A Tropical Kingbird present in late fall frequenting a farm north of Reading was the primary sighting in Berks County of this species. Courtesy of Russ Hoffman
Berks County birding fans had been profitable find 249 species of birds within the county in 2023. This is three in need of the 20-year common of species seen.
The sightings could be sorted into classes. Species seen just a few occasions within the recorded historical past of Berks birding can be thought-about uncommon within the county. Species seen each few years are listed as informal. Birders had sightings of species that match into each classes.
Rare in Berks 2023
In this class, a swallow-tailed kite was seen by Kate Harms on May 9 north of Reading. Ten days later one other kite was photographed in Moselem Springs by me. This is a putting chicken with black and white plumage and a deeply forked tail. The chicken usually happens in southern Florida and alongside the Gulf coast. There had been three of those birds seen right here in 1995 in southern Berks, however solely twice since.
In June, a kayaker at Blue Marsh seen a big white chicken sitting on the lake. He was capable of determine it as an American white pelican. It is the primary time it has been seen in Berks County. The chicken was photographed and seen once more at Breneman’s Quarry in Spring Township by a number of birders.
Troy Herrel, a member of the Hawk Mountain workers, noticed a Leconte’s sparrow on the Kempton Community Center in October. This chicken has solely been seen a number of occasions within the county.
Another first for the county was a tropical kingbird that confirmed up within the neighborhood of the Weber household Willow Run Farm north of Reading in early November.
Nelson and Grace Weber are native birders and members of the Baird Ornithological Club, and Nelson’s brother Lin and daughter are house owners of the farm the place the chicken was first seen. With the assistance of Nelson and Grace’s son Drew, who’s employed on the Cornell Ornithology Lab, they had been capable of get a recording of the chicken’s vocalizations and determine it as a tropical kingbird.
This chicken is pretty frequent in Central and South America however is never seen within the U.S. within the Southwest. The Webers had been gracious hosts and welcomed many guests to the farm to see this rarity.
In late December, Bill Uhrich was walking alongside the Schuylkill River close to RACC in search of an unusually late warbler, an American redstart that he had seen on the Reading Christmas Bird Count. What he discovered as an alternative was the primary report of ash-throated flycatcher in Berks County, a chicken of the Southwest.
Flycatchers normally depart the usin winter because of the lack of bugs that they feed on. Just a few birders received to see this chicken over the past days of 2023, a becoming finish to the birding 12 months 2023 in Berks County.
Every 12 months Berks birders discover fascinating and thrilling species of birds within the county as they pursue their ardour for journey and new experiences. While these sightings are usually not thought-about uncommon, the birds are usually not seen yearly in Berks and the documentation of their presence provides to the historical past of chicken life in our space.
Early within the 12 months, on Jan. 9, an orange-crowned warbler was photographed within the space of the Blue Marsh Lake Dry Brooks boat launch. This occasionally seen chicken was discovered once more late within the 12 months in the identical space by members of the Weber household.
On the identical day in the identical place, a clay-colored sparrow was seen and photographed, a good-looking chicken not discovered yearly within the county.
In May, L. Ingram heard a reverberating warbler track alongside the Schuylkill River Trail at Morlatton Village in Douglass Township that she acknowledged as a prothonotary warbler. The chicken was confirmed by {a photograph} the next day. This warbler is pretty frequent south of Pennsylvania however not seen yearly in Berks.
Also in May, two of the extra elusive flycatchers had been seen at Angora Fruit Farm. T. Underwood discovered a yellow-bellied and lots of birders noticed an olive-sided.
In mid-July, J. and L. Spilde found a laughing gull at Blue Marsh Lake. While this gull is frequent alongside the Atlantic Coast, it not often wanders inland and is scarce in Berks County. Okay. Grim heard and noticed the secretive marsh wren in September at Kernsville Stilling Basin. The wren’s loud chatter is definitely heard and acknowledged because it skulks among the many cattails.
Long time birder J. Silagy was shocked to see a raft of goose-like birds referred to as brant on Blue Marsh Lake on the finish of October. Brant are smaller than Canada geese and sport a skinny, white necklace. They could be fairly frequent close to the Atlantic Coast however not often are discovered inland so far as Berks County.
In December, R. Keller was checking Breneman’s Quarry with a recognizing scope in search of visiting waterfowl and noticed a small white goose. He was capable of determine the chicken as a Ross’s goose. These geese are pretty frequent within the western U. S. however scarce within the east.
Some different noteworthy sightings had been reported in 2023 however didn’t get listed within the eBird database. A roseate spoonbill was seen and photographed alongside the Tulpehocken Creek within the Gring’s Mill space. This is a chicken that not often wanders north from the intense southern a part of the nation.
An skilled chicken counter at Hawk Mountain watched a wooden stork sail by on the Berks County facet of the lookout. This is one other chicken of the deep South, however it’s extra vulnerable to wander.
Overall, the 2023 birding 12 months was distinctive. Local birders had been ready so as to add fascinating species to their Berks County life record. We look ahead to the brand new 12 months with anticipation of latest and thrilling experiences.
The native Baird Ornithological Club is the second-oldest membership of its form in Pennsylvania and is open to the general public. Check out the web site for extra data.
Russ Hoffman is a long-time member of the Baird Ornithological Club and has photographed birds all through the world.
