This past weekend, I joined the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology (PSO) on a four day birding trip through Ontario. This would be the second time I had ever been to Canada, and the first time I had been there for birding! I had been dreaming about this trip for months and it was finally happening – I had a chance … Read More
Winter Raptor Survey – Snow Shoe, PA 2013
Winter Raptor Surveys are very popular in Pennsylvania, and I am always excited for this time of the year to finally get out and see what raptors and other winter birds are around the northern portion of Centre County, PA. Last year was the first year that I ran a WRS route in Centre County, and we tried to plan … Read More
Lighthouse Point Park, CT – Shrike, Snow Buntings, and a Red-shoulder
After our good luck at East Shore Park (link to photos), we drove over to nearby Lighthouse Point Park. Our primary target here was a continuing immature Northern Shrike plus we wanted to find as many Connecticut birds as we could since we knew this was our last stop of our entire 5 day trip through New England. On the … Read More
Winter Raptor Survey – Snow Shoe, PA 2012
In Pennsylvania, the birding is pretty slow this time of the year but raptors can help add some excitement. Winter Raptor Surveys are an excellent way to get out on a cold winter day and do some birding. Drew Weber, two of our friends, and I conducted our own Winter Raptor Survey in the strip-mined areas north of Snow Shoe, … Read More
Northern Shrike – Moraine SP
Anna Fasoli, Gretchen Lasser, Delia Guzman, and I spent almost the entire day today searching Moraine State Park for the previously reported Black-headed Gull(s), without any success. Luckily there was a very beautiful adult Northern Shrike that I was able to see multiple times throughout the day in the same parking lot as where the gulls roosted. Below are two … Read More
BESP: Northern Shrike, etc
This morning was the State College Bird Club’s annual field trip to Bald Eagle State Park, led by Bob Snyder. About 20 of us met at the McDonalds in Milesburg, and then carpooled over to the state park. Our first stop was Lower Greens where there wasn’t much activity besides a few Common Mergansers. Next we drove around to the … Read More
Bald Eagle State Park Northern Shrike
There is a Northern Shrike hanging out at Upper Green’s Run at Bald Eagle State Park. It always seems to be perching by the road when I drive past there and I got this video of it the other day. Most of the time when I was watching it, the shrike was doing the characteristic tail bob but it seemed … Read More
More shrikes at Bald Eagle
I ran out to Bald Eagle State Park today to do some birding and hopefully find the shrikes that have been reported in the park. Most people have been able to find the shrike that is hanging around the park entrance and the campground area although it covers a lot of area and can be tricky to find, especially with … Read More