Nature Note #109: Adventures in Pennsylvania: Of Warblers and Wildflowers
I had the great fortune of visiting a wonderful preserve yesterday in search of warblers and spring migrants. As this month marks the main passage of spring migrants in the Mid-Atlantic region, I have decided to do a big month to try and see as many different warblers, for as many points as possible. I made up an arbitrary point system where common species are worth 1 point, harder to find species are worth 3 points, and life birds are worth 5 points. I also added in the possibility of seeing Brewster's and Lawrence's Warblers for 10 and 12 points respectively. As of this morning, I have 9 points after seeing 9 species over the past two days.
In the morning, I visited an excellent birding area called Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, located near my favorite artisan town of New Hope, PA. As I exited the car, birdsong surrounded me. The sweet, squeaky notes of a Black-and-White Warbler (Mniotilta varia) rang down from one of the nearby trees, while a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) foraged on the boughs of an Eastern Red-Cedar (Juniperus virginiana).
As I neared the entrance, I noticed a large fence surrounding the preserve except for the open gate that allowed cars to head to the visitor center further in. I opted to walk, because driving past such good habitat would have been a waste. A nearby sign informed me that the fence was to keep deer from overbrowsing the collection of native flowers, shrubs, and trees and I mused why they would leave the door open so that any browser on four legs could waltz in and eat to its heart's content. It was only after I had looked down that I realized their main defense was imbedded in the tarmac ahead.
A large cattle grate loomed ahead and flat-footed as I usually am, I still felt like I was about trip over and hurt myself. If I had done so, would I not be worthy to enter the preserve after all? Would I be a deer at heart? So many questions...
As I headed down the road, songbirds rang out from the surrounding woodland. Intrusive Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) jarred the woods with their loud "teacher" calls, while a more subtle "please, please to meetcha" of a Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) sang lower in the valley. The occasional "spees" of gnatcatchers caught my attention as well as the plain whistled notes of a first of the year Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula). As I neared the visitor center, I looked at the trail map. The trails seemed to be listed according to what plants were found along them, but I was interested in a more feathered variety of organisms. I paid the entrance fee and got myself a new copy of Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding by Scott Weidensaul to read later. I decided to head towards the river running through the property to probe for warblers. I didn't find any, but the rushing water had attracted a pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) which for all intents and purposes should be the unofficial state bird of Pennsylvania. In the pines above, chickadees and titmice called, while I took photos of some nearby wildflowers. Wood poppies (Stylophorum diphyllum) and May-apples (Podophyllum peltatum) were everywhere, with some blue, trumpet-shaped flowers which I thought looked like the bluebells my family and I would see in the early spring in Wales. As it turned out they were called Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), and were eagerly visited by bumblebees as they buzzed around the valley floor.
I took some canopy shots (as I call them) as I walked up the stairs near the visitor center building. I love the different directions the branches travel as they reach skyward and always seem to resemble blood vessels or the structures found in the human lung and in someway, they are our lifeblood, our tether that keeps us humans and our fellow organisms alive on this vegetated rock of a planet.
The road seemed to beckon me back to my car, but the woods awaited. I knew if I were to get any good spring migrants and warblers for the challenge, they lay ahead. I didn't have to wait long before more birdsong bombarded me from all sides. The high-pitched trill of a Northern Parula (S. americana) rocketed through the trees over my head, while the buzzy song of a Black-throated Green Warbler (S. virens) murmured through the budding trees. Another familiar summer song wafted its way through the branches down to my ears. Its questioning tone and indecisive notes made its eventual identification clear. I looked through my binoculars and saw my first Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) of the year.
After securing a few shots, I wandered up an exit road to a man-made pond and peered in. In the depths below, little tadpoles fed eagerly on algae and wiggled their little tails to propel themselves to the next safe feeding patch. Small fish darted about in the depths and kept their distance from my shadow. As I circled the pond, I only saw one or two large tadpoles idling on the bottom, while the more common little tadpoles fled upon seeing my shadow grace the ponds surface.
