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Mariton: Bird Walk-GivingPond

May 4, 2011

Giving Pond is part of the Delaware Canal State Park , located just south of Upper Black Eddy.  It was a gravel pit at one time.  When you first pull in, you wonder why a bird watcher would waste their time in such a forlorn looking place.  You would be sadly mistaken, just as I was the first time a friend took me there.

Tuesday morning we saw probably 50 species of birds in a few hours walking around the pond and up the Towpath.  One of the most notable sightings was two immature Bald Eagles that we saw throughout the morning.

There were some interesting waterfowl on the pond including:  Wood Duck, American Coots, an immature Snow Goose, and the (very uncommon) Red-breasted Mergansers.  We also saw a Tundra Swan fly over us.  This is a good place to see Ospreys.  We even saw one catch and fly off with a small sunfish.

I think of Yellow Warblers and Warbling Vireos when I think of Giving Pond and we were serenaded by them everywhere we walked.  We also saw Common Yellowthroats, American Redstarts, Parula Warblers, Worm-eating Warblers, and Blue-winged Warblers.

We saw Great-crested Flycatchers and Eastern Kingbirds.  Tree Swallows and Rough-winged Swallows.  Swamp, Field and Song Sparrows.  We saw two Brown Thrashers.  We even heard a Wood Thrush.  We saw both the Baltimore Orioles (including a first year male) and Orchard Orioles.   This is a photo of an Orchard Oriole with its feathers being ruffled by the wind.  All photos by Carole Mebus.


Over the years, the Park employees have been removing invasive plants and planting native trees and shrubs.  So, Giving Pond is going to get better and better for birders.