2025May 13, 2025

Nest Builders at Work

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers — Back at the nest site…

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

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

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

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

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

May 2, 2025May 3, 2025

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.

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!

May 13, 2024May 14, 2024

See Food and an Oriole Doubleheader

The rain and clouds have at last departed. With blue skies and sunshine to remind us just how wonderful a spring afternoon can be, we took a stroll at Memorial Lake State Park in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, to look for some migratory birds.

This Common Loon dropped by Memorial Lake during a storm several days ago and decided to stay awhile. It’s a species that winters in oceanic waters along the Atlantic seaboard and nests on glacial lakes to our north.

Shoreline Vegetation at Memorial Lake — **Clear Water-** Memorial Lake is one of the few man-made lakes in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed to be appropriately vegetated with an abundance of submerged, floating, and emergent plants. As a result, the water from Indiantown Run that passes through the impoundment is minimally impacted by nutrient loads and the algal blooms they can cause. Buffers of woody and herbaceous growth along the lake’s shorelines provide additional nutrient sequestering and help prevent soil erosion and siltation.

Along the edge of the lake, this Orchard Oriole and its mate were in yet another stand of tall walnut trees.

Early in the season and early in the day, we started seeing Common Nighthawks flying above wooded areas north of the lake at 4 o’clock this afternoon. After all the raw and inclement weather they’ve experienced in recent days, the warm afternoon was probably their first opportunity to feed on flying insects in quite a while.

What? You thought we were gonna drop in on Maryland’s largest city for a couple of ball games and some oysters, clams, and crab cakes—not likely.

May 8, 2024May 14, 2024

A Pre-dawn Thunderstorm and a Fallout of Migrating Birds

In recent days, the peak northbound push of migratory birds that includes the majority of our colorful Neotropical species has been slowed to a trickle by the presence of rain, fog, and low overcast throughout the Mid-Atlantic States. Following sunset last evening, the nocturnal flight resumed—only to be grounded this morning during the pre-dawn hours by the west-to-east passage of a fast-moving line of strong thundershowers. The NOAA/National Weather Service images that follow show the thunderstorms as well as returns created by thousands of migrating birds as they pass through the Doppler Radar coverage areas that surround the lower Susquehanna valley.

Sterling, Virginia, Doppler Radar west of Washington, D.C., at 4:00 A.M. E.D.T. indicates a dense flight of northbound migrating birds located just to the south of the approaching line of rain and thunderstorms over the State College, Pennsylvania, radar coverage area. (NOAA/National Weather Service image)

More northbound birds are indicated at 4 A.M. by the radar station located at Dover, Delaware… (NOAA/National Weather Service image)

…and by the Mount Holly, New Jersey, radar site. (NOAA/National Weather Service image)

Many of the migrating birds shown here over the Binghamton, New York, radar station at 4 A.M. probably overflew the lower Susquehanna region earlier in the night. (NOAA/National Weather Service image)

And these birds over Albany, New York’s, radar station at 4 A.M. are mostly migrants that passed north over New Jersey and easternmost Pennsylvania last evening and during the wee hours of this morning. (NOAA/National Weather Service image)

Just after 4 A.M., flashes of lightning in rapid succession repeatedly illuminated the sky over susquehannawildlife.net headquarters. Despite the rumbles of thunder and the din of noises typical for our urban setting, the call notes of nocturnal migrants could be heard as these birds descended in search of a suitable place to make landfall and seek shelter from the storm. At least one Wood Thrush and a Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) were in the mix of species passing overhead. A short time later at daybreak, a Great Crested Flycatcher was heard calling from a stand of nearby trees and a White-crowned Sparrow was seen in the garden searching for food. None of these aforementioned birds is regular here at our little oasis, so it appears that a significant and abrupt fallout has occurred.

Looks like a good day to take the camera for a walk. Away we go!

Along woodland edges, in thickets, and in gardens, Gray Catbirds were everywhere today. We heard and/or saw hundreds of them.

During our travels, American Redstarts were the most frequently encountered warbler. Look for them in low-lying forested habitats.

Many early-arriving Baltimore Orioles have already begun building nests. But widespread territorial fighting today may be an indication that some latecomer orioles became trespassers after dropping in on existing territories during the morning fallout.

Red-eyed Vireos are difficult to see but easily heard in forested areas throughout the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed.

If the oriole isn’t the showiest of the Neotropical migrants, then the Scarlet Tanager is certainly a contender…

The Eastern Wood-Pewee, another forest denizen, has an easy song to learn…a series of ascending “pee-a-wee” phrases interspersed with an occasional descending “pee-urr”. It was one of the few flycatchers we found today, but more are certainly on the way. Their numbers should peak in coming days.

