May 5, 2022: Birds and Turtles!
Snapping Turtle
Spring bird migration is in full swing. The House Wrens are singing their lovely tunes, and Catbirds are out there trying to imitate many other birds. Everyone is searching for a mate and nest material and getting ready to raise a family.
Eastern Painted Turtle
So, what does that have to do with turtles? Basically, the turtles are doing the same thing. Our resident turtles are emerging from the bottom of our small ponds. Many are traveling into the open waters of the lagoon and larger ponds, searching for a mate, and continuing the cycle. This means they must cross Chandler Drive and Mill Road.
Red-eared Slider
Recently, Hershey’s Mill Nature Group placed three new turtle crossing signs in the Springton pond area, two on Chandler and one on Mill approaching the three-way stop at the intersection. These are in addition to the existing signs located near the tennis courts. I’m hoping drivers will be aware and allow our turtles a little time to cross the road.
Northern Red-Bellied Cooter
Our most common native turtle is the Snapping Turtle, but many others reside here at Hershey’s Mill, including Painted Turtles, the non-native Red-Eared Slider and the threatened Northern Red-Bellied Cooter. The latter was discovered by residents and verified by PA at the Mill in 2020!
Happy Birding (& Turtle Watching)!
An easy mix of 1 cup of sugar to 4 cups of water will do. Make sure you boil the water, then add the sugar, as boiling helps keep the mixture from spoiling. There is no need to use food coloring or store-bought feeder food.
A rainy, chilly and damp spring did not stop one of our early migrators. I listened carefully and heard the quiet, lovely sound FEE – BEE, FEE – BEE repeated again and again. A quick look, up into the maple tree outside my window and sure enough, an Eastern Phoebe, a member of the flycatcher family.
On Monday of last week, I was out for a nice walk and ran into a fellow birder. We exchanged sightings, and she said there was an unusual duck on the Lagoon. We headed for a nice bench and put our binoculars on the ducks floating in the middle of the water. Sure enough, we found this unusual bird and after much discussion agreed that it was a Long-tailed Duck.
The Long-tailed Duck is a small, slender sea duck with a rounded head and a small bill. The male has long tail plumes most of the year. A very active diver, they spend most of their time underwater and dive down as far as 200 feet. I discovered that we are in the migration path as this bird makes its way north to the tundra for nesting season. My friend and fellow birder, 
Linda Kane took these pictures. Notice the very long tail!
Now that some nice weather has returned, we’re out there walking. Please keep an eye out for that green plastic netting used by landscapers to hold seed in place. Now I understand it’s bio-degradable. However, these pictures demonstrate what happens when birds use the broken pieces as nesting material.
• Both sexes look alike with the male being 10% larger.
After doing some research, I discovered that the male is responsible for the cooing, a mournful love song to attract a mate. Doves mate for life, and the male brings twigs and sticks to the female for nest building. The female lays two eggs (apparently only two), and both parents incubate, feed, and protect the young.
They gather in small flocks and can easily be seen foraging 
The Turkey Vulture’s distinctive slow, teetering flight style probably helps the bird soar at low altitudes, where it is best able to use its nose to find carrion. Large with long wings, its black body contrasts with grey flight feathers and tail. Also, look closely for a naked bright red head.
By contrast, the Black Vulture has broad wings, a short tail, and a very small black head. If you watch closely Black Vultures fly higher, above the Turkey Vultures. The greyish feathers on the underside of their wings are only at the tips.
I’ve been told that TVs (as some call them) hunt by smell and the Black Vultures hunt by sight. Apparently, the birds feed cooperatively as well, with the Blacks taking over a carcass and leaving the scraps for the Turkey Vulture.
Bufflehead Ducks
for the one that is much smaller in size. That’s not a female Mallard—it’s a female Green-winged Teal who has chosen to spend her time with the Mallards.