29 May 2023
Twelve of us turned out in fine weather yesterday morning for a walk in Schenley Park.
There were fewer birds than I expected but some really nice moments such as:
- Peregrine falcon, Carla, seen through my scope as she perched on the Cathedral of Learning,
- A red-tailed hawk’s nest with three young high in the superstructure of the Panther Hollow Bridge,
- A wood thrush singing above Phipps Run,
- Two magnolia warblers gleaning insects near a chickadee family,
- Active robin nests and many adults gathering food. (The nest pictured above by Charity Kheshgi is well camouflaged among the stones of the tufa bridge.)
(Checklist is at https://ebird.org/checklist/S139602834 and listed at the end.)
I was happy to see that deer are eating Japanese knotweed in Schenley as well as in Frick.
Because it had been two months since my last outing in Schenley, when we rounded the bend to Panther Hollow Lake I saw the park through new eyes. Sadly it looked unloved: scattered litter, algae on lake, and a large barren area after last Friday’s grading project.
At this moment the Panther Hollow Lake end of Schenley Park is not in good shape. However, there are birds.
Schenley Park, May 28, 2023 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
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Canada Goose 2
Mourning Dove 1
Chimney Swift 6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
gull species 1: Flyover
Great Blue Heron 1
Red-tailed Hawk 4: adult + 3 nestlings under PH Bridge
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Peregrine Falcon 1 Perched at CL visible from Schenley
Acadian Flycatcher 1
Red-eyed Vireo 4
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 1
Carolina Chickadee 3: adult feeding 2 young
Tufted Titmouse 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 1
Carolina Wren 2
European Starling 6
Gray Catbird 1
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 20: including two active nests + 3rd family with recently fledged young
Cedar Waxwing 1
House Sparrow 1
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 3
Baltimore Oriole 2
Red-winged Blackbird 7
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Common Grackle 1
Magnolia Warbler 2
Yellow Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Northern Cardinal 4
(photos by Charity Kheshgi and Kate St. John)