Yellow-rumped Warblers can be especially numerous during migration but tend to peak prior to the arrival of the bulk of the Neotropical species. This was the only “yellow-rump” we encountered today. The majority have already passed through on their way to breeding grounds to our north.

If today you were to visit a streamside thicket or any type of early successional habitat, you would probably find this perky little warbler there, the Common Yellowthroat.

The Yellow Warbler likes streamside thickets too. You can also find them along lakes, ponds, and wetlands, especially among shrubby willows and alders.

Not all songbirds migrate at night. The Bobolink is an example of a diurnal (day-flying) migrant. They’re currently arriving in hay fields that are spared the mower until after nesting season.

There’s obviously more spring migration to come, so do make an effort to visit an array of habitats during the coming weeks to see and hear the wide variety of birds, including the spectacular Neotropical species, that visit the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed each May. You won’t regret it!

Wood Ducks arrived in February and March to breed in the lower Susquehanna valley. Soon after hatching in April or May, the young leave the nest cavity to travel under the watchful gaze of their ever-vigilant mother as they search for food along our local waterways. If you’re fortunate, you might catch a glimpse of a brood and hen while you’re out looking at the more than one hundred species of birds that occur in our region during the first half of May. Good luck!

September 6, 2023September 7, 2023

Surf’s Up: The Waves Keep Rolling In

“Waves” of warblers and other Neotropical songbirds continue to roll along the ridgetops of southern Pennsylvania. The majority of these migrants are headed to wintering habitat in the tropics after departing breeding grounds in the forests of southern Canada. At Second Mountain Hawk Watch, today’s early morning flight kicked off at sunrise, then slowed considerably by 8:30 A.M. E.D.T. Once again, in excess of 400 warblers were found moving through the trees and working their way southwest along the spine of the ridge. Each of the 12 species seen yesterday were observed today as well. In addition, there was a Northern Parula and a Canada Warbler. Today’s flight was dominated by Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, and Tennessee Warblers.

A Blackburnian Warbler at sunrise on Second Mountain.

A hungry Blackburnian Warbler feeding on insects.

Black-throated Green Warbler on Second Mountain. — Black-throated Green Warblers were a plentiful species among both yesterday’s and today’s waves of Neotropical migrants.

A juvenile Black-throated Green Warbler on Second Mountain — A juvenile Black-throated Green Warbler.

Tennessee Warbler on Second Mountain. — One of the scores of Tennessee Warblers seen on Second Mountain early this morning.

A male Black-throated Blue Warbler on Second Mountain. — A male Black-throated Blue Warbler.

Magnolia Warbler on Second Mountain. — Compared to yesterday’s flight, lesser numbers of Magnolia Warblers were seen today.

An adult male Wilson's Warbler on Second Mounatin. — An adult male Wilson’s Warbler was a good find among the hundreds of birds swarming the ridgetop.

This Nashville Warbler spent much of the day in the tangles of Mile-a-minute Weed surrounding the lookout.

Other interesting Neotropical migrants joined the “waves” of warblers…

This Warbling Vireo was found peering from the cover of the shady forest.

A minimum of six Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were identified including the juvenile male seen here in first-fall plumage. Other good sightings were Scarlet Tanagers, an adult male Baltimore Oriole, and a dozen or more Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

Least Flycatcher on second Mountain. — Three Least Flycatchers were heard calling and seen chasing one another through a stand of dead timber on the south slope below the lookout.

After the warbler flight settled, the task of counting migrating raptors commenced. Five Broad-winged Hawks including this one were tallied as they glided away to the southwest for a winter vacation in the tropics of Central and South America.

May 12, 2023May 13, 2023

Photo of the Day

May 15, 2022May 15, 2022

Photo of the Day

Birds of Conewago Falls in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Baltimore Oriole — A male Baltimore Oriole sings from the upper reaches of a Northern Hackberry to establish a nesting territory and attract a mate.

May 1, 2022September 15, 2022

Early May Migration

National Weather Service radar showed a sizeable nocturnal flight of migrating birds early this morning. Let’s go for a short stroll and see what’s around.

Radar returns from State College, Pennsylvania, display several bands of light rain and a massive flight of migrating birds. (NOAA/National Weather Service image)

Birds of Conewago Falls in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Gray Catbird — After coming in on an overnight flight, Gray Catbirds were numerous at dawn this morning.

Birds of Conewago Falls in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Black-and-white Warbler — Masses of Neotropical migrants are just beginning to arrive. This Black-and-white Warbler was found feeding on insects in a Green Ash tree that, so far, has survived Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) infestation.

