Maiden Voyage May 2021

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Gifford Pinchot State Park, Pennsylvania

Road Trip Tally

States: PA
Miles: 150
Total_Miles: 150
MPG: 18.0
Keeper Photos: 148
Total
New Species Added: NA
Total Road Trip Bird List: 61

Night view of stars above my first campsite

As I imagine is the norm, I had a bit of anxiety on this first trip, despite it being only 20 miles from home. Did I check the lug nuts? Will the heater work? The refrigerator?

It ended up being a wonderful first trip, however, with none of my imagined fail-scenarios playing out. The campground was nearly empty, and I was able to enjoy sunrise walks each morning. The neotropical migrants were out in full force, and I logged over 50 species.

I am thinking I will hold to a single focus on each trip. So May trips will be focused on birding, with photography taking a more minor role. Although photography will always be a focus on any trip (sorry for the pun).

In summer months, I do want to add astrophotography, as skies permit. This involves lugging a lot of bulky equipment, so my plan is to watch the weather and the skies, and make deliberate decisions about trips where I will need that extra equipment.

I also took short road trips each day, just to explore the area. I am imagining this will be what I will do when camping, since it offers instant access to new sights, and appealing photo opportunities should be in relatively close proximity.

This pileated woodpecker spent the morning on the ground at my camp site. He was quite tame and focused on something to eat at the foot of a tree.
I was on the lake, with a beach area across the road. This time lapse shows one of my sunset views.

Image Gallery:

Note, these pictures are meant to document my trip. They aren’t necessarily supposed to be photography in the artistic sense. My photography can be found at http://www.lsizemore.com.

Until I figure out how to caption the photos, we will leave it as, “here are pictures of my campsite, of the nice skies, of Boiling Springs (Point C on map), and of the obligatory Waffle House visit.

Bird List

Mon 10 May 2021 7:00 AM Location Gifford Pinchot SP–campground View with Google Maps Region

  1. Canada Goose Number observed:  9
  2. Mallard Number observed:  7
  3. Mourning Dove Number observed:  8
  4. Killdeer Number observed:  1
  5. Spotted Sandpiper Number observed:  7
  6. Ring-billed Gull Number observed:  2
  7. Double-crested Cormorant Number observed:  4
  8. Great Blue Heron Number observed:  10
  9. Black Vulture Number observed:  3
  10. Turkey Vulture Number observed:  2
  11. Osprey Number observed:  1
  12. Bald Eagle Number observed:  2
  13. Red-shouldered Hawk Number observed:  1
  14. Red-tailed Hawk Number observed:  1
  15. Red-bellied Woodpecker Number observed:  3
  16. Downy Woodpecker Number observed:  1
  17. Pileated Woodpecker Number observed:  1
  18. Northern Flicker Number observed:  1
  19. Eastern Wood-Pewee Number observed:  1
  20. Eastern Phoebe Number observed:  1
  21. Great Crested Flycatcher Number observed:  6
  22. Yellow-throated Vireo Number observed:  1
  23. Warbling Vireo Number observed:  2
  24. Red-eyed Vireo Number observed:  3
  25. Blue Jay Number observed:  7
  26. American Crow Number observed:  5
  27. Carolina Chickadee Number observed:  3
  28. Tufted Titmouse Number observed:  1
  29. Northern Rough-winged Swallow Number observed:  2
  30. Purple Martin Number observed:  2
  31. Tree Swallow Number observed:  9
  32. White-breasted Nuthatch Number observed:  1
  33. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Number observed:  1
  34. House Wren Number observed:  2
  35. Carolina Wren Number observed:  1
  36. Gray Catbird Number observed:  6
  37. Northern Mockingbird Number observed:  2
  38. Eastern Bluebird Number observed:  8
  39. Veery Number observed:  1
  40. Wood Thrush Number observed:  5
  41. American Robin Number observed:  7
  42. House Sparrow Number observed:  1
  43. House Finch Number observed:  2
  44. American Goldfinch Number observed:  6
  45. Chipping Sparrow Number observed:  7
  46. White-throated Sparrow Number observed:  1
  47. Song Sparrow Number observed:  2
  48. Eastern Towhee Number observed:  2
  49. Baltimore Oriole Number observed:  8
  50. Red-winged Blackbird Number observed:  9
  51. Common Grackle Number observed:  2
  52. Ovenbird Number observed:  6
  53. Common Yellowthroat Number observed:  1
  54. Yellow Warbler Number observed:  1
  55. Black-throated Blue Warbler Number observed:  1
  56. Palm Warbler Number observed:  2
  57. Yellow-rumped Warbler Number observed:  9
  58. Prairie Warbler Number observed:  1
  59. Black-throated Green Warbler Number observed:  1
  60. Scarlet Tanager Number observed:  4
  61. Northern Cardinal
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