~Blue-winged Warbler at Sterling Forest State Park, Ironwood Road, 5/16/15.~
Since my return from Florida I have gotten out and done a lot of local birding whereI have seen and heard many birds, yet it has not felt overly fulfilling. I was thinking about it today and that’s when I realized that I am not well; I am suffering from a case of Post Florida Birding Syndrome. A while back, Linda Scrima warned me that this would happen. Who would have guessed that it would difficult to transition from taking super close-up photos of multiple life birds every day to trying to locate the smallest of birds among the leaves in the highest treetops?
The good news is that I think I’ve found a remedy: I’m thinking back on all the amazing first-of-the-year birds that I’ve had in the eight days since I’ve been back. The list is 50 species long just for Orange County! What better indication is there of all the great birding that is going on right now? And the Mearns Bird Club had their BREAK 100 event this weekend; every team but one had over 100 species in 24 hours! How awesome is that? Additionallhy, while they were not Florida-close, I did manage to get some decent photos during the week. It makes me think about what a great pastime birding is, how there are amazing birds at every turn and that you never know what the next big thing will be.
~Scarlet Tanager at Pochuck Mountain State Forest, 5/17/15.~~An American Redstart sings his heart out at Pochuck Mountain State Forest, 5/16/15.~~I got my lifer GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER on Thursday with no photos. When I went back on Saturday I managed to get at least a usable shot. Sterling Forest State Park, Ironwood Drive 5/16/15.~
For those that are interested, these are the new birds added to my Orange County List in the last eight days:
~I never really appreciated ROSEATE SPOONBILLS until I saw them in person. I was really blown away, they are so much more beautiful than I ever thought. J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/3/15.~
The J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island was definitely my favorite of all the birding spots I hit in southwest Florida. Like Montezuma NWR and Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, the refuge has a Wildlife Drive. The drive is five miles long and the birding is incredible, with many species of birds present, and they are usually close to the road for fantastic looks. A lot of folks ride bikes through Wildlife Drive, I think this would be an enjoyable way to experience it. The refuge is also really pretty and if you get there early the light is super for photographs. I made it out to the refuge two mornings in a row, the first day I was on my own and the second day Tricia joined me – there was no way she was going to miss out on seeing ROSEATE SPOONBILLS. The spoonbills surprised me in how beautiful and charismatic they were. I have, of course, seen many photos of the birds and I was never particularly moved, but seeing them in person changed that for sure. On the second day, after lunch we also went to Bailey Tract to go for the BLACK-NECKED STILTS We got really good looks at the birds, but due to the time of day the light was very harsh for photos.
Over the two days I had 43 bird species and a river otter between Wildlife Drive and Bailey Tract. Ten of the bird species were life birds for me (although the Anhinga and Brown Pelicans I had already seen outside of the refuge).
~A Double-crested Cormorant comes up with a small snack, J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/3/15.~Yellow-crowned Night Herons are everywhere at the refuge, I thought they were such characters. J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/3/15.This was a favorite of mine, of course. A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE soars overhead at J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/4/15.We got really great looks at several BLACK-NECKED STILTS, unfortunately we saw them mid-day and the light was a little harsh for photos. I found this distant photo to be more appealing. J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge – Bailey Tract, 5/4/15.An adult White Ibis does a flyby at J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/4/15.This young Yellow-crowned Night-heron was cracking me up. He/she was very stealthily stalking a shell on the road. J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/4/15.ROSEATE SPOONBILL in flight, J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/3/15.~Tricolored Heron mid-step at J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/3/15.~~An immature Little Blue Heron takes a short flight from one pool to another at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/3/15.~~American White Pelican. This bird was all tucked in, to the point that you couldn’t tell it was a pelican! J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/4/15.~~A first summer White Ibis feeds along the shore of one o the pools at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/4/15.~One last shot of a ROSEATE SPOONBILL, J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 5/3/15.
~MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD. I was thrilled to see this bird, even though it was so distant. We actually got a pretty good look at one as we drove over the bridge leaving Sanibel Island, the bird flew about 50 yards over our car; I was driving so no photos. ~
MOTTLED DUCK
Pied-billed Grebe MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD
Double-crested Cormorant ANHINGA
American White Pelican BROWN PELICAN
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron REDDISH EGRET
Green Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
White Ibis ROSEATE SPOONBILL
Osprey SWALLOW-TAILED KITE
Black-bellied Plover BLACK-NECKED STILT
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Willet
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Laughing Gull
Eurasian Collared-Dove COMMON GROUND-DOVE
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Great Crested Flycatcher
Fish Crow
Grey Catbird
American Redstart CAPE MAY WARBLER
Northern Parula
Blackpoll Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
~This was definitely THE bird for me at Bunche Beach. MARBLED GODWIT at Bunche Beach, 5/8/15.~
I love shorebirds. I really love shorebirds, but boy can they be difficult to identify. Especially when you are at a beach in another state a thousand miles away and you really haven’t done your homework.
I got several recommendations to go to Bunche Beach while I was in Florida, and I ended up going there early in the morning on two different days. On the first day, the number of shorebird species I had was on the low side; two photographers were there ahead of me and were literally chasing the birds around. I did better on the second day when I basically had the beach to myself. What a great joy to have all these beautiful shorebirds in perfect, gorgeous light. But then, of course, you have to identify them. I struggled as I sorted through the birds, but I think I eventually figured them all out. Here is my list of shorebirds I had for the two days; if you see any of the photos here misidentified, please comment to help me get it right – thanks! Life birds are in all caps.
American Oystercatcher
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Willet MARBLED GODWIT
Ruddy Turnstone RED KNOT
Sanderling
Dunlin
Least Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
~Always cute, a Semipalmated Plover cruises the shoreline at Bunche Beach, 5/8/15.~~I saw many Willets in the week that we were down in Florida; I caught this one in flight at Bunch Beach, 5/8/15.~~I love this American Oystercatcher, it has such striking colors! I have not altered the saturation of this photo at all – it has been cropped, the highlights reduced a bit, and then sharpened at the eye and bill. Bunch Beach, 5/8/15.~~This was one of my tougher ID’s – I have it as a Short-billed Dowitcher. The size seemed right for this and I looked at other reports from Bunche Beach earlier in the week and SBDOs were on several lists. At Bunche Beach on 5/7/15.~~A MARBLED GODWIT takes a short flight. Bunche Beach, 5/8/25.~~There were plenty of Dunlin present on both days, Bunche Beach 5/7/15.~~I think I am getting a handle on this bird (but maybe I’m wrong!). Sanderling at Bunche Beach, 5/7/15.~~Black-bellied Plover and reflection. Bunche Beach, 5/7/15.~~I have this bird as a RED KNOT, but may it’s not (ha ha). To me there’s nothing special about this photo but I wanted to include it to see if anyone would confirm it as a Red Knot. Bunche Beach, 5/8/15.~
Bunche Beach is a great location and I had more good birds than just the shorebirds. I enjoyed watching a large group of Black Skimmers flying in unison over the water in the distance; I estimated at least 65 birds were there. When they came to rest on a distant sandbar, I noticed that there were approximately a dozen ROYAL TERNS there as well. I also did well with wading birds, including: Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, REDDISH EGRET, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, White Ibis, and five ROSEATE SPOONBILLS did a flyby on that second morning. Beautiful birds!
~This one’s for Tricia – Little Blue Heron just after sunrise. Bunche Beach 5/7/15.~~A Tricolored Heron hunts along the shoreline. Bunche Beach, 5/8/15.~~(Hopefully) Short-billed Dowitchers at Bunche Beach, 5/8/15. I think the bird behind the central SBDO and to the left is the bird I have identified as a RED KNOT in an above photo.~
~This crazy looking Eastern Towhee was one of many seen and heard at Goosepond Mountain State Park, 5/10/15.~
QUICK POST: I hit two state parks that are close to home this morning, Sterling Forest State Park and Goosepond Mountain State Park.
