The Birds may be in dire straits, but it will always be “go Birds” around here — for all bird-kind.
If you’re anything like me, you keep your eyes (and ears) peeled for winged creatures that flutter and tweet by, and maybe ask yourself, “I wonder what kind of bird that is?”
I’ve been using a fun app called Merlin to help me do just that: identify birds by their songs. Now I feel confident enough to say, “That’s a Blue Jay!” before I can even see it.
If it’s not apparent yet, we’re talking birds today. Here’s our itinerary:
Secret spots: The best places to go birdwatching in the Philly region.
A birding boom: A new generation of enthusiasts are taking flight.
Surprise parrots: We look into the phenomenon of wayward birds around Philly.
☀️ Your weekend weather outlook: Absolutely splendid, not a cloud in sight. Highs in the 60s, lows in the 30s.
— Paola Pérez (outdoorsy@inquirer.com)
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From the migratory funnel of Cape May to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, the Philadelphia area is home to hundreds of great birding spots.
So, we asked some ornithologists and birders to reveal their favorite places to see cool tweeters, and built an interactive map to explore them. Here’s a sample:
🐦 At Cobbs Creek Park (West Philly), eBird users have frequently seen striking red-shouldered hawks and palm warblers.
🐦 Green Lane Park (Montgomery County) attracts a broad range of bird species. It’s one of the few places in the region where you may spot a lesser black-backed gull.
🐦 In Peace Valley Park (Bucks County), birders have reported sightings of crested cormorants and ospreys.
Use our map of the top spots for your next adventure, all within a two-hour drive of the city.
News worth knowing
Reports of lost exotic birds seem to be on the rise. It’s unclear whether the reports mark a trend.
A machine that filters wastewater treatment plants and stops microplastics from reaching the ocean is now a permanent fixture down the Shore.
The 150-year-old pioneering seed and garden supply company Burpee has been sold.
A local township continues to fight an underground war against unpredictable sinkholes — a problem that geologists point out has been 500 million years in the making.
Experts warn that the ongoing El Niño will further expose the aging infrastructure of the nation’s stormwater systems.
🍁 Your outdoorsy memories
Before we go into hibernation, I want to hear from you: What are you getting up to outside? Do you have any pro tips, go-to spots, or memorable moments to share?
Think about it, and then send me an email with your story. Photos, if you have them, are awesome.
🎤 Here’s environmental reporter Frank Kummer with a report on the growing number of people flocking to a once-niche hobby.
Victoria Sindlinger led a six-member flock from the Quackers Bird Club across the University of Pennsylvania campus, peering into hundreds of trees and shrubs along the way.
Binoculars dangling, the crew navigated past Franklin Field, traversed a steel bridge, skirted past tennis courts, and ducked into a pocket park.
For two hours on a recent walk they tracked a northern mockingbird tucked into a willow oak, caught a yellow warbler mid-hunt, pinpointed a monarch butterfly resting on goldenrod, and observed other flora and fauna, including a giant hornet nest.
Sindlinger, a 22-year-old senior environmental science major from West Philadelphia, launched the club during her freshman year, pitching it to a small group chat of classmates. The group has grown to 120 members and is an official university organization.
The Quackers are part of an expanding wave of young, city-dwelling birders reshaping the hobby with a distinct urban tilt. While regional sanctuaries like Cape May and Berks County’s Hawk Mountain draw international recognition, the popularity of urban birding across Philadelphia and its dense suburbs is soaring, according to some of the region’s most enthusiastic bird-watchers. — Frank Kummer
Read on to learn more about the soaring pursuit of urban birding, and be sure to watch this fun video by The Inquirer’s Kyle Crichton.
Paola’s picks
👀 A sighting: The extremely reclusive yellow billed cuckoo, and a goldfinch in its sunflower playground.
🌍 A film: I saw a screening of Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff over the weekend, thanks to the Philadelphia Film Festival. I laughed, cried, and felt pure awe over our planet and the universe. Five stars.
🍂 A tip: Before you rake fallen leaves away, consider their role in the nitrogen cycle. Apart from benefiting insects and small organisms, they naturally fertilize soil as they decompose.
🍄 A series of activities: Explore the beauty and biodiversity of the autumnal garden at Stoneleigh (Friday; $15), take a beginners’ foraging walk with Philadelphia Mycology Club (Friday; $18, registration required), or go on a “grotesque” tour at dusk following the footsteps of Edgar Allan Poe in Andalusia (Oct. 23 and 29; $45).
🐢 A reptile’s wisdom: The world’s oldest living land animal, 194-year-old tortoise named Jonathan, may offer clues to human longevity.
A colorful view
After I watched Star Stuff on Sunday, I spontaneously dared to walk the Ben Franklin Bridge to Camden and back (shout out to my colleague Stephanie Farr, who was absolutely right). Upon my return to Philly, Franklin Square Park pulled me in with its trees’ stunning shades on display.
I’d love to see your fall foliage photos. Feel free to send them in here.
👋🏽 Enjoy our beautiful surroundings.
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