Once again, slacking on keeping up with the blog. I'm currently working in Delaware State Forest, in eastern Pennsylvania just west of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Over the past few weeks, I have come to realize that there is a decent-sized population of Golden-wingeds in the area. I am mainly conducting point counts at areas where the state foresters have either done a clearcut, shelterwood cut or overstory removal (most of our points are within deer exclosures). I am also running around trying to band as many Golden and Blue-winged Warblers (and hybrids) as I can. This has proved quite difficult to do alone, especially when trying to set the net up in thick scrub oak/blackberry and rocky soil. So far this season, I have yet to catch a pure GWWA, but have banded two male Blue-winged Warblers and a male Brewster's Warbler, and have caught male Common Yellowthroat, male Chestnut-sided Warbler, male and female Black and White Warblers, male and female American Redstart, Wood Thrush, Veery, female Indigo Bunting, Black-capped Chickadee (always amazed at how much these little dudes' bites can be) and a male Hairy Woodpecker. The Hairy damn near took the whole net down, and I now have some net-repair to do since I had to cut him out after 10 minutes of trying to un-stick him.
The birding along the 402 corridor (where our points are located) has been excellent the past few weeks too. Pine Flats, Highline and Hobday Roads have been particularly good as of late. It is also comforting knowing that these Golden-winged Warblers are utilizing non-linear habitats (as opposed to the old Powerline standby), and the fact that I have not come across one pure Blue-winged Warbler on any of our point counts or even while birding the general area.
Besides Golden-winged Warblers (we have found upwards of 50 singing males), I have also had the following: warblers including Connecticut (one singing on Pine Flats two days ago), Bay-breasted Warbler, Cape May Warbler, several Cerulean Warblers, Prairie Wa
About two weeks ago, I co
Any bird
Anytime
Anywhere
Bird On, AS
No comments:
Post a Comment