PHILADELPHIA MID-WINTER BIRD CENSUS REPORT

JANUARY 12, 2014

Todd Fellenbaum, Frank Windfelder and Ann Reeves pose while covering the Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant

Photo by Keith Russell

28th Annual PHILADELPHIA MID-WINTER BIRD CENSUS

January 12, 2014

Snow Goose 6349 Canada Goose 7390 Mute Swan 4 Wood Duck 13 Gadwall 54 American Wigeon 6 American Black Duck 62 Mallard 595 Northern Shoveler 264 Northern Pintail 11 Green-winged Teal 1 Canvasback 13 Ring-necked Duck 48 Greater Scaup 2 Lesser Scaup 17 Scaup sp. 30 Long-tailed Duck 1 Bufflehead 87 Common Goldeneye 8 Hooded Merganser 18 Common Merganser 183 Red-breasted Merganser 1 Ruddy Duck 167 Duck sp. 4 Wild Turkey 17 Pied-billed Grebe 5 Horned Grebe 1 Double-crested Cormorant 50 Great Cormorant 31 American Bittern 1 Great Blue Heron 28 Black Vulture 22 Turkey Vulture 46 Bald Eagle 10 Sharp-shinned Hawk 9 Cooper’s Hawk 21 Red-shouldered Hawk 7 Red-tailed Hawk 99 American Kestrel 12 Merlin 4 Peregrine Falcon 3 Falcon sp. 1 American Coot 29 Killdeer 1 Ring-billed x Black-headed Gull 1 Ring-billed Gull 5625 Herring Gull 745 Iceland Gull 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 Glaucous x Herring Gull 1 Glaucous Gull 1 Great Black-backed Gull 361 Gull sp. 175 Rock Pigeon 941 Mourning Dove 699 Eastern Screech-Owl 22 Great Horned Owl 9

Snowy Owl 2 Long-eared Owl 1 Short-eared Owl 1 Belted Kingfisher 13 Red-bellied Woodpecker 195 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 15 Downy Woodpecker 187 Hairy Woodpecker 51 Northern Flicker 50 Pileated Woodpecker 9

Eastern Phoebe 1 Northern Shrike 1 Blue Jay 243 American Crow 177 Fish Crow 6 American Raven 1 Tree Swallow 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 20 Carolina Chickadee 432 Tufted Titmouse 223 White-breasted Nuthatch 177 Brown Creeper 38 Winter Wren 29 Carolina Wren 292 Golden-crowned Kinglet 66 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 9 American Robin 2024 Gray Catbird 3 Northern Mockingbird 79 European Starling 7194 Cedar Waxwing 24 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 Palm Warbler 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler 8 Eastern Towhee 31 American Tree Sparrow 6 Chipping Sparrow 5 Field Sparrow 43 Savannah Sparrow 4 Fox Sparrow 11 Song Sparrow 370 Swamp Sparrow 47 White-throated Sparrow 1207 White-crowned Sparrow 5 Dark-eyed Junco 804 Northern Cardinal 519 Red-winged Blackbird 853 Rusty Blackbird 22 Common Grackle 117 House Finch 247 American Goldfinch 192 House Sparrow 1016 Total Species 104 Total Individuals 41,384

OBSERVERS AREAS COVERED Matt Sharp Benjamin Rush State Park, Northeast Philadelphia Airport, Delaware

River and shoreline (Glen Foerd to Tacony Palmyra Bridge) Frank Windfelder, Todd Fellenbaum, Pennypack Creek (various locations), Delaware River and shoreline (Glen Brian Hart, Ann Reeves Foerd, Pleasant Hill Park, Pennypack on the Delaware, Pulaski Park),

Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant, Northeast Philadelphia Airport, west Southampton Rd.

