Date: 4/2/25 1:17 pm From: Robert Snyder <birdphotoginpa...> Subject: Trip Report for the State College Bird Club outing to Bald Eagle SP on 3/30/25
Hello All,
We had a perfect day for an outing on Sunday while looking for waterfowl. It
was warm (maybe a little too warm; 78 degrees), good cloud cover with
filtered sunlight which gave us an excellent viewing light that did not
wash out or hide details on the birds.
Approximately 14 birders from State College and Juniata Audubon met at
the *Swimming
Beach* at 8 am. The first find was 21 *Long-tailed Ducks* that were
swimming together near the Howard side of the lake. We had several spotting
scopes, so all had an opportunity to get good looks. We also had three
*Red-breasted
Mergansers*, 2 *Double-crested Cormorants*, 2 *Buffleheads*, a *Horned
Grebe*, a *Pied-billed Grebe*, 2 immature *Bald Eagles* (3rd year birds;
white triangle on their backs with some white showing on the heads and
tails) and the first *Osprey* of the year.
Our next stop in the park was at the *Sunken Road Overlook at Hunter Cut*.
We also had company of a lot of fisherfolk enjoying the morning. We walked
out along the old road that ‘sinks’ into the water to set up scopes and
check the lake up near the dam. Again we needed the scopes, as ducks were
as far away as they could get. We had 4 *American Black Ducks*, 4 *Greater
Scaup*, at least 2 *Red-breasted Mergansers*, 2 *Northern Shovelers*
and 1 *Horned
Grebe*. Gulls included 4 *Bonaparte’s Gulls* mixed with a flock of *Ring-billed
Gulls *and one *American Herring Gull*. I think my list is probably
incomplete, though others may feel free to reply back with their eBird
lists if they wish.
For our third stop, we drove up to the war memorial at the top of *Sayer’s
Dam, * but since the lighting had changed to harsh glare off the water, we
hiked down the service road to Hunter’s Cove (still not much water, but a
few waterfowl) and the spillway marsh. Our list at the marsh, looking out
over the mud flats towards the west end of the cove included, 4 *Mallards*,
8 *Ring-necked Ducks*, 8 *Hooded Mergansers*, 3-4 singing *Field
Sparrows *(from
the area around the marsh), several singing *Eastern Towhees*, 6 *Red-winged
Blackbirds* (male and female were present) and a male *Belted Kingfisher* that
showed off for us above the spillway marsh. An adult *Bald Eagle* gave us a
good show back at the top of the service road and we also had good looks
for a short time at a singing *Field Sparrow*.
Time was approaching 11:00 am so we discussed heading separate ways or
maybe a short hop down Rte. 150 to Bullit Run marsh at SGL 92. A small
group followed me down to Bullit Run Canoe launching area. We walked in,
towards Bald Eagle Creek, stopping to check out the marsh pond. At the pond
we found 6 *Wood Ducks*, 4 *Blue-wing Teal* (if I remember correctly), 2
*Killdeers*, 1 *Belted Kingfisher* (male), *Red-winged Blackbirds*,
approximately 25 *Tree Swallows* flew over the marsh and out of sight
heading upstream on the creek. We walked out to the creek and found 2 *Lesser
Yellowlegs* and 7 *Greater Yellowlegs* and 1 Killdeer hunting along the
creek in the rocky shallows. The shorebirds were a nice ending to a perfect
morning.
