2012 Spring Bird Count Results

Vincent Smith, Compiler

On June 2, 2012 Valley Forge Audubon Society conducted it’s 27th Spring Bird Count. I would like to thank each of the 11 Section Leaders and 63 Volunteers for making 2012 a major success. The weather was great and the birds came in with a good showing. This year brought in 94 species which is slightly higher than the 27 year average of 92 species. The total number of birds counted was the second highest on record with 11,299 birds (previous high total was 2008 with 11,497). Most exciting is that our volunteer numbers have been 60 people or more since 2008, (average is 50 volunteers).

This year demonstrated some of the highest totals ever counted for some species. Some of those increases reflect real increases in birds, but some is probably attributed to the hard work and commitment of our section leaders and volunteers. We have more eyes and ears out there finding the birds in their territories. In my time as compiler, I have been amazed to see the consistency of our leader reports. For many, the species numbers for each section are within few of years past (exceptions are species that have large fluctuations such as Canada Geese and American Robin).

First the good news. Numerous species observed this year were the highest counts ever recorded. The chart listed below shows the numbers for each species and the average over the 27 year count.

Species	2012	Average
Great Blue Heron	40	11
Black Vulture	89	12
Turkey Vulture	143	54
Cooper's Hawk	9	2
Red-tailed Hawk	67	32
Belted Kingfisher	29	12
Hairy Woodpecker	24	10
Pileated Woodpecker	7 (ties with 2011)	1
Eastern Phoebe	59	29
Great-crested Flycatcher	57	30
N. Rough-winged Swallow	133	54
Barn Swallow	166	101
Tufted Titmouse	226	110
White-breasted Nuthatch	84	26
Song Sparrow	422	245
Indigo Bunting	106	55
Red-winged Blackbird	627	273
Baltimore Oriole	184	103

Species that appear to be trending up are as follows:

Species	2012	Average
Double-crested Cormorant	6 (late migrants- since 2003)	3
Common Merganser	2 (Present last 4 years)(Has bred)	1
Bald Eagle	2 (Present since 2006)	0 (Breeds in our area)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	12 (double digits since 2007 - except 9 birds 2010	6
Fish Crow	19	7
Blue Gray Gnatcatcher	61	23 (50 range last 4 years)

Now the bad news. Field nesting species, secondary growth species and warblers seem to be in decline. Field and secondary growth nesters appear to be trending down due to either natural succession or changes in habitat. Field nesters like Eastern Meadowlarks have few large expansive meadows left in our area. Any hayfields or meadows are either succeeding to brush or the mowing cycle prevents a successful nesting (Hayfields managed for birds should not be mowed until Mid-July to allow meadow species to nest. Unfortunately, in todays world, most farmers are mowing in June to get extra fodder). Successional species like Yellow-breasted Chat, Field Sparrow, Blue-winged Warbler and White-eye Vireo are losing habitat as brush returns to forest through natural succession (Valley Forge Audubon has recently received a grant to create early sucessional scrub habitat at three locations in the Ridely/Crum Creeks IBA). Wood Warblers appear to be in decline due to a combination of factors such as, broken forested areas, over-development, suburban sprawl, invasive species (plants and animals) people and their pets. Keep those kitties inside and dogs on leash. Common Grackles are in significant decline. Their decline may be tied to threats on their wintering grounds, namely the use of avian controls of blackbirds. Unfortunately, Common Grackles appear to be following the same trend as Rusty Blackbirds did in the 1990’s.

Here is a list of species either in decline or trending down:

Species	2012	Average
American Kestrel	12	6 (In decline since 1995)
Ring-necked Pheasant	0	5 (In decline since 1995)
Veery	7	10
Blue-winged Warbler	5	10
Kentucky Warbler	0	2 (Not observed since 2009)
Yellow-breasted Chat	0	1 (Not observed since 2003)
Eastern Meadowlark	4	8
Common Grackle	173	345

Two of the rarer species observed on this year’s count were 2 Broad-winged Hawks, (Section 1 & 4) and a late White-throated Sparrow observed at a feeder in Section 5.

Again, I would like to thank all the section leaders (Mike Coulter, Rick Keyser, Bruce Piecukonis, Jan Gordon, Barbara Hiebsch, Debbie Beer, Lynn Roman, Tom Reeves, Joe Hudson, Edie Parnum ) and volunteers for making this year’s count a success.

Pencil into your calendars the Christmas Bird Count which will take place on December 22, 2012 this year.

