Birding Guide to South Mountain Northern Region

1 Driving along the roads of the Michaux State Red-shouldered Hawk Forest in June, you can hear bird songs drifting out from the interior forests. These singing birds are secretive species that require large 2 blocks of mountain woodlands to breed like the Black-crowned Wood Thrush, Veery, or Ovenbird. Night-Heron Or, walking the trails, you may catch a glimpse 4 of the vibrant yellow and black of a Hooded Warbler or the startling crimson of the Scarlet Scarlet Tanager is a species 3 Tanager. You may hear the distant call of the found nesting in undisturbed large Pileated Woodpecker, parts of . Though the high breeding densities of these “core-forest” species is the reason South Mountain was designated as one of the Audu- bon Society’s “Important Bird Areas” of Pennsyl- Eastern vania, there are a great diversity of other types Towhee of ecosystems throughout the South Mountain area that offer a wonderful array of birdwatch- ing in brushy, field, wetland or open-water 6 habitats. 5 Two species of Crossbills, the There are always birds to watch somewhere in Red (here), and the White- winged, can be found in the South Mountain any time of the year! conifer forests of South Moun- 8 tain in winter when conifer seeds in Canada are low. Note that this is one of two maps covering 21 suggested birding sites around the 7 South Mountain region. 9

This project was financed in part by a grant from 10 the Community Conservation partnerships Program, Environmental Stewardship Fund, under the administration of the Department of Conserva- tion and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. We are a partner of the South Mountain Partnership, an alliance of organizations working to preserve and enhance the cultural and 11 natural assets of the South Mountain landscape in Central . This project was awarded 13 through the South Mountain Partnership with 12 management oversight of the An occasional Common Loon Conservancy. can be found visiting the reser- 14 voirs of South Mountain, along with the usual variety of ducks Singing Field Sparrows are a and other water birds. common summer sound in the shrubby habitat of the old Chambersburg Reservoir and other field/ young-forest areas.

Birding Guide to South Mountain Southern Region

Blackburnian Warbler

13 Wood 14 Thrush The crow-sized Pileated Woodpecker makes large, oval holes in dead and 15 living trees which can be Hooded Warbler seen throughout the 16 mature forests of South

17 20. Glatfelter Tract Map

Louisiana Waterthrush are usually found along 21 the same high quality, 18 headwater streams as See . inset map at 20 right. 19

Old fields near wetlands are ideal places to watch the March courtship displays of the American Woodcock. Birding Guide to South Mountain

abound. Download their Recreational 6. Camp Michaux 1. Boiling Springs Lake Guide trails map as well as the Common At the intersection of Michaux and Bunker Children’s Lake in downtown Boiling Birds guide from their maps page. Hill roads are the historic remains of a va- Springs is a large, spring-fed lake, that www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/ riety of buildings spanning nearly 200 stays open year-round for resident and kingsgap/index.htm years. Clearings and trails criss-cross this migrant waterfowl. A healthy flock of area providing a variety of edge habitat resident domestic and cross-breed ducks 4. Huntsdale Fish Hatchery mixed with streams and conifer forests, and geese are present, as are a few Mute The historic part of the hatchery has resulting in a high variety of bird species. Swans and seasonal migrating visitors. abandoned ponds lined with tall trees; Walk the A.T. here, or download a detailed Trees surrounding the lake are also used attracting a wide variety of water and “walking tour” map: www.historicalsociety.com/ by many species of songbirds for nesting riparian species. Dabbling ducks are uploads/CAMPMRevisedWalkingTour.pdf and during migration. The Appalachian common, and Wood Ducks nest here. Trail runs along the lake through the Black-crowned Night-Heron are found 7. Big Flat town, and makes for a convenient and roosting in spring and early summer. In diverse habitat walk south past historic Use Appalachian Trail parking lot along migration, look for rails, American Bittern, furnace remains, through a small riparian Shippensburg Road. Walk around perime- Osprey, and swallows. It is also a reliable woodlands, and through farm lands. ter of parking lot for open brushy species location for Rusty Blackbird in spring. SR like Eastern Towhee, American Goldfinch, 233 to Pine Rd., east to Sheaffer Drive. and Grey Catbird; or walk the A.T. in either 2. Mount Holly Marsh Preserve The current operating hatchery will be on direction for forest birds like chickadees, This site is a matrix of wetland, meadow, the left. Park on right, and walk around peewees, or tanagers. Toilet facilities are and upland forest habitats with trails Hidden Pond and wetland areas on the a half mile south on Shippensburg Road at winding throughout. Geese, numerous east side of Sheaffer Drive. the Recreation Area. species of ducks and herons, Belted Kingfisher, and American Woodcock are 5. Pine Grove Furnace State Park 8. Thompson Hollow Road common. Raptors include Red-shouldered A variety of habitats are found here, from Hawk and an occasional Harrier. For more Half way between Shippensburg and streamside forests to lakes to wet woods, information and a trail map: Whitmer roads is a timber cut on the to hemlock groves. Find Neotropical south side of Thompson Hollow Road. www.ccpa.net/index.aspx?NID=3650 migrants, including thrushes, warblers and Look for Baltimore Orioles and Red-

