Seasonal Report - Fall 2021

By Bobby Brown

Lycoming County Fall 2021 Summary

In total, 192 species were reported in Lycoming County during the fall.

Cattle Egret - 11/12/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Philadelphia Vireo - 9/24/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 11/17/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Winter Wren - 11/21/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Notable Observations

Observer abbreviations include: Bobby Brown (BB — county compiler), Dan Brauning (DanB), Bob Brown (BoB), Deb Brown (DeB), Rebecca Brown (RB), Eric Hartshaw (EH), Andy Keister (AK), Brett Matlock (BM), Rhiannon Summers (RS)
m. obs. = many observers

Waterfowl

White-winged Scoter - 11/28/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

A White-winged Scoter was at Rose Valley Lake on 11/28 (BB).

Shorebirds

An American Golden-Plover was in Nisbet on 10/4 (BB, DeB, BoB, et al.), providing the third Lycoming County record of that species. Semipalmated Plovers were also reported in Nisbet a number of times during September (m.obs.), and one was at Canfield Island on 9/1 (BB, DeB).

A Dunlin was in Nisbet 9/15-19 (BB, et al.). A Baird's Sandpiper was in Nisbet on 9/11 (BB, DeB, RB, et al.) and 9/18 (BB, DeB, BoB), and 6 of them were present in the same field on 9/19 (BB, DeB). There is only a single previous record of that species in Lycoming County — from the same field in 2018. At least 2 Pectoral Sandpipers were in Nisbet 9/15-23 (AK, BB, et al.). Semipalmated Sandpipers were also in Nisbet 9/18-23 (BB, et al.), and one was at Mill St. on 9/1 during fallout conditions caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida (BB).

Jaegers

Parasitic Jaeger - 9/1/21, Greevy Boat Launch © Bobby Brown

A juvenile Parasitic Jaeger was spotted flying down the West Branch Susquehanna River at Greevy Boat Launch during fallout conditions caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida on 9/1 (BB), providing the second Lycoming County record of that species.

Gulls and Terns

A young Bonaparte's Gull was at the Williamsport Dam on 9/8 (BB), which is a pretty unusual date for that species in Lycoming County. Others were also seen during their more expected migration window later in the fall.

Two Caspian Terns flew by the Williamsport Dam on 8/18 (DanB), and a number of them were seen at various spots along the West Branch Susquehanna River on 9/1 during the remnants of Hurricane Ida (BB, RB, DeB, BM). A Black Tern was at Rose Valley Lake on 8/12 (BB, RB).

Herons

An injured American Bittern was discovered in Hughesville on 10/17 (RS), and was sent to rehab. A Cattle Egret was at Rose Valley Lake on 11/12 (BB, et al.), which was the first reported in Lycoming County in over a decade.

Woodpeckers

An adult and juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker were seen together on 9/12 at SGL 252 (BB, AK).

Flycatchers

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 9/9/21, Williamsport Water Authority © Bobby Brown

Two Olive-sided Flycatchers were at the Williamsport Water Authority on 8/29 (BB), and one was at Rose Valley Lake on 9/11 (BM). A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was at the Williamsport Water Authority on 9/9 (BB, DeB).

Vireos

It was an above average fall season for Philadelphia Vireos, with at least nine reports.

Shrikes

A Northern Shrike was at Rose Valley Lake on 10/23 (BB, DeB), and was seen up through 10/31, when it was present with a second individual (BB). That other individual remained at the lake through the end of the season (m.obs.).

Wrens

A Marsh Wren was at the Robert Porter Allen Natural Area on 10/24 (BB).

Sparrows

At least one Grasshopper Sparrow remained at the Robert Porter Allen Natural Area as late as 10/17 (BB). A Clay-colored Sparrow was at the Robert Porter Allen Natural Area on 9/26 (BB, RB), providing the seventh Lycoming County record of that species.

White-throated Sparrow - 11/7/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Clay-colored Sparrow - 9/26/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Grasshopper Sparrow - 8/1/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Lincoln's Sparrow - 9/26/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Swamp Sparrow - 11/14/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

American Tree Sparrow - 11/17/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Field Sparrow - 10/19/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Song Sparrow - 11/17/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

White-crowned Sparrow - 9/25/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Savannah Sparrow - 11/5/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Fox Sparrow - 11/7/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Chipping Sparrow - 10/1/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Warblers

A Blue-winged Warbler was at SGL 252 on 8/8 and 8/15 (BB). An Orange-crowned Warbler was found at the Robert Porter Allen Natural Area on 10/2 (BB), and a Mourning Warbler was also present there that day.

29 species of warbler were reported during the fall:

Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson's Warbler

Mourning Warbler - 10/2/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Common Yellowthroat - 9/4/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Yellow-rumped Warbler - 10/1/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Tennessee Warbler - 10/1/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Blackpoll Warbler - 10/1/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Hooded Warbler - 8/15/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Palm Warbler - 9/26/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Ovenbird - 8/15/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Orange-crowned Warbler - 10/2/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Bay-breasted Warbler - 9/2/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Wilson's Warbler - 8/28/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Cape May Warbler - 9/11/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Blue-winged Warbler - 8/15/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Canada Warbler - 8/15/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Chestnut-sided Warbler - 8/15/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Black-throated Green Warbler - 8/15/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Additional Videos and Photos

Northern Shrike - 11/6/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Tree Swallow - 9/24/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Cedar Waxwing - 9/4/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

American Robin - 11/20/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

American Goldfinch - 9/4/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

European Starling - 8/15/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Great Egret - 8/15/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Dark-eyed Junco - 11/6/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Red-breasted Nuthatch - 11/25/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Gray Catbird - 9/24/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Black-capped Chickadee - 10/1/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Common Nighthawk - 9/6/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Green-winged Teal - 11/28/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Red-tailed Hawk (abieticola) - 11/28/21, Nisbet © Bobby Brown

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 11/6/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

House Wren - 9/26/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Bonaparte's Gull - 11/13/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Hermit Thrush - 11/28/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Northern Flicker - 11/6/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Cooper's Hawk - 11/7/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown

Blue-headed Vireo - 9/30/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Lesser Yellowlegs - 9/10/21, Nisbet © Bobby Brown

Solitary Sandpiper - 9/4/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Broad-winged Hawk - 9/28/21, Rte. 15 Overlook © Bobby Brown

Baird's Sandpiper - 9/19/21, Nisbet © Bobby Brown

Red-eyed Vireo - 9/4/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Green Heron - 8/14/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Caspian Tern - 9/1/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 8/15/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Black Tern - 8/12/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Indigo Bunting - 8/14/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Scarlet Tanager - 8/28/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Eastern Towhee - 9/16/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

The Fall 2021 report was compiled and written by Bobby Brown. Our seasonal reports cover March-May (Spring), June and July (Summer), August-November (Fall) and December-February (Winter) to better line up with migration, breeding and wintering timings.