Date: 11/5/25 12:33 pm From: A. Liebner <000000d98121eaef-dmarc-request...> Subject: B. Eagle, N. Harrier (M&F), Cormorants Sch. Co
Hello all,
November has been nice for birding so far.
The local farmer throws carcasses out in the field next to the buildings that house the chickens. Those dead chickens are a magnet for crows, ravens, eagles, and hawks. On the Saturday, 11/01, I looked out the window to see a large bird picking at a carcass near the chicken farm building across the valley. A flash of white caught my eye; and that turned out to be a beautiful male Northern Harrier dive-bombing the large bird (later ID as a Red-tailed Hawk. That Harrier was persistent and kept up the attack for quite a while. It finally flew off and the Red-tail moved to another carcass closer to the chicken house building. Monday, 11/03, a friend and I went birding at Sweet Arrow Lake. As we made our way to the lakefront, an American Robin landed in the grass by the Clubhouse. A little further along a beautiful male Monarch butterfly fluttered around us, eventually landing in the leaf litter. It was in perfect condition; however since it blended so well with the fallen leaves, it was a challenge to find it in the camera viewfinder to take a photo.
There were many Canada Geese on the lake, some Mallards and two Swans. As we walked along the path to the east we saw White-throats and White-crowned Sparrows, along with House Finches, Song Sparrows, several Tufted Titmouse and some DE Juncos. Sadly we came across a dead buck laying alongside the lake, presumably shot by a bow hunter.
On the way back to the Clubhouse area we spotted two Great Crested Cormorants.
We drove to the SAL Road side parking lot but didn't find anything new there. No Kingfishers, Great Blue Herons or Green Herons.
We then stopped at the parking lot along Swatara Creek at the East end of the Lake and it was there that we saw a lot of small birds: Northern Mockingbird, DE Juncos, Carolina Wren, White-throated Sp., White-crowned Sp., House Finches, Blue Jays, House Sparrows, Mourning Doves, & Goldfinches. A large brown Hawk flew downstream and into the woods but I didn't get a good ID. It's nice to see so many nice size native trees planted along both sides of Swatara Creek.
I came home to Crows and Ravens calling in the distance and the usual yardbirds: Downy, Hairy, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, DE Juncos, White-throated Sp., White-crowned Sp., Blue Jays, Mourning Doves, Eastern Bluebird, Song Sparrow, House Finch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, & Carolina Wren.
This morning an immature Bald Eagle flushed into the air near the buildings when a woman walked down through the fields. Not long after, a beautiful female Northern Harrier soared over the uncut fields, dipping and turning, performing a wonderful Harrier ballet until it finally dropped to the ground to feed on something small.
I resumed feeding peanut butter/cornmeal suet and black oil sunflower seed so the numbers of birds are increasing every day. The predicted cold weather should bring in some new birds.
Happy fall birding,
Ann M. Liebner
Wayne Twp. Schuylkill County
