October 24, 2004

Pennsylvania
^Schuylkill County
*October 24, 2004
*Birdline: 570-622-6013
*Compiler: Tom Clauser

Species Highlights:

Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Snow Goose
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk (albino) Columbia County
Rough-legged Hawk
Golden Eagle
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Greater Yellowlegs
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Horned Lark
Tree Swallow
Winter Wren
Gray Catbird
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin

PORT CLINTON: (dw)
On Wednesday evening, at about 5:15, approximately 150 Turkey
Vultures were seen flying east, coming from the N & NW.

SCHWARTZ VALLEY ROAD: (sweid)
On 10/19 a first year BALD EAGLE was seen perched on a fence
post for the better part of an hour, occasionally dropping into the
grass, presumably for rodents. The eagle was periodically divebombed
by an American Kestrel.

HIDDEN VALLEY BANDING STATION: (sweid)
On 10/20 there were three more NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS
banded, bringing the total as of that date to 22 birds.

HIDDEN VALLEY: (aml)
Birds for the week included Chipping Sparrows, White-crowned
Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, American Goldfinches, Northern
Flickers, Downy Woodpeckers, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk,
Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vultures, Chickadee species, Tufted Titmice,
Song Sparrows, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinals, Common
Grackles, European Starlings, American Crows, and American Kestrel.

LEWISTOWN VALLEY - MOUNTAIN RD.: (sweis)
Birds for the week included Black-capped Chickadees, Red-tailed
Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Blue Jays, Eastern Screech-Owl, and Great
Horned Owl.

LAKE WYNONAH: (dkl)
On 10/19 there were 22 BUFFLEHEADS on one of the lakes. On 10/15
there was a huge flock of from 3000 to 4000 Common Grackles.

ROEDERSVILLE: (dd)
On 10/23 birds included PALM WARBLER, and Blue-headed Vireo.

SWEET ARROW LAKE: (dd)
On 10/19 birds included PIED-BILLED GREBE, Great Blue Heron,
PURPLE FINCH, and Swamp Sparrow.
On 10/20 a Red-breasted Nuthatch was seen.
On 10/23 birds included Fish Crow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-
crowned Kinglet, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker,
and Downy Woodpecker.

SGL-160 ROCK: (tc)
Birds on 10/24 included GRAY CATBIRD, 7 Chipping Sparrows,
Northern Flicker, 2 Red-tailed Hawks, 30 Rock Pigeons, 84 Cedar
Waxwings, 23 American Robins, 14 Blue Jays, 10 American Crows,
7 White-breasted Nuthatches, 98 White-throated Sparrows, 16
Northern Cardinals, 30 Field Sparrows, 32 Song Sparrows, 32 Dark-
eyed Juncos, 5 Chickadee species, 8 Downy Woodpeckers, 3 Tufted
Titmice, 1 Swamp Sparrow, 1 Northern Mockingbird, 3 Red-bellied
Woodpeckers, 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 6 American Goldfinches,
and 1 FOX SPARROW.

McADOO: (jd)
Birds for the week included House Finch, House Sparrow, American
Goldfinch, and 2 PINE SISKINS on 10/22.

LANDINGVILLE: (tc)
On 10/22 birds included RING-NECKED DUCK, Great Blue Heron,
Winter Wren, Eastern Phoebe, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow-rumped
Warbler, Dark-eyed Junco, Chipping Sparrow, Turkey Vulture,
Carolina Wren, American Robin, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern
Bluebird, and Chickadee species.

TUMBLING RUN WATERSHED: (tc)
On 10/22 there were 16 Turkey Vultures and 2 Black Vultures near
the #1 reservoir. Other birds included Great Blue Heron, and Yellow-
rumped Warblers.

