Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Field Report: Welkinweir, October 20, 2012

On Saturday, October 20, Rick Keyser lead a bird walk at Welkinweir that saw 42 species, including great views of a Blue-Headed Vireo that was voted "bird of the walk". The complete list, as submitted to eBird, follows:

Canada Goose  25
Great Blue Heron  1
Black Vulture  2
Turkey Vulture  13
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Mourning Dove  7
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker   3
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
Eastern Phoebe  3
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  4
Tree Swallow  2
Carolina Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch   3
Carolina Wren  4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  4
Eastern Bluebird  10
American Robin  25
Gray Catbird  2 
Northern Mockingbird  1 
European Starling  7
Palm Warbler  1 
Palm Warbler (Western)  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  40
Eastern Towhee  1
Chipping Sparrow  8
Field Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow 7
Swamp Sparrow  1
White-throated Sparrow  10
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  2
Northern Cardinal   5
Red-winged Blackbird  8
Common Grackle  3
Brown-headed Cowbird  5
Purple Finch   1
House Finch  3
American Goldfinch  9


Also spotted: a possible Orange-crowned Warbler, Red Admiral, Red Squirrel

Monday, October 22, 2012

Field Report: Exton Park, October 21, 2012

On Sunday, October 21, Brian Henderson lead a bird walk at Exton Park that saw 54 species. A good number of waterfowl, raptors, sparrows, and finches were spotted. The complete list, as submitted to eBird follows:


Canada Goose  170
American Black Duck  3
Mallard  36
Northern Shoveler  1
Ruddy Duck  1
Great Blue Heron  2
Black Vulture  1
Turkey Vulture  6
Sharp-shinned Hawk  2
Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  8
Killdeer 1
Rock Pigeon  1
Mourning Dove  1
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  1
Peregrine Falcon  1
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  100
Fish Crow  17
Tree Swallow  20
Carolina Chickadee  3
Black-capped Chickadee  1
Tufted Titmouse  3
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
Carolina Wren  3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  3
Eastern Bluebird  13
American Robin  24
Gray Catbird  2
Northern Mockingbird  4
European Starling  40
Cedar Waxwing  55
Palm Warbler (Yellow)  3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  6
Chipping Sparrow  1
Field Sparrow  3
Savannah Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  30
Swamp Sparrow  11
White-throated Sparrow  25
White-crowned Sparrow  6
Northern Cardinal  4
Red-winged Blackbird  40
Brown-headed Cowbird  10
Purple Finch  9
House Finch  3
Pine Siskin  3
American Goldfinch  15

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Field Report: Black Rock Sanctuary, October 20, 2012

On October 20, Vince Smith lead a bird walk at Black Rock Sanctuary that saw 40 species. The highlight was spotting seven sparrow species. The complete list, as submitted to eBird, follows:

Canada Goose  28
Wood Duck  1
Mallard  1
Black Vulture  8
Turkey Vulture  1
Sharp-shinned Hawk  2
Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  5
Downy Woodpecker  3
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  5
Carolina Chickadee  6
Tufted Titmouse  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Carolina Wren  7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  5
Eastern Bluebird  2
American Robin  7
Gray Catbird  3
Northern Mockingbird  4
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  8
Common Yellowthroat  2
Palm Warbler  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler  6
Eastern Towhee  5
Chipping Sparrow  1
Field Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  12
Swamp Sparrow  4
White-throated Sparrow  30
White-crowned Sparrow  2
Dark-eyed Junco  1
Northern Cardinal  8
Red-winged Blackbird  4
Common Grackle  1
Purple Finch  1
House Finch  3
American Goldfinch  1

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Eastwick Community Partners with John Heinz NWR to Preserve Green Space - Stand Up for Eastwick on October 9

In Spring 2012, the Friends of Heinz Refuge joined with Eastwick residents in southwest Philadelphia to form the Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition.  This unprecendented partnership of community stake holders came together in response to a high-density apartment construction proposal threatening 128 acres of green space adjacent to Heinz Refuge - one of the largest tracts of open land in Philadelphia still available for development.  The Korman Company has proposed to build 722 rental apartment units with 1,034 parking spaces on 35 acres; the fate of the remaining 93 acres is hinged on this project, as the result of a 2006 settlement agreement between Korman and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA).  

The community commitment to opposing this development and preserving Eastwick's environmental resources reflects tremendous resilience amidst historical hardship and injustice.  In the 1950's, the PRA seized 2500 acres, including these lands, by condemnation and eminent domain. 10,000 residents were displaced from one of the most peacefully-integrated, culturally-diverse urban communities in the country.  Residents resettled elsewhere while new homes were built by Korman on swamps filled in by silt, cinder and river dredge spoils.  Homes have subsided due to unstable foundations, and residents endure significant, consistent flooding.  Additionally, Eastwick is home to the Clearview Landfill, a yet-unremediated superfund site which operated for two decades through the 1970's, emitting unknown quantities of toxic contaminants into Darby Creek and adjacent lands. 

The Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition is committed to advocating for environmentally, economically and socially sustainable future for Eastwick, preserving maximum contiguous green space within the 128-acre parcel.  Korman's development proposal lacks community input, sustainability, innovation and stormwater management plans.  It is inconsistent with Philadelphia's progressive initiatives promoting smart green development, sustainability, and naturally-based stormwater management techniques.  A development of this magnitude would severely undermine Heinz Refuge ability to mitigate flooding, absorb ground pollutants, enhance clean air, and protect natural resources. 

The Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition, with broad support from John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Audubon PA, Sierra Club, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Clean Air Council and others, urges all supporters to Stand Up for Eastwick, and attend a critically-important City Council Hearing on Tuesday, October 9, at 10 AM, in 4th floor Philadelphia City Hall.  Your presence will show city officials the importance of green space in our city, for the health of Eastwick residents as well as our entire city.  For more information, check website:  www.eastwickfriends.wordpress.com.