Click here to download the complete 2012 Spring Bird Count stats.

Field Report: Bombay Hook NWR, August 26, 2012

On Sunday August 26, VFAS held a special birding trip to Bombay Hook NWR in Delaware. 43 species were spotted, including some good shorebirds such as Black-bellied Plover and American Avocet. The complete list, as submitted to eBird, follows:

Canada Goose  100
Wood Duck  3
Mallard  35
Blue-winged Teal  2
Northern Shoveler  12
Green-winged Teal  12
Double-crested Cormorant  2
Great Blue Heron  3
Great Egret  4
Snowy Egret  5
Glossy Ibis  1
Turkey Vulture  12
Osprey  1
Northern Harrier  1
Bald Eagle  4
Clapper Rail  2
Black-bellied Plover  1
Semipalmated Plover  12
American Avocet  36
Lesser Yellowlegs  8
Semipalmated Sandpiper  50
Western Sandpiper  1
Dunlin  1
Short-billed Dowitcher  25
Laughing Gull  25
Herring Gull  6
Great Black-backed Gull  4
Caspian Tern  1
Forster's Tern  7
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Eastern Phoebe  1
Eastern Kingbird  4
Tree Swallow  8
Carolina Chickadee  4
Carolina Wren  2
Northern Mockingbird  2
European Starling  20
Northern Cardinal  2
Blue Grosbeak  7
Red-winged Blackbird  4
American Goldfinch  6

Field Report: John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove, August 25, 2012

On Saturday August 25, Vincent Smith lead a bird walk at the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove. 43 species were spotted, the highlight being four Red-breasted Nuthatches that were seen and heard in the same Norway Spruce at the same time. This is one of the earliest sightings of the species, which have recently been spotted in good numbers throughout the area The complete list, as submitted to eBird, follows:

Canada Goose  2
Mallard  5
Double-crested Cormorant  4
Great Blue Heron  2
Great Egret  1
Green Heron  6
Turkey Vulture  2
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Least Sandpiper  1
Mourning Dove  4
Chimney Swift  6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Downy Woodpecker  4
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  4
Eastern Wood-Pewee  5
Eastern Phoebe  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Warbling Vireo  1
Red-eyed Vireo  1
Blue Jay  12
American Crow  4
Carolina Chickadee  6
Tufted Titmouse  3
Red-breasted Nuthatch  4
White-breasted Nuthatch  4
Carolina Wren  7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Eastern Bluebird  3
American Robin  5
Gray Catbird  15
Black-and-white Warbler  2
Common Yellowthroat  2
American Redstart  1
Chipping Sparrow  3
Northern Cardinal  8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1
Common Grackle  25
Baltimore Oriole  2
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  12

Field Report: Exton Park Pond, August 19, 2012

Valley Forge Audubon Society holds a bird walk at Exton Park in West Whiteland Township on the morning of the third Sunday of every month. On August 19, Vincent Smith lead a group that saw thirty species of birds. The complete list, as submitted to eBird, follows:

Canada Goose  2
Great Blue Heron  1
Great Egret  1
Green Heron  1
Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Mourning Dove  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Belted Kingfisher  1
Downy Woodpecker  3
Eastern Kingbird  3
White-eyed Vireo  3
American Crow  34
Barn Swallow  9
Carolina Chickadee  2
House Wren  11
Carolina Wren  4
Eastern Bluebird  2
American Robin  2
Gray Catbird  22
European Starling  13
Cedar Waxwing  4
Common Yellowthroat  5
American Redstart  2
Song Sparrow  4
Northern Cardinal  3
Indigo Bunting  3
Red-winged Blackbird  10
Baltimore Oriole  2
American Goldfinch  21

VFAS Awarded Grant to Promote and Restore Early Successional Scrub Habitat

We're excited to announce that Valley Forge Audubon Society has received a $20,000 grant through Toyota's and the National Audubon Society's Together Green initiative. We'll be using this money in partnership with Audubon Pennsylvania, the Willistown Conservation Trust, The Achievement Project (TAP - a nonprofit after-school enrichment program from the city of Chester),  and the Charles A. Melton Arts and Education Center to promote the importance of early successional scrub habitat and to restore this habitat in areas of the Ridley/Crum Creek Important Bird Area.

