3 July 2023
I’ve had to cancel so many bird walks this spring that I decided to hold yesterday’s 8:30am outing at Duck Hollow despite the fact that it was certain to pour within 45 minutes.
The sky was gloomy gray, the river was like glass and the fish were jumping. The only spot of color was nodding thistle (Carduus nutans), a biennial from Eurasia.
Just two of us were hardy enough (crazy enough?) to show up. It started raining steadily in only 40 minutes. We called it quits and went home.
But the birds were quite good considering the weather. Favorites were …
- A family of belted kingfishers with two begging youngsters. One of the “kids” held his wings wide open to attract attention, like the begging move of a fledgling peregrine.
- Two warbler species: a yellow warbler and a very wet black-and-white warbler that walked the branches of a black locust.
- A recently fledged northern mockingbird in a mulberry tree with ripe fruit, along with house finch families with begging young.
Our checklist is here https://ebird.org/checklist/S143326273 and listed below.
Duck Hollow, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, US
Jul 2, 2023 8:30 AM – 9:10 AM
— 18 species —
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 10
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 12
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 10
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 5
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 4, Two begging youngsters
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 6
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 4
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 1 Recently fledged with rumpled gape.
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 5
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 12, feeding young
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 3
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 7
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 3
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 5
(photos by Kate St. John)