Lehigh Valley bird sightings for October 17

Dark-eyed Junco

It there was any doubt that winter is coming soon, that question was settled when Dark-eyed Juncos began arriving all across the Lehigh Valley this week.

The “snowbirds”—so named because their slate-gray back resembles the dark, cloudy days of winter and their chests are nearly white as snow—have been seen throughout Northampton, Lehigh and Bucks counties.

The juncos haven’t arrived yet in large numbers. These are the early arrivals. But the rest are now moving south from Canada, even as another wintertime bird—the White-throated Sparrow—is now becoming more numerous.

You should begin seeing Juncos and White-throated Sparrows at your backyard bird feeders any time now (if you haven’t seen one already). Juncos generally feed on the ground, so be sure to have a ground-level feeder ready.

If juncos and White-throated Sparrows weren't enough to remind us of the changing of the seasons, a Snow Goose was seen in Orefield, Lehigh County, on October 13. That is the usual time for these birds to begin arriving in our area.

White-throated Sparrow

In the meantime, the remaining summertime birds are getting ready to leave for the South and beyond. The remaining ones are still feasting on insects and other small invertebrates and on fruit. But the colder nights have sharply reduced insect populations. For most flying insects, breeding becomes difficult when nighttime temperatures dip into the 40s and do not rebound until noontime.

With that said, here are the latest bird sightings in the greater Lehigh Valley area during the week ended October 17. The listing is based on reports from the American Birding Association website, the E-bird website and the Eastern PA Birdline, which is coordinated by Dave DeReamus and sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.

Williams Township, Northampton County
Indigo Bunting, 3 on October 11.
Purple Finch, 12 on October 13.
Also seen: Common Yellowthroat, Hairy Woodpecker, Palm and Yellow-rumped warblers, and Song, Swamp, Lincoln’s, Field, Chipping, Savannah and White-throated sparrows.

Jacobsburg State Park, Northampton County
Dark-eyed Junco, 1 on October 16.
Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 on October 16.
White-throated Sparrow, 15 on October 16.
Cedar Waxwing, 20 on October 16.
Also seen: Tree Swallow, Turkey Vulture, and Chipping, Song and Swamp sparrows.

Bethlehem Township, Northampton County
(along the Canal Towpath, below the Bethlehem Boat Club)
Dark-eyed Junco, 2 on October 11.
Also seen: Winter Wren.
(at Housenick Memorial Park)
White-throated Sparrow, 10 on October 16.
Also seen: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Ovenbird.

Common Yellowthroat, soon to migrate south

Bethlehem City, Northampton County
(at Monocacy Park)
Dark-eyed Junco, 1 on October 12 (first of the season here) and 1 on October 13.
White-throated Sparrow, 5 on October 13.
American Robin, 25 on October 13.
Also seen: Brown Thrasher, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Common Yellowthroat and Yellow-rumped Warbler.
(at Sand Island and Lehigh Canal)
Mute Swan, 2 on October 14.
Also seen: Fish Crow and Mallard.

Newburg, Northampton County
Dark-eyed Junco, 1 on October 13.
White-throated Sparrow, 9 on October 13.
Also seen: Cooper’s Hawk.

Bath, Northampton County
(at Graver’s Arboretum)
Canada Goose, 250 on October 16.
Dark-eyed Junco, 1 on October 16.
White-throated Sparrow, 10 on October 16.
Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2 on October 16.
Cooper’s Hawk, 1 on October 16.
Yellow-throated Vireo, 1 on October 16.
Great Horned Owl, 1 on October 16.
Also seen: Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Downy Woodpecker, Common Yellowthroat and Red-winged Blackbird.

Seemsville, Northampton County
Dark-eyed Junco, several seen on October 17.
Also seen: White-throated Sparrow.

Turkey Road Game Lands, Northampton County
Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 on October 14.
Swainson’s Thrush, 2 on October 14.
Also seen: Eastern Phoebe and Golden-crowned Kinglet.

Little Gap Hawk Watch, Northampton County
Dark-eyed Junco, 12 on October 12.
Northern Harrier, 4 on October 12.
Sharp-shinned Hawk, 143 on October 12.
Cooper’s Hawk, 20 on October 12.
Bald Eagle, 6 on October 12.
American Kestrel, 5 on October 12.
Also seen: Black Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Merlin, Peregine Falcon, Canada Goose, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Phoebe and Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Walking Purchase Park, Lehigh County
Dark-eyed Junco, 1 on October 12.
Sharp-shinned Hawk, 4 on October 12.
Cooper’s Hawk, 1 on October 12.
Palm Warbler, 6 on October 12.
Also seen: Pied-eyed Grebe, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Blue-headed Vireo, Brown Creeper, Brown-headed Cowbird, and White-throated and Song sparrows.

