It’s in Our Nature: Local Birding Areas

By now you can sense the passion I have for the outdoors and especially birds. As a reference for you, I’ll share some local spots you may want to visit, and some will be within a few miles of where you “kick off your shoes.”

Some of these birding areas are better in certain seasons and I will give a few recommendations.

Beltzville

Except for the “stretch” between Memorial Day and mid-September, Beltzville State Park and Lake is an excellent outdoor destination. Controversial before its construction, it has now become an excellent attraction to migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, many migrant and nesting birds.

The large number of powered watercraft during the warmer months unfortunately keeps most of these birds off the lake. However, since summer is not the peak migration time, it affects little.

During the winter months, some of the parking areas become off limits but quite a few access spots are still available to you. The picnic and beach lot, Pine Run Cove lot, and the lot underneath the high tension lines are available year round.

If you have a spotting scope (rather expensive) you can “cover” much of the water surface with it. I normally use only a 10X pair of binoculars and they are generally sufficient. I have observed 26 different species of waterfowl there, as well as a good number of shorebirds, bald eagles, ospreys, various raptors and many other species.

There might even be a few surprises.

My birding buddies have recorded many more species than I have.

Note that February to May is the best opportunity.

Mauch Chunk

Mauch Chunk Park and Lake offer much the same opportunities. Being a little farther north and more distant from the Kittanniny Ridge, and its smaller size, results in a few less species.

Spring warblers and songbirds are plentiful, and a short walk (wear waterproof shoes/boots) to the bird blind near the Carbon County Environmental Education Center can offer some up close and personal views.

Expect to see osprey, bald eagles, geese, ducks, herons, and painted and snapping turtles. The blind helps you observe with little disturbance.

Lehigh Canal

An overlooked area is the original tow path along the Lehigh Canal. Heading north on the D and L trail you will encounter more walkers/bikers and this can disturb wildlife. I hike south from Weissport toward Bowmanstown on the towpath, generally an easy walk for almost any ability.

In fact, last year on an early May morning, in an hour and half round trip I recorded 43 bird species, three amphibians, three reptiles, and a couple of mammals too.

Bethlehem Authority

More restricted since the events of 9/11, Bethlehem’s Water Authority property in Towamensing and Penn Forest townships offers up opportunities to nature snoops as well. The Wild Creek and Penn Forest Reservoirs attract a good number of waterfowl, osprey, ravens and bald eagles.

To help in stopping wildfires, a number of fire line breaks run throughout the expansive watershed and great birding opportunities exist here.

These fire line breaks are relatively easy to walk and if you chose some that follow one of the small feeder streams, you’ll view a bigger variety of birds. This provides year-round opportunities)

Penn Forest Reservoir

If you are a bit adventurous, take a drive as darkness falls to the northern edge of the Penn Forest Reservoir. Pick a quiet late May or early June evening and find a safe place to pull off Hell Road. If you are lucky, just after dark you might hear the increasingly rare whippoorwills. This is one of the last strongholds that still hosts a population of a once familiar nighttime serenader.

If anyone still hears the whippoorwill in a particular locale, maybe you could email that location to me and I would pass that on to our readers.

Lehigh Gap Nature Center

The Lehigh Gap Nature Center owns and manages a rather large area from the west side of the Lehigh Gap to the Kittatinny area of East Penn Township. A good early morning walk from the Riverview Park lot south toward the “Gap” will lead you to their marshy Three Ponds Trail. It is a favorite early May birding spot for me where I can expect to see herons, “redwings,” wood ducks, a good variety of warblers, turtles, and salamanders. If you have the time, stop in and visit at the Osprey House, the headquarters of the LGNC situated in the Lehigh Gap on the west side of the river. If you’re looking for some information on birds or where to see them, either Director Dan Kunkle or Chad Swartz will gladly assist you.

Bake Oven Knob

My last recommendation is Bake Oven Knob, a world renowned hawk watching site. Its hawk count is organized by the LGNC. It is best known for its fall hawk migrations, but favorable winds in April and early May offer some good flights too.

If your legs are not as steady (much like mine) as they once were you need not hike the quarter mile to the “knob.” The Pennsylvania Game Commission maintains two adequate parking lots at the top of the ridge and on most days, your comfortable folding chairs will still offer you the best seat in the house.

Remember, to take advantage of all the opportunities our area has to offer, you really only need to get out there, look, and listen.

My suggestion, if your time is limited, find a spot where an aquatic habitat is mixed with either field or forest. It will offer you a few more chances to enjoy and continue to learn. …

Test your outdoor knowledge: The woodchuck’s burrow is often used by _____for escaping predators, dens for raising young, or hibernation/winter sleeping areas. A. Red fox, B. opossum, C. rabbits, D. all of these.

Last week’s trivia answer: The tomato hornworm is not an introduced pest feeding on members of the nightshade family, tomatoes, potatoes, nightshade, etc. Some like the spotted lanternfly are recent introductions and extremely damaging.