PENNSYLVANIA BIRDS Volume 21, No. 2 Mar - May 2007 Issued October 2007 Seasonal Editors PENNSYLVANIA BIRDS Daniel Brauning Journal of the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology Michael Fialkovich Greg Grove Volume 21 Number 2 March - May 2007 Deuane Hoffman Nick Pulcinella - Editor-in-chief (610) 696-0687 [email protected] Department Editors http://www.pabirds.org Book Reviews Gene Wilhelm, Ph.D. 513 Kelly Blvd. Slippery Rock 16057-1145 724-794-2434 [email protected] Contents CBC Report Nick Bolgiano 71 Editorial 711 W. Foster Ave. State College, PA 16801 72 Yellow-billed Loon in Dauphin County - First Pennsylvania Record 814-234-2746 .............................................Cameron Rutt [email protected] 74 Spring Raptor Migration Summary 2007................Lindsay Zemba Hawk Watch Reports 75 Photo Quiz #16 Answer................................Rick Wiltraut Lindsay Zemba Keith Bildstein 78 Fox Sparrow Fallout Due To a Late Winter Storm. .......Mike Fialkovich 410 Summer Valley Rd. 82 Summary of the Season - March - May 2007.............Mike Fialkovich Orwigsburg, PA 17961 570-943-3411 84 Birds of Note - March - May 2007 [email protected] 87 Photo Highlights NAMC 94 Local Notes Bill Etter 1030 Old Bethlehem Road Photo Quiz #17................................... Inside back cover Apt#2 Perkasie, PA 18944 (215)-258-0229 [email protected] Pennsylvania Birdlists Peter Robinson P. O. Box 482 Hanover, PA 17331 [email protected] Photo-Quiz Rick Wiltraut Jacobsburg EE Center 835 Jacobsburg Road Wind Gap, PA 18091 Data Technician Wendy Jo Shemansky 41 Walkertown Hill Rd. Daisytown, PA 15427 [email protected] Publication Manager Franklin Haas 2469 Hammertown Rd. Narvon, PA 17555 [email protected] Cover: Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii).This outstanding breeding-plumaged bird was present along the Susquehanna River, Dauphin, 4-7 May 2007, providing a first Pennsylvania record. Its propensity to feed close to shore provided many observers with super looks and first-rate photos such as this one taken 5 May 2007 (Jason Horn). from the Editor... This issue brings my tenure as Spring Migration Tables counties that do not have an official Editor-in-chief to a close. Together, County Compiler, they may be sent with assistance from the editorial board, A reminder that the 2007 Spring directly to the Editor-in-chief for we were able to achieve several of the Migration Tables for this issue are inclusion. If you are a birder from a goals laid out when I came on board five available on the PSO website county that has no Compiler and you years ago. The most important goal at http://www.pabirds.org/ . For those who wish to volunteer your services, please that time was to return the publication do not have internet access and wish to contact the Editor-in-chief. to a more timely schedule. With few have copies of the Tables, please contact exceptions, the issues are now back on the Chief Editor. Nick Pulcinella schedule. We were also able to add a Editor-in-Chief color cover and more recently the quiz Compiler News photos have been in color. During the past five years, seven We welcome Mike Weible as the new counties were added to the roster of new compiler for Jefferson County. reporting localities. To have a clear and Please refer to the Local Notes for his complete seasonal picture, it would be contact information. The following gratifying to have compilers from every counties still lack compilers: Blair, county and consistent reports from all C a m e r o n , Clearfield, Elk , compilers. Lackawanna, Northumberland, In the birding-for-fun arena, we Pike, Schuylkill, and Wayne. Once added a new listing category — “Total again if you have bird sightings from Ticks” — to recognize birders who have many county lists but don’t meet the respective listing threshold. I hope this category will continue to grow in the future. Now Available! A publication of this caliber cannot exist without the input and support of its readers and contributors. It all begins with the many observers who are willing to report their sightings to the dedicated The PSO Hat! corps of very competent county (Beige top, compilers. These observers and compilers are the backbone of every dark green bill) issue. The fine team of Seasonal Editors, And with their collective years of experience and expertise, perform a remarkable job of summarizing the seasonal data and do the intricate task of gleaning and then The Annotated List of verifying the rare bird reports out of the the Birds of many county summaries for the Birds of Note compilation. Pennsylvania I also want to thank Sheryl Second Edition Johnson, Paul Hess, and Bob Ross, who reviewed one or more manuscripts and A publication of the Ornithological Technical Committee of the provided useful ideas for improvement or revision. Pennsylvania Biological Survey. Frank Haas provided much assistance and guidance, especially Lists all of