Birds

[littlelehigh]

On Thurday April 1 I was fishing a local spring fed stream in the Lehigh Valley and saw a pair of birds about the size of a mallard duck that were sitting in the trees.

I know this is pretty vague and I apologize but I'm really curious as to what they were. I would guess they were paired up for spring mating.

The only info I have is at first sight it appeared they were on the ground and upon seeing us immediately flew up to a perch on a tree. They were fast to take flight and rather quick in the air (compare to a duck), about the size of a mallard duck and dark colored. I didn't see any white on either bird but I never got a clear look at them. I can't even say for sure what shape there beak was. They were also very vocal when the took off and in flight.

I found a website of birds in Pa thinking they could be American woodcock, snipe or even a rail. But all those birds measure out between 8 and 10 inches which is small for these birds. Any help would be greatly appreciate or even your stories and picture of animals you saw on your wilderness outings.

No fish caught by the way on this outing. Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[littlelehigh]

Nevermind wood ducks:

http://www.junglewalk.com/popup.asp?type=a&AnimalAudioID=349

never seen a duck in a tree before........ city folk

 

[tocar]

I just read your op and thought "Hum, could be wood ducks". If you get a good look at the head, id'ing them is easy. Otherwise, they really blend in to their environment. Beautiful birds. And very fast flyers.

On a similar note, I, too, spotted a "first" yesterday. While fishing the end of a long pool, I heard a noise on the far bank (about 15 feet away). Out of the water comes a mink with something in it's mouth (too small to see what it was, but likely a small fish). It scurries up the bank maybe 20' and disappears. As I resumed fishing, I heard another noise coming from the spot where he disappeared. Straining my not-so-young-anymore eyes, I could make out three or four "somethings" scurrying around a large boulder. I usually carry binos and/or a camera. Yesterday I had neither Anyway, it turns out it was a whole family of minks. Hope they don't eat too many of the fishes. They (in large numbers) can have a devastating effect on small streams or so I've been told.

Btw, at the time I spotted the first one, I wasn't sure if it was a mink or a weasel. Upon further research at home, they were definitely minks.

My favorite wildlife moment was the first time I saw a Bald Eagle here in the lower Susquehanna valley. Amazed me by it's size alone. Had the binoculars that day :-D and got to watch it tear into it's dinner, all while I drifted on my kayak roughly fifty feet below. They are awesome (as in "awe inspiring", as opposed to "just really cool", although they are that, too!

peace-tony c.

 

[PaulG]

Tony

Just some of the great things you can see while trout fishing!

Thats why we love it!

Sorry I couldn't make it!

PaulG

 

[bigstreamer]

If it was the size of a mallard then it was not a woodcock. They are much smaller. The long beak, which they use to catch earthworms, is a dead giveaway to identify them.

I would guess woodducks. The females would be a mix of browns and grays. The drake is very brightly colored. One of the most beautiful ducks in my opinion.

 

[flynoob]

Yep wooducks frequent trees, in fact they're one of the only ducks that actually nest in trees, you'll sometimes see large bird boxes up to 20' in trees. Its amazing to see the chicks tumble from that height and then scurry off like nothing happened.

 

[Chaz]

Sounds to me like it was probably Wood Ducks, they are very common on limestone streams, and especially during the mid-March mid-April period, they are migrating this time of the year. Wood Ducks nest in tree cavities and love acorns, so look for them in flooded areas that have oak trees and especially beaver dams.
I always see a lot of them on opening day in NC PA. Their young fly down out their nest the day they hatch and never go back, it's more like a crash landing then a fly down. Guarded by the parents but not fed by them. Males have a noticeable crest the females have a crest but it's seldom seen.
They are much smaller than Mallards and fly quit fast, an they are easy to flush.

 

[Will]

Yes, Wood Ducks are smaller than mallards, but if you're not real familiar with either the size is in the ballpark (as in you are probably thinking "that's a big bird - lots bigger than any songbird, etc."). For future reference Woodcock are even smaller and I've never seen one in a tree -they are ground birds and the beak is very long and skinny.

 

[iceyguides]

It also could have been a hooded merganser. They nest in trees too. Chances are it was probably a wood duck.

 

[boss_steb]

Tocar,

No chance it was a River Fisher? They would be much larger than mink but young might be small enough to pass for some...interesting video..a bit long...

http://www.wpsu.org/ondemand/streams/Otters_and_Fishers07062.html

Boss

 

[Chaz]

Actually a hooded Merganser is about the same size, as seen in the wild, as a wood duck.Didn't know they nested in trees. Wood ducks often fly into and perch in trees when flushed.
Here's a pic of a each.
http://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowlGallery/61/index.html

http://dsf.chesco.org/ccparks/lib/ccparks/wood_duck_pair.jpg

 

[medicineman]

Definetly a mink, fishers are more of an dryland species and theres not very many in PA, mostly the mountainous north-central counties. Not likely an otter either, they are much, much larger and not so common either, although one was trapped last fall in Chartiers Crick, not to far from Washington & Jefferson College.

I wouldnt worry about a few mink wiping out the fishing in a small stream, its not a stretch to say there is a mink visiting just about every stream in PA at some point or another during a year, they're pretty secretive and solitary.

 

[tocar]

boss_steb wrote:
Tocar,

No chance it was a River Fisher? They would be much larger than mink but young might be small enough to pass for some...

Boss

Doubtful, as I saw an adult with pups and the adult was less than two feet long. Adult fishers are much larger, closer to three feet in body length. But that would have truly made an exciting tale, as fishers are pretty rare, even after reintroduction.

peace-tony c.

 

[Acristickid]

The forests have been alive with with birds.

I enjoyed the company of a red finch???? a few days ago. Anyone?

It was a smallish bird with alot of dull red in-especially around it's head. It sang a lively tune!

 

[FlySwatter]

akid,

Sounds like either a house finch or a purple finch (really is red). I frequently see them on my bird feeder.

 

[Acristickid]

FS- wonder why they would call it a purple finch when it is clearly pretty red???

Enjoyed it's singing.

In a few months, I will probably be the cursing birds for waking me up in my tent.

Last year, I had a bird that was bulldogging the sides of my tent very early in the morning- he was making a big racket picking off spinners on the sides of the tent. Did'nt get the make on that one.

hahaha

 

[Fishidiot]

A-kid,
The bird in my avatar is a male house finch.
Saw a bunch of hooded mergansers today on the Juniata River.

 

[mystillwater]

i was scouting W. Valley creek to see if i could find a good fishing spot and i noticed a weird flat, black, scratched-up-plastic looking disc in the leaves about 5 feet in front of me. it slid away from me and quickly i realized it was attached to a small-dog-sized animal which ducked it's head under some brush as if to hide from me. then it scurried into the creek and swam away. the first beaver i ever saw in person. if it weren't for the fact that i watched it for 5 minutes swim around and crawl up the bank again, i'd never believe they existed in Chester County.. enjoy my crappy iphone pics: