August 8, 2004

*Pennsylvania
*Schuylkill County
*August 8, 2004
*Birdline: 570-622-6013
*Compiler: Tom Clauser

Comments: The Schuylkill County Birdline has been posted on PaBirds
every Sunday evening since 11/30/03. Since that time there have been
104 persons whose names have been on the Contributor's List at the end
of the Birdline! That is an incredible number of people contributing in one
way or another to the birdlife of our county! I want to take this opportunity
to thank each and every one of you for making the Schuylkill County
Birdline a continuing success, and more importantly for your continued
interest in the wonderful birdlife of our county.

Species Highlights:

Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Barred Owl
Whip-poor-will (deceased)
Least Flycatcher
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Bobolink
Purple Finch

SWEET ARROW LAKE: (dd)
On 8/1 there were two SPOTTED SANDPIPERS and a Killdeer at the
lake.
On 8/5 birds included GREAT EGRET, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMOR-
ANT, Green Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Wood Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo,
Indigo Bunting, Carolina Wren, Cedar Waxwings, and Eastern Screech-
Owl.

TUMBLING RUN WATERSHED: (tc)
On 8/5 birds included OSPREY, Great Blue Heron, Barn Swallows,
Tufted Titmouse, Hooded Warbler, and SPOTTED SANDPIPER.

SCHWARTZ VALLEY ROAD: (sw)
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds seem to be declining at this location for
an undertermined reason, with only one male visiting five feeders.
On 8/7 an unfortunate roadkill WHIP-POOR-WILL was found on nearby
Moyer's Station Road. A GREAT EGRET was also seen feeding along
Schwartz Valley Road.

HIDDEN VALLEY: (aml)
Birds for the week included 2 House Wrens, Northern Flicker, Indigo
Bunting, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey
Vulture, Great Blue Heron, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Ruby-throated
Hummingbird, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, American Robin, House
Finch, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, House
Sparrow, and American Goldfinch.

RINGTOWN RESERVOIR: (tc)
On 8/6 birds included OSPREY, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, and
2 Red-tailed Hawks.

SHENANDOAH (old ice block) RESERVOIRS: (tc)
On 8/6 birds included SPOTTED SANDPIPER, Red-tailed Hawk, 2 Turkey
Vultures, and 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.

HAWK MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY: (js,km,dkr)
A pre-season hawkwatch at the north lookout on 8/6 yielded Broad-winged Hawk, juvenile NORTHERN HARRIER, and an adult BALD
EAGLE.
On 8/8 the North Lookout reported a Cooper's Hawk, 2 BALD EAGLES,
2 American Kestrels, NORTHERN HARRIER, and a Broad-winged Hawk.
There was also a WINTER WREN and a HERMIT THRUSH both singing
on the north side of the ridge. The official hawkwatch at the Sanctuary
will commence on 8/15 and run through 12/15.

ACOPIAN CENTER: (sg)
Swallows have been noticably massing in the area of Hawk Mountain's
Acopian Center for Conservation and Learning, preparing for their ensuing
migration.

OWL CREEK WATERSHED: (dkr,nt)
On 8/6 birds included SOLITARY SANDPIPER, a family of 3 Hooded
Warblers, Belted Kingfisher, and two GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS.

WEST PENN TWP. - CLAMTOWN: (bb)
On 8/7 an apparent GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET was seen with 3
juveniles. Other birds included Tufted Titmice with young, as well as
White-breasted Nuthatches. Many young Wild Turkeys are being seen,
as well as American Robins, and American Crows.
On 8/8 birds included Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Tufted Titmouse, Black-
capped Chickadee, American Robin, Baltimore Oriole, Chipping Sparrow,
Song Sparrow, Eastern Kingbirds with young, Gray Catbirds with young,
Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, American Goldfinch, House Finch, Red-
bellied Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Wild Turkey, Blue Jay,
Green Heron, American Crow, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Red-eyed
Vireo, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Wood Thrush, Mourning Dove, and
Rock Pigeon.

WEST PENN TWP. - north of NEW RINGGOLD: (dd,ld)
Birds for the week in this area included Northern Cardinals, Black-capped
Chickadees, American Goldfinches, Eastern Bluebirds, Tree and Barn
Swallows, Wild Turkeys, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Killdeer, and
Northern Flicker.