Fountain Hill, Lehigh County
Raven, 11 on October 11.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet: a short-distance migrant

Allentown, Lehigh County
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, 1 through at least October 10.
Red-tailed Hawk, 2 on October 14.

Mosser Woods, Lehigh County
White-throated Sparrow, 5 on October 16.
Also seen: Blue-headed Vireo.

Dorneyville, Lehigh County
Red-winged Blackbird, 45 on October 15.
Also seen: Pine Siskin.

Trexlertown, Lehigh County
(at Trexler Memorial Park)
American Robin, 40 at October 12.
Also seen: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cooper’s Hawk, White-throated and Song sparrows, and Scarlet Tanager.
(at Trexler Nature Preserve)
Black-billed Cuckoo, 1 on October 11.
American Robin, 123 on October 11.
Tree Swallow, 6 on October 11.
Palm Warbler, 3 on October 11.
Cedar Waxwing, 53 on October 11.
Also seen: Great Horned Owl, Brown Creeper, White-throated Sparrow, Red-tailed Hawk, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Black-throated Green Warbler.

Leaser Lake, Lehigh County
Tree Swallow, 50 on October 11.
Great Egret, 2 on October 11.
Also seen: Pied-eyed Grebe and Winter Wren.

Pine Warbler, another southbound migrant

Haafsville, Lehigh County
White-throated Sparrow, 1 on October 11 and 3 on October 13.
Pine Warbler, 1 on October 13.
Also seen: Eastern Phoebe and Common Yellowthroat.

Pool Wildlife Sanctuary, Lehigh County
Dark-eyed Junco, 1 on October 15.
Cedar Waxwing, 8 on October 16.
White-throated Sparrow, 1 on October 15.
Also seen: Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk and Eastern Phoebe.

Orefield, Lehigh County
Snow Goose, 1 on October 13.
Also seen: Cackling Goose and Canada Goose.

New Tripoli, Lehigh County
Ring-necked Pleasant, 1 on October 14.
American Kestrel, 1 on October 13.
Also seen: Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Song and Field sparrows.

Zionsville, Lehigh County
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1 on October 12.
Also seen: Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk and Chipping Sparrow.

State Game Lands 205, Lehigh County
Ring-necked Pleasant, 7 on October 12.
Northern Harrier, 1 on October 12.
Sharp-shinned Hawk, 3 on October 12.
Merlin, 1 on October 12.
Cooper’s Hawk, 2 on October 12.
Also seen: Pine Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Blue-headed Vireo, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Black-throated Green Warbler and White-crowned Sparrow.

Riegelsville, Bucks County
(at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary)
Nashville Warbler, 1 on October 11.
Also seen: Red-bellied Woodpecker, Black-throated Blue Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Peace Valley Park, Bucks County
Greater White-fronted Goose, 1 from October 10 through at least October 12.
Cackling Goose, 3 on October 7.
Ruddy Duck, 32 on October 10.
White-eyed Vireo, 1 on October 10.
Double-crested Cormorant, 30 on October 10.
Also seen: Northern Shoveler, Pied-eyed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Great Egret, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Blue-headed Vireo, House Wren, Scarlet Tanager, and Swamp and White-throated sparrows.

Brant, rarely seen in our area

Green Lane Reservoir, Montgomery County
Glossy Iris, 1 on October 6.
White-rumped Sandpiper, 2 on October 12.
Semipalmated Sandpiper, 4 on October 12.

Merrill Creek Reservoir, New Jersey
(at Scotts Mountain Hawk Watch)
Brant, 28 on October 2.
Bald Eagle, 6 on October 5 and 11 on October 8.
Sharp-shinned Hawk, 183 on October 5.
Northern Goshawk, 1 on October 10.
Golden Eagle, 1 on October 10.
Merlin, 6 on October 14.
Peregrine Falcon, 4 on October 5.

To report bird sightings to Dave DeReamus, send an e-mail to becard@rcn.com with the word "Birdline" in the subject heading.