Eighteen participants joined leader Art McMorris on a glorious morning for birding in the bridle trail area of Ridley Creek State Park in Delaware County, PA. This section of the park has a mixture of habitats including maturing second-growth deciduous forest, scrub/shrub, fields and hedgerows, along Ridley Creek and its tributaries and upland. At this time of year most of the breeders are on territory, while some late migrants are still coming through. The trip started at 6:30 AM and continued until the birds quieted down at mid-day. The temperature started out in the low fifties and warmed to the mid-sixties under a clear sky.

Fifty-four species were seen and heard. Good (and sometimes unexpected) birds included an Osprey (seen by part of the group at the end of the trip), Barred Owl, Hooded Warbler, Canada Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat. Especially good looks were had of Acadian Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-winged Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, and a mated pair of Scarlet Tanagers.

Birds seen and heard (54 species):

Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Mourning Dove
Barred Owl
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Blue-winged Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Yellow Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Canada Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole