As waves of wet weather persistently roll through the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed, the tide of northbound migrants continues. Here are few of today’s highlights…
Though few in number several days ago, flycatchers are now quite common. Many of the Eastern Kingbirds we’re now seeing will stay to nest in trees bordering grasslands and pastures.Willow Flycatchers nest along streams and other bodies of water where herbaceous growth and scattered shrubs are plentiful. Lacking favorable habitat, many will continue moving north in coming days.The seldom seen Lincoln’s Sparrow likes wet thickets for layovers during its passage through the lower Susquehanna valley. They are often the last of the migratory sparrows to transit the area in May. These elusive birds nest primarily in boggy thickets far to the north of our region, mostly in Canada.Colorful warblers are still arriving. Remember to watch for them in unusual places due to stormy weather. Earlier today, we spotted this Northern Parula prowling a lakeside willow instead of spending its time among the crown foliage and vines adorning mature forest trees. Breezy conditions ahead of an afternoon shower may have prompted this bird to seek caterpillars and other grub in this protected location.As May churns on, more and more shorebirds will be moving through on their way to nesting grounds in the interior of Canada. This flock of Least and Solitary Sandpipers was found on the muddy margins of a man-made pond. Flooded portions of farm fields and stormwater basins are also good places to see these migrants as they trek north.
Early October is prime time for hawk watching, particularly if you want to have the chance to see the maximum variety of migratory species. In coming days, a few Broad-winged Hawks and Ospreys will still be trickling through while numbers of Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, Northern Harriers, and falcons swell to reach their seasonal peak. Numbers of migrating Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks are increasing during this time and late-season specialties including Golden Eagles can certainly make a surprise early visit.
If you enjoy the outdoors and live in the southernmost portion of the lower Susquehanna valley, Rocky Ridge County Park in the Hellam Hills just northwest of York, Pennsylvania, is a must see. The park consists of oak forest and is owned and managed by the York County Parks Department. It features an official hawk watch site staffed by volunteers and park naturalists. Have a look.
The hawk watch lookout is reached by following the well-marked trail at the north side of the large gravel parking area in the utility right-of-way at the end of the park entrance road (Deininger Road).The Rocky Ridge Hawk Watch lookout includes outcrops of bedrock, a viewing deck, and grassy areas suitable for lawn chairs.The bedrock at the lookout is an unusual quartz-cemented conglomerate that forms the Hellam Member at the base of the Cambrian Chickies Formation.Experienced hawk watchers conduct an official count of raptors and other birds during the autumn migration in September and October each year. Visitors are welcome. The view is spectacular. Check out the concrete columns glowing in the sun to the north of the lookout.It’s the cooling towers at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station and the smoke stacks at the Brunner Island Steam Generating Station. Conewago Falls is located between the two.Interpretive signage on the hawk watch deck includes raptor identification charts.A migrating Osprey glides by the lookout.Throughout the month, migrating Sharp-shinned Hawks will be flying in a southwesterly direction along ridges in the region, particularly on breezy days. They are the most numerous raptor at hawk watches in the lower Susquehanna valley during the first half of October.A Peregrine Falcon quickly passes the Rocky Ridge lookout. These strong fliers often ignore the benefits provided by thermals and updrafts along our ridges and instead take a direct north to south route during migration.A juvenile Red-tailed Hawk soars by.And a little while later, an adult Red-tailed Hawk follows.Bald Eagles, including both migratory and resident birds, are seen regularly from the Rocky Ridge lookout.Other diurnal (daytime) migrants are counted at Rocky Ridge and some of the other regional hawk watches. Massive flights of Blue Jays have been working their way through the lower Susquehanna valley for more than a week now. Local hawk watches are often logging hundreds in a single day.The utility right-of-way within which the Rocky Ridge Hawk Watch is located can be a great place to see nocturnal (nighttime) migrants while they rest and feed during the day. Right now, Eastern Towhees are common there.An uncommon sight, a shy Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) in the utility right-of-way near the hawk watch lookout. This and other nocturnal migrants will take full advantage of a clear moonlit night to continue their southbound journey.
If you’re a nature photographer, you might be interested to know that there are still hundreds of active butterflies in Rocky Ridge’s utility right-of-way. Here are a few.
A Gray Hairstreak.An American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas),
To see the daily totals for the raptor count at Rocky Ridge Hawk Watch and other hawk watches in North America, and to learn more about each site, be certain to visit hawkcount.org
