The Monongahela River at Duck Hollow, 19 Oct 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)
22 October 2024
Last month’s outing was rained out by the remnants of Hurricane Helene so I’m going to try again …
Join me at Duck Hollow on Sunday 27 October 2024, 8:30am to 10:30am for a bird and nature walk.
Meet at the Duck Hollow parking lot at the end of Old Browns Hill Road. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring binoculars, field guides and a birding scope if you have them.
When I stopped by there yesterday I saw only two mallards(!) but there were three golden-crowned kinglets similar to this one, photographed by Charity Kheshgi last year.
Golden-crowned kinglet, Frick Park, 26 Oct 2023 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)
As always, remember to check the Events page before you come in case of changes or cancellations!
What Best Bird will show up next Sunday? Come to Duck Hollow and see.
Bumblebee on goldenrod, 20 Sep 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)
23 September 2024
UPDATE ON 29 SEPT, 7:15AM: THIS OUTING IS CANCELED DUE TO FOG AND RAIN.
Next Sunday we’re heading back to Frick Park at Commercial Street to avoid Forbes and Fifth Avenue road closures during Pittsburgh’s Great Race. Don’t miss maps and instructions at end.
We’re sure to see fruits, seeds, goldenrod and bees as we check out Nature’s activity near the trailhead on our way to the boardwalk.
Last Saturday in Frick Park Charity Kheshgi and I saw Swainson’s thrushes and six species of warblers (checklist here). The mix of migratory species will change by the time we reach Frick next Sunday but I can promise blue jays and red-bellied woodpeckers. Both have a lot of personality.
Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them.
Visit my Events page before you come in case of changes or cancellations.
Avoiding Great Race Road Closures on 29 Sept
The Great Race will close Fifth Avenue from Bigelow Blvd to Downtown at 6:30am (corner of Soldiers & Sailors and Cathderal of Learning). Forbes and Fifth-at-Bigelow will close at 8:30am. CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL RACE and ROAD CLOSURE MAP.
The parking lot is circled on the map below. NOTE: If you park in one of the small dirt lots near a Frick Park entry gate, cross the road and walk under the arching Parkway Bridge to join us. See map and photo below.
Park anywhere along Commercial Street but meet at the Nine Mile Run Parking area (screenshot map from Google)If you park on Commercial Street, follow this path to the meeting place
Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them. If it’s hot be sure to bring water, sunscreen and a hat.
Visit my Events page before you come in case of changes or cancellations. The outing will be canceled if there’s lightning or heavy downpours.
Metallic green bug on spotted knapweed, July 2013 (photo by Kate St. John)
22 July 2024
Insects are singing while songbirds are quiet as they wrap up the breeding season.
Join me for a bird & nature walk in Frick Park on Sunday, July 28, 2024, 8:30a – 10:30a.
Meet me at the Nine Mile Run Trail Parking lot. We’ll check out the birds, flowers and bugs in the Nine Mile Run trailhead area before heading over to the boardwalk.
NOTE: If you park in one of the small dirt lots near a Frick Park entry gate, cross the road and walk under the arching Parkway Bridge to join us.
Park anywhere along Commercial Street but meet at the Nine Mile Run Parking area (screenshot map from Google)From Commercial Street at Frick Park follow the path to the meeting place
We’re sure to hear goldfinches — will they have fledglings? — and see plenty of insects. This walk will go past the place where we saw ebony jewelwings in early July. Will they be there?
Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring water, a sun hat and binoculars (if you have them).
Before you come, visit my Events page in case of changes or cancellations. The outing will be canceled if there’s lightning or heavy rain.
Statewide, wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Pennsylvania declined again last year. Did their status improve in the last 12 months? To answer that question, the PA Game Commission (PGC) is conducting their Annual Pennsylvania Wild Turkey Sighting Survey from July 1 through August 31 and is asking the public to help. Right now this link shows prior results. Click here to enter data after July 1.
In the survey press release PGC reported:
The Statewide reproductive success last summer, which is measured by the number of young turkeys (poults) seen per all hens seen, was 2.9 poults per hen, compared to 3.1 poults per hen in 2022 and 2021.”
Allegheny County’s predominant Wildlife Management Unit, WMU 2B below, had mixed results. Overall, there were fewer turkeys but reproductive success was higher than in 2022. However, our WMU contributed to the downward spiral as we had only 2.24 poults per hen.
Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring binoculars, field guides and a scope for river watching if you have them.
This event will be held rain or shine but not in a downpour or thunder. Check the Events page before you come in case this outing is canceled for thunder or heavy downpours.
On a woodcock walk at Hillman State Park on the night of 13 April, we paused to look at a beaver pond when someone pointed to a strange row of lights moving silently across the sky. There were more than 20 of them, obviously man-made and kind of creepy. None of us knew what they were. The next morning I figured out they were Starlink satellites.
This week Pittsburghers will have five opportunities to see this eerie phenomenon. Here’s what they look like, even without binoculars.
Starlink Satellites train seen in the sky Elon Musk SpaceX 2024 (embedded from ViralVideoLab on YouTube)
Note: This group contains about 60 satellites. Nowadays SpaceX launches about 20 per batch.