Nick Zahn, Vince DeAntoniis, Delaware River and shoreline (Glen Foerd, Pleasant Hill Park, Pennypack Butch Lishman, Philip Stollsteimer on the Delaware, Pulaski Park), Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant Tom Bailey Delaware River (viewed from Burlington Co., New Jersey) Linda Widdop, Lori Gladulich, Pennypack Creek (Fox Chase Farm to Krewstown Rd.) Barbara Nevin, Diane Widdop Roland Williams Pennypack Creek (Bustleton Ave. to Holme Ave.) Cindy Ferguson, Norm Jones Pennypack Creek (Rhawn St. and Holmehurst Ave. to Frankford Ave.) Audrey Walmsley Northeast Philadelphia (7800 block of Brocklehurst St. to Rt. 1) Cindy Ahern, Scott Ahern Northeast Philadelphia Airport, Burholme Park, Friends Hospital Keith Russell, Jeanne Schock, F. D. Roosevelt Park, TRC Trash Transfer Station, Delaware River and Shawn Towey shoreline (Pier 70 to Lardner’s Point Park), Northeast Water Pollution

Control Plant, Wissahickon Creek (various locations) Richard Horwitz, Liam Hart, Walter Hart F. D. Roosevelt Park, TRC Trash Transfer Station, Delaware River and

shoreline (Philadelphia Naval Business Center to Lardner’s Point Park), Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant, I-76 (South St. to Penrose Ave.)

George Armistead, Jennie Prescott F. D. Roosevelt Park, Delaware River and shoreline (Philadelphia Naval Debbie Carr, Doug Wechsler Business Center, Delaware River Trail from Pier 53 to Pier 70) Chris Walters, Alan Crawford III, Art Army Corps of Engineers compound, Southwest Water Pollution Control McMorris, Edwin Shafer Plant, Holstein Ave. and 76th Ave., Schuylkill River from Platt Bridge to

Delaware River, Philadelphia International Airport Doris McGovern, Marty Dellwo, John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Eastwick, Darby Creek Trail (82nd to Steve Mattan, Patty Rehn 78th St.), George Pepper Middle School, Marion Lanza Blvd., Harley Ave. Jan Gordon, Denis Brennan, Facundo Bartram’s Garden, Woodland Cemetery, Cobbs Creek (Whitby Ave., 63rd Fernando-Dunque, Gregg Gorton St. and Callowhill St.) Alexander Zorach Cobbs Creek (Marshall Rd. to Baltimore Ave.) Tony Croasdale, David Allen, Kate Atkins Cobbs Creek (Morris Park, Mt. Moriah Cemetery) Matt Halley, Tykee James, Steve Kacir, Mike McGraw, Travon Sams John Goschke, Linda Goschke West Park (various locations including Schuylkill River) Stephen Kerr East Park (various locations including Boathouse Row) Allison Ostertag East Park and adjacent neighborhood (Poplar St. to Schuylkill River dam) Winston Moody, Wendy Moody, East Falls (Schuylkill River at the Falls Bridge), Wissahickon Creek Phil Hineline (Timber Ln. to Apalogen Rd. and adjacent neighborhood)

OBSERVERS (concluded) AREAS COVERED (concluded) Michael Darcy Roxborough (Upper Roxborough Reservoir, Port Royal Ave., Schuylkill

River and shoreline from Port Royal Ave. to Leverington Ave. and Flat Rock Rd.)

Judy Stepenaskie Roxborough (6700 block of Nixon St., lower Port Royal Ave.) Scott McConnell Roxborough (Spring Ln., Lower Roxborough Reservoir, radio tower farm area), Wissahickon Creek (Hermit Ln.) Steve DuPont Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education Ken Januski, Jerene Schroeder Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Manayunk Canal (Green

Ln. Bridge to Shawmont Ave.), Wissahickon Creek (west bank – Gorgas Ln. to Forbidden Dr.)

