Lehigh Valley bird sightings for the week of November 30

Dave DeReamus, of the Eastern PA Birdline, compiled these bird sightings for the greater  Lehigh Valley area for the week that ended November 30. The Birdline is sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.

But before we get to the list of sightings, we'd like to call you attention to several important events  scheduled for the Lehigh Valley area.

DECEMBER 14
Allentown Christmas Bird Count
Call your group leader from last year's count or call Stephen Kloiber at 610-863-3889

DECEMBER 15
Wild Creek/Little Gap Christmas Bird Count
Call your group leader from last year's count or call Josh Nemeth at 610-573-8577.

DECEMBER 28
Bethlehem-Easton-Hellertown Christmas Bird Count
Call your group leader from last year's count or call Don and Elaine Mease at 610-346-7754.

Every year thousands of volunteers arm themselves with binoculars, bird guides and checklists to go on an annual mission--creating a census of bird wildlife in the United States, Canada and the rest of the Americas. This year will mark the 114th annual Audubon Society bird count. The data collected enables researchers and conservation biologists to determine the long-term health and status of bird populations. You can play an important role in gathering this information while enjoying time with family, friends and fellow birders.

Now for this week's report:

Snow Bunting

Green Pond, Northampton County
Cackling Goose, 1 on November 23.

Bethlehem, Northampton County
Snowy Owl, 1 on November 29. (An immature owl, it was photographed at 2785 Commerce Center Boulevard.)

Little Gap, Northampton County
Bald Eagle, 6 on November 23 and 5 on November 24.
Golden Eagle, 12 on November 24.
Snow Bunting, 12 on November 24 (fly-bys).
Also seen: Tundra Swan.

Bake Oven Knob, Lehigh County
Bald Eagle, 3 on November 23 and November 24.
Golden Eagle, 14 on November 24.
Also seen: Common Raven.

Allentown, Lehigh County
Rufous Hummingbird, 1 through November 29 in the backyard of a house at North 21st Street.

Macungie, Lehigh County
Rufous Hummingbird, 1 through November 24 in a yard on Orchard Road.

Green Lane Reservoir, Montgomery County
(Church Road area)
Greater White-fronted Goose, 1 to at least November 27.
Cackling Goose, 1 to at least November 25.
Northern Shoveler, 38 on November 27.
Also seen: Pied-billled Grebe and Ruddy Duck.

Northern Shoveler, male (left) and female

Peace Valley Park, Bucks County
Greater White-fronted Goose, 1 during the course of the week.
Cackling Goose, seen during the course of the week.
Long-tailed Duck, 1 on November 23.
Red-breasted Merganser, 4 on November 23.
Red-headed Woodpecker, 2 seen during the week (at Angler's Pier area).
Also seen: Wood Duck, Double-creasted Cormorant, Red-shouldered Hawk, Killdeer, Great and Lesser Black-backed gulls, Winter Wren, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Gray Catbird and Swamp Sparrow.

Merrill Creek Reservoir, New Jersey
(Scotts Mountain Hawkwatch)
Bald Eagle, 4 on November 23 and November 24.
Peregrine Falcon, 1 on November 23 and November 24.

Bald Eagles were noted at several "off-mountain" sites this past week.

Directions to many of the sites in this week's report can be found in "Birds of the Lehigh Valley and Vicinity," a guidebook published by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society and available for sale at The Bird House.