GOOSEPOND MOUNTAIN: I got here very early this morning and had the place to myself, which was very enjoyable. I walked the trails there for probably 4 miles or so and saw or heard 38 species. Highlights included: Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Blue-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Scarlet Tanager, Spotted Sandpiper, and hearing a Black-billed Cuckoo. I tried to wait out that bird, I heard it call 3 times, but never close by and I never got a look at the bird.
STERLING FOREST STATE PARK: It was not the optimum time of day to go here after walking Goosepond for a while, but I figured I would give it a shot. I walked the power cut at the end of Ironwood Drive; I had a total of 20 species. Here’s a list of the more noteworthy birds: Prairie Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, American Redstart, Yellow Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Yellow-throated Vireo. I also had one unidentified warbler that sounded vaguely like the squeaky wheel of a Black-and-white Warbler to me, but when I caught a glimpse of the bird and I thought I saw a flash of yellow.
~Probably the bird of the day for me – Louisiana Waterthrush at Sterling Forest State Park, 5/10/15.~~An acrobatic Baltimore Oriole at Goosepond Mountain State Park, 5/10/15.~~Wood Thrush in a web at Goosepond Mountain State Park, 5/10/15.~~Blue-winged Warbler at Goosepond Mountain State Park, 5/10/15. I was on the lookout for Brewster’s Warblers (hybrid Blue-winged x Golden-winged) since I had them out there last year, but I did not see any today.~
I posted this photograph to Facebook while we were still in Florida – it was a lot of fun for Tricia and I to watch this Anhinga fish at the Naples Botanical Garden, 5/6/15. I have plenty more photos and posts from Florida coming soon…
Well, it’s hard to beat the birding in southwest Florida! Birds were seemingly everywhere and I made it out to many great spots during the week that Tricia and I were there. I took loads of photos and its is going to take a little while to get through them, a task that has been complicated with some computer problems upon my return. I’m writing this post on my iPad, which is also what I used to edit the photographs. To say this is less than ideal is a gross understatement. With any luck, I will get this squared away in the next day or so.
Meanwhile, this morning I got out and did some local birding. I met up with Maria Loukeris and Linda Scrima early and we headed to Garret Mountain Reservation in Woodland Park, NJ. We had visions of low flying warblers in perfect light, but unfortunately that was not to be. Foggy, cool conditions with poor light was more like it. We saw or heard 27 species as we walked around the reservation. As far as warblers go, we had 7 species: Northern Parula, Yellow, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Pine, Black-and-white, and Common Yellowthroat. A personal highlight of the visit was seeing a single Least Sandpiper in a mud flat on one of the small ponds there. We decided to try our luck elsewhere and headed to Pochuck Mountain State Forest in Pine Island, NY. As we drove, the weather cleared up and it started to become sunny and warmer. We did much better at this location with both birds and photos. While we did not have a large number of species (23), we made up for it in quality. Our best birds were: Worm-eating Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, and Swainson’s Thrush, all three of which were lifers for both Linda and Maria. We also got a great look at a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, which is one of those birds that I struggle to get photos of. It was a great walk in the woods and was a nice way to finish up the day of birding.
Here is a nice look at the Swainson’s Thrush at Pochuck Mountain SF, 5/9/15.I got my FOY Ovenbirds at Pochuck Mountain, 5/9/15.Though I am not thrilled with the results, it was fun for me to get such good looks and shoot this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Pochuck Mountain SF, 5/9/15.Wilson’s Warbler at Pochuck Mountain, 5/9/15.It was very exciting to get great looks at this Worm-eating Warbler, which Maria called even though it was a lifer for her. Pochuck Mountain SF, 5/9/15.
~If anyone has any ideas what this male Wood Duck is eating, can you please leave a comment? Taken at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 4/30/15.~
Tomorrow night, Tricia and I are heading to Bonita Springs, Florida for a week’s vacation. I’m excited as I plan on doing a fair amount of birding while we are there. I am going to post if I find the time while were are down there, otherwise I will post next weekend – I’m hoping for some good birds!
~This is my FOY Gray Catbird, 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 4/30/15.~
It was a beautiful weekend to get outside and do some birding. On Saturday morning I got up early and headed over to 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, where I had my first Green Heron of the year which was distant and in flight, so no photo. From there I made my way to the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area; I was scheduled to volunteer alongside Karen Miller at the Bashakill Area Association’s Nature Watch Program. This is my fourth year participating in the Nature Watch. Most years the program revolves around the Bald Eagles that nest within viewing distance from the main boat launch. Unfortunately, this year the eagles lost their eggs; it is believed that the extended spell of cold weather may have taken its toll. So this year will be a little bit different. We kept at least one scope on the Osprey Nest across the Bash from the main boat launch. The Osprey are in the process of building the nest and it is still on the small side. We saw both perched on or near the nest at different times during our shift. We kept track of all species seen and heard from the boat launch during our 3 hour shift: we had 17 species total. We also kept track of the number of visitors (37) and the number of boats that go out (12). The birding highlight for me was getting my FOY (first of the year) Eastern Kingbird at Haven Road on my way to the main boat launch. The Nature Watch Program runs on weekends (10am – 4pm) from now until the last weekend in June, so stop by if you would like to check out the Osprey nest or anything else seen from the boat launch through the program’s spotting scopes.
~FOY Eastern Kingbird at Haven Road in the Bashakill, 4/25/15.~
On Sunday I went to Glenmere Lake first thing but had no luck. From there I went to Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge to walk the Liberty Loop. I walked the west side of the loop first, and about halfway up that side another birder caught up with me. We started talking and made introductions; his name was Dick Champion. We walked the remainder of the loop together, Dick has a good eye and the birding was good but the conversation was better. The highlight of the walk for me was when Dick located 5 Greater Yellowlegs at the southern end of the loop, they were my first of the year. I ended the walk with a total of 33 species.
~Greater Yellowlegs at the south end of the Liberty Loop, 4/26/15.~
I made a couple more stops after the loop, I walked a little bit at Pochuck Mountain State Forest but it was pretty quiet there. I also made a quick stop at the Camel Farm and although quiet, I picked up a single Greater Yellowlegs for my Orange County list.
~Tufted Titmouse at Pochuck Mountain State Forest, 4/26/15.~~This was actually my first bird of the day on Sunday, one of three Northern Flickers in my yard in Goshen NY, 4/26/15.~
~A Common Yellowthroat on the west side of the Liberty Loop Trail, 4/24/15.~
I had some decent passerine movement today at the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge’s Liberty Loop trail. I walked the west side of the loop, highlights included: Blue-headed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, and Common Yellowthroat. All were my first of the year with the exception of the Yellow-rumped Warbler.
~To me, this is a tough bird to photograph, so I was pretty happy with this shot. Black-and-white Warbler at Wallkill River NWR, 4/24/15.~~An Eastern Bluebird earlier in the afternoon in some good light. Warwick, NY 4/24/15.~
~The bird on the left spent most of the time I was there tucked in, as seen in this photo. This is a heavy crop of a distant shot of two Red-necked Grebes at Glenmere Lake, 4/23/15.~
QUICK POST: After work this afternoon, I checked out several waterfowl spots in southern Orange County without much going on until I got to Glenmere Lake, where from the fishing dock I saw two distant birds on the water. They were all tucked in and quite far – I was thinking RED-NECKED GREBES, but I was not sure. I followed the trail that runs along the water’s edge, heading southwest for about a half mile to get a better look. At first I had trouble relocating the birds, but once I did, I was sure they were RNGRs. I spent some time on the shore getting good looks in my binoculars and great views through the scope. The birds slowly worked their way towards me a little bit and I was able to get some usable photos, the light even improved a little to help me out.
