29 August 2021
This morning’s outing in Schenley Park was very well attended — 28 people! — so I had to paste two photos together to get (almost) everyone in.
The weather was clammy-hot and the birds were not active but bugs were easy to find. Can you see the green stink bug (Chinavia hilaris) in this picture?
We also saw cocklebur as promised and an unusual invasive, yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus), which is cultivated in Eurasia for its edible tubers eaten as snack food or made into a sweet milk-like beverage.
Our Best Bird was a lucky find. As we stood next to Panther Hollow Lake a peregrine falcon zoomed overhead, went into a stoop, and disappeared beyond Phipps Conservatory on his way to the Cathedral of Learning.
We worked for every bird on this checklist at https://ebird.org/checklist/S93900051
Schenley Park–Panther Hollow, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, US
Aug 29, 2021 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM, 1.5 mile(s), 19 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 30 part of the larger flock on Phipps lawn
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 2 1 adult, 1 immature circling as we ended the walk
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 2
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 4
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) 1 Flyover went into a stoop beyond Phipps roof
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 6
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) 2
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 1 Heard
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 1
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 2
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 2
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 5
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 4
The next walk, scheduled for 26 September at Bartlett Shelter, should be cooler. Whew!
(photos by Kate St. John)