Paul Kalka Wissahickon Creek (west bank – upper slopes from Wise’s Mill Rd. to Hermit Ln.) Sam Perloff, Erin Perloff Wissahickon Creek (west bank – Forbidden Dr. and lower slopes from Valley Green to Walnut Ln.) David Belford, Jeff Belford Wissahickon Creek (west bank - Bell’s Mill Rd. to Cathedral Rd.) Edie Parnum, Marjorie Russell, Wissahickon Creek (west bank - Bell’s Mill Rd. to Northwestern Ave.) Donna Wilhelm Jim Best, Rich Conroy, Andy Fayer, Morris Arboretum, Wissahickon Creek (east bank – Northwestern Ave. to Sasha Freeman, Bob Gutowski Bells Mill Rd.) Al Bilheimer Wissahickon Creek (east bank – Springfield Ave. to Chestnut Hill Ave.) Cliff Hence, Nancy Hence Cresheim Creek (Stenton Ave. to Wissahickon Creek), Mount Airy (100

block of Roumfort Rd.) Sarah Besadny, Barbara Thorp Wissahickon Creek (east bank – Livezy Ln., Carpenter’s Woods, Scotforth

Rd., Monastery Stables, Livezy Ln. to Walnut Ln.) Stephen Page, Linda Page Mount Airy (600 block of west Johnson St.), Wissahickon Creek (Bluebell

Hill at Walnut Ln., Thomas Mansion grounds at Johnson St.) Debra Delessandro Wissahickon Creek (Bluebell Hill to Rittenhouse Town) William Reaume, Scott Fraser Awbury Arboretum

CONDITIONS

Temperature: high 52oF at 1:05 AM, low 35oF at 11:05 PM.

Sky: Mostly cloudy throughout the day becoming partly sunny between 10 AM and noon.

Precipitation: None.

Ground: No snow or ice.

Water: Rivers open. Streams open or with some patches of ice. Still waters completely frozen or frozen with some patches of open water.

Wind: Windy during the predawn hours and throughout the day (average speed 12.5 mph with gusts to 38 mph).

2014 CENSUS SUMMARY The 28th annual Philadelphia Mid-Winter Bird Census was held on Sunday January 12, 2014. Originally scheduled for January 11th the census was postponed until the 12th because a significant amount of rain had been forecast for - and did actually fall on the 11th. Despite the change of date all areas originally scheduled to be covered on the 11th were covered on the 12th except for a large portion of the Army Corps area, which had become impassible due to mud, and the Queen Lane and East Park reservoirs, which could not be accessed because no water department personnel were available to open them on the 12th.

This year 104 species were recorded by 87 participants in 37 parties. This was the fifth highest species total to date as well as the sixth time overall, and the third year in a row, that 100 or more species had been recorded. But the 41,384 individuals tallied this year was the highest total for individuals ever recorded, surpassing the previous high of 39,962 (1991) by several hundred individuals. And for the first time ever the number of species recorded on the census exceeded the number recorded on any of the 76 Christmas Bird Counts held in Pennsylvania this winter - the highest being the Southern Lancaster count which recorded 102 species on December 15. This result further underscores the fact that Philadelphia has one of the most diverse winter bird populations of any county in the state.

Each year the results from the census are strongly influenced by the weather, and this winter’s weather was not only the coldest in many years but also the second snowiest on record. Although the winter began in a less frigid manner, with the mean temperature for December just one degree above average, the mean temperature for January was five degrees below average and daily lows in the teens were recorded on numerous occasions. By the first week of January most of the Schuylkill River and portions of the Delaware River had frozen, and had a major thaw and rain event not occurred the day before the census relatively little open water would have been present on census day.

