The Nemesis Bird

Much has been written about the identification of Semipalmated and Western Sandpipers. Most of it focuses on minutia, those little differences in plumage that are indeed very helpful in distinguishing these very similar species. The problem is, in order to use all those fine plumage details successfully, a good understanding of how to age shorebirds [...]

While spending a weekend at a cabin in northern Tioga County I was able to slip down to Cowanesque Lake to see what was around. Not much. But I did happen to get good looks at a very pale, possibly leucistic flycatcher which I believe is a Willow Flycatcher. It was hanging out near the [...]

Image via Wikipedia
Check out the Dig Deep blog for a great primer on shorebird feather wear and molt. There are some great animated images that show the effects of wear on feathers and the overall appearance of the birds. With southbound migration just beginning, its a good time to brush up on this.
Learning about shorebird [...]

I spent an afternoon on the Conejohela Flats on the Susquehanna River yesterday. The water behind the dam was amazingly low, resulting in acres of mud. This benefited the birds by giving them more foraging habitat but made it a bit more difficult to get close looks at the birds. Least Sandpipers and Dunlin outnumbered [...]

Currently there is a rash of sightings of phalaropes in Pennsylvania. I know of at least 8 different birds that have been reported in the last two weeks.
5/9- a Wilson’s Phalarope reported at the Polk Wetlands in Venango County
5/10-12- female Wilson’s Phalarope on Gremar Rd., Lower Nazareth Twp., Northampton County
5/12- Red-necked Phalarope at Lake Nockamixon, [...]

Friday afternoon I posted that I was off to chase the Wood Sandpiper being seen in Delaware. I got picked up at my house around 11am and by about 1:30pm we were driving down Broadkill Road, looking for a swarm of cars. When we pulled in, people seemed to be milling around, not really looking [...]