Laurel Run Park 6/12--Grasshopper Sparrow

Grasshopper Sparrow

I had a choice this morning, as I saw it. I could, for the third time, go to Stafford Preserve, which is an ugly housing development set next to a vast sandy wasteland with an acre or so of scrubby fields that no one has had the chance to build on yet and frustrate myself by being someplace I don't like looking for a certain bird or I could go to Laurel Run Park in Burlco, which is part of a preserved farm with a mile long loop around grasslands, hard by Rancocas Creek and be pretty certain of finally finding Grasshopper Sparrow. I chose the latter. 

I was hoping that maybe a Dickcissel would also appear, as Laurel Run has hosted that species a couple of times, but I settled for the "gropper." I made two loops around and found 2, perhaps 3--one flew and landed a little too fast for me to get my bins on it. It was a pleasant morning, but not much else was showing itself. Goldfinches were attracted to the huge purple thistle plants. Interestingly, on my 2nd trip around, all the Grasshopper Sparrows disappeared. Strange how that can happen. Is it unintentional inattentiveness on my part? 

About a mile away from Laurel Run is another park--Boundary Creek Natural Resource Area which has boardwalks and observation platforms overlooking the Rancocas. The idea of the Rancocas being a "creek" seems pretty peculiar when you see a barge drifting along it and know that up until the 1920's there were ferries and tugboats running up and down it as it was the best way to get to Philadelphia from that area. 

I hadn't been to the park in at least a year, maybe two. I remembered it being larger but I was able to cover all the trails, essentially a figure 8, twice, pretty quickly.  I found a few birds I like, including a pair of Orchard Orioles but by far the most interesting sighting was of a Yellow Warbler nest hanging over the main viewing platform. The warblers were going back and forth with food, so I assumed there were nestlings inside, but, as I was taking pictures of the nest while they were out gathering more food, I couldn't figure out what the red triangle sticking up was. It wasn't until I got home and looked at the photos that I realized it was the open mouth of begging baby. 

 

The park had prominent Covid-19 signs posted, stating that masks were required. I'm very cautious, but I doubt the necessity for masks walking trails, but I put mine on and  I'm happy to say that at least in Burlington County, the residents take the rules seriously, since almost everyone I passed, including little kids, had their face coverings in place.