Pennsylvania birder Matt Sabatine, a new addition to this year’s Nemesis Birders line-up for the Shaver’s Creek Birding Cup competition, offers his perspective on the team’s Big Day attempt. Gordon Dimmig provided a few photos he took while birding with us during the afternoon of the Birding Cup. Follow links to eBird checklists! The days leading up to the annual Shaver’s Creek Birding … Read More
Franklin’s Gull – Centre County, PA
Late yesterday afternoon during the annual Shaver’s Creek Birding Cup my team, the Nemesis Birders, were racing around trying to pick up as many new species as possible before the 7pm finish time. We were headed from Black Moshannon SP and going to finish out the day at Bald Eagle SP, however when we passed Curtin Wetlands a large flock of … Read More
Pink-footed Geese – Centre County, PA
This past Friday morning, Matt Sabatine discovered not one, but two Pink-footed Geese mixed with a large flock of Canadas at Bald Eagle SP in Centre County, PA. This is the first record of Pink-footed Goose for central PA, the first time more than one has been found at once, and the western-most record for North America! The geese came … Read More
Winter Red-necked Grebe – Centre County, PA
This afternoon I found this adult Red-necked Grebe at the Axemann Rd pond in Centre County. This is only the 2nd January record for the county, and the location is very odd (small, shallow pond along a road). Red-necked Grebes are rare migrants in central Pennsylvania. Typically only single birds or small groups are seen on stormy days during fall … Read More
Sandhill Cranes in Central PA
The Sandhill Crane is a widespread and common migrant, breeder, and/or resident across most of North America. This large bird breeds in extensive wetlands and winters in agricultural areas. Cranes have been rare visitors to the Northeastern states until the past few decades, when the entire population began to rapidly increase in number. In the 1930’s, the eastern population was … Read More
Another Snowy Owl in Centre County!
All that I have wanted to do for the past week is find as many Snowy Owls in Centre County, PA as possible. Although 3 different Snowys have been found around State College in the past week, I was determined to try and find as many more as we could and take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Anna Fasoli and … Read More
Snowy Owl – Centre County, PA
Centre County’s 2nd Snowy Owl of the winter was discovered after dark tonight, by Jordan and Ken Hillsley while they were driving along Circleville Rd. Ian Gardner and I saw the report come through on our eBird alert and decided to run over and see if we could spot the owl. We pulled into Circleville Park first, and a Great Horned … Read More
Nelson’s Sparrows – PSU Fall Banding
Mid-October offers Pennsylvania birders an opportunity to try and find a rather rare migrant though our state, the Nelson’s Sparrow. This fall it seems weather conditions and increased birder effort has created a bit of a Nelson’s Sparrow infux, with over 20 individual birds reported around the state at this point. Tim Becker found the first of the fall on … Read More
Centre County Dickcissels!
Dickcissels are rare visitors to Centre County, PA and have been found every month of the year, although there are only 8 records since 1984. During the past few years, there have only been a few records. My friends and I were lucky to have one fly over us, calling while we were watching shorebirds on September 9th, 2011 but … Read More
Lincoln’s Sparrow Bonanza!
October is fall at its finest. The leaves are changing color and the weather is beginning to slip from summer’s warmth to winter’s cold. With these changing conditions comes the peak of fall migration, sending billions of birds southward. One bird species I particularly love to see each year and always associate with the fall is the the Lincoln’s Sparrow. … Read More
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