May 30, 2012 at 2:43 pm (birds, Brunner Island, conservation, nature, observations, outdoors, Pennsylvania)
It might look rather strange, this black box attached to a post in the Brunner Island wetlands, but it is there for a good reason. Dick Humbert put the black boxes there to attract a yellow, green and bluish-gray bird known as a Prothonotary Warbler. These birds are the only cavity nesting warblers in the east. And since they can’t create their own nesting cavity, they depend on what they find. As James Barclay’s photos show, at least one of the little black boxes at the wetlands did its job of attracting a nesting pair of Prothonotary Warblers this year. Many thanks to both Dick and Jim for their wildlife conservation efforts.
Prothonotary warbler perched in Brunner Islands wetland. Photo by James Barclay of York, PA.
Prothonotary warbler in nest box at Brunner Island wetlands. Photo by James Barclay of York, PA.
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May 15, 2012 at 4:18 pm (Activities, bird count, birds, conservation, Montour Preserve, nature, observations, outdoors, Pennsylvania)
Killdeer on a nest in the gravel. Camouflaged eggs are difficult to see.
Many eyes help in finding and counting birds. That was especially important on Saturday, May 12. That day was the annual Pennsylvania Migration Count, a part of the annual North American Migration Count. On count day every year, volunteers across the country spend time counting numbers and species of birds. Some birds are newly returned from their wintering grounds. Other birds returned earlier in the spring and are courting and choosing nesting sites. Still other birds that are year round residents are already nesting. The count in and around Montour Preserve included a bird walk for the public. After all, many sets of eyes are better than a single pair. After the walk was over, two of us continued the count. The grand total for the day was 371 birds of 62 different species. These included common birds like American robins, eastern bluebirds, blue jays and chickadees as well as more rare species like bald eagles and peregrine falcons. This survey provides scientists with a snapshot in time of bird populations and where they are found that can be compared with similar snapshots from previous years. This information will give scientists an idea of what is happening with the birds.
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May 9, 2012 at 2:53 pm (butterflies, insects, migration, nature, observations, outdoors, Pennsylvania, seasons)
This past week has brought an aerial invasion of sorts. From the east coast to the midwest, Red Admiral butterflies have been showing up in numbers like never before. These striking butterflies are returning northward from wintering in the south, from Texas to 
Guatemala. They begin traveling north in March. With the extremely early warm weather, mony more than usual have survived the journey. Some will stay in our area to breed and lay eggs. Later in the summer months we should see a large number of the next generation of Red Admirals.
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April 16, 2012 at 4:30 pm (fishing, nature, observations, outdoors, Susquehanna Riverlands)
Tags: Lake Took-A-While, trout season
If the mild weather this winter didn’t have you daydreaming about spring, than certainly the first day of trout season will have you thinking about warm temperatures, wildflowers and afternoons on the banks of your favorite stream or lake.
The first day of trout season is often marked far in advance on an angler’s calendar. Family traditions are plentiful as the young and young at heart enjoy time together.
On Saturday, several hundred anglers of all ages gathered at Lake Took-A-While and many were lucky (or skilled) enough to leave with their daily limit of fish. If you’re interested in trying your luck or just enjoying the view, the Susquehanna Riverlands is opened from 8 am – 8 pm, seven days a week. Call 1-866-832-3312 if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you soon!
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April 12, 2012 at 4:35 pm (flowers, Holtwood, native plants, nature, observations, outdoors, Pennsylvania, seasons, wildflowers)
A pale blue haze appears to hang above the forest floor givin
g the woodland a rather unearthly appearance. Upon closer approach you discover that the blue is from the flowers of Virginia bluebells. These spring wildflowers are in full bloom at Shenk’s Ferry Wildflower area of the Holtwood Environmental Preserve. For more information about Shenk’s Ferry Wildflower Preserve go here: http://bit.ly/1NrPSy.
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April 12, 2012 at 3:54 pm (birds, birds of prey, eagles, nature, observations, outdoors, Pennsylvania, wildlife)
It is Bald Eagle nesting season. With the growth in the Bald Eagle population in Pennsylvania, nests are appearing closer to human activity. Eagle nests are particularly vulnerable to disturbance early in the season. If an adult eagle is flushed off the nest, the eggs or young are exposed to dangerously cool temperatures and predators. In addition, disturbing an eagle nest is a Federal offense under the Bald and Golden Eagle Act. It is a serious offence subject to large fines. Using binoculars or a spotting scope to watch a bald eagle nest at a distance is fine, but use common sense. If the eagle on the nest exhibits signs of nervousness or discomfort or leaves the nest you are too close. The survival of the eagles is the highest priority. Provide a good example for others to follow and help us protect bald eagles. For more information on bald eagles check the Pennsylvania Game Commission website: http://bit.ly/n9sz2b. You might be interested in printing the Bald Eagle Etiquette handout here: BaldEagleNestEtiquette.
