Birding News and Features

Bald Eagle Population Soars Past 170 Nests

In 2009, the Bald Eagle nesting population continued to grow, passing more milestones.  There were 174 territorial nesting pairs observed in Pennsylvania last year where we had documentation of a nest, 18 more than in 2008. Nests were recorded in 48 counties. Eagles are on a big win streak with the nesting population now exceeding 100 pairs in four consecutive years. The nests produced a total of at least 244 young, passing the 200 mark for the first time. The population is expanding so quickly that it becoming a challenge to monitor. Bald Eagles have begun nesting in 2010, many already on eggs. We need more help to keep an eagle eye on this success story and ensure continued progress. 

Bald Eagles have enjoyed tremendous support from the public in recent decades.Not only are they the national symbol but also represent good stream quality, the concept of wildness, and the idea that we can recover our diminished natural resources. Eagles often nest in Important Bird Areas and can be viewed from considerable distances. These facts make them an ideal target species for bird expeditions. Places where we can find eagles are generally great for other birds, too. If you go out to view eagles, please share your results with others by contributing your trip data to eBird. The Game Commission appreciates hearing of any new eagle nests and results of any eagle nest.  

Rusty Blackbird Blitz Again!

Last year, birders throughout the country scoured the countryside for wintering Rusty Blackbirds to help us understand their distribution and find important local concentrations (hotspots).  We learned a lot, but there is much more to learn. We want to blitz for several years to both locate more hotspots and determine how stable these hot spots are from year to year.  In Pennsylvania, we are at the northern edge of the winter range of the species so we can better define where that distribution lies.  Already, the information gained is being used to implement research and conservation efforts! 

With your help, the “Return of the Rusty Blackbird Blitz” will be bigger and better than the original. It is an important project because of the steep decline of this wetland songbird.  There are many good places in Pennsylvania where Rusty Blackbirds might visit in the winter.  They not only like bigger wetlands (think Tinicum marsh, Quakertown wetlands, Pymatuning swamp, Geneva marsh), but also lake edges, wet woods, and smaller wetlands.   The survey takes place January 30 thru February 15th, 2010.

New Year's Resolution: eBird!

eBird is for all birders, so anyone can make a contribution.  Why not start the New Year right and begin documenting your field observations in eBird? 

Occasionally we hear about birders who tried eBird once, but then did not return because they felt they were not qualified to contribute, or that eBird caters only to “expert” birders. This is not the case at all! At eBird we believe that all bird observations have value. You need not be a globetrotting expert—some of the most valuable checklists are repeated observations from people who have never looked for birds outside their own backyard! You need not know every bird that flashes through your binoculars either, the eBird data quality process guards against many potential identification errors. Furthermore, the exchange of information between experts and beginners during this process is a valuable learning tool. We want eBird to be used by birders of all skill levels: our only request is that you try to use eBird to its fullest capacity, report the birds you see and hear to the best of your ability, and err on the conservative side if you are unsure about your identification.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Celebrates 75 Years

Pennsylvania is at the crossroads of raptor migration and at the cutting “edge” of raptor conservation.   Why do we say that?  The river of raptors pours by several of the state’s ridges and summits each autumn in a spectacular display. This migration along the Kittatinny Ridge or Blue Mountain and threats to those hawks inspired the founding of  Hawk Mountain Sanctuary by Rosalie Edge in 1934.   With great energy and conviction, Mrs. Edge and her supporters purchased what became known as Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, the world's first refuge for birds of prey. The mission of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is to conserve birds of prey worldwide by providing leadership in raptor conservation science and education, and by maintaining Hawk Mountain Sanctuary as a model observation, research and education facility.  In all of these aspirations, it has been very successful. Several of the state’s species of special concern and priority species of wildlife action plan are raptors. 

PA eBird Presentation Ready to Roll!

Ready for a presentation about eBird?  Ready to give an eBird talk? Brian Byrnes of Audubon Pennsylvania has developed a power point slide presentation about Pennsylvania eBird. The new PA eBird presentation is a basic “why and how” tutorial presentation. It will allow more people to become ambassadors for eBird and for keeping good bird records.  Its main goal is to introduce eBird to people and show them how it works.  It gives an overview of the basic objectives of eBird as well as our state’s goals. The presentation is designed so almost any competent birder can give this presentation. Every record counts, so help us spread the word about eBird.