Hello Fellow Nature Lovers,  

Can you feel the nights getting cooler? Fall is definitely upon us.  

A few good birds are still being seen in the local area. Bill Oyler saw a Baird’s Sandpiper at a newer location, along the Woods Road Warehouse retentions ponds near Mainsville, PA. A Stilt Sandpiper was seen at the Greencastle Reservoir by Carl Garner and Dave Ebbitt on 28 September. Bill Oyler also saw the elusive Connecticut Warbler in the Heisey Orchard on Monday. October 1 Tom Dougherty had a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Philadelphia Vireo in the Hunter’s Chase subdivision, Chambersburg. 

A group of us from Conococheague Audubon journeyed to Cape May, NJ on Wednesday, September 22 – Friday, September 24, 2021. Our new directors, John and Sue Greer, led the trip. They were very prepared! They ventured to Cape May on Monday and had a day and a half to explore the birding areas. With colorful maps in hand, they greeted us at a new place for us, the Garrett Family Preserve, established by The Nature Conservancy. Though we didn’t see much there this time, it’s wonderful to add a new birding site.  

Over the course of the remaining two days, we visited the Cape May Point Hawk Watch and the trails behind the Hawk Watch at the Cap May Point State Park. We were able to see a Eurasian Widgeon, both Green- wing and Blue-wing Teal and Black Duck in the nearby ponds. We also got good looks at various fall-plumaged warblers by the cedar trees before entering the trail. We saw numerous Northern Parulas. That was such a treat! We arose early Thursday intending to catch the “Morning Flight” as described by our September 13, 2021 meeting speakers, Chris and Rebecca Payne. Alas, at Higbee Beach Management Wildlife Area we saw little bird life either on the platform or in the open meadows. We were able to see Stilt Sandpipers, both Yellowlegs, Teals, Shovelers, both Snowy and Great Egrets, Royal and Forster’s Terns, and a Peregrine Falcon by the Nature Conservancy South Cape May Meadows. Some of us visited Nummy’s Island late Thursday afternoon where we saw American Oystercatchers, a Black-bellied Plover, Boat-tailed Grackles, one Sora, and one Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow. On Friday we visited the Wetlands Institute, seeing a group of Willets, two Wilson’s Snipe, a Little Blue Heron and Tri-colored Heron. We had a group of White Ibises fly over. We also had one juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron. By the Stone Harbor Point we saw many Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstones, Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers, and both Great and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Though we didn’t see many birds at the Avalon Sea Watch, it was great to visit with the lone recorder of passing species. Overall, it was a terrific outing! Even the weather cooperated. Though much rain and stormy weather had been forecasted, we avoided most of it.  

Again, a reminder that our October 11, 2021 general meeting will be held at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2695 Luther Drive, Chambersburg, PA (off Route 997, near Scotland exit of I-81). Our speaker will be Eric Zawatski, a Penn State graduate presenting via Zoom about the Wood Thrush Nesting Success here in Central PA Contiguous Forests at 7 PM. I will send out the Zoom invitation on Sunday, Oct. 10 for those desiring to watch it from the comfort of their own homes. ***That same evening, Oct. 11, 2021, ALL Youth Contest participants should arrive by 6:45 PM to hand in both their Longest Bird Species List and their Best Bird Photos.  

Note:  There is a change in our fall birding Field Trip schedule. There will now be a Hawk Migration Watch Field Trip on Oct. 16, 2021. Meeting place is still at Sunnyway Foods parking lot, 49 Warm Spring Road, Chambersburg at 11 AM to head out to the “Pulpit” searching the skies for a few hours for passing hawks and other raptors with Bob and Marion Carmack. Beginning bird watchers are welcome. Bring binoculars. Call 717-597-8631.  

For your viewing pleasure, please check out Audubon’s 2021 Top Ten Videos.  

I hope to see you at St. Luke on Oct. 11, 2021 (with your mask) at 7 PM for the meeting and/or 6:45 PM for the Youth Contest participants.  

Happy Fall to each of you,  

Terri Kochert