HAWK MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY: (db,staff/vols)
Non-raptor highlights for the previous week included 2,634 Canada
Geese and 167 SNOW GEESE on 10/18, and 809 Canada Geese
and 7 SNOW GEESE on 10/19. PURPLE FINCHES were reported
most every day during the week. Besides Yellow-rumped Warblers,
there were also reports of Black-throated Green Warblers, Black-
throated Blue Warblers, PINE WARBLERS, and PALM WARBLERS.
Other highlights included 2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS on 10/16, a
WINTER WREN on 10/14 and 10/16, and 22 DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANTS on 10/13. There were also 159 TREE SWALLOWS
reported during the previous weekend.
On 10/20 and 10/22 a GOLDEN EAGLE flew by the North Lookout,
bringin the total to 10 birds. On 10/20, 10/22, and 10/23 a BALD EAGLE
flew by, bring that total to 155 birds. On 10/20 and 10/23 a PEREGRINE
FALCON was seen, bringing that total to 41 birds. On 10/20 there
were 7 MERLINS reported, as well as 3 more on 10/22, bringing their
total to 93 birds, and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen on 10/18 and
10/22, bringing that total to 3 birds. Other overall totals for 2004 include
9 Black Vultures, 130 Turkey Vultures, 1 Northern Goshawk, 2686
Sharp-shinned Hawks, 471 Cooper's Hawks, 517 Red-tailed Hawks,
99 Red-shouldered Hawks, 6387 Broad-winged Hawks, 103 Northern
Harriers, 664 Ospreys, and 355 American Kestrels. The overall raptor
total for 2004 including unidentified birds is currently at 11,842.

COLUMBIA COUNTY: (mg)
An albino RED-TAILED HAWK was seen near the intersection of the
Old Reading Railroad and Ringtown Mountain Road, about 3 miles
from the Schuylkill County line.

RINGTOWN: (mg):
Birds for the week included 7 American Crows, 8 Blue Jays, 18 Dark-
eyed Juncos, 2 Blue-headed Vireos, 5 Red-tailed Hawks (2 adults and
3 juveniles), Cooper's Hawk, Northern Harrier, 4 American Kestrels,
5 Downy Woodpeckers, 2 Pileated Woodpeckers, Brown Creeper,
6 Eastern Phoebes, 6 Tufted Titmice, 11 Black-capped Chickadees,
WINTER WREN, 3 White-breasted Nuthatches, 13 Ruby-crowned
Kinglets, 2 American Robins, 6 White-throated Sparrows, White-
crowned Sparrow, 12 House Sparrows, 5 Northern Cardinals, 17
American Goldfinches, 17 Canada Geese, 2 Ring-necked Pheasants,
Ruffed Grouse, 9 Turkey Vultures, 2 Mallards, 8 Yellow-rumped
Warblers, Great Blue Heron, 8 House Finches, 30 Common Grackles,
14 Mourning Doves, 10 Rock Pigeons, Great Horned Owl, 3 Northern
Mockingbirds, 5 Eastern Bluebirds, 4 Cedar Waxwings, 50 European
Starlings, 4 Chipping Sparrows, FOX SPARROW, 2 Field Sparrows,
and 26 Wild Turkeys.

TUSCARORA STATE PARK: (dkr,nt)
On 10/23 there was a Blue-headed Vireo as well as other birds.

PITMAN: (dkr,nt)
On 10/23 birds included 2 American Kestrels, SAVANNAH SPARROW,
and a few HORNED LARKS.

WOODLAND ACRES: (dkr)
On 10/23 a few PURPLE FINCHES were heard calling.

Weishample: (rb)
Birds on 10/22 and 10/23 included American Crow, Red-bellied
Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, Common
Grackle, Pileated Woodpecker, Canada Goose, American Robin,
Great Horned Owl, White-breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Junco,
Northern Cardinal, White-throated Sparrow, and Blue Jay.

SGL-110 SCHUYLKILL/BERKS COUNTIES: (kg)
Birds on 10/24 included 44 Canada Geese, 6 Rock Pigeons, 2 Downy
Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpecker, 3 Blue Jays, 13 Chickadee species,
3 Tufted Titmice, 2 White-breasted Nuthatches, 3 WINTER WRENS (all
Berks County), 9 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets,
2 Hermit Thrushes, 1577(!) American Robins, 60 European Starlings,
14 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 Eastern Towhees, 1 FOX SPARROW,
1 Song Sparrow, 30 White-throated Sparrows, 125 Dark-eyed Juncos,
323 Common Grackles, 1 PURPLE FINCH, 1 PINE SISKIN, and 6
American Goldfinches.

Contributors: David Barber, Roland Bergner, Tom Clauser, John
DeBalko, Denise Donmoyer, Marilyn Gamble, Kerry Grim, Doris
Klint, Dave Kruel, Ann Marie Liebner, Nancy Trout, Scott Weidensaul,
Sally Weisacosky, Doud Wood, and Hawk Mt. staff/vols.