NEW RINGGOLD: (dw)
Recently BOBOLINKS were seen, probably nesting in the high grasses
of a local field.

OUTWOOD: (ks)
Birds reported from this location near Suedberg included American
Goldfinches, 2 Green Herons, a Great Blue Heron with an apparent
injured leg, fledged Eastern Phoebes, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

WEISHAMPLE: (rb)
A few birds reported included Turkey Vulture, Tufted Titmouse, Barn
Swallow, and American Crow.

AUBURN: (jp)
Birds from the Deerview Road area included a Great Blue Heron devouring
many of the local pond fish, Barn Swallows, Tree Swallows, American
Goldfinches, House Finches, lots of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, 2 Red-
tailed Hawks, Wild Turkeys with poults, Indigo Buntings, Downy Wood-
peckers, Eastern Bluebirds, American Crows, and Turkey Vultures. Also
a Coyote was seen wandering in the area.

SGL-286 SCHUYLKILL HAVEN: (tc)
On 8/7 there were more mosquitoes than birds at this gamelands area.
Birds seen were 4 Cedar Waxwings, Great Blue Heron, Song Sparrow,
American Goldfinch, Mallard, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Carolina Wren.

ADAMSDALE: (vc)
Birds reported from this location included Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Blue
Jay, Northern Cardinal, Chipping Sparrow, House Sparrow, Song Sparrow,
House Wren, familes of American Crows, Northern Mockingbird, House
Finch, American Goldfinch, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Northern
Flicker, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Cedar
Waxwing, Black-capped Chickadee, Eastern Bluebird, and Eastern
Towhee.

POTTSVILLE: (ac,bc,bmc)
On 8/4 Blue Jays were confirmed to be nesting behind the soccer fields
along the Gordon Nagle Trail.
On 8/6 a GREAT EGRET and a Great Blue Heron were both seen flying
high over the Pottsville High School football field.

LUTZ VALLEY ROAD - WAYNE TWP: (bc)
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird nest was observed with two youngsters
this past week, with the female feeding them on 8/3.

LAKE WYNONAH: (dkl)
Reported from this location for the week was a huge flock of European
Starlings, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Common Grackles, totalling in the
area of 3000 to 4000 birds. Also quite a few American Goldfinches were
being seen.

LANDINGVILLE DAM & MARSH: (tc)
50 species of birds were observed on 8/7, some of which were 7 Great
Blue Herons, GREAT EGRET, 3 Green Herons, 5 Wood Ducks, an adult
BALD EAGLE, 3 OSPREYS, 2 Killdeer, 2 Chimney Swifts, Eastern Wood-Pewee, 7 Eastern Phoebes, Great Crested Flycatcher, 7 Red-
eyed Vireos, 2 Bank Swallows, 15 Black-capped Chickadees, 8 Tufted
Titmice, 3 White-breasted Nuthatches, 3 Carolina Wrens, 14 Blue-gray
Gnatcatchers, 3 Eastern Bluebirds, a full-grown young Wood Thrush,
Northern Mockingbird, 4 Cedar Waxwings, 3 Black-and-white Warblers,
American Redstart, 8 Common Yellowthroats, Eastern Towhee, 2 Field
Sparrows, 11 Indigo Buntings, and 12 American Goldfinches.

SGL-227 near TUSCARORA STATE PARK: (dkr,nt)
Birds on 8/7 included PINE WARBLER, Black-throated Green Warbler,
4 American Redstarts, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, Yellow Warbler, Common
Yellowthroat, Black-and-white Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Chestnut-sided
Warbler, LEAST FLYCATCHER, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, PURPLE
FINCH, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and 5 Broad-winged Hawks.

SGL-229 near RAVINE: (dkr,nt)
On the night of 8/7 there were at least 2 BARRED OWLS calling, one
of which started out with an Eastern Screech-Owl "screech-scream",
before continuing with the normal "who cooks for me".

Contributors: Roland Bergner, Barb Birosik, Aaron Clauser, Brian Clauser, Barbara McGinley-Clauser, Tom Clauser, Viv Connor, Dave Dolinsky, Laurie Dolinsky, Denise Donmoyer, Sue Guers, Doris Klint, Dave Kruel, Ann Marie Liebner, Kyle McCarty, Joanne Purcell, Joe Scholtes, Karen Smith, Nancy Trout, Scott Weidensaul, and Doug Wood.