Rudolph Keller
Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:45:43 -0700
From 5:30-6:20 a.m. 9/20 in Berks Co. in se PA, I heard about 900 nocturnalflight calls, the vast majority in the last 20 minutes. Most calls were of Swainson's Thrush, with calls of Wood Thrush a distant second, and single digit numbers of Veery, Gray-cheeked Thrush and Rose-breasted Grosbeak calls. An apparent Bicknell's Thrush called clearly four times as it passed over my clearing in the woods. As usual, there were many unidentified calls. Conditions were clear (stars and 4 meteors very bright), cold (40'sF) with almost calm winds. Yesterdays windy (nw) frontal passage yielded very few calls of high flying birds during the same time period, which is typical. Swainson's and Wood Thrushes were quite vocal during the first half hour after landing. Three Swainson's Thrushes spent the morning hours in a spicebush (Lindera benzoin) near my house alternating between swallowing 2 or 3 berries, perching quietly and digesting (they regurgitate the seeds after digesting the pulp), then eating more fruits and so on. This bright red, high lipid fruit is abundant in the nearby woods after this rainy growing season, and these thrushes eat a lot of it. I've watched Veeries, Hermits, Gray-cheeks, Swainson's and Wood Thrushes spend long periods in these bushes. Parking (and porking) in the diner.
Rudy Keller Boyertown, PABerks County
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