~Two Wood Ducks that were working their way along the shore finally realized I was there and fled across the lake, past the two grebes. It was the only time the second Red-necked Grebe looked up. Glenmere Lake, 4/23/15.~
~I love this bird. Black-crowned Night-heron at Frank Masterson Memorial Park, 4/19/15.~
I think my expectations for this weekend might have been a little bit high coming in, because somehow I felt a little disappointed in the weekend’s birding, even though I did get several year birds and was able to get some decent photos. I got out for a little bit on each of the last three days:
Friday 4/17/15, 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary: After work on Friday, I first made a quick stop at Greenwood Lake which was a complete dud. Then I went to Glenmere Lake, where I had a single Common Loon and that’s it. Afterwards, I picked up Tricia at the house and we headed over to 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary. The highlight there was getting my first warblers of the year – 5 Palm Warblers, and 4 Yellow-rumped Warblers.
~Yellow-rumped Warbler on the Heritage Trail at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 4/17/15.~~Palm Warbler at 6 1/2 Station Road. Tricia impressed me by calling this bird in no time at all.~
Saturday 4/18/15, Wallkill Rive National Wildlife Refuge: Early Saturday morning I met Linda Scrima and Maria Loukeris out at the refuge. We walked the west side of the Liberty Loop where our highlight was seeing pair of Wood Ducks perched in trees, coincidentally not long after having a discussion of how we never see them in the trees until they are already flying from their perch.
~A male Wood Duck up pretty high in the trees. This is my first time seeing this and getting photos, it was really cool! Liberty Loop at Wallkill River NWR, 4/18/15.~
We did pretty well for other waterfowl on the loop as well: American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, American Coot, and a likely Pied-billed Grebe (we got a brief look at the bird but never were able to relocate it to confirm the ID). I was hoping for some warblers, but none were to be had. We went over to Winding Waters Trail afterwards and we walked the entire trail, including a part of the trail that I did not know existed but is really nice because it continues along the river instead of cutting across the field. It was on this section of the trail that we had a pair of Northern Rough-winged Swallows and a good look at a Great Blue Heron on a nice perch.
~Great Blue Heron on the Winding Waters Trail at Wallkill River NWR, 4/17/15.~~Northern Rough-winged Swallow at Wallkill River NWR, 4/18/15.~
Frank Masterson Memorial Park, Sunday 4/19/15: I met Bruce Nott at the park Sunday morning to try for the Black-crowned Night-heron that he had located there on Saturday afternoon. Before looking for the heron, Bruce took me up the road to the marshy area off of Lake Washington to show me the nine Wilson’s Snipe that he had seen there earlier in the morning. The snipe were still present and we got good looks in spite of the birds doing all they could to stay camouflaged. I took photos, but none came out very good. We went back to Masterson Park and located the BCNH in the photo at the top of this post. While we were at it, we had a Pileated Woodpecker come in nice and close – too bad it was backlit!
~This is the first time a Pileated Woodpecker has actually flown closer to me! Masterson Park, 4/19/15.~
Bruce and I decide to head over to Benedict Farm in Montgomery, NY to follow up on a couple of sighting reported by Bill Fiero: Grasshopper Sparrows and a Vesper Sparrow. John Haas eventually joined us and Ken McDermott showed up as well with the same idea, but unfortunately we came up empty-handed on both counts. I headed back to southern Orange County and checked in on Glenmere Lake, which had plenty of boats and kayaks and no birds. I then went to Mt. Peter Hawkwatch, where I had 14 Broad-winged Hawks migrating in the 45 minutes I was there. The birds came from the south and were heading north/northeast. Most were distant specks in the sky, but a couple of birds passed over low enough for decent looks.
