April 6 Migration Morning walk at Shaver’s Creek

Greetings all,

A sunny, cold and rewarding morning to be out and about with 8 other enthusiastic mid-week birders, including 4 of our Penn State students.  We decided to do a mini “field trip” (rather than a bird walk) to Hutchinson Pond and the West Entrance of Stone Valley to take in Puddle Perez, which is looking more lake like with the recent rains.  Highlights included Wood Duck, Ruby-crowned & Golden-crowned Kinglets, Sapsucker, and a pair of Harriers among others.  Wednesday 7 am walks continue until May 11th.  

Birding Cup is on the horizon, May 6-7; combined this year with the PA Native Plant Society’s sale at Shaver’s Creek on May 7th.  More details to follow.  

Lists below are broken into our 3 locations, 38 species total:

Location:     Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center
Notes:     part of migration morning program at Shaver’s Creek
Number of species:     19

Mourning Dove     2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     2
Downy Woodpecker     2
Hairy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     2
Eastern Phoebe     2
Blue Jay     4
American Crow     1
Black-capped Chickadee     2
Tufted Titmouse     2
Red-breasted Nuthatch     1
Brown Creeper     1
Carolina Wren     2
Golden-crowned Kinglet     1
American Robin     5
European Starling     2
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)     15
Brown-headed Cowbird     2
Pine Siskin     2

Location:     Hutchinson Pond
Number of species:     13

Canada Goose     2
Wood Duck     8
Hooded Merganser     4
Wild Turkey     2
Pied-billed Grebe     1
Great Blue Heron     4
Osprey     2
Red-bellied Woodpecker     1
American Crow     1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Eastern)     1
Song Sparrow     1
Northern Cardinal     1
Red-winged Blackbird     2

Location:     Stone Valley West Entrance
Number of species:     21

Canada Goose     1
Wood Duck     4
Northern Harrier     2
American Kestrel     1
Killdeer     4
Red-bellied Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     7
Eastern Phoebe     2
American Crow     2
Fish Crow     1
Golden-crowned Kinglet     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     1
Eastern Bluebird     5
American Robin     15
European Starling     3
Song Sparrow     1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)     45
Northern Cardinal     1
Eastern Towhee       1
Red-winged Blackbird     2
Brown-headed Cowbird     2

Thanks to Wiscoy for Animals for their support.

~ Doug Wentzel, Program Director & Naturalist