Seasonal Report - Spring 2021

By Bobby Brown

Lycoming County Spring 2021 Summary

By most measures, the spring season was pretty poor, particularly in terms of pure numbers of birds for the expected species. However, the lackluster showing by the expected migrants was more than compensated for by a good number of rarities, including a state first! In total, 214 species were reported in Lycoming County during the spring.

Least Bittern - 5/11/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown
Least Bittern - 5/11/21, Robert Porter Allen Natural Area © Bobby Brown
Dunlin - 5/19/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown
Dunlin - 5/19/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown
White-eyed Vireo - 5/2/21, Williamsport © Bobby Brown
White-eyed Vireo - 5/2/21, Williamsport © Bobby Brown
Clay-colored Sparrow - 5/10/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown
Clay-colored Sparrow - 5/10/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Observations

Observer abbreviations include: Bobby Brown (BB — county compiler), Bob Brown (BoB), Deb Brown (DeB), Rebecca Brown (RB), Jean Dalton (JD), Maddi Dunlap (MD), Dave Ferry (DF), Norwood Frederick (NF), Eric Hartshaw (EH), Evan Houston (EvH), Melissa Holland (MH), Andy Keister (AK), Brett Matlock (BM), Steve Pinkerton (SP), Nicholas Schleissmann (NS)
m. obs. = many observers

Waterfowl

Greater White-fronted Geese - 3/3/21, Nisbet © Bobby Brown
Greater White-fronted Geese - 3/3/21, Nisbet © Bobby Brown

Two Greater White-fronted Geese were in Nisbet on 3/3 (BM, et al.). A Cackling Goose was seen at Mill St. on 3/10 (BB), and one was in a field in Hughesville on 3/18 (BB, DeB, BoB, RB) and 3/19 (AK).

Three White-winged Scoters were at Rose Valley Lake 4/29-30 (SP, et al.).

Buffleheads remained at the Williamsport Dam through 5/21, and remained at Rose Valley Lake through the end of May (m. obs.)

Cuckoos

Black-billed Cuckoo numbers were much higher during May than they were during 2020.

Rails and Cranes

Virginia Rails were detected fairly regularly at the Robert Porter Allen Natural Area and on Bodines Rd. There was a nice push of Soras during mid-May. At least two were at a wetland along Rte. 44 a few minutes north of Jersey Shore on 5/8 (SP, et al.), one was at the Robert Porter Allen Natural Area 5/8 (BM), 5/11 (BB, DeB, BoB), and 5/12 (AK), and one was at Rose Valley Lake on 5/10 (BB, DeB, BoB).

Common Gallinules were at SGL 252 on 5/2 (EvH), 5/16 (BB, AK), and 5/23 (BB, AK). The only American Coot report was from Rose Valley Lake on 4/25 (BM).

A Sandhill Crane dropped in at Rose Valley Lake on 4/4 (BB, DeB, BoB).

Sandhill Crane - 4/4/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Sandhill Crane - 4/4/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Common Gallinule - 5/16/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Common Gallinule - 5/16/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Virginia Rail - 5/22/21, Bodines © Bobby Brown

Virginia Rail - 5/22/21, Bodines © Bobby Brown

Sora - 5/10/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Sora - 5/10/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Shorebirds

There was a massive fallout of Black-bellied Plovers in central PA on 5/29, and Lycoming County was represented with 3 at Rose Valley Lake (BB) and 57 in Antes Fort (SP, BB, DeB, BoB, RB). A Semipalmated Plover was at the Williamsport Dam 5/20-24 (BB, et al.) and one was at Rose Valley Lake on 5/29 (BB).

A Ruddy Turnstone was at the Williamsport Dam 5/20-21 (MD, JD, et al.), providing the fourth Lycoming County record of that species. Another one was found at Rose Valley Lake on 5/28 (MH, et al.), which, of course, provided the fifth Lycoming County record.

It was a fairly good spring season for Dunlins in Lycoming County. A flock of 10 flew over Mill St. in a rainstorm on 5/9 (BB). Two were at Rose Valley Lake on 5/19 (BB, et al.) and two were at the same location during the fallout event on 5/29 (BB). Two of them also were with a downed flock of shorebirds in Antes Fort on 5/29 (BB, DeB, BoB, RB, SP, et al.).

