Save Some Birds for Tomorrow
As I brushed my teeth early this morning, the first hint of sunlight crept over the ridges along I-99, visible from my bathroom window. Sunshine, I thought. Thank God.
I don’t mind snow, and cold has never bothered me much—but January’s lack of daylight has a way of wearing me down. Yesterday’s hike, though full of action, carried that heavy, oppressive winter darkness. Today felt different. With temperatures climbing to a balmy 47 degrees, only a couple cleaning jobs stood between me and a proper day of birding.
As if to announce what was coming, an American Robin sang from the parking lot of a local church. In all my years of birding, I don’t recall ever hearing a robin sing in January—despite the fact that they live here year-round. Yet there I was, Bronco window cracked, that song brushing my eardrum and setting the tone for the day.
After wrapping up work, Tim and I split ways—him off to deliver for Amazon, and me grabbing my camera and binoculars to soak up some Vitamin D the old-fashioned way.
Canoe Creek, I decided.
If there’s one place locally that reliably delivers both quality and variety, it’s Canoe Creek State Park. And it did not disappoint.
Just past the ranger station, my eyes caught my favorite hawk—the Red-shouldered Hawk—poised on a branch, intent on the cattails and dried grasses below. Rodents were surely moving. Though red-shoulders aren’t typically bird hunters, they’re expert predators of snakes and small mammals. Bathed in warm sunlight, the bird allowed me a moment—and a photo. My first ever Red-shouldered Hawk photograph, taken at my favorite state park. My heart smiled.
The day unfolded beautifully. I tallied 33 species within the park alone, even with a few usual suspects—like Mourning Dove—conspicuously absent. I did hear what I thought might be whistling wings overhead, but something felt off, so I left it off the list.
Most notable was a full sweep of Pennsylvania’s resident woodpeckers: Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, Northern Flicker, Pileated, and even a wintering Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. The real surprise, though, was a Red-headed Woodpecker—a bird I typically associate with Sinking Valley. I’d seen one here years ago with Joe Glass, but this marked only my second Red-head at Canoe Creek.
There were good moments throughout the afternoon, including crossing paths with a couple birders I’ve been trying to coax into JVAS. It was nice to see familiar faces again after a few run-ins on the Ray Amato Trail.
As the sun slipped toward the horizon, I ambled back to my car just in time to hear the distant cries of Ring-billed Gulls—no doubt waiting for the lake to thaw so they can make quick work of any fish that didn’t survive the freeze.
One thing I’ve been noticing this year—though it could just be me—is a noticeable shortage of White-throated Sparrows. They’re usually a dominant species numerically, but that hasn’t been the case since their return in October 2025.
A day like this feels like a gift in January. Proof that even in winter, there’s still plenty worth saving—some birds for tomorrow.
#outdoors #wildlife #Pennsylvania #birding #journaling