PENNSYLVANIA BIRDS IETY F OC O S R O A I R N N A I T V H Volume 27, No. 3 L O Y S L Jun - Jul 2013 O N G N Y E Issued December 2013 P PENNSYLVANIA BIRDS Seasonal Editors Journal of the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology Daniel Brauning Michael Fialkovich Volume 27 Number 3 June - July 2013 Greg Grove Geoff Malosh Geoff Malosh, Editor-in-chief 450 Amherst Avenue Department Editors Moon Township, PA 15108-2654 Book Reviews (412) 735-3128 [email protected] Gene Wilhelm, Ph.D. 513 Kelly Blvd. http://www.pabirds.org Slippery Rock, PA 16057-1145 (724) 794-2434 [email protected] CBC Report Nick Bolgiano 711 W. Foster Ave. State College, PA 16801 Contents (814) 234-2746 [email protected] 143 Editorial Hawk Watch Reports Laurie Goodrich 144 Breeding Ruddy Duck and Pied-billed Grebe in Northampton County Keith Bildstein 410 Summer Valley Rd. .. Michael Schall Orwigsburg, PA 17961 146 Summary of the 2012 Dickcissel Invasion. Kathy Korber (570) 943-3411 [email protected] 147 Pennsylvania’s first Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) [email protected] .. George L. Armistead PAMC 148 Observations from the 2013 Pennsylvania Migration Count Franklin Haas 2469 Hammertown Road .. John Fedak and Frank Haas Narvon, PA 17555 [email protected] 152 Book Review – The Crossley ID Guide: Raptors. Gene Wilhelm 153 Summary of the Season.. Dan Brauning John Fedak 26 Race Street 156 Birds of Note – June to July 2013 Bradford, PA 16701 [email protected] 158 Photographic Highlights Pennsylvania Birdlists 164 Local Notes Peter Robinson P. O. Box 482 Hanover, PA 17331 In Focus … Inside Back Cover [email protected] 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] Photo Editor Amy Davis 129 W. Lancaster Ave. #2 Downingtown, PA 19335 [email protected] Cover: Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus). Surprising enough in its own right, this Tropical Kingbird, Pennsylvania’s first, showed up at the very unexpected date of 20 June 2013 at the Gray’s Ferry Crescent Trail, Philadelphia. Though present only for a single day, it was enjoyed by many Philadelphia-area birders. (George Armistead) ... from the Editor Snowy Owls on the move makings of a record-breaking year. the second Pennsylvania records of With any luck, some (or many!) of them (very cooperative) Black-chinned As I write this in early December will eventually stop here and Hummingbird and MacGillivray’s (following one of the colder Novembers successfully winter in Pennsylvania. Warbler both coming within a few days in recent memory, by the way) news is of each other in November, and a coming in from across northeastern PAMC totally unexpected mid-summer North America of a major invasion of Tropical Kingbird in June (see page Snowy Owls. Huge numbers of owls The results of the 22nd 147 and the cover of this issue). Good have been recorded in the Great Lakes Pennsylvania Migration Count are birding! region and throughout northeastern published in this issue. Established as North America. There was even a part of the North American Migration Compiler News remarkable report of a single-day count Count in 1992, PSO has supported and of 138 Snowy Owls near Cape Race, facilitated this project in Pennsylvania We still have several counties Newfoundland on 1 December. Here since its inception, and it is certainly without a compiler. Some details about here in Pennsylvania, there have alive and well in the Commonwealth what it takes to be a successful county already been sightings at several today. There were reports from 66 of compiler were published in this space locations in eastern and central Pennsylvania’s 67 counties this year, in the previous issue. If you think you Pennsylvania, and nearly daily and a total of 983 contributing are up to the task, and want to sightings, sometimes of multiple birds, observers—strong testimony to the contribute to the very important work on the lakeshore in Erie County. The ongoing popularity of this project. of documenting the official owls in Erie appear to be changing over PAMC also provides an important ornithological record of the state of from day to day, probably indicative of opportunity for PSO members who Pennsylvania, please contact me. birds that are actively on the move and participate in the count. The 983 Counties with no compiler include migrating along the lakeshore. observers this year far exceeds the Cameron, Columbia, Elk (which has Pennsylvania birders have been current PSO membership total. Next never had a compiler during my flocking to Gull Point and many other year while you are