Ruddy Turnstone - 5/20/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Ruddy Turnstone - 5/20/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Ruddy Turnstone - 5/28/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Ruddy Turnstone - 5/28/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Black-bellied Plovers - 5/29/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Black-bellied Plovers - 5/29/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Dunlins - 5/19/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Dunlins - 5/19/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Three Least Sandpipers were at the Robert Porter Allen Natural Area on 5/28 (BB), one was at Mill St. on 5/20 (BB, DeB, BoB), one was at the Williamsport Dam on 5/21 (m. obs.), and 3 were at Rose Valley Lake on 5/20 (BB, et al.). A Semipalmated Sandpiper was at Rose Valley Lake on 5/20.

Ten Short-billed Dowitchers were involved in the shorebird fallout in Antes Fort on 5/29 (BB, DeB, BoB, RB, SP, et al.), which was the first time that species had been seen in Lycoming County for nearly 30 years.

Ten Lesser Yellowlegs were knocked down by rain at Mill St. on 5/9 (BB, RB), and one was present at the same location 5/14-15 (BB, DeB, BoB).

Semipalmated Sandpiper - 5/30/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Semipalmated Sandpiper - 5/30/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Least Sandpiper - 5/30/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Least Sandpiper - 5/30/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Spotted Sandpiper - 5/14/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Spotted Sandpiper - 5/14/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Solitary Sandpiper - 4/28/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Solitary Sandpiper - 4/28/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Lesser Yellowlegs - 5/9/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Lesser Yellowlegs - 5/9/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Wilson's Snipe - 3/31/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Wilson's Snipe - 3/31/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Short-billed Dowitchers - 5/29/21, Antes Fort © Bobby Brown

Short-billed Dowitchers - 5/29/21, Antes Fort © Bobby Brown

Semipalmated Plover - 5/20/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Semipalmated Plover - 5/20/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Terns

A Black Tern briefly dropped in at Rose Valley Lake on 5/10 (BB, DeB, BoB). A Common Tern was seen at Rose Valley Lake 4/21 (BB, DeB, BoB), one there 5/9-10 (BB, DeB, BoB, RB), and two there on 5/20 (BB). Two Forster's Terns dropped in at the Williamsport Dam during a downpour on 5/4 (BB, DeB) and one was at the same location on 5/5 (BB, et al.).

Forster's Tern - 5/5/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Forster's Tern - 5/5/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Black Tern - 5/10/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Black Tern - 5/10/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Caspian Tern - 4/29/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Caspian Tern - 4/29/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Common Tern - 5/9/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Common Tern - 5/9/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Cormorants

Neotropic Cormorant - 4/11/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown
Neotropic Cormorant - 4/11/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Easily the biggest highlight of the spring, a Neotropic Cormorant was found at the Williamsport Dam on 4/11 (BM, et al.) and was seen by many birders from all over the state. This provided not only the first record of that species for Lycoming County, but also the first record for Pennsylvania! The bird continued through dusk on 4/13.

Herons

A Least Bittern was at the Robert Porter Allen Natural Area on 5/11 (BB, DeB, BoB), providing the second known Lycoming County record of that species. Surprisingly, there were no American Bittern reports. A Great Egret was at SGL 252 on 5/6 (BM), one flew by the Williamsport Dam on 5/20 (BB, et al.), and one flew past Mill St. on 5/21 (BB, DeB).

Woodpeckers

Red-headed Woodpecker - 5/16/21, Eldred Twp. © Bobby Brown
Red-headed Woodpecker - 5/16/21, Eldred Twp. © Bobby Brown

Red-headed Woodpeckers were reported a few times, including at a suet feeder in Eldred Twp. on 5/2 and 5/16 (JD) and at SGL 252 on 5/23 (BB, AK).

Falcons

The Peregrine Falcon nest site in Williamsport had 4 young discovered on 5/31 (BB, et al.). The species also nested in Muncy at another previously-used site.

Flycatchers

Olive-sided Flycatcher - 5/26/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown
Olive-sided Flycatcher - 5/26/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

A very vocal Olive-sided Flycatcher was at Rose Valley Lake on 5/25-26 (BB, et al.). A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was found on Skyline Dr. on 5/24 (BB, DeB, BoB, RB), and another was at Rose Valley Lake on 5/30 (BB).