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March 30, 2012 at 11:55 am (flowers, Montour Preserve, native plants, nature, observations, outdoors, Pennsylvania, plants, programs, seasons, wildflowers)
After a short and mild winter and an unusually warm beginning of spring it is no surprise that some of Montour Preserves woodland wildflowers are showing up early this year. One great example of this early bloom is bloodroot which is in full bloom at the preserve. Bloodroot can be recognized by its large white flowers and leaf which wraps itself around the stem in early spring. This showy spring blossom is aptly named for the orangish red sap that flows from the root and stem of the plant which has been used in a variety of ways in the past. Native Americans used bloodroot sap both medicinally and practically for a dye for face painting and clothing, and as a cough medicine. In the early 1980’s bloodroot extract called Sanguinaria, became somewhat famous as a first line of defense against gum disease and some prominent members of the dental community believed this extract to be as influential in plague fighting as fluoride had been to tooth decay. Don’t miss out on the wonders of early spring; remember our woodland wildflower walk is scheduled for Saturday April 28th from 1:30-3:00p.m.
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February 9, 2012 at 1:01 pm (birds, migration, Montour Preserve, nature, observations, outdoors, Pennsylvania, seasons, Uncategorized, wildlife)
Yesterday brought a rare snow for this winter. But even before those flakes began to fall there was snow in the air. This snow was the feathered kind: snow geese. About 300-400 snow geese landed on the ice at Lake Chillisquaque at Montour Preserve. They arrived late in the morning and stayed into the early afternoon. They returned this morning but seeing them on the lake can be a hit or miss proposition as they often leave to feed in local farm fields. Their arrival, like many natural events this winter, is about a month earlier than usual.
Snow geese on ice at Montour Preserve's Lake Chillisquaque
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February 3, 2012 at 6:29 pm (bird count, birds, birds of prey, eagles, Hiking, Holtwood, observations, Pennsylvania)
Look what all there is to see when you spend just a couple hours outside, like Jim Smith did last Saturday. Jim is a consulting naturalist at PPL’s Holtwood and Brunner Island locations. He is also an Audubon member, a board member of the Lancaster County Bird Club, a member of Cornell Lab of Ornithology, American Birding Association, PA Bluebird Society and Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology.
Greetings from Holtwood,
A few hours briefly surveying the [Holtwood Dam, Muddy Run, Wissler Run] areas, under partly sunny skies and 46 degrees, yielded the following raptors and “water birds” :
The Holtwood Dam eagle nest in York Co. showed no signs of activity. One adult bald eagle was on a central tower below the dam. The nest is deep and can only be seen from a good distance, so any eagle low in it would not be observable. Some rock pigeons were flying around the power plant, along with some ring-billed gulls.
Water was very high and pouring over the dam, with the spray making rainbows. I enjoyed watching a flock of about 15 gulls on the water above the dam floating down to the breast, then being catapulted into the air and flying back upriver to rest on the water again. Crossing back into Lanc. Co. via the Norman Wood Bridge I stopped to walk down under the bridge to view the Piney Island eagle nest. An adult was perched on a sycamore branch just above the nest; none visible in the nest. No sign of any peregrine falcons.
Crossing the Muddy Run Pumped Storage reservoir dam, I had canada geese and black ducks along the shoreline on both sides.
Down at Wissler Run Park, not much was happening. A kettle of turkey vultures, with a few black vultures and one bald eagle flew south overhead, one visible rock out on the river held about 20 ring-billed gulls and one greater black-backed.
Returning home along the south side of the reservoir, the eagle nest in the tower in the middle of the reservoir had two bald eagles sitting in it. The best birds of the day there were two groups of pintail ducks, each group, coincidentally, made up of 4 drakes and 2 hens. Also had two ringneck cocks pass across my field of view while checking the pintails.
Along Silver Springs Rd., one eastern bluebird topped a very unproductive day for passerines!
Jim Smith
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December 27, 2011 at 5:19 pm (bird count, birds, birds of prey, conservation, eagles, Montour Preserve, nature, observations, outdoors, Pennsylvania)
The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the Bloomsburg area was held on December 18. PPL’s Montour Preserve is part of that count. This year eight volunteers spent time identifying and counting birds in and around the preserve. The total count for the day was 51 species. Several highlights included two bald eagles, three double-crested cormorants, a goldeneye, a great horned owl, several screech owls and a barred owl. What a difference a year makes! This year’s mild weather allowed for open water on the lake compared to last year’s frigid temperatures and snow.
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