the accepted species for Pennsylvania plus an during those first few “rushed” issues appendix of other species reported but not accepted. when we were feverishly trying to get the publication back on track. He also Bar graphs of occurrence throughout the year and afforded an objective sounding board for physiographic regions. my thoughts and ideas. Lists all of the records for rarities. My tenure has been both fulfilling and challenging and as I pass the baton The hat is only $23 and the Annotated List is $7 (postage to our new Editor-in-chief, Geoff Malosh, included) I look forward to re-emerging from Order from: PSO, 2469 Hammertown Rd., Narvon, PA behind the desk and back into the field where I hope to see many of you. 17555 www.pabirds.org PENNSYLVANIA BIRDS (ISSN 0898-8501) is published four times a year by The Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology. Editorial and business offices are located at 2469 Hammertown Road, Narvon, PA 17555-9730. Subscriptions, all in US$: One year U.S.A. $28.50, Canada $40, Foreign $45. Library rate $30. Single copies:, $5.50. Checks and money orders in U.S.$ only should be made payable to PSO. Copyright © 2007 by The Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology. SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT NARVON, PA 17555 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PSO, 2469 Hammertown Road, Narvon, PA 17555-9726. PENNSYLVANIA BIRDS 71 2007 - VOLUME 21 NO. 2 Yellow-billed Loon in Dauphin County First Pennsylvania Record Cameron Rutt Even though I once had “all Without finishing my river pan, Ramsay pulled in and got the bird in afternoon” to complete my few tasks, I attempted to calmly pack up my the scope. The two of us worked to it was once again apparent that I gear and drive south for a closer get the word out to the state’s was behind schedule. I was due to be examination. As I waited for the birding community and before at Camp Hebron, near Halifax, Market Street red light to finally nightfall about ten birders were able Dauphin County, to help give a flick to green (one of the longest red to obtain views. presentation beginning at 8:00 PM lights I’ve sat through for awhile), I Over the next two days – which that evening. It was May 4th, 2007, tried to resist thinking of what large just happened to be the weekend – a date that would soon become diver I may have just sighted. After the bird put on a show and was indelibly etched in my memory. After wheeling into one of the first parking easily located from the intersection scrambling about doing some last slots available, I grabbed my gear of Route 11/15 and Edna Street, minute packing, I finally hit the (having already slung the digital Wormleysburg, Cumberland County. road, and with enough time to spare camera around my neck) and Dozens of birders (likely a few for a few “brief” stops along the frantically began scanning the river hundred) were able to enjoy this Susquehanna River before fast food in search of the loons. Shortly rarity during its four day stint on the and my arrival at camp. I scurried afterwards, I located the adult Susquehanna. On the morning of off to the West Fairview Boat Common Loon, but no sign of that May 7th, it appears that the bird Launch, one of everyone’s favorite awfully pale-billed loon. took off at approximately 6:10 AM river viewing destinations. With its I nervously paced up and down heading north. Despite some online easy access and scopeable panorama the western shoreline, straining to discussion suggesting otherwise, of Harrisburg’s riverfront, it is plain try to find the other adult loon there were no reliable sightings of to see why this is such a favored through the concealing shoreline the loon after that point in time. destination. Added to this, of course, vegetation. Naturally, all of this took The Yellow-billed Loon spent all is the fact that this section of the place in the public eye of the rush- of its visible stay along the western river often holds an excellent hour traffic that was hurtling past edge of the Susquehanna River, assortment of waterfowl, among a on the other side of the guardrail. favoring a very limited, calm section nice collection of other waterbirds. Finally, after what seemed like of the river, located between some Some of you may recall Tom hours, I was viewing an adult wooded islands and the western Johnson’s Thanksgiving sighting (24 Yellow-billed Loon in stunning shore. It seemed to develop a pattern November 2006) of a raft containing breeding attire! of action over the course of its stay. about 1400 Horned Grebes. After securing a few more looks It would go through periods of As I was approaching the between dives, I quickly called regular activity, diving frequently as turnoff to the boat launch, I quickly Ramsay Koury who did not have the it closely approached the western (and safely) glanced over the pleasure of completing dinner before shore of the river.