Birds of Conewago Falls in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Veery — The Veery is a Neotropical thrush that nests in understory vegetation on forested slopes in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed.

Birds of Conewago Falls in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Orchard Oriole — Orchard Orioles are here.

Birds of Conewago Falls in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Double-crested Cormorants — Not all migrants move at night. While you’re out and about, keep an eye on the sky for diurnal fliers like these migrating Double-crested Cormorants, seen this morning a full ten miles east of the river.

Birds of Conewago Falls in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Carolina Wren — While many birds are still working their way north to their breeding grounds, resident species like this Carolina Wren are already feeding young. This one has collected a spider for its nestlings.

May 11, 2021May 13, 2021

Maximum Variety

You’ll want to go for a walk this week. It’s prime time to see birds in all their spring splendor. Colorful Neotropical migrants are moving through in waves to supplement the numerous temperate species that arrived earlier this spring to begin their nesting cycle. Here’s a sample of what you might find this week along a rail-trail, park path, or quiet country road near you—even on a rainy or breezy day.

The Black-throated Blue Warbler is one of more than two dozen species of warblers passing through the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed right now. Look for it in the middle and bottom branches of deciduous forest growth.

The Veery and other woodland thrushes sing a melodious song. Veerys remain through the summer to nest in damp mature deciduous forests.

The American Redstart, this one a first-spring male, is another of the variety of warblers arriving now. Redstarts nest in deciduous forests with a dense understory.

Adaptable inquisitive Gray Catbirds are here to nest in any shrubby habitat, whether in a forest or a suburban garden.

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers (Polioptilia caerulea) arrive in April, so they’ve been here for a while. They spend most of their time foraging in the treetops. The gnatcatcher’s wheezy call alerts the observer to their presence.

Look way up there, it’s a pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers building a nest.

The Eastern Phoebe, a species of flycatcher, often arrives as early as mid-March. This particular bird and its mate are already nesting beneath a stone bridge that passes over a woodland stream.

Orchard Orioles (Icturus spurius) are Neotropical migrants that nest locally in habitats with scattered large trees, especially in meadows and abandoned orchards.

In the lower Susquehanna region, the Baltimore Oriole is a more widespread breeding species than the Orchard Oriole. In addition to the sites preferred by the latter, it will nest in groves of mature trees on farms and estates, in parks, and in forest margins where the canopy is broken.

The Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) nests in big trees along streams, often sharing habitat with our two species of orioles.

Eastern Towhees arrive in numbers during April. They nest in thickets and hedgerows, where a few stragglers can sometimes be found throughout the winter.

The Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) is a migrant from the tropics that sometimes nests locally in thorny thickets. Its song consists of a mixed variety of loud phrases, reminding the listener of mimics like catbirds, thrashers, and mockingbirds.

Thickets with fragrant blooms of honeysuckle and olive attract migrating Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Look for them taking a break on a dead branch where they can have a look around and hold on tight during gusts of wind.

The Eastern Kingbird, a Neotropical flycatcher, may be found near fields and meadows with an abundance of insects. In recent years, high-intensity farming practices have reduced the occurrence of kingbirds as a nesting species in the lower Susquehanna valley. The loss of pasture acreage appears to have been particularly detrimental.

Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) can be found in grassy fields throughout the year. Large parcels that go uncut through at least early July offer them the opportunity to nest.

Male Bobolinks have been here for just more than a week. Look for them in alfalfa fields and meadows. Like Savannah Sparrows, Bobolinks nest on the ground and will lose their eggs and/or young if fields are mowed during the breeding cycle.

Cattail marshes are currently home to nesting Swamp Sparrows. Wetlands offer an opportunity to see a variety of unique species in coming weeks.

Shorebirds like this Solitary Sandpiper will be transiting the lower Susquehanna basin through the end of May. They stop to rest in wetlands, flooded fields, and on mudflats and alluvial islets in the region’s larger streams. Many of these shorebirds nest in far northern Canada. So remember, they need to rest and recharge for the long trip ahead, so try not to disturb them.

May 17, 2020May 18, 2020

Big Flight Last Night

Birds on radar last evening. A dense liftoff of nocturnal migrants is indicated at radar sites across the northeastern United States. Rain showers can be seen in Virginia. (NOAA/National Weather Service image)

Today’s arrivals—Neotropical migrants found in a streamside thicket in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed this morning…

Red-eyed Vireos nest in forests throughout the lower Susquehanna valley.

The Northern Waterthrush is a regularly occurring migrant that can be found in vegetated wetlands and along the backwaters of streams and rivers. Despite its drab appearance, it is classified as one of our Neotropical warbler species.