Vireos

It was a pretty good spring for White-eyed Vireo reports, with a long-staying bird on private land near Williamsport seen off and on from 5/2 into June (DF, et al.). Other reports of that species were at Mill St. 5/1 (BB, DeB, BoB) and the Williamsport Water Authority on 5/25 (BB).

Finches

Pine Siskin - 5/27/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown
Pine Siskin - 5/27/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Evening Grosbeaks were reported a few times, with at least 2 at Mill St. 4/29 (BB), one at SGL 252 on 5/2 (BB, DeB), 2 at SGL 252 on 5/6 (BM), and one in Eldred Twp. on 5/7 (JD). A Common Redpoll was at the Robert Porter Allen Natural Area on 3/22 (BB), and a flock of 17 was seen in the same area on 4/1 (BM). Pine Siskins were far less abundant than the fall season, with some scattered reports, but no large flocks. A fairly late individual was at Mill St. on 5/27 (BB).

Sparrows

A Clay-colored Sparrow was briefly seen at Mill St. on 5/10 (BB, DeB), providing the sixth known Lycoming County record of that species. A Vesper Sparrow was at South Williamsport Park on 4/19 (AK), and one was seen at Mill St. on 4/22 (BB, et al.) and 5/5 (BB, DeB). A Lincoln's Sparrow was reported at Mill St. on 5/12 (NS) and 5/14 (BB, DeB).

Vesper Sparrow - 4/22/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Vesper Sparrow - 4/22/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Swamp Sparrow - 5/12/21, Robert Porter Allen N.A. © Bobby Brown

Swamp Sparrow - 5/12/21, Robert Porter Allen N.A. © Bobby Brown

White-crowned Sparrow - 5/17/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

White-crowned Sparrow - 5/17/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Lincoln's Sparrow - 5/14/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Lincoln's Sparrow - 5/14/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Chipping Sparrow - 4/7/21, South Williamsport Park © Bobby Brown

Chipping Sparrow - 4/7/21, South Williamsport Park © Bobby Brown

Song Sparrow - 3/27/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Song Sparrow - 3/27/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Field Sparrow - 4/20/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Field Sparrow - 4/20/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Savannah Sparrow - 5/18/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Savannah Sparrow - 5/18/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Chat

A displaying Yellow-breasted Chat was found at SGL 252 on 5/23 (BB, AK).

Warblers

It was a pretty strong spring for the "winged warblers." A Golden-winged Warbler was at SGL 252 on 5/9 (BB, AK). Blue-winged Warblers were found more often than normal, and several hybrids were also reported, including a Brewster's Warbler at SGL 252 on 5/9 (BB, AK).

30 species of warbler were reported during the spring:

  • Ovenbird
  • Worm-eating Warbler
  • Louisiana Waterthrush
  • Northern Waterthrush
  • Golden-winged Warbler
  • Blue-winged Warbler
  • Black-and-white Warbler
  • Tennessee 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
Black-and-white Warbler - 5/11/21, Skyline Dr. © Bobby Brown

Black-and-white Warbler - 5/11/21, Skyline Dr. © Bobby Brown

Northern Parula - 5/8/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Northern Parula - 5/8/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Worm-eating Warbler - 5/11/21, Skyline Dr. © Bobby Brown

Worm-eating Warbler - 5/11/21, Skyline Dr. © Bobby Brown

Yellow Warbler - 5/12/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Yellow Warbler - 5/12/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Palm Warbler - 4/7/21, South Williamsport Park © Bobby Brown

Palm Warbler - 4/7/21, South Williamsport Park © Bobby Brown

Prairie Warbler - 5/7/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Prairie Warbler - 5/7/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Yellow-throated Warbler - 4/24/21, Trout Run Park © Bobby Brown

Yellow-throated Warbler - 4/24/21, Trout Run Park © Bobby Brown

Ovenbird - 5/11/21, Skyline Dr. © Bobby Brown

Ovenbird - 5/11/21, Skyline Dr. © Bobby Brown

Canada Warbler - 5/22/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Canada Warbler - 5/22/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Yellow-rumped Warbler - 4/10/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Yellow-rumped Warbler - 4/10/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Blue-winged Warbler - 5/2/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Blue-winged Warbler - 5/2/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Chestnut-sided Warbler - 5/13/21, Williamsport Water Authority © Bobby Brown