The frozen Schuylkill River at East Falls on January 10, 2014. Photo by Keith Russell

The freeze probably affected water birds more severely than any other group of birds because it greatly reduced the amount of open water they need to survive. As a result ducks, geese, grebes, herons, many gulls and other water birds were forced to move to wherever open water could be found. In Philadelphia most water birds concentrated on open portions of our rivers and larger streams, and at the Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant (SWWPCP) where some ponds remained largely unfrozen providing refuge for large numbers of Shovelers, Ring-necked Ducks, Gadwall and other shallow water species. Birds from other regions where waters had frozen more completely were also forced to immigrate to areas like Philadelphia where some open water remained. This was most clearly exemplified by the larger

than average number of Common Mergansers recorded this year – most of which were found on the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers. But it was also exemplified by the fact that Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Duck, Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull were all recorded. These are normally scare and irregular wintering species that rarely occur here all at once. From mid January through April these and other scare winterers like Red-necked Grebe continued to be observed on Philadelphia’s waters, and in larger than average numbers, because so many individuals had immigrated here from more traditional wintering locations like the Great Lakes that had frozen. Overall, the freeze was probably responsible for producing 19 species of ducks and six species gulls this year’s - the largest number of species ever recorded for each group.

Weather conditions on the day of the census may have also affected this year’s results. A strong wind during the pre-dawn hours made birds more difficult to find and probably contributed to the fact that Eastern Screech-Owls were tallied in their lowest numbers in seven years. And the wind, which continued throughout the day, may have also contributed to one or more of the following rarely missed species going unrecorded this year including Northern Harrier (3rd miss), Eastern Bluebird (2nd miss since 1999 – previously irregular), Hermit Thrush (5th miss), and Brown-headed Cowbird (5th miss).

Despite this year’s misses, three species were recorded that were new to the census including American Bittern, Common Raven, and Tree Swallow. The bittern - normally rare in Philadelphia during the winter - was observed at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (JHNWR) by Doris McGovern and Marty Dellwo. This was presumably the same individual that had been first spotted at the refuge in early December. The raven, a species that has only begun to be recorded in Philadelphia since 2009, was observed flying over the Delaware River into the Bridesburg section of the city by Tom Bailey. If recent trends continue this species could soon become a year-round resident in many parts of southeastern Pennsylvania. The Tree Swallow, which had previously been sighted at the Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant (NEWPC) in early January, was re-found at the plant with Northern Rough-wings by Frank Windfelder, and also observed by Todd Fellenbaum, Brian Hart, Anne Reeves, and Rich Horwitz. Although Tree Swallows often linger in Pennsylvania into early December and arrive by late February, this appears to be the first January record of the species in the state. Together, these three species raise the cumulative (1987-2014) species total for the census to 158.

Also highlighting this year’s list were not one, but two Snowy Owls. Two years ago the U.S. experienced a major Snowy Owl irruption and during that irruption the species was recorded for the first time on the census, and for the first time in Philadelphia since 1998. This winter an even larger Snowy Owl irruption occurred bringing huge numbers of this arctic species to locations throughout the lower 48 states and beyond. One of this year’s Snowy Owls (a mostly un-barred whitish individual) was found at the Philadelphia International Airport (PIA) by Win Shafer, and also observed by Chris Walters, Alan Crawford and Art McMorris. The other individual (distinctly barred) was found at the Northeast Philadelphia Airport (NPA) by Matt Sharp and subsequently observed by others during the day. The Snowy Owl observed during the 2012 census was also found at the NPA.

One of this year’s other highlights was the unprecedented number of Snow Geese observed. From all along the shores of the Delaware west to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (JHNWR), Cobbs Creek, the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education (SCEE), Morris Arboretum, Chestnut Hill, Awbury Arboretum, Friends Hospital and Benjamin Rush State Park, flocks of Snow Geese were seen flying by overhead in a generally northerly direction during the morning hours. These flocks were principally responsible for making this year’s grand total for individuals the highest ever recorded. Precisely where these birds were coming from and going is uncertain, but one possibility is that the thaw caused them to return to wintering locations north of Philadelphia they had previously abandoned because of the freeze. Although Snow Geese are most often observed in Philadelphia as flocks flying by overhead very rarely have so many flocks been seen in one day.

