Posted on October 24, 2016 by Akire Bubar

Written by Daniel J. Welsh, TTF intern and recent graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

On September 24th, TTF hosted a bird walk in Tacony Creek Park, led by knowledgeable birder Keith Russell from Audubon Pennsylvania. Attendees gathered outside the I & Ramona Gateway around 8 am for coffee and donuts before venturing into the park. The morning was brisk and filled with smiles as everyone greeted each other for this communal event on the 2nd day of autumn!

A Canada goose was spotted right from the start. The goose was flying by itself on its migration for the winter. Throughout the walk we saw many flocks of Canada geese flying overhead. Keith explained that migration season is in full swing and birds often migrate during the night. Hawks were spotted as well! It was a sight to see a hawk flying away from a pack of hundreds of starlings. Groups of starlings and other song birds often mob or harass hawks when they are near.Keith’s knowledge and expertise at distinguishing different bird species was so impressive.

Everyone on the walk went home with something new they learned. One of the many interesting facts I took away was that bird species were introduced to New York City because people wanted to see the birds talked about in Shakespearean plays!  Additionally, I learned that northern flickers have gold on their wings, but in the west have red on their wings.Tacony Creek Park is home to a vast variety of different bird, plant, and animal species. It’s an amazing place to walk through on a fall morning. The sense of serenity and beauty will stay with you throughout the whole day. We have a few bird walks this fall, so visit our Upcoming Events page for more information. Hope to see you there!

Source: My First Bird Walk in Tacony Creek Park – TTF Watershed