Wildlife Sightings: October 5 - October 17, 2019
Since the last report, the highlight of my outings has been this American toad (photograph), observed on the trail at the Saul Wildlife Preserve in Rose Valley.
On the migratory bird front: several black-throated blue warblers, a palm warbler, a red-eyed vireo seen at the Saul Wildlife Preserve and, on the trail between the Rose Valley Swim Club, a ruby-crowed kinglet. I also observed sharp-shinned hawks in my front yard and in the Crum Woods Meadow.
David Dee of Rose Valley submitted a photo of a black-throated blue warbler taken in his yard. He says:
“This male was chased by a sharp-shinned hawk from a nearby crab apple and struck our kitchen window. Fortunately the morning glory broke his fall and the sharpie swerved away and lost him. I sat with him for about 10 minutes while he recovered from being stunned. Eventually he went deeper into the morning glory and then about 5 minutes later climbed out and flew away.”
Small Mammal Patterns: In the last column, Julie Ellis reported a dead meadow vole. Since then, my wife Molly Scott observed a dead vole in our backyard, and William Menke of Swarthmore submitted a photograph of another dead meadow vole. Why the vole carnage? Any theories? Also, while eastern chipmunks are quite common in the Crum Woods, I rarely see them in my own yard close to the Swarthmore town center. But this past weekend I had four or five sightings in my yard. We will see if they are expanding their range, or if their presence was an anomaly.
Insects: Julie Ellis of Swarthmore submitted a photo of a black swallowtail caterpillar taken on Park Avenue at the Borough Green.
Ann Best of Wallingford says:
“I’m fascinated by these little butterflies on my native sunflower plant — they’re powerful hoppers!”
Colin Purrington posits that it is possibly an atalopedes campestris, but notes that positive identifications of these moths are really difficult.
Chris McGinniss of Swarthmore submitted a photograph of a differential grasshopper.
Chris Reynolds of Rose Valley submitted a photograph of a “six or eight point buck ... crossing from the safe (east) side to the dangerous side of the Crum Valley during the first week of October, just before the deer hunt was to begin on the west side of the Crum Woods.”
Andy Rosen of Swarthmore submitted a photograph of a common garter snake taken on his property.
Please send reports and photographs of your observations from within Nether Providence Township and Rose Valley, Rutledge and Swarthmore boroughs by using the form below.