A growl in my stomach told me that it was time to head out, but not before exploring another small section of forest near the entrance. I passed blooming redbuds and leafing beeches along the moss-covered trail and clicked a photo of a singing Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera), walked a little further and then got several photos of a small butterfly sitting on a twig. Initially believing it to be a Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus), I only just looked it up as I typed this up now. As it turns out, it was a Duskywing (Erynnis spp.) of some sort. I'm not too certain and it is far too late at the time of this writing to figure it out.
As I left, I felt fuller having visited such an excellent preserve. I enjoyed birding and taking photos and it was nice to be away from work/my place of residence all morning. I might blog about visiting Pennypack Trust or visiting Bradford Dam later in the week, but that's more of a wait and see at the moment. I hope everyone has a good week and sees as many signs of spring that they can shake a stick at!
In the morning, I visited an excellent birding area called Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, located near my favorite artisan town of New Hope, PA. As I exited the car, birdsong surrounded me. The sweet, squeaky notes of a Black-and-White Warbler (Mniotilta varia) rang down from one of the nearby trees, while a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) foraged on the boughs of an Eastern Red-Cedar (Juniperus virginiana).
As I neared the entrance, I noticed a large fence surrounding the preserve except for the open gate that allowed cars to head to the visitor center further in. I opted to walk, because driving past such good habitat would have been a waste. A nearby sign informed me that the fence was to keep deer from overbrowsing the collection of native flowers, shrubs, and trees and I mused why they would leave the door open so that any browser on four legs could waltz in and eat to its heart's content. It was only after I had looked down that I realized their main defense was imbedded in the tarmac ahead.
A large cattle grate loomed ahead and flat-footed as I usually am, I still felt like I was about trip over and hurt myself. If I had done so, would I not be worthy to enter the preserve after all? Would I be a deer at heart? So many questions...
As I headed down the road, songbirds rang out from the surrounding woodland. Intrusive Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) jarred the woods with their loud "teacher" calls, while a more subtle "please, please to meetcha" of a Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) sang lower in the valley. The occasional "spees" of gnatcatchers caught my attention as well as the plain whistled notes of a first of the year Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula). As I neared the visitor center, I looked at the trail map. The trails seemed to be listed according to what plants were found along them, but I was interested in a more feathered variety of organisms. I paid the entrance fee and got myself a new copy of Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding by Scott Weidensaul to read later. I decided to head towards the river running through the property to probe for warblers. I didn't find any, but the rushing water had attracted a pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) which for all intents and purposes should be the unofficial state bird of Pennsylvania. In the pines above, chickadees and titmice called, while I took photos of some nearby wildflowers. Wood poppies (Stylophorum diphyllum) and May-apples (Podophyllum peltatum) were everywhere, with some blue, trumpet-shaped flowers which I thought looked like the bluebells my family and I would see in the early spring in Wales. As it turned out they were called Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), and were eagerly visited by bumblebees as they buzzed around the valley floor.
 |
| Wood poppy |
 |
| Virginia bluebell |
The road seemed to beckon me back to my car, but the woods awaited. I knew if I were to get any good spring migrants and warblers for the challenge, they lay ahead. I didn't have to wait long before more birdsong bombarded me from all sides. The high-pitched trill of a Northern Parula (S. americana) rocketed through the trees over my head, while the buzzy song of a Black-throated Green Warbler (S. virens) murmured through the budding trees. Another familiar summer song wafted its way through the branches down to my ears. Its questioning tone and indecisive notes made its eventual identification clear. I looked through my binoculars and saw my first Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) of the year.
 |
| Red-eyed Vireo |
 |
| Northern Parula |
A growl in my stomach told me that it was time to head out, but not before exploring another small section of forest near the entrance. I passed blooming redbuds and leafing beeches along the moss-covered trail and clicked a photo of a singing Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera), walked a little further and then got several photos of a small butterfly sitting on a twig. Initially believing it to be a Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus), I only just looked it up as I typed this up now. As it turns out, it was a Duskywing (Erynnis spp.) of some sort. I'm not too certain and it is far too late at the time of this writing to figure it out.
As I left, I felt fuller having visited such an excellent preserve. I enjoyed birding and taking photos and it was nice to be away from work/my place of residence all morning. I might blog about visiting Pennypack Trust or visiting Bradford Dam later in the week, but that's more of a wait and see at the moment. I hope everyone has a good week and sees as many signs of spring that they can shake a stick at!
Comments
Post a Comment