July 25, 2004

From: Tom Clauser
To: PaBirds
Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2004 11:00 PM
Subject: Schuylkill County Birdline
*Pennsylvania
*Schuylkill County
*July 25, 2004
*Birdline: 570-622-6013
*Compiler: Tom Clauser

Comments: The long-awaited second edition Checklist to the Birds
of Schuylkill County will probably be ready for distribution by the end
of August. This edition of the Checklist will include a section on the
breeding birds of the county. The new Checklist is generously being
funded by the Schuylkill County Conservancy, Hawk Mountain
Sanctuary, Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau, Schuylkill Living
Magazine, and the Schuylkill Conservation District.

Fellow Schuylkill Countian, and nationally acclaimed author Scott
Weidensaul, will lead a bird banding demonstration and a ferry boat
talk on the Natural History of the Susquehanna, at the Ned Smith Center
Nature & Arts Festival on Saturday, July 31st in Millersburg. Events
are scheduled to start Friday night at 6:30 PM, and continuing all
day Saturday starting at 8:00 AM. Scott's bird banding demo is
scheduled for 8:00 AM along the canal towpath, and his ferry boat talk
is scheduled for 11:00 AM. Numerous events are scheduled to keep
naturalists of all ages busy for the entire day. Also be sure to mark your
calendar for Saturday, October 9th, which is the Grand Opening of the
beautiful new Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art. There will be numerous events scheduled for the entire family.

The Schuylkill County Birdline can also be accessed by visiting the
Sweet Arrow Lake Conservation Association webpage at:
                     http://www.sweetarrow.homestead.com/
and is updated usually on a weekly basis.

Species Highlights:

Great Blue Heron (rookery)
Great Egret
Osprey
Cooper's Hawk
Spotted Sandpiper
Black-billed Cuckoo (with young)
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo (with young)
Fish Crow
Bank Swallow (colony)
Cliff Swallow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Meadowlark
Purple Finch (with juvenile)

SWEET ARROW LAKE: (dd)
On 7/16 Cliff Swallows were observed at the lake, and on 7/23
the previously reported Great Egret was still being seen. Other
birds for the week include 6 Great Blue Herons, 4 Green Herons
including one immature, 3 Belted Kingfishers, Northern Rough-
winged Swallows, Red-eyed Vireos, Indigo Buntings, Cedar Waxwings,
Fish Crows, Wood Thrushes, Common Yellowthroats, Great Crested
Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbirds, Carolina Wrens, Wood Ducks,
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Northern Mockingbird, and Cooper's Hawk.

POTTSVILLE: (tc)
On the evening of 7/23 at least 3 or 4 Common Nighthawks were heard
above the North Centre Street area of downtown Pottsville. Common
Nighthawks have nested successfully on various downtown rooftops of
the city for many years.

GORDON NAGLE TRAIL: (bc)
From 7/19 thru 7/21 comfirmed nesting birds with fledglings included
Hooded Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, House Finch, and American
Goldfinch.

TAYLORSVILLE: (fs)
The Great Blue Heron rookery in the Taylorsville area of the Weiser
State Forest continues to be successful, with at least 25 nests observed
from the air.

SGL-286 - ADAMSDALE: (bj)
On 7/20 a family of Black-billed Cuckoos was observed at this gameland
area between Adamsdale and Schuylkill Haven. Other birds for the week
include Red-eyed Vireo, Black-throated Green Warbler, Gray Catbird,
Mourning Dove, House Wren, Downy Woodpecker, American Robins
with fledglings, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Cardinal, American
Crow, Eastern Towhee, Indigo Bunting, Black-capped Chickadee, Scarlet
Tanager, Wood Thrush, Northern Flicker, Chipping Sparrow, Carolina
Wren, Veery, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Ovenbird, Great Blue Heron,
Tufted Titmouse, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and a very nice Red-breasted
Nuthatch.

ADAMSDALE: (aml)
A Broad-winged Hawk was seen flying along Adamsdale Road this week.

WEST PENN TWP. - north of NEW RINGGOLD: (dd,ld)
Birds for the week include Pileated Woodpecker, Green Heron, 3 Great
Blue Herons (one a possible juvenile), 2 pairs of Cedar Waxwings, White-
breasted Nuthatches, Black-capped Chickadees, American Goldfinches,
nesting Baltimore Orioles, nesting Eastern Bluebirds, and nesting
Carolina Wrens.

WEST PENN TOWNSHIP - CLAMTOWN: (bb)
A few Purple Finches have been in this area all summer, and this past
week an apparent juvenile bird was observed.

LEWISTOWN VALLEY - MOUNTAIN RD: (sw)
Birds for the week include Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Song Sparrow,
Chipping Sparrow, Wood Thrush, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker,
Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Ruby-throated Hummingbird,
Gray Catbird, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Mockingbird, Cedar Waxwing,
White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Tree Swallow, Barn
Swallow, Blue Jay, House Sparrow, Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse,
Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Northern Cardinal, European
Starling, American Crow, Common Grackle, and American Robin.

MINERSVILLE RESERVOIR: (mw)
Birds on 7/21 included 11 Hermit Thrushes, 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers,
Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Eastern
Kingbird, and American Kestrel.

TUMBLING RUN WATERSHED: (tc)
On the evening of 7/21 birds included Canada Warblers feeding their
young, Hooded Warblers carrying food, Black-throated Green Warblers
carrying food, Gray Catbird, Wood Thrush, Veery, Indigo Bunting, Cedar
Waxwing, Eastern Towhee, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Phoebe,
Tufted Titmouse, House Wren, Scarlet Tanager, Red-eyed Vireo, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Belted Kingfisher, Cooper's Hawk,
Spotted Sandpiper, and Great Blue Heron.

LANDINGVILLE DAM & MARSH: (tc)
On 7/20 there were 47 species, some of which were: Great Blue Heron,
Great Egret, Green Heron, Wood Duck, Osprey, Wild Turkey, Killdeer,
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Chimney Swift, Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Phoebe,
Eastern Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank
Swallow, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Wood
Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Eastern Towhee, and Indigo Bunting.

SWATARA STATE PARK: (tc)
On 7/22 there were 49 species observed in the Schuylkill County sector,
some of which were Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Wood Duck, Red-
tailed Hawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Red-bellied Woodpecker (including
one young bird), Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Blue-
gray Gnatcatcher, House Wren, Carolina Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Blue-
winged Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Common Yellowthroat,
Black-and-white Warbler, Ovenbird, Scarlet Tanager, Eastern Towhee,
Field Sparrow with fledgling, Indigo Bunting, Eastern Meadowlark, and
Brown-headed Cowbird.

HIDDEN VALLEY: (aml,fl)
Birds for the week include Red-tailed Hawk, Great Blue Heron, Cedar
Waxwing, Indigo Bunting, Gray Catbird, and Northern Mockingbird.
On 7/25 two Green Herons were seen sitting on a wire near the road
to the Chateau at the Hidden Valley Golf Course.

SGL-229 near NEWTOWN: (tc)
Birds reported back on 7/16 included 27 species, some of which were:
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Blue-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Chestnut-
sided Warbler, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Wood Thrush, Veery,
Scarlet Tanager, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Phoebe, and Eastern
Towhee.

Contributors: Barb Birosik, Brian Clauser, Tom Clauser, Dave Dolinsky, Laurie Dolinsky, Denise Donmoyer, Barb Jucker, Ann Marie Liebner,  Fred Liebner, Frank Snyder, Mike Ward, and Sally Weisacosky.