The adult male American Redstart is unlike any other eastern warbler. It is easily recognized. Along the lower Susquehanna, redstarts nest in the dense understory of damp forests.

The first-spring male American Redstart is similar to the female, but usually shows black markings beginning to develop on the breast and face. It is an energetic singer.

In its strikingly colorful plumage, the Magnolia Warbler is a classic Neotropical bird. Locally, it is a regular migrant.

The Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) forages in lowland thickets during its migratory stopovers. Riparian buffers along streams can provide critical habitat for this and other transient species.

Baltimore Orioles continue to trickle in, creating squabbles when they enter nesting territories established by birds that arrived earlier in the month.

May 3, 2020May 5, 2020

The Colorful Birds Are Here

You need to get outside and go for a walk. You’ll be sorry if you don’t. It’s prime time to see wildlife in all its glory. The songs and colors of spring are upon us!

Flooding that resulted from mid-week rains is subsiding. The muddy torrents of Conewago Falls are seen here racing by the powerhouse at the York Haven Dam.

Receding waters will soon leave the parking area at Falmouth and other access points along the river high and dry.

Migrating Yellow-rumped Warblers are currently very common in the riparian woodlands near Conewago Falls. They and all the Neotropical warblers, thrushes, vireos, flycatchers are moving through the Susquehanna watershed right now.

A Baltimore Oriole feeds in a riverside maple tree.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are migrating through the Susquehanna valley. These tiny birds may be encountered among the foliage of trees and shrubs as they feed upon insects .

Gray Catbirds are arriving. Many will stay to nest in shrubby thickets and in suburban gardens.

American Robins and other birds take advantage of rising flood waters to feed upon earthworms and other invertebrates that are forced to the soil’s surface along the inundated river shoreline.

Spotted Sandpipers are a familiar sight as they feed along water’s edge.

The Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) is a Neotropical migrant that nests locally in wet shrubby thickets. Let your streamside vegetation grow and in a few years you just might have these “wild canaries” singing their chorus of “sweet-sweet-sweet-I’m-so-sweet” on your property.

If you’re not up to a walk and you just want to go for a slow drive, why not take a trip to Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area and visit the managed grasslands on the north side of the refuge. To those of us over fifty, it’s a reminder of how Susquehanna valley farmlands were before the advent of high-intensity agriculture. Take a look at the birds found there right now.

Red-winged Blackbirds commonly nest in cattail marshes, but are very fond of untreated hayfields, lightly-grazed pastures, and fallow ground too. These habitats are becoming increasingly rare in the lower Susquehanna region. Farmers have little choice, they either engage in intensive agriculture or go broke.

Nest boxes are provided for Tree Swallows at the refuge.

Numbers of American Kestrels have tumbled with the loss of grassy agricultural habitats that provide large insects and small rodents for them to feed upon.

White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) are a migrant and winter resident species that favors small clumps of shrubby cover in pastures and fallow land.

When was the last time you saw an Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) singing “spring-of-the-year” in a pasture near your home?

And yes, the grasslands at Middle Creek do support nesting Ring-necked Pheasants (Phasianus colcichus). If you stop for a while and listen, you’ll hear the calls of “kowk-kuk” and a whir of wings. Go check it out.

And remember, if you happen to own land and aren’t growing crops on it, put it to good use. Mow less, live more. Mow less, more lives.

May 29, 2018May 31, 2018

Looking Up

One can get a stiff neck looking up at the flurry of bird activity in the treetops at this time of year. Many of the Neotropical migrants favor rich forests as daytime resting sites after flying through the night. For others, these forests are a destination where they will nest and raise their young.

The Veery (Catharus fuscescens) is a Neotropical thrush that breeds in extensive mature forest on the dampest slopes of the Diabase ridges in the Gettysburg Basin. Their rolling flute-like songs echo through the understory as newly arrived birds establish nesting territories.

The whistled song of the Baltimore Oriole is often heard long before this colorful Neotropical is seen among the foliage of a treetop. Some dead branches allow us a glimpse of this curious beauty.

The “Pee-a-wee……..Pee-urr” song of the Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens), a small flycatcher, is presently heard in the Riparian Woodlands at Conewago Falls. It breeds in forested tracts throughout the lower Susquehanna valley. The vocalizations often continue through the summer, ending only when the birds depart to return to the tropics for the winter.

While constructing a nest beneath a tree canopy, an Eastern Wood-Pewee form-fits the cup where eggs will soon be laid.

The Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americana) nests in the treetops of Riparian Woodlands along the Susquehanna and its tributaries. Most arrive during the second half of May for their summer stay. It is a renowned consumer of caterpillars.

