More Kids Playing

So, after talking to some of the other counters at Mt. Peter Hawk Watch and getting some feedback from John Haas, the consensus was that the two Lesser Yellowlegs in the previous post were just two young birds playing in such a way that it will prepare them for adulthood.

Today, out at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, I came across two more young birds interacting – first a curious young Northern Harrier that flew in close to me. He was joined shortly after by a young Cooper’s Hawk and the two tangled for a bit. More playing/training?

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Lesser Yellowlegs Antics

This evening I stopped by the small pond at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary and was treated to a pair of Lesser Yellowlegs doing who knows what for nearly five minutes. It involved a lot of hopping around and chasing one another. I really enjoyed seeing this; the photos are distant and heavily cropped, but I really like them. Any thoughts on this behavior are certainly welcome…

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Broad-winged Hawk – 9/3/14

Broad-winged Hawk in Pine Island NY, 9/3/14.
Broad-winged Hawk in Pine Island NY, 9/3/14.

I had an interesting and fun experience in Pine Island yesterday afternoon watching a young Broad-winged Hawk hunt for insects. The bird was either unaware of my presence (I was using my car as a blind), or just didn’t care. Very close by, the hawk successfully hunted for about a half dozen insects, each of which the bird dismantled and patiently ate. While I was watch ing the bird in the field, I was pretty sure it was a Broad-winged Hawk. But, then when I got home and I thought about doing a post with the photos, I started to ask myself  – “why is this a Broad-winged and not a Red-shouldered Hawk?” Thinking about it, probably the main reason I was thinking BWHA was the size of the bird. To me, the bird appeared small in size – likely the smallest buteo that I have ever seen perched. The hawk’s behavior was another reason; a BWHA hunting insects in a field made sense to me, though I’m not sure why, perhaps Red-shouldered Hawks are just as likely to do this? I also think that at some level I was thinking about the fact that BWHAs are just starting to migrate through our area. For me to post about this bird, I needed to have a more positive identification, so I did a google search and found a very useful comparison of juvenile Broad-winged and Red-shouldered Hawks, provided by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. The following photos illustrate some of the field marks exhibited by this bird that lead me to believe that the bird is indeed a Broad-winged Hawk:

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According to the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council Raptor ID Series, juvenile Broad-winged Hawks have a malar mark on the cheek and a pale bluish spot on the lower part of the upper mandible. I can see the bluish spot clearly, and I guess the dark area that starts at the base of the bill and goes down and away is the malar mark. Click on the link to see the comparison between the two hawks more clearly.
Again,
Again, according to the IWRC Raptor ID Series, juvenile Red-shouldered Hawks have a reddish panel in the primaries, while Broad-winged Hawks do not.
Fin
And, finally, and also according to the IWRC Raptor ID Series, the markings on the underside of the wing are consistent with a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk: narrow dark bars across the secondaries and inner primaries. Check the link to see how the underwing compares to that of a RSHA.

I guess the bird had eaten enough and it flew (not very far!), and perched in a tree on the roadside:

BWHA in Pine Island, 9/3/14.
BWHA in Pine Island, 9/3/14.

A few more shots of the bird:

BWHA hunting insects. I'm still not sure what the insects were. Pine Island, 9/3/14.
BWHA hunting insects. I’m still not sure what the insects were. Pine Island, 9/3/14.
Eating bugs can be a messy business. BWHA in Pine Island, NY  9/3/14.
Eating bugs can be a messy business. BWHA in Pine Island, NY 9/3/14.
Broad-winged Hawk in flight. Pine Island, NY 9/3/14.
Broad-winged Hawk in flight. Pine Island, NY 9/3/14.

Friday’s Photos

Black-crowned Night-Heron in flight. One of four located at the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 8/29/14.
Black-crowned Night-Heron in flight. One of four juveniles located at the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 8/29/14.

I got out of work a little early on Friday for the holiday weekend, and I ended up having a really interesting and fun afternoon of birding. The highlight was certainly seeing four juvenile Black-crowned Night-Herons right from the viewing platform at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge’s Liberty Loop. The birds were very close, and relatively active, allowing for some decent photos.

I'm not sure how this bird stayed in focus. BCNH through the vegetation, Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14..
I’m not sure how this bird stayed in focus. BCNH through the vegetation, Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
BCNH at Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
BCNH at Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
A Black-crowned Night-Heron shifts position. Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
A Black-crowned Night-Heron shifts position at the Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
A fluffed up BCNH at Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
A fluffed up BCNH at Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.

I didn’t walk the loop that afternoon, I mostly stayed on the platform where I also had a Glossy Ibis in flight, a Northern Harrier and a Merlin tangling, and my first Common Nighthawk in a couple of years.

Glossy Ibis flyover, Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
Glossy Ibis flyover, Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
A distant look at a Northern Harrier and what I believe is a Merlin. At first I though Peregrine, but the bird seemed too small. Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
A distant look at a Northern Harrier and what I believe is a Merlin. At first I was thinking Peregrine, but the bird seemed too small. Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
This was an exciting bird to see - it had been a couple of years since my last Common Nighthawk. Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.
This was an exciting bird to see – it had been a couple of years since my last Common Nighthawk. Wallkill River NWR, 8/29/14.

