Nature Note #111: Adventures in Pennsylvania: A Walk in the Park
Of all the places I've visited in Pennsylvania, the place I keep coming back to over and over is Peace Valley Park near Doylestown. I visited several times during the early spring to try and find a Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) that had been reported near the Angler's Pier on the southwestern side. As usual, my ability to find rare or hard to find birds was hampered by the bird not appearing before me, so eventually I gave up .Then again, the first few times I looked for it, I had gone in the wrong direction...
Yesterday however, I decided to see if I could walk around the entire lake and see as many birds as possible. I started around 4:15pm and no sooner had I left my car than I noticed some swallows sitting on the wires near the Lavender Farm across the street. The chattering buzz of the Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) and twittering notes of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) whirled in air above me and some alighted near a pair of smaller, browner swallows. I focused my attention on them as they primped and preened on the high wire. Their white throats were flanked by a broad brown breast band and capped with a brown head. They were Bank Swallows (Riparia riparia)! Birds I hadn't seen since I was a preteen in Wales. I fist-pumped the air! It was going to be a good day after all.
As I headed east along the trail towards the nature center on the northern end of the lake, I listened to to songs of many common woodland birds, many of whom are neotropical migrants. The lilted and wafting tune of a Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) floated through the trees, while the squeaky jabbering of Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) echoed from a shadowy corner near a fallen tree. The lonely whistled wail of an Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) drifted through as well. I think they're really underappreciated as a songbird, probably because so few people get to see them. I had the good fortune of seeing one last year when fall migration was underway. It sat unassuming on a small branch along the Stony Brook trail on the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Preserve and as we watched each other, I wondered what it thought of me as a fellow organism. The hoarse song of a Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) rang out over the treetops, as I walked away and wrote down what I'd seen and heard.
Birds weren't the only subject that I was photographing. Over the past few weeks, I've been trying my hand at identifying wild plants. I already know several species of trees, but I want to know more about wildflowers which I'd always had an interest in since taking a botany class at college. Purple and white seemed to be the predominant colors, with the few May-apples (Podophyllum peltatum) and Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) slowly fading with the expectant summer heat. As I snapped away, I pondered the identity of those I was capturing on memory card. While I would later learn their identities, I retained the wonder at seeing the unknown and appreciating their beauty while not knowing their names.
As I approached the nature center, an unfamiliar tune caught my attention. It started off with single high-pitched notes before trailing off into a trill. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was. I knew they were probably warblers (there were two of them singing), but hadn't a clue what species. I later learn that it was one of the varying tunes of a Northern Parula (Setophaga americana), but then another song caught my ears. A smaller bird popped up through the trees and sang its short, scratchy song, "weep-da-diddle-da-dee". Yellowish above with white wingbars and white eyes. It was a White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) and as it chirped, it continued branch hopping its way up the tree. I passed the nature center, eager to try and get around the lake in good time.
As I crossed the stone bridge near Cormorant Island, I saw a couple photographing something downstream. As I approached, I saw a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) perched regally on a tree base. Its long neck and graceful plumes were apparent as it eyed me suspiciously from the safety of its perch. Though, no sooner had I turned around, I heard deep wing beats over me and watched this modern pterodactyl fly away to a safer vantage point.
As I started up the eastern shore, Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia) rang out their cheers: "sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet". The woods I passed through were lovely and shaded. Another Wood Thrush called from deeper in and a catbird answered with a squeaky rendering of its own love song. I turned my attention to the pond and several cormorants zipped by on jet black wings. Looking back toward the island and bridge, I spied an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) soaring over the water. It was probably looking for leaping carp that were congregating near the bridge and I wished it luck with catching such wary prey. More Yellow Warblers sang out and I snapped a photo of one mid song.
As I walked up Creek Road, dodging cars and other pedestrians, I remembered why I liked walking alone. It gave me time to think and see the world at my own pace. While I do say hello and smile as much as possible to passersby, I wonder whether they want to be ignored too or if they expect a hello as well. It was little stressful pondering that as the number of people near Angler's Pier grew. I decided to keep to myself after all and it got me to the dam a lot quicker. The dam at the southern end of the lake is huge as one would expect, but it was home to two more lifers I didn't expect to get. The path winded up the hill where the dam stood and the shore was bordered by small Sweetgums (Liquidambar styraciflua). A bird caught my eye as it chattered to itself and flitted along the leafy branches in search of insects. It looked oriole-like, but it was silhouetted by the sun and made it difficult to see its base color. It was finally flushed by a passing family on bicycles, but it vanished into the undergrowth below a clump of bushes. Could it have been an Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) female?
My suspicions were confirmed when I crossed the dam and saw a chestnut and black bird fly into a nearby bush growing out of the side of the dam. As it perched in the upper branches, I focused onto it with the binoculars. It was a male Orchard Oriole! As I clicked a few photos, an unfamiliar chattering whistled over my head. It sounded grating, almost electrical.
I looked up to see a dark-backed swallow with a brownish face, a high-vis unibrow, and brownish rump skim by. I focused on to it and sure enough, it was a Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)! By this point I was standing near a bridge platform connected to the dam and watched as 5 or 6 Cliff Swallows swirled around over my head. Some nearby Chimney Swifts (Chaetura pelagica) joined the fray and whizzed about as well. Soon they were all together, whipping about in an aerial dance in and around the bridge platform.
The sun hung low in the sky and I knew I had to get back to my car. The park closes at sunset and I had about forty minutes or so to get back. As I got closer and closer to where my car was parked, I checked the time. I had been walking and birding for nearly three and a half hours! I passed the boat launch and larger parking lots where a pair of domestic geese grazed in the shade. I tend to count feral or domestic waterfowl on my eBird lists just because I feel it gives a more accurate assessment of the birds that are present in that area. Also it helps to know that they are domestic and establish that they aren't an exotic species that has taken up residence in the neighborhood.