out in the field on tenure…), Lawrence, McKean, locations to catch a glimpse of these PAMC day, please take the opportunity Montour, Northumberland, Potter, remarkable owls while they have the to tell non-members and new birders Union, Tioga, and Warren. Most of chance. about PSO and our sponsorship of the these counties, at minimum, have By the time you read this it will be PAMC, and why membership in our several contributing eBirders, and they late December and perhaps by then, organization is a worthwhile thing. We all have contributing PAMC birders… many more Snowies will be found in on the PSO Board of Directors are so there are certainly sightings our state. Be on the lookout! Snowy always on the lookout for ways to happening in these places that deserve Owl, especially in a year like this, is publicize and promote our to be reported in the official record the kind of bird that might appear organization, and this is something you here. anywhere at any time. Of course open can help with too. PAMC offers an fields, farms, and strip mines with excellent opportunity to reach out to prominent perches (for example, farm hundreds of new birders and help them buildings and siloes) are prime learn about PSO for the first time. locations to search, but they have been Geoff Malosh found in even in heavily urban PA Birdlists Editor-in-Chief environments—like the one that spent a few days on rooftops on Pittsburgh’s It’s that time of year again. If you North Side in March 2009. There really are interested in seeing your is no telling where one might show up. Pennsylvania Life List, County Lists, If you’re an active county lister looking and Annual List totals published in to add a nice species to your home Pennsylvania Birds, count up your county’s list, or are merely enthusiastic 2013 numbers now and send them to about seeing these amazing birds, as our Birdlists editor Peter Robinson, we all are, it would be a good idea to [email protected]. The Birdlists keep your eyes open everywhere you go remains one of our most popular this winter. It remains to be seen just features, and participation is always how many Snowy Owls come our way impressive. Certainly there were a few this year, but it already has the chances at rare birds this year, with PENNSYLVANIA BIRDS (ISSN 0898-8501) is published four times per 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 $30, Canada $48, Foreign $60. Library rate $33. Single copies: $9. Checks and money orders in U.S. dollars only should be made payable to PSO. Copyright © 2013 by the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NARVON, PA 17555 and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PSO, 2469 Hammertown Road, Narvon, PA 17555-9730. PENNSYLVANIA BIRDS 143 2013 – VOLUME 27 NO. 3 Breeding Ruddy Duck and Pied-billed Grebe in Northampton County Michael Schall Making a great discovery does not but do eventually continue on to their was an adult with 2 new young. We always involve finding a rare bird. traditional breeding grounds. There was watched the adult feed a young chick that Corinne and I were in the midst of an also one Pied-billed Grebe on the pond was a just few days old. The adult female enjoyable Pennsylvania big day on 6 July that day. The only time that I had seen Ruddy Duck and its 4 youngsters would 2013, working a route that had us check more than one Pied-billed Grebe was 28 swim away or dive when approached. The the ponds on Gremar Rd. in Lower April, when two were present. When I juveniles still had a patch of down feathers Nazareth Twp. We were hoping the checked the pond again on 7 June, the on their backs. Ruddy Ducks and Pied-billed Grebe that grebe was absent and there was one For the first time I observed two adult had been seen in June had decided not to female and two male Ruddy Ducks. The Pied-billed Grebes on 4 Aug, along with migrate, since any lingering waterfowl are big discovery occurred at 13:25 on 6 July, two young. The second adult was diving important additions on a big day. It a warm sunny day. When approached, the for food at the far end of the pond while turned out there was an adult Pied-billed Ruddy Ducks swam away but did not dive, the young stayed close to the other adult. I Grebe, and several young juveniles near and they allowed a few good photos. While saw both adult grebes again 6 Aug, but the far end of the pond! This discovery the Ruddy Ducks stayed close together, one of the grebe chicks had perished and needed documentation, so I grabbed the the Pied-billed Grebes were spread out the second adult was gone 8 Aug.