A Starlink satellite string can be seen only in the few days following a Starlink Falcon rocket launch. You must be in the right location (under the flight path), with a clear sky and within two hours of sunset or sunrise.
This 5-minute video “explainer” by meteorologist Brad Panovich in Charlotte, NC, recorded in September 2023, explains the network of Starlink satellites, how the string is deployed and why you only see them for a couple of days if you’re lucky.
The SpaceX Starlink Satellites Tracker website predicts when a Starlink train will pass overhead for your selected location. The website cannot predict very far in advance because the calculations must be made after a payload rocket has launched. Though the launches are scheduled, the actual time of liftoff can change.
Will the sky be clear for viewing the transit this week? So far so good according to the Pittsburgh Clear Sky Chart. Check the Starlink schedule above or on the web, then find a patch of dark sky and look up at the right moment in the direction indicated.
Creepy, eh?
And according to Wikipedia, “Astronomers have raised concerns about the effect the constellation may have on ground-based astronomy, and how the satellites will contribute to an already congested orbital environment.”
More information: Starlink is a satellite internet constellation whose purpose is to provide worldwide internet coverage and global mobile broadband [for a fee]. Starlink Services LLC is a subsidiary of SpaceX which is owned by Elon Musk. Since 2019 SpaceX has launched over 6,000 mass-produced small satellites into low Earth orbit. Nearly 12,000 satellites are planned to be deployed, with a possible later extension to 34,400.
First Pitt fledgling (probably Yellow) perches on stone peak at 40th floor, 3 June 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)
3 June 2024, 7:00pm
By 3 June at 11:00am both Pitt peregrine chicks had made their first flight. Here’s how I know …
On Monday morning I walked around the Cathedral of Learning looking for any peregrine anywhere on the building. Youngsters tend to perch in locations the adults don’t use and an adult perched in an unusual place is watching a youngster.
When I saw a peregrine on a favorite perch at 40th floor Northwest, I assumed it was an adult because the location, pictured above, is too challenging for an amateur to land on. Through my scope I confirmed it was a juvenile, probably the male nicknamed Yellow who fledged a day or two ago.
I could not find the second chick, Blue, but I found an adult intently watching the 38 East “patio” roof so it’s a good bet that youngster was over there. My hunch was supported by two “kakking” episodes in which an adult circled the building and shouted at a potential threat at that level. The adults are highly aggressive at this stage.
Around that time Ecco visited the nest for a while, apparently taking a break from babysitting.
The parents chill at the nest because the “kids” won’t return to it unless there’s food. At this point the parents are delivering food to the fledgling wherever he is. Soon the youngsters will gain flight confidence and chase their parents to get the prey. Eventually they will learn to hunt.
The last Fledge Watch is cancelled (would have been 6/4) because the youngsters have left the nestrail. The only way to see them now is to walk around the building looking for them. I know from experience that it’s hard to catch up to a peregrine who can fly.
Peregrine chicks at Cathedral of Learning nest, 28 days old, 20 May 2024 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
21 May 2024
Yesterday was a big day for the Pitt peregrine chicks. The smaller chick made two new moves: He jumped up on the green perch and he snatched prey from his mother. Today will be even bigger. It’s Banding Day! The event is closed to the public (the room has a very strict occupancy limit!) but you’ll see the start and end on the falconcam.
Big Moves Yesterday: Green perch & Food snatch
Both big moves are shown in this video of snapshots.
video from the National Aviary snaphot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh
Here’s a closer look at the snatching episode as seen on the streaming cam: Carla was about to kill and pluck a chimney swift when the male chick snatched it. Chaos ensued! When Carla couldn’t retrieve it she shouted to Ecco while the other chick begged loudly.
Male peregrine steals incoming prey from Carla. Everyone shouts, 20 May 2024, 17:21 (video from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
Banding Day Today:
You’ll know when Lead Bander Patti Barber of the Pennsylvania Game Commission goes out on the ledge to retrieve the chicks because you’ll hear Carla and Ecco shouting and the youngsters will huddle at the back of the box.
When the chicks are brought indoors they will receive health checks and leg bands and be returned to the nest in less than half an hour.
Stay tuned later today for banding photos and an update on the event.
Female red-winged blackbird scans the sky while collecting nesting material, Schenley Park, 18 May 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)
19 May 2024
The pouring rain ended yesterday morning just in time for our walk in Schenley Park.
Outing at Schenley Park, 18 May 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)
From midnight until 8am 1.16 inches of rain fell. All the streams were rushing and Panther Hollow Lake was muddy and full. It looked as if the lake had risen 8-12 inches since I saw it the day before.
Among the cattails we found busy red-winged blackbirds including a female gathering nesting material who scanned the sky for predators (at top). The last time I saw red-wings building nests was in mid April. Was this a second nesting? Or had high water flooded nests that now were being rebuilt?
Female red-winged blackbird collecting nesting material, Schenley Park, 18 May 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)
Why was the female blackbird scanning the sky? She probably saw a red-tailed hawk shuttling food to three youngsters in their nest on the bridge.
3 youngsters in red-tailed hawk nest, Schenley Park, 18 May 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)
All told we saw 27 species of birds plus one doe, five bucks and an active beehive.
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