Florence Shelly Preserve

Visit

• What to See: Birds

  Volunteer Evan Mann has led spring bird walks in the preserve for many years. The bird he most looks forward to each year is the northern waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis). Look for these birds in low boggy areas—their preferred habitat—and listen for its rippling song.

  Another favorite of Evan’s is the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), a bird that favors the upper elevations of the preserve. Their high-pitched song has been likened to the phrase, “Oh, sweet Canada-Canada.”

  The preserve is also home to the tiny blackpoll warbler (Setophaga striata), long-distance athletes that hold the record for the longest overwater flight for a songbird. Birders will note a marked change of appearance in the male blackpoll warbler from spring to fall. In the spring the bird is white with black markings and a black cap. In the fall, it turns tawny yellow, and the cap fades to buff-color.

• Community Science: iNaturalist

  We are creating a science database of all kinds of life—from lichens to ants, mushrooms to plants, birds to mammals and everything in between for our preserves in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

  TNC's roots began with local citizens and scientists concerned about special places and species. That legacy continues today. Across our lands, we are utilizing iNaturalist—a digital platform that gives users an opportunity to share and discuss their findings.

  • Join the Florence Shelly Preserve iNaturalist group.
  • Watch a video tutorial and learn how to make an observation on iNaturalist using the mobile app.
  • Download the iNaturalist fact sheet.

  Of the 14 preserve projects in iNaturalist, nine have observations recorded; help us increase that number and our understanding of the species—good and bad, native as well as invasive—that can be found on TNC lands across the state. This information can also help guide and inform our conservation staff's management and monitoring decisions.