Before any of the above happened, I was on my way to the Liberty Loop, passing through Warwick, NY when I saw the leucistic Red-tailed Hawk flying a little low. I found a spot to pull over and got some shots. I have posted this bird before, but any chance I have to take some photos of this bird I will take it. All in all, an interesting day of birding for me, and, of course, so much fun.

Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk in Warwick NY, 8/29/14.
Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk in Warwick NY, 8/29/14.

Orange County Buff-breasted Sandpiper, 8/30/14

Buff-breasted Sandpiper in the Black Dirt Region, 8/30/14.
Buff-breasted Sandpiper in the Black Dirt Region, 8/30/14.

This morning a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER  was located in the Black Dirt Region by Jim Schlickenrieder (who I just met for the first time today). Not only that, the bird was moving around the Black Dirt pretty good, and Jim was able to relocate the bird two more times! To me this is pretty incredible, and thanks to his diligence and John Haas alerting me, I was able to see this amazing bird. Shortly after parting ways, Jim contacted John again to say he had located an American Golden-Plover. Wow, pretty good morning of birding for Jim!

 

Orange County American Golden-Plovers

One of nine American Golden-Plovers, Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
One of nine American Golden-Plovers, Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.

I left work this afternoon with one objective: to scour southern Orange County until I found some new shorebirds. Well, I got lucky, and at my fourth stop, which was the Old Warren Sod Farm, where I located 9 American Golden Plovers. The birds were quite distant and I was struggling to ID them. My initial thought was that they were Black-bellied Plovers and  it wasn’t until John Haas showed up and the birds took flight that it became clear that they were AMGPs (no black wing-pits). The birds were quite restless and moved around quite a bit and luckily at one point they landed close enough to us for some photos. Linda Scrima also made it out a little later, and though the birds were a bit distant at that point, she got good looks in the scope.

Other shorebirds present included:  Killdeer (100+), Least Sandpipers (2), Pectoral Sandpiper (1), and Lesser Yellowlegs (1).

AGPL at Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
AMGP at Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
Lesser Yellowlegs in some nice light. Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
Lesser Yellowlegs in some nice light. Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
Pectoral Sandpiper at Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14. Photo by John Haas. I had a camera meltdown when John located this Pectoral Sandpiper and was unable to get a shot. Thanks to John for giving me this one.
Pectoral Sandpiper at Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14. Photo by John Haas. I had a camera meltdown when John located this Pectoral Sandpiper and was unable to get a shot. 
Four of the nine AGPL was the best I could do in one photo. Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
Four of the nine AMGPs was the best I could do in one photo. Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.

Maine 2014 – Odds and Ends

Common Eider at Bar Harbor, Maine, 7/27/14.
A very relaxed looking male Common Eider at Bar Harbor, Maine, 7/27/14.

I finally got through the last of my photos from our trip to Maine. There is no common thread, these are simply photos from the trip that did not fit into any previous posts, but that I wanted to share.

A female Common Eider rests on a rock on the shore. Bar Harbor, Maine 7/27/14.
A female Common Eider rests on a rock on the shore. Bar Harbor, Maine 7/27/14.
We saw this Common Eider from the Shore Path at Bar Harbor, Maine 726/14.
We saw this Common Eider from the Shore Path at Bar Harbor, Maine 726/14.
I was happy to discover this Black Guillemot so close to the shore while we where having a delicious meal at Thurston's Lobster Pound in Bernard, Maine 7/31/14.
I was happy to discover this Black Guillemot so close to the shore while we where having a delicious meal at Thurston’s Lobster Pound in Bernard, Maine 7/31/14.
Also seen from Thurston's Lobster Pound, I love this shot of a Common Tern - it is SOOC (straight out of camera).
Also seen from Thurston’s Lobster Pound, I love this shot of a Common Tern – it is SOOC (straight out of camera).
One more Common Tern shot. This seems to be a tough bird to get a good photo of, I took a LOT of tern photos in Maine and only a very few were any good. This was also at Thurston's Lobster Pound in
One more Common Tern shot. This seems to be a tough bird to get a good photo of, I took a LOT of tern photos in Maine and only a very few were any good. This was also at Thurston’s Lobster Pound in Bernard, Maine 7/31/14.
I finally got a puffed up egret shot. Snowy Egret at Ogunquit Beach, Maine 7/26/14.
I finally got a puffed up egret shot. Snowy Egret at Ogunquit Beach, Maine 7/26/14.
One of six life birds I got during the trip - Piping Plover at Ogunquit, Maine 7/26/14.
One of six life birds I got during the trip – Piping Plover at Ogunquit, Maine 7/26/14.
Very cute bird - Piping Plover at Ogunquit, Maine 7/26/14.
Cute bird – Piping Plover at Ogunquit, Maine 7/26/14.
Piping Plover at Ogunquit Beach, 7/26/14.
Piping Plover at Ogunquit Beach, 7/26/14.
One of my favorites, I happy to finally get close enough for a decent shot. Bonaparte's Gull at Ogunquit Beach, 7/26/14.
One of my favorites, I happy to finally get close enough for a decent shot. Bonaparte’s Gull at Ogunquit Beach, 7/26/14.
Sweet bird. Bonaparte's Gull in Ogunquit, Maine 7/26/14.
Sweet bird. Bonaparte’s Gull in Ogunquit, Maine 7/26/14.
On our last day in Bar Harbor we walked a trail near Indian Point, Maine and found a pair of Spotted Sandpipers on the rocky beach. 8/2/14.
On our last day in Bar Harbor we walked a trail near Indian Point, Maine and found a pair of Spotted Sandpipers on the rocky beach. 8/2/14.

