Northumberland County Spotlight
March 28-31, 2025
The Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology (PSO) is promoting counties across the state to explore its hotspots and find as many birds as we can. On March 28-31, join us as we lead a 4-day concentrated effort to bird Northumberland County! This is another one of the state‛s under-birded counties but there is so much to explore. We are excited to explore this county that borders the Susquehanna River for approximately 45 miles. We hope to get some waterfowl and gulls during that timeframe as well as explore the odd shaped area.
As a group, we want to document as many birds as possible during this extended weekend. Birders are invited to tag along with others or explore the county‛s game lands, water areas, fields and wild areas on their own terms.
Notable ebird hotspots for the county can be found here https://ebird.org/region/US-PA-097/hotspots
Here is the PSO page for hotspots as well https://pabirds.org/siteguide/pacountypage.php?CountyID=49
We have created a Discord text/chat group for the spotlight to get the word out for rarities and group information, to join that, here is that link https://discord.com/channels/1111453242149306441/1295339323062882346
For anyone who is going to be birding during 4-day birding spotlight, we ask you share your ebird checklists with PSO Birding Data then we can keep track easier. We have also created an eBird Trip Report link where pictures, checklists, etc. will be available for everyone to enjoy. Here is the link for the eBird trip report https://ebird.org/tripreport/286448
Birders of all skill levels are invited to join-in and contribute! If you just want to learn more about birds or you can help others and our challenge, we want you to be involved!
Day 1 March 28
Friday:
Weiser State Forest – 8am – morning walk at Roaring Creek led by Karol Pasquinelli (40.822448,-76.491523).
https://maps.app.goo.gl/A7iTqJWDf6XvRcWE9
Bathrooms and parking accessible. 2-4 miles, easy to moderate. This section is dominated by evergreens, including hemlock, pine, and spruce. Likely birds include Winter Wren, sparrows, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and other forest birds. The occasional Pine Siskin is heard too. The main trail is paved, out-and-back. There is a single-file trail adjacent to the reservoir that can be used to make a loop.
Weiser State Forest – 7pm – evening walk at Natalie trails led by Karol Pasquinelli (40.812338,-76.451253)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/52MRYBy1DvSXSept8 Bathrooms nearby, but not at the trailhead. 3/4 mile, easy to moderate. This section has mature and young forest with scrubby patches, great for our local forest birds. Ruffed Grouse are sometimes found too. Woodcock and owls may be present in the evening.
Day 2 – March 29th
Saturday:
Morning 8am. SGL 84 on Dornsife Mtn Rd Led by Court Harding / Andy Keister. (40.7525784, -76.7877150)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6frHfbmq3hhSWd3L6
No bathrooms. Parking may be limited to fewer than 15 cars; carpooling encouraged. 2-3 miles, moderate. This location starts as grass and shrub-land where we get sparrows, woodpeckers, harriers, and other raptors. Woodcock and Short-eared Owl are possible in the evening. The trail up the mountainside is fairly steep at points, mostly uphill. It starts with young pine and changes to oak/hickory.
Alt Saturday/afternoon:
Time to be determined – SGL 84 at Mahanoy Creek led by Bryce Andrew. (40.739352,-76.548139)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/8cj7ZzHFrWw6KV2U8
No bathrooms. 3-4 miles, moderate to difficult. Parking may be limited to fewer than 15 cars; carpooling encouraged. This SGL 84 spot can produce Ruffed Grouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, kinglets, etc. The habitat is young forest adjacent to mature forest.
Day 3 – March 30
Sunday:
8am – Susquehanna River starting at the Adam T. Bower Dam / Weis parking lot in Sunbury. (40.849346, -76.802435)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/o1VDDKAcSQGMju568
Bathrooms can be accessible. Carpooling preferred. Visit spots along the Susquehanna River looking for gulls, ducks, geese, and more. Stops also include the Shikellamy State Park marina and Milton State Park, subject to change depending on scouting and river conditions.
If the river is not productive, folks can move to Warrior Run Wetlands (41.1112515, -76.7908984).
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2LMHyeyD9C8UVwSm6
No bathrooms. Parking is very limited to fewer than ten cars; carpooling is encouraged. 1-2 miles, easy to moderate. Warrior Run is one of our few accessible wetlands in the county. It should be a good spot for woodcock. There may be ducks, snipe, and early shorebirds using the small ponds. This is typically one our spots for White-crowned Sparrows alongside other sparrow species.
The farm fields and roads in northern Northumberland are also good for geese, Horned Lark, meadowlark, and other field birds.
Alt Sunday:
Weiser walk at Roaring Creek led by Bryce Andrew (40.822448,-76.491523). Same description as Friday’s morning walk.
Day 4 March 31
Monday:
8am – SGL 184 at Irish Valley Rd (40.810745,-76.622285) led by Karol Pasquinelli /Court Harding.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2638x8A2JGBYfpoq6
There may or may not be a Porta-potty (will check before the outings). Parking accessible. 2-4 miles, moderate to difficult. This location is grass/shrubland patches separated by spruce trees, perfect for sparrows, forest birds, thrushes, Cedar Waxwings, and raptors, including kestrel. At the top of the fields is a short out-and-back trail into mature forest.