While the environment of the northeastern United States is most often associated with forest and woodlands, fields and meadows are also an important habitat in the area. When forest trees are cleared by fire, flooding, weather, or age, the open spaces become fields and meadows. Eventually, these areas will turn back into forest as new plants begin to colonize the land. Early successional scrub habitat is the transition stage between meadow and forest.

Common Yellowthroats are one of many warbler species
that depend on scrub habitat. Photo by Vincent Smith

Characterized by low woody vegetation and herbaceous plants, early successional scrub habitat is extremely beneficial for juvenile survivorship of an extensive variety of bird species. The “Early Successional Scrub Habitat Awareness Initiative” will be an Innovation Grant-fueled effort to resuscitate the image of these vital natural areas, often disregarded and cleared, to produce a model that will provide an example and motivation for spreading the habitat. The plan will initially involve the development of early successional scrub habitat demonstration areas at three different sites in the Ridley/Crum Creek IBA: Ashbridge Preserve, Rushton Woods Preserve, and Ridley Creek State Park. Hands-on activities will include the removal of invasive plants and the addition of native shrubs, the mowing of grassland plots to make room for more native species, and fencing plots for deer protection. Bird surveys and banding will be an additional and critical component of the habitat restoration, and community engagement and education will occur throughout all stages of the initiative.

Brown Thrashers are another species associated
with scrub habitat. Photo by Vincent Smith

“The volunteers from the Melton Center and TAP, representing a broad range of ages, races, and backgrounds will be a revolutionary force with which to restore and raise awareness of early successional scrub habitat,” said Audubon Pennsylvania Important Bird Area Coordinator Brian Byrnes. “By involving urban and suburban volunteers and landowners in the creation of this model and by actively promoting its importance and replicability though workshops, brochures, and self-guided tours, we hope to shift area residents’ suburban mentality to a mindset that allows them to see the natural and ecological beauty of early successional scrub habitat.”

As part of this project, we'll be posting regularly to update our members and the community on its progress. We'll also be posting articles detailing the importance of early successional scrub habitat and the birds and other wildlife that depend on it for their survival. Anyone wishing to volunteer their time  for this project can contact VFAS through the contact page on our website or by calling us at 610-666-5593.

Since 2008, over $5.5 million in Together Green Innovation Grants funding has been awarded to more than 200 environmental projects nationwide. This year’s grant projects will receive over $1 million in funding and will involve more than 500 partner organizations nationwide. Many of the projects focus on engaging audiences that have traditionally been under-served by the conservation movement, from landowners to religious institutions to inner city students. For more details about the 2012 Audubon Toyota Together Green Innovation Grants projects, visit: www.togethergreen.org/grants.

Field Report: John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove, July 29, 2012

On Sunday, July 29, Vince Smith and Dan Sullivan lead a bird walk at the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove that saw 34 bird species. Here's the complete list, as submitted to eBird:

Canada Goose  5
Mallard  3
Great Blue Heron  1
Green Heron  3
Bald Eagle  1
Cooper's Hawk  1
Ring-billed Gull  1
Mourning Dove  4
Chimney Swift  5
Belted Kingfisher  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  2
Eastern Phoebe  3
Eastern Kingbird  2
Blue Jay  3
American Crow  1
Barn Swallow  6
Carolina Chickadee  4
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Carolina Wren  2
House Wren  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  2
Eastern Bluebird  10
American Robin  6
Gray Catbird  9
European Starling  10
Common Yellowthroat  3
Chipping Sparrow  6
Northern Cardinal  3
Indigo Bunting  3
Common Grackle  1
House Finch  8
American Goldfinch  9

Field Report: John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove, July 14, 2012

On Saturday, July 14, Vince Smith lead a bird walk at the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove that counted 35 species. The complete list, as reported to eBird follows:


Canada Goose  24
Mallard  16
Great Blue Heron  2
Green Heron  5
Cooper's Hawk  3 (Adult male carried a bird to juvenile)
Killdeer  1
Chimney Swift  4
Downy Woodpecker  3
Eastern Wood-Pewee  2
Eastern Phoebe  3
Warbling Vireo  1
Red-eyed Vireo  3
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1
Tree Swallow  1
Barn Swallow  10
Carolina Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  3
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Carolina Wren  4
House Wren  3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  3
Eastern Bluebird  4
Wood Thrush  3
American Robin  11
Gray Catbird  7
Common Yellowthroat  4
Chipping Sparrow  5
Song Sparrow  11
Northern Cardinal  7
Indigo Bunting  4
Common Grackle  1
House Finch  3
American Goldfinch  5