The Cedar Waxwing is a notorious wanderer. Though not a Neotropical migrant, it is a very late nester. Flocks may continue moving for another month before pairs settle on a place to raise young.

Of the more than twenty species of warblers which regularly migrate through the lower Susquehanna Valley, the Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) is among those which breeds here. It is particularly fond of streamside thickets.

For the birds that arrive earlier in spring than the Neotropical migrants, the breeding season is well underway. The wet weather may be impacting the success of the early nests.

Northern Rough-winged Swallows arrived back in April. At traditional nest sites, including the York Haven Dam and local creek bridges, small groups of adults were seen actively feeding and at times perching in dead treetops during recent days. There was an absence of visits to the actual nest cavities where they should be feeding and fledging young by now. It’s very possible that these nests failed due to the wet weather and flooding. Another nest attempt may follow if drier conditions allow stream levels to subside and there is an increase in the mass of flying insects available for the adults to feed to their young..

A Carolina Chickadee, a resident species, is seen atop a hollow stump where it and a mate are constructing a new nest for a second brood. Did the first brood fail? Not sure.

Common Mergansers are an uncommon but regular nesting species of waterfowl on the lower Susquehanna River. They nest in cavities, requiring very large trees to accommodate their needs. It was therefore encouraging to see this pair on a forested stream in northern Lancaster County during the weekend. However, a little while after this photograph was taken the pair flew away, indicating that they are not caring for young which by now should be out of the nest and on the move under the watchful care of the female.

So long for now, if you’ll excuse me please, I have a sore neck to tend to.

September 4, 2017September 4, 2019

Suggestive Selling

A Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) glowed in the first sunlight of the day as it began illuminating the treetops. I’m not certain of the cause, but I often have the urge to dig into a bowl of orange sherbet after seeing one these magnificent blackbirds. That’s right, in the Americas, orioles and blackbirds are members of the same family, Icteridae. Look at blackbirds more carefully, you might see the resemblance.

Sunshine at dawn and migrating warblers were again active in the foliage. Eight species were identified today. Off to the tropics they go. To the land of palm and citrus, yes citrus…limes, lemons, grapefruits, and oranges.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) are on the way toward the gulf states, then on to Central and South America. Five dashed by the rocky lookout in the falls this morning. Remember, keep your feeders clean, wash and rinse all the parts, and refill them with a fresh batch of “nectar”, four or five parts water to one part sugar. Repeating this process daily during hot weather should keep contamination from overtaking your feeder. It’s not a bad idea to rotate two feeders. Have one cleaned, rinsed, and air drying while the second is filled and in use at your feeding station, then just swap them around. Your equipment will be just as clean as it is at the sanitary dairy…you know, where they make sherbet.

The first of the season Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia), giant freshwater versions of the terns you see at the seashore, passed through the falls late this morning. Their bills are blood-red, not orange like the more familiar terns on the coast. They’re stunning.

Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis) have been at the falls for several weeks. Total numbers and the composition of the age groups in the flock change over the days, so birds appear to be trickling through and are then replaced by others coming south. The big push of southbound migrants for this and many other species that winter locally in the Mid-Atlantic region and in the southern United States is still more than a month away. There are still plenty more birds to come after the hours of daylight are reduced and the temperatures take a dip.

A Ring-billed Gull on the lookout for a morning snack. They’ll eat almost anything and do a good job of keeping the river picked clean of the remains of animals that have met misfortune. They’ll linger around landfills, hydroelectric dams, and fast-food restaurant parking lots through the winter.

Turkey Vultures *(Cathartes aura)* are common around the falls due to the abundance of carrion in the vicinity and because of the strong thermal updrafts of air over the sun-heated Pothole Rocks. These rising currents provide lift for circling vultures. We would expect migrating birds of a number of species will also take advantage of these thermals to gain altitude and extend the distance of their glides.

Some migrating butterflies were counted today. Cloudless Sulphurs, more of a vagrant than a migrant, and, of course, Monarchs. I’ll bet you know the Monarch, it’s black and orange. How can you miss them, colored orange.

That’s it, that’s all for now, I bid you adieu…I’m going to have a dip of orange sherbet, or two.

Category: Baltimore Oriole

Nest Builders at Work

Fresh Foliage and Plumes

See Food and an Oriole Doubleheader

A Pre-dawn Thunderstorm and a Fallout of Migrating Birds

Surf’s Up: The Waves Keep Rolling In

Photo of the Day

Photo of the Day

Early May Migration

Maximum Variety

Big Flight Last Night

The Colorful Birds Are Here

Looking Up

Suggestive Selling