This year’s list also included two species that had only been recorded on the census once or twice in the past. Frank Windfelder’s party went out at dawn to find the Short-eared Owl that had been wintering at Pennypack on the Delaware (POD) and they were rewarded with good looks at the bird, providing only the second census record of this species, which had only been recorded previously in 1987. This declining species (endangered in Pennsylvania) has virtually disappeared from Philadelphia in recent years due to loss of habitat and POD is perhaps the only location left in the city where it continues to be spotted with some regularity. In addition to the owl, Rich Horwitz observed a first cycle Glaucous Gull at the Philadelphia Naval Business Center (PNBC) providing only the third census record of the species. This species had only been recorded on the census previously in 1990 and 1993.

Two birds were also observed this year that appear to have been individuals found in previous years. George Armistead found and photographed a bird identified as a hybrid Ring-billed x Black-headed Gull on the same pier along the Delaware (south of Penn’s Landing) where he had found such an individual during last year’s census. And for the third year in a row an adult Northern Shrike was found at JHNWR. Given the extreme rarity of this species in Philadelphia today it’s likely that the same individual has been wintering at the refuge for the past three years. Previously this species had not been recorded in Philadelphia since 1966.

Other highlights this year included a Long-tailed Duck (4th record) on the Delaware River at the mouth of the Frankford Creek and a Red-breasted Merganser (6th record) on the Delaware in the Penn’s Landing area (Horwitz), a Horned Grebe (10th record and first since 2006) on the Delaware at Bridesburg (Bailey), two Iceland Gulls (7th record) including

one on the Delaware at Bridesburg (Bailey) and one at the PNBC (Armistead), a bird identified as a hybrid Glaucous x Herring Gull (2nd record) observed at the PNBC (Armistead), a Long-eared Owl (4th record and first since 2004) in the upper Wissahickon Creek (Belford), an Orange-crowned Warbler (7th record and 3rd year in a row) at Mt. Moriah Cemetery along Cobbs Creek (Atkins), and a Common Yellowthroat (11th record and 3rd year in a row) at the NEWPCP (Fellenbaum).

All time high counts were recorded this year for seven regularly occurring species including Snow Goose (6349; previous high 399 in 2012), Bufflehead (87; previous high 83 in 2002), Bald Eagle (10; previous high 7 in 2013), Cooper’s Hawk (21; previous high 20 in 2012), Red-shouldered Hawk (7; previous high 5 in 2012, 2013), Red-tailed Hawk (99; previous high 83 in 2007), and Carolina Wren (292; previous high 231 in 2013). Some of these new highs (Bald Eagle, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk) parallel recent, well-documented increases in these species’ breeding populations in our area. Additional trends in the populations of several other species were also evident in this year’s results. Until January 2003 American and Fish Crows were both numerous species in Philadelphia during the winter but in February 2003 the Philadelphia populations of both species crashed. Since that time both species have gradually increased in number in Philadelphia and the 177 American Crows tallied this year was the largest number since January 2003 when 1180 individuals were recorded. Until 2006 Sharp-shinned Hawks were typically recorded in the same or greater numbers than Cooper’s Hawks, but since 2006 the two species have been recorded in close to even numbers with Sharp-shins recently beginning to decline further as Cooper’s Hawks increase. Unfortunately, several other species also appear to have undergone population declines in recent years. Before 2005 the Cedar Waxwing had been recorded on the census annually, but since 2004 it has only been recorded in even years. This year only six American Tree Sparrows were found, tying the previous low of six recorded in 2010. Since a record high 126 individuals were recorded in 2004 this species has been consistently recorded on the census in low numbers. And finally, since a record high 1317 House Finches were recorded in 2000, House Finch numbers have declined significantly. Prior to 2000 House Finches averaged 818 individuals per year, but since 2000 they have only averaged 372 individuals per year and only twice have more than 500 been recorded. This decline may have been caused by the disease avian conjunctivitis.