Chestnut-sided Warbler - 5/13/21, Williamsport Water Authority © Bobby Brown

Videos

Additional Photos

Eastern Meadowlark - 4/24/21, Lycoming Creek Bikeway © Bobby Brown

Eastern Meadowlark - 4/24/21, Lycoming Creek Bikeway © Bobby Brown

Eastern Screech-Owl - 3/5/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Eastern Screech-Owl - 3/5/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Bald Eagle - 5/25/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Bald Eagle - 5/25/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Northern Flicker - 4/19/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Northern Flicker - 4/19/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Gray Catbird - 4/28/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Gray Catbird - 4/28/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Bonaparte's Gull - 5/8/21, Nisbet © Bobby Brown

Bonaparte's Gull - 5/8/21, Nisbet © Bobby Brown

Baltimore Oriole - 5/7/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Baltimore Oriole - 5/7/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Red-winged Blackbird - 5/5/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Red-winged Blackbird - 5/5/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Common Mergansers - 5/31/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Common Mergansers - 5/31/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Cliff Swallow - 5/30/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Cliff Swallow - 5/30/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Mourning Dove - 4/16/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Mourning Dove - 4/16/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Black-billed Cuckoo - 5/9/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Black-billed Cuckoo - 5/9/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Ring-necked Duck - 5/14/21, Indian Park © Bobby Brown

Ring-necked Duck - 5/14/21, Indian Park © Bobby Brown

Yellow-breasted Chat - 5/23/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Yellow-breasted Chat - 5/23/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Chimney Swift - 5/8/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Chimney Swift - 5/8/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Bank Swallow - 5/12/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Bank Swallow - 5/12/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Horned Grebe - 5/8/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Horned Grebe - 5/8/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Dark-eyed Junco - 3/27/21, Canfield Island © Bobby Brown

Dark-eyed Junco - 3/27/21, Canfield Island © Bobby Brown

White-breasted Nuthatch - 4/3/21, Canfield Island © Bobby Brown

White-breasted Nuthatch - 4/3/21, Canfield Island © Bobby Brown

Winter Wren - 3/29/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Winter Wren - 3/29/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Scarlet Tanager - 5/26/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Scarlet Tanager - 5/26/21, Rose Valley Lake © Bobby Brown

Northern Waterthrush - 5/18/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Northern Waterthrush - 5/18/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Great Blue Heron - 5/11/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Great Blue Heron - 5/11/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Common Loon - 5/26/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Common Loon - 5/26/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Rusty Blackbird - 3/28/21, Robert Porter Allen N.A. © Bobby Brown

Rusty Blackbird - 3/28/21, Robert Porter Allen N.A. © Bobby Brown

American Pipit - 3/28/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

American Pipit - 3/28/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Merlin - 3/28/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Merlin - 3/28/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Green Heron - 5/9/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Green Heron - 5/9/21, SGL 252 © Bobby Brown

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 4/4/21, Canfield Island © Bobby Brown

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 4/4/21, Canfield Island © Bobby Brown

Cooper's Hawk - 4/6/21, Canfield Island © Bobby Brown

Cooper's Hawk - 4/6/21, Canfield Island © Bobby Brown

Belted Kingfisher - 3/20/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Belted Kingfisher - 3/20/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

American Robin - 4/6/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

American Robin - 4/6/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Eastern Kingbird - 5/6/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Eastern Kingbird - 5/6/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Northern Cardinal - 3/14/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Northern Cardinal - 3/14/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Turkey Vulture - 3/7/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Turkey Vulture - 3/7/21, Montoursville © Bobby Brown

Hermit Thrush - 3/6/21, Williamsport Water Authority © Bobby Brown

Hermit Thrush - 3/6/21, Williamsport Water Authority © Bobby Brown

Green-winged Teal - 3/16/21, Robert Porter Allen N.A. © Bobby Brown

Green-winged Teal - 3/16/21, Robert Porter Allen N.A. © Bobby Brown

Ring-billed Gulls - 3/9/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Ring-billed Gulls - 3/9/21, Williamsport Dam © Bobby Brown

Red-tailed Hawk - 3/7/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Red-tailed Hawk - 3/7/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Black-capped Chickadee - 3/4/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

Black-capped Chickadee - 3/4/21, Mill St. © Bobby Brown

The Spring 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.