Orange County Glossy Ibis – A Learning Experience

A Glossy Ibis picks through the small pond south of the Heritage Trail at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.
A Glossy Ibis picks through the small pond south of the Heritage Trail at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.

So, yesterday afternoon I located an ibis the small pond to the south of the Heritage Trail at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary. Having just had a very good look at the three Glossy Ibis out at the Liberty Loop just last week, this bird seemed a little different to me. This bird had white at the base of both the upper and lower bill, legs that appeared to be light orange in color (as opposed to the darker legs on the three LL ibis), a much redder overall look that was less iridescent, and to me, the bill appeared to be slightly larger. With all this in mind I started to think about the possibility of a White-faced Ibis. I did some quick, inconclusive research on my phone app and then called Rob Stone and John Haas for some guidance. Apparently, both the legs and the facial skin of a WFIB should be red/pink in color, but the key for this ID, was to see the color of the bird’s eye. If the iris was red then it would make it a White-faced, if dark it would be a Glossy. Well, this bird does not have a very large eye, and I was viewing it from just under 150 yards away, which was going to make it difficult to determine. John showed up in no time at all, but by that time, the had bird picked up and move further out by about another 40 yards. Karen Miller, Linda Scrima, Bruce Nott, and Kathleen Ashman had also showed up. We all agreed that the bird was too far to see the eye color. It was getting darker by the minute, so it was decided that John and I would work our way around the pond to get a closer look. When we did so, it was still tough to determine the eye color; I think the setting sun was playing some tricks on us. Scotty Baldinger eventually joined us, and not long after that we felt confident that the bird’s iris was not red and the bird was therefore a Glossy Ibis. It was really a fun evening for me, spending time observing such an interesting and beautiful bird and to do so with some great people made it that much better.

GLIB at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.
GLIB at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.

One last thing – John wrote an interesting post about this bird on his blog, and reading it, I learned about another important identifying feature: according to the Crossley Guide, the white at the base of the bill always disappears behind the eye, as opposed to the complete white surround of the White-faced Ibis.

This photo shows that the white does not continue behind the eye. Glossy Ibis at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.
This photo shows that the white does not continue behind the eye. Glossy Ibis at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.

 

LITTLE BLUE HERON

I did not strike out two days in a row with the Little Blue Heron located in the pond near the intersection of Routes 302 and 17K in Bullville, 8/20/14.
I did not strike out two days in a row with the Little Blue Heron located in the pond near the intersection of Routes 302 and 17K in Bullville NY, 8/20/14.

It was an eventful afternoon of birding; before I went to 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, I went for the LITTLE BLUE HERON in Bullville again. This time I did not come up empty handed, the bird was easily located and though it was little far out, I got great looks in my scope and the photos were not too bad. This bird had a lot of personality to me – if I was a little closer (and it wasn’t backlit), I could have had some nice photos for sure because the bird kept striking interesting poses.

Interesting Orange County Ibis – 8/20/14

Quick Post: It’s late so I will give whole story in another post, but this afternoon at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, I located an interesting ibis that had me thinking that it was perhaps a White-faced rather than a Glossy… in the end it was a Glossy, but what an interesting and beautiful bird! Please go to the Bashakill Birder to read John Haas’ post about the bird. Meanwhile, it’s too late for a full post from me, but here are a couple of shots of the bird:

Glossy Ibis, 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary 8/20/14.
Glossy Ibis, 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary 8/20/14.
I thought this was really a gorgeous bird. Glossy Ibis at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.
I thought this was really a gorgeous bird. Glossy Ibis at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.

Orange County Little Blue Heron – 8/19/14

It must be something about Tuesdays. My golf day. The day when people seem find good birds. I received a call from Curt McDermott this morning; he had a Little Blue Heron in the pond just east of the intersection of 17K and 302 in Bullville (across from St. Paul’s Church). When I finally arrived after my golf match around 7:30 pm, Karen Miller met me there and the bird was no longer present – so I missed out. The good news is that apparently a lot of people got to see and photograph the bird throughout the day. Karen got some shots earlier in the evening, so huge thanks to her for letting me use one for this post:

Little Blue Heron, Bullville NY, 8/19/14. Photo by Karen Miller.
Little Blue Heron, Bullville NY, 8/19/14. Photo by Karen Miller.