Loblolly Pine – LIFE IN THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER WATERSHED

September 14, 2026October 5, 2026

Hat Trick at the Cape

During the past week, we’ve been on a road trip seeking to score a hat trick—records of three particular species of flying creatures best found in our vicinity on the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the Delmarva Peninsula. Our excursion led us to the seaside environs of Cape Henlopen State Park at the mouth of Delaware Bay.

So just what were these three species we so eagerly sought?

Were they the three gulls we found scavenging the beaches and marshes for the remains of some expired mollusk, crustacean, or fish?

Always fun to watch, but no, they weren’t the reason for our visit.

How about the four heron and egret species observed in the tidal marsh and at the park’s Gordon’s Pond; that’s even better than a hat trick, right?

Not bad, but nope, it wasn’t the herons and egrets.

Well, then it must be the shorebirds; yeah, it has got to be the shorebirds?

Left to right, a Willet (Tringa semipalmata), a Lesser Yellowlegs, and two Greater Yellowlegs.

Very nice, but it wasn’t the shorebirds either.

What about the three appearances of the Clapper Rail in the tidal marsh?

Now we’re reaching. No, it wasn’t the Clapper Rail’s numerous appearances.

The term “hat trick” has its origins in the game of cricket. A hurler upon retiring three batsmen with three consecutive balls was gifted a new hat. The three species we were seeking are, coincidentally, related to the insects called crickets. Our true goal was to track down the three species of annual cicadas known to emerge, sing, and breed during the late summer on the Atlantic Coastal Plain. None of these species are known to breed in the lower Susquehanna valley, but all are potential vagrants. We were quite fortunate to find all three singing in the vicinity of our temporary susquehannawildlife.net headquarters. During our numerous forays in the area, we were able to obtain sound and image records of two. To our disappointment though, the Northern Dusk-singing Cicada (Megatibicen grossus), a species nearing the end of its summer-season breeding flight, eluded our efforts to get a clear sound sample or photograph. But then again, two out of three ain’t bad.

The Coastal Scissor Grinder (Neotibicen latifasciatus), a species of subclimax maritime forests…

Davis’ Southeastern Dog-day Cicada (Neotibicen davisi), a species of long-needle pine forests…

To learn more about these and other regional cicadas, be certain to visit our cicadas page by clicking the “Cicadas” tab at the top of this page. Once there, you’ll now find sound recordings of thirteen species of periodical and annual cicadas regularly found in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed or adjacent portions of the Atlantic Coastal Plain including Delmarva. Take a listen.

The editor’s 50-year-old pup tent at our temporary headquarters among the Loblolly Pines and maritime dune forest of Cape Henlopen State Park in Sussex County, Delaware. He enjoyed these deluxe accommodations, but received no new cap.

October 13, 2023November 22, 2024

This Week at Regional Hawk Watches

With nearly all of the Neotropical migrants including Broad-winged Hawks gone for the year, observers and counters at eastern hawk watches are busy tallying numbers of the more hardy species of diurnal raptors and other birds. The majority of species now coming through will spend the winter months in temperate and sub-tropical areas of the southern United States and Mexico.

Here is a quick look at the raptors seen this week at two regional counting stations: Kiptopeke Hawk Watch near Cape Charles, Virginia, and Second Mountain Hawk Watch at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.

Second Mounatin Hawk Watch — A Sharp-shinned Hawk is counted as it swoops by the owl decoy at Second Mountain Hawk Watch at Fort Indiantown Gap Military Reservation. Migrating raptors save energy by riding updrafts of air created by winds blowing against the slopes of the mountainsides in the Ridge and Valley Province.

A Sharp-shinned Hawk passes the lookout at Second Mountain Hawk Watch. “Sharp-shins” are currently the most numerous migrants both on the coast and at inland counting stations.

Sharp-shinned Hawk at owl decoy. — A Sharp-shinned Hawk eyes up an owl decoy. Under cover of darkness, nocturnal owls could rather easily prey upon young and small adult hawks and falcons, both on the nest or at roost. Accordingly, many diurnal raptors instinctively harass owls to drive them from their presence. An owl decoy at the lookout helps attract migrating birds for a closer look.

Cooper's Hawk — An adult Cooper’s Hawk flaps its way past a counting station. Like the similar Sharp-shinned Hawk, the larger Cooper’s Hawk is a member of the genus Accipiter. As a proportion of the annual fall Accipiter flight, the Cooper’s Hawk is more numerous at coastal hawk watches than at inland sites. (Editor’s Update: As of autumn, 2024, the Cooper’s Hawk and the American Goshawk have been placed in the genus Astur. The Sharp-shinned Hawk remains in the genus Accipiter. Though the Cooper’s Hawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk are oft times confused by observers due to their like appearance, it turns out that the two are not as closely related as originally believed. Neither is an offshoot of the other, nor do they descend from an immediate common ancestor. Their resemblance may instead be a case of convergent evolution, most readily characterized by acquisition of similar physical traits due to shared demands for survival within their environment.)

The majority of Osprey migrate along the coast, but a few are still being seen at inland hawk watches.

Bald Eagles are commonly seen at both coastal and inland lookouts. Their movements continue well into late fall.

A Northern Harrier illuminated by a setting sun. Northern Harriers are often still flying when many other species have gone to roost for the day.

An adult male Northern Harrier flying in misty weather. — An adult male Northern Harrier, the “gray ghost”, flying in misty weather, at a time when few other birds were in the air.

The American Kestrel, like our other falcons, is seen in greatest concentrations at coastal counting stations. It is our most numerous falcon.

The Merlin provides only a brief observation opportunity as it passes the lookout. These falcons are dark, speedy, and easily missed as they fly by.

While moving south, Merlins often accompany flights of migrating Tree Swallows, a potential food source.

Merlin with Dragonfly — A Merlin consumes a dragonfly. Eating is no reason to stop moving.

Juvenile "Tundra Peregrine" — The “Tundra Peregrine” is an arctic-breeding Peregrine Falcon that travels a distance of over 6,000 miles to southern South America for winter. It is strictly a migratory species in our region with numbers peaking during the first two weeks of October each year. These strong fliers have little need for the updrafts from mountain ridges, inland birds often observed flying in a north to south direction. The majority of “Tundra Peregrines” are observed following coastlines, with some migrating offshore to make landfall at points as far south as Florida and the Caribbean islands before continuing across water again to reach the northern shores of Central and South America. This “Tundra Peregrine” is a juvenile bird on its first southbound trip.

During coming days, fewer and fewer of these birds will be counted at our local hawk watches. Soon, the larger raptors—Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, and Golden Eagles—will be thrilling observers. Cooler weather will bring several flights of these spectacular species. Why not plan a visit to a lookout near you? Click on the “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” tab at the top of this page for site information and a photo guide to identification. See you at the hawk watch!

It’s not all hawks at the hawk watch. Even the coastal sites are now seeing fun birds like the playful Common Raven on a regular basis.

Eastern Meadowlarks in a Loblolly Pine. — Coastal locations are renowned places to see migrating songbirds in places outside of their typical habitat. Here a flock of Eastern Meadowlarks has set down in the top of a Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) in downtown Cape Charles, Virginia, not far from Kiptopeke Hawk Watch.