tanagers, along the rail-trail in the Laurel headed Woodpeckers. Pines are attracting 3. King’s Gap Env. Education Center Lake area. The lakes are a magnet for a wide assortment of birds. 16 miles of numerous trails wind through waterfowl and wading birds. Winter bird- more than 1,400 acres and many diverse ing is good here due to the conifers; look 9. Milesburn Road habitats. A great place to see all the for winter finches, crossbills, and six Following Burd Run, this stretch of species of woodpeckers, as well as most species of woodpeckers. Download a park Milesburn Road is a good place to see or of the species of birds that pass through map for parking and trail options: or nest in the forests of South Mountain. www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/ hear warblers in spring and fall. Two pull Wood Thrushes and Scarlet Tanagers pinegrovefurnace/ off areas by gates are safe places to park. 10. Flatrock Plantation 14. 19. Gum Springs Road A large burn area is slowly growing back With 12 different trails adding up to 10 The combination of open fields and wet on the west side of Milesburn Road at the miles of hiking, you can choose very easy to areas make an attractive habitat for intersection of Ridge Road. Old field and more difficult terrain. Streams, ponds, and American Woodcock. To watch the court- scrub species abound, along with Common varying forest types offer a great variety of ship display of males in March, park on Nighthawks, raptors, and songbird mi- birds any time of the year. A trail guide is north end of Gum Springs Road, Walk grants. Look for the yellow gate in the available at the park office. Download a down haul road across stream and pipeline deer exclosure fence to get inside. park map for information and trails: to large open area. Woodcocks are most www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/ actively displaying dusk-to-dark. 11. Long Pine Run Reservoir (Rec. Area) caledonia/#education March and November is the best time to 20. Glatfelter Tract see migrating ducks, geese, and other 15. New Baltimore Road Recreation Area This site has diverse habitat areas within a water birds. In the summer, look for an Parking area close to Route 30 for several short walking distance. The highlight is occasional loon, along with herons, several trail loops through mixed open and forest several large blocks of shrub/scrub provid- species of swallows, and Red-shouldered habitat. Kiosk signs show trails that are ing nesting habitat for “early successional” Hawks. Osprey and eagles occasionally good for general birding year round. Toilet forest birds, such as Eastern Towhee, Indi- appear looking for fish. Trails surround facilities nearby at Caledonia State Park go Bunting, and Ruffed Grouse. A short the lake. office. driveway just north of Lower Gum Springs Road leads to a parking area in a large 12. Old Chambersburg Reservoir 16. Irishtown Road scrub area. North along Mt. Hope Road Along 233, this drained reservoir is in the The north half of the road borders the Mt. are parking areas for trail access to explore early stages of regrowth, with tree seed- Cydonia Ponds Natural Area, where birding old fields, small ponds, and mature forests. lings planted along restored creek. Old is restricted to the road only due to the field and meadow species abound here, many protected vernal ponds. This is a 21. Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve including Field Sparrow, Goldfinch, and great stretch for all-around spring and fall With 10 miles of trails on 609 acres, a Tree Swallow. Park alongside 233 at a pull migrants, including Louisiana Waterthrush, diversity of habitats and birdwatching -off by the bridge over Long Pine Run and Kentucky and other warblers, many species opportunities abound. Find information, follow a scenic, unimproved trail through a of Neotropical songbirds. directions and a downloadable trail map: hemlock grove to the old reservoir area. www.strawberryhill.org 17. Mt. Alto State Park 13. Quarry Gap Road A small park with one, short forested trail. Thank you to all who helped with the identifica- Bordering the northeast side of Caledonia Picnic and toilet facilities. tion of sites and review of the guide: Appalachian State Park and following Hosack Run, Audubon Society, Conococheague Audubon Socie- Quarry Gap Road is a great place to see 18. Old Forge Picnic Area ty, South Mountain Audubon Society, Joe Baker and hear Wood Thrush and Veery, as well and Mike Wright of DCNR Bureau of Forestry, and Open picnic area along Tumbling Run and specifically Ramsay Koury, Mike O’Brien, Bill Oyler, as other thrushes during migration. Due the Appalachian Trail. This wet forest area and Alyssa Cartagena. Note that this version of to the wet forest area, other Neotropical is attractive to a high diversity of birds and the guide is a working draft and suggestions for songbirds abound. creek-side trails make it a great place for improvement are welcomed. Send to Paul Zeph: [email protected].; 717-574-6668. birding. Toilet facilities are available. DRAFT 6/28/14