While walking along the shore, I looked up to see a Great Blue Heron flying past. Its large and graceful form provided me some excellent pictures as I approached my car. It was a great end to a beautiful day's birding and walking. I only hope I can have another excellent adventure like this one again soon.
Yesterday however, I decided to see if I could walk around the entire lake and see as many birds as possible. I started around 4:15pm and no sooner had I left my car than I noticed some swallows sitting on the wires near the Lavender Farm across the street. The chattering buzz of the Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) and twittering notes of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) whirled in air above me and some alighted near a pair of smaller, browner swallows. I focused my attention on them as they primped and preened on the high wire. Their white throats were flanked by a broad brown breast band and capped with a brown head. They were Bank Swallows (Riparia riparia)! Birds I hadn't seen since I was a preteen in Wales. I fist-pumped the air! It was going to be a good day after all.
As I headed east along the trail towards the nature center on the northern end of the lake, I listened to to songs of many common woodland birds, many of whom are neotropical migrants. The lilted and wafting tune of a Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) floated through the trees, while the squeaky jabbering of Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) echoed from a shadowy corner near a fallen tree. The lonely whistled wail of an Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) drifted through as well. I think they're really underappreciated as a songbird, probably because so few people get to see them. I had the good fortune of seeing one last year when fall migration was underway. It sat unassuming on a small branch along the Stony Brook trail on the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Preserve and as we watched each other, I wondered what it thought of me as a fellow organism. The hoarse song of a Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) rang out over the treetops, as I walked away and wrote down what I'd seen and heard.
Birds weren't the only subject that I was photographing. Over the past few weeks, I've been trying my hand at identifying wild plants. I already know several species of trees, but I want to know more about wildflowers which I'd always had an interest in since taking a botany class at college. Purple and white seemed to be the predominant colors, with the few May-apples (Podophyllum peltatum) and Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) slowly fading with the expectant summer heat. As I snapped away, I pondered the identity of those I was capturing on memory card. While I would later learn their identities, I retained the wonder at seeing the unknown and appreciating their beauty while not knowing their names.
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| Garden Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) |
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| Dame's Violet (purple form) (Hesperis matronalis) |
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| Dame's Violet (white form) (Hesperis matronalis) |
 |
| Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) |
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| Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) |
As I crossed the stone bridge near Cormorant Island, I saw a couple photographing something downstream. As I approached, I saw a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) perched regally on a tree base. Its long neck and graceful plumes were apparent as it eyed me suspiciously from the safety of its perch. Though, no sooner had I turned around, I heard deep wing beats over me and watched this modern pterodactyl fly away to a safer vantage point.
As I started up the eastern shore, Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia) rang out their cheers: "sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet". The woods I passed through were lovely and shaded. Another Wood Thrush called from deeper in and a catbird answered with a squeaky rendering of its own love song. I turned my attention to the pond and several cormorants zipped by on jet black wings. Looking back toward the island and bridge, I spied an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) soaring over the water. It was probably looking for leaping carp that were congregating near the bridge and I wished it luck with catching such wary prey. More Yellow Warblers sang out and I snapped a photo of one mid song.
As I walked up Creek Road, dodging cars and other pedestrians, I remembered why I liked walking alone. It gave me time to think and see the world at my own pace. While I do say hello and smile as much as possible to passersby, I wonder whether they want to be ignored too or if they expect a hello as well. It was little stressful pondering that as the number of people near Angler's Pier grew. I decided to keep to myself after all and it got me to the dam a lot quicker. The dam at the southern end of the lake is huge as one would expect, but it was home to two more lifers I didn't expect to get. The path winded up the hill where the dam stood and the shore was bordered by small Sweetgums (Liquidambar styraciflua). A bird caught my eye as it chattered to itself and flitted along the leafy branches in search of insects. It looked oriole-like, but it was silhouetted by the sun and made it difficult to see its base color. It was finally flushed by a passing family on bicycles, but it vanished into the undergrowth below a clump of bushes. Could it have been an Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) female?
My suspicions were confirmed when I crossed the dam and saw a chestnut and black bird fly into a nearby bush growing out of the side of the dam. As it perched in the upper branches, I focused onto it with the binoculars. It was a male Orchard Oriole! As I clicked a few photos, an unfamiliar chattering whistled over my head. It sounded grating, almost electrical.
I looked up to see a dark-backed swallow with a brownish face, a high-vis unibrow, and brownish rump skim by. I focused on to it and sure enough, it was a Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)! By this point I was standing near a bridge platform connected to the dam and watched as 5 or 6 Cliff Swallows swirled around over my head. Some nearby Chimney Swifts (Chaetura pelagica) joined the fray and whizzed about as well. Soon they were all together, whipping about in an aerial dance in and around the bridge platform.
The sun hung low in the sky and I knew I had to get back to my car. The park closes at sunset and I had about forty minutes or so to get back. As I got closer and closer to where my car was parked, I checked the time. I had been walking and birding for nearly three and a half hours! I passed the boat launch and larger parking lots where a pair of domestic geese grazed in the shade. I tend to count feral or domestic waterfowl on my eBird lists just because I feel it gives a more accurate assessment of the birds that are present in that area. Also it helps to know that they are domestic and establish that they aren't an exotic species that has taken up residence in the neighborhood.
While walking along the shore, I looked up to see a Great Blue Heron flying past. Its large and graceful form provided me some excellent pictures as I approached my car. It was a great end to a beautiful day's birding and walking. I only hope I can have another excellent adventure like this one again soon.
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