The following species, not recorded on the census, were reported in Philadelphia during the four-week period between December 30 and January 26

Redhead – Delaware River at Glen Foerd, January 8 – Frank Windfelder

Northern Harrier – JHNWR, January 18 – Jeff and David Belford

Rough-legged Hawk – Army Corps Area, January 4 – Matthew Sabatine

Red-necked Grebe 1 – Delaware River at PNBC, January 24 – David Allen

Wilson’s Snipe – JHNWR, January 3 – Kate Atkins; PIA, January 16 – Al Guarente

Saw-whet Owl – JHNWR, December 30 – David Belford

Red-breasted Nuthatch – Mount Airy, January 26 – Cliff Hence

Eastern Bluebird – SCEE, January 18 – SCEE Winter Bird Census

Brown Thrasher – SCEE, January 18 – SCEE Winter Bird Census

Hermit Thrush – JHNWR, January 3 – Kate Atkins

Brown-headed Cowbird – JHNWR, January 26 – Christopher Bortz

The following species and hybrids were only reported by a single party this year; American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal (Walters party); Wild Turkey, American Bittern, Northern Shrike (McGovern party); Horned Grebe, Common Raven (Bailey); Killdeer, Short-eared Owl, Common Yellowthroat, Palm Warbler (Windfelder party); Greater Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Glaucous Gull (Horwitz party); Ring-billed x Black-headed Gull, Glaucous x Herring Gull (Armistead party); Long-eared Owl (Belford party); and Orange-crowned Warbler (Atkins). Species only observed at a single location but by more than one party include Tree Swallow (NEWPCP; Horwitz and Windfelder parties), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (NEWPCP; Russell, Horwitz, Windfelder and Zahn parties), and Eastern Phoebe (Wissahickon; Januski and Kalka parties). As always I would like to express my thanks to everyone who participated in the census this year, and thank you for your patience waiting for the report, which took several months longer to complete than I had planned. Thanks also to everyone who submitted photos from the census. It was difficult choosing from the many wonderful photos submitted but I have included as many as I could in a gallery at the end of the report. I hope you enjoy them. And I hope you will be able to join us again next year when the census has been scheduled for Saturday January 10, 2015. Keith Russell - Census Coordinator 6222 McCallum Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144

Snow Geese flying over Friends Hospital. Photo by Scott Ahern

Canada Geese (with a partial albino individual) along the Tacony Creek. Photo by Scott Ahern

Mallards along the middle Schuylkill River. Wood Duck on the upper Pennypack Creek. Photo by Allison Ostertag Photo by Linda Widdop

Bufflehead on the upper Schuylkill River. Lesser Scaup on the middle Schuylkill River. Photo by Ken Januski Photo by Linda Goschke

Red-tailed Hawk at Friends Hospital. Bald Eagle (and nest) at POD. Photo by Scott Ahern Photo by Philip Stollsteimer (age 13)

American Kestrels on a street light along Richmond Street in Northeast Philadelphia. Photo by Philip Stollsteimer

Ring-billed x Black-headed Gull (reddish bill) along the Iceland Gull (far right) with Herring and Great Black- central Delaware River. Photo by George Armistead backed Gulls at the PNBC. Photo by George Armistead

Belted Kingfisher along the upper Schuylkill River. Snowy Owl at the NPA. Photo by Ken Januski Photo by Scott Ahern

Pileated Woodpecker in the upper Pennypack Creek. Eastern Phoebe in the upper Wissahickon Creek. Photo by Linda Widdop Photo by Ken Januski

Northern Shrike at JHNWR. Photo by Daniel Ceravolo Brown Creeper at Glen Foerd. (photo taken 1/12 by a non census participant) Photo by Philip Stollsteimer

Winter Wren at Friends Hospital. Golden-crowned Kinglet at Lemon Hill in East Park. Photo by Scott Ahern Photo by Allison Ostertag

Eastern Towhee in the upper Pennypack Creek. American Goldfinch at Lemon Hill in East Park. Photo by Linda Widdop Photo by Allison Ostertag