November 2006
Synopsis of Outings

Saturday, November 11 — independence Wetlands Areas (by participants Suzanne and Steve Thomas)

This leaderless outing had eight participants looking for waterfowl in the mitigated wetland area in Beaver County. The two ponds had only Mallards, but it provided opportunities to observe Great Blue Heron and Belted Kingfisher. The intermittent rain showers and mild 60-degree temperature did not deter the sparrows; we had good looks at Song, White-crowned and American Tree Sparrows. Eastern Bluebirds were also a nice find. We had a total of 19 species. 

Species list:

Canada Goose Mallard Great Blue Heron Red-tailed Hawk Belted Kingfisher Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Blue Jay American Crow

Carolina Chickadee Carolina Wren Eastern Bluebird Northern Mockingbird American Tree Sparrow Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird American Goldfinch

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Sunday, November 19 — Moraine State Park (by participant Paul Hess)

The 14 participants on Jim Valimont's outing had a weirdly wonderful experience at Lake Arthur. A trio of scoters morphed from one species to another, right before our eyes. First, they were three Surfs. Next, they were two Surfs and a Black. Then, they were two White-winged and a Black. Finally, they all showed us their wings and got named correctly as three White-winged-fine rarities for this lake and life birds for Debbie Bryant, John Stehle, and Mike Samo.

Waterbirds were not in large numbers except for Ruddy Ducks (about 300) and American Coots (about 650), but we had a very nice variety. Our meeting place in the South Shore Day Use Area thrilled us with a Common Loon calling from far away and then a group of 10 flying high toward the east. A few sharp ears heard a distant flock of Tundra Swans, which never came into view. Besides the scoters, our South Shore species included Pied-billed Grebes, Horned Grebes, a Double-crested Cormorant, Canada Geese, Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Buffleheads, and Red-breasted Mergansers.

The observation deck on Old Route 422 was surprisingly unproductive. Gadwalls were the only new species we found there. At the upper Route 528 boat launch we added three more waterfowl-American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, and Mallard-but the real highlight was an adult Bald Eagle that flew slowly and low over our heads.

The usual November gulls were present: Bonaparte's, Ring-billed, and Herring. Other birds were rather sparse, the best being two Great Blue Herons, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, two Belted Kingfishers, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, several Brown Creepers, a handful of Golden-crowned Kinglets, two Eastern Bluebirds, and a few American Tree Sparrows. Later, Mike Fialkovich, Jim, and I watched a sick-looking skunk foraging pathetically in the parking lot at the South Shore beach. We didn't try to make friends with it.

After tallying 49 bird species we gathered for the mandatory buckwheat pancake feast at Eppinger's. Incidentally, 12-year-old Mike Samo had 13 lifers for the day. It's great fun to watch young birders' lists grow.

Species list (xx = not counted):

Canada Goose 14 Tundra Swan xx Gadwall 14 American Wigeon 1 Mallard 2 Northern Shoveler 1 Redhead 3 Ring-necked Duck 28 Lesser Scaup 86 White-winged Scoter 3 Bufflehead 17 Red-breasted Merganser 16 Ruddy Duck 300 Common Loon 15 Pied-billed Grebe 29 Horned Grebe 6 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Great Blue Heron 2 Bald Eagle 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 American Kestrel 1 American Coot 650 Bonaparte's Gull 18 Ring-billed Gull 40

Herring Gull 2 Rock Pigeon xx Mourning Dove xx Belted Kingfisher 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Downy Woodpecker 2 Blue Jay xx American Crow x Black-capped Chickadee 5 Tufted Titmouse 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Brown Creeper 3 Carolina Wren 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 10 Easter Bluebird 2 European Starling xx American Tree Sparrow 4 Song Sparrow xx White-throated Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco xx Northern Cardinal xx House Finch 1 American Goldfinch xx House Sparrow xx