29 July 2024
Yesterday there were just four of us on the walk at Lower Frick Park. Charity Kheshgi took the picture so she’s not in it.
Of all the things we saw, a surprising number of them were blue. Chickory was just opening in the morning sun. We saw and heard two indigo buntings.
Ebony jewelwing damselflies were courting above the creek. The female jewelwings looked blueish.
The males glowed iridescent emerald green.
Best Insect Experiment:
- On the way upstream I found two funnel spider webs hiding behind the boardwalk railing. Not a great picture but it shows the hole where the spider is hiding. I have never been able to fool a spider by touching its web so I didn’t even try.
- On the way back we saw red nymph spotted lanternflies. Of course this invasive insect is expendable so … Would the spider come out if we dropped one on his web? Indeed he did and he was fast! He zipped out, stung(?) the nymph, hid for a moment and then raced out and carried the nymph back to his lair.
Best Bird: On the same outing a year ago we saw one yellow-billed cuckoo by the creek. Yesterday we heard two but did not see them. If I had to pick a Best Bird I’d say it was either an indigo bunting or scarlet tanager.
Our checklist is below. View it online here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S189301480
Frick Park–Nine Mile Run, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Jul 28, 2024 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
1.7 miles, 23 species, 4 participants
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) 2 Heard
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 3
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 4
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) 4
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 6
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 5
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 15
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 5
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 3
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 1
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 2
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 4
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 2
(photos by Kate St. John, Charity Kheshgi and John Dzikiy)