DVOC Field Trip Report

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May 24, 2009 (Sunday)
POCONO MOUNTAINS, PA., DELAWARE WATER GAP, LAYTON and ALPHA, NJ

It was a large and enthusiastic group that met for the DVOC's Pocono Mountains spring field trip on Sunday May 24. In fact, two of our participants were so eager, they actually arrived at the designated meeting place a day early. Luckily, although they never found the group, they did manage to find some nice birds anyway. We regret that they didn't get to join us, but we ended up with a great group of folks on the trip. Some were new to the club and relatively new to birding, and others where long time members with lots of field experience. It was a good (and fun) blend. The weather was cool and cloudy in the morning but it warmed up nicely as the day progressed.

We started out in the Marshall's Creek area and hit a few target species on Hiawatha Road. Cerulean Warblers were seen by all in the area where they have traditionally nested. Unfortunately, everyone did not get on the Golden-winged Warbler that popped up along the road. Kentucky and Chestnut-sided Warblers were in evidence along with Least Flycatchers, American Redstarts, Ovenbirds and fly over Broad-winged Hawks.

We carried on to the Jersey side of the Delaware Water Gap, looked around for possible ravens (hope springs eternal, I say), and then headed to the Worthington Tract to bird Old Mine Road. We found lots of breeding Hooded Warblers and Yellow-throated Vireo was seen by all. Those of the group that remained headed back to Pennsylvania via Alpha where we got Bobolinks but were skunked on Grasshopper Sparrows.

We had a great time, had a opportunity to bird with old friends and to meet some new ones, all while tallying fifteen species of warblers.