Outside of my day at Mount Peter Hawkwatch yesterday, I didn’t do all that much birding this weekend. I cruised the black dirt both mornings, hoping for shorebirds. I didn’t have any luck with my targets, but I was able to get some nice Savannah Sparrow and Palm Warbler shots in the early morning light.
I looked back at the last few years, and typically we would still have some shorebirds in the black dirt (American Golden and Black-bellied Plovers and Buff Breasted Sandpipers), but the only shorebirds I was able to locate this weekend were Killdeer, a single Greater Yellowlegs, a single Spotted Sandpiper, and a single Wilson’s Snipe.
Hawkwatch at Mount Peter actually started last weekend for me, but I only spent 3 hours on the mountain and had just a single migrating American Kestrel. So today was my first full day. It used to be that mid September was peak time for Broad-winged Hawk migration, but to me, it seems like in recent years it’s moved to closer to the third week of September. If that holds true, we should be looking for a big day or days at the end of the coming week.
It was hot, like a summer day at Mt. Pete today. In spite of that, there were still some raptors moving through on the light breeze which started from the WNW and eventually shifted to the NE. I had a total of (60) migrating raptors ; most were Broad-winged Hawks, but I did have some variety with an additional five species counted. The highlight for me was picking up young Northern Harrier way out and watching as it steadily migrated over, just west of the viewing platform. As usual, you can find my Hawkcount.org report at the bottom of this post.
~Ever present at Mount Peter – a Common Raven shoots over the viewing platform, 09/14/24.~~And the obligatory local Turkey Vulture pic. Mt. Peter 09/14/24.~
At 6:00 am, on Monday of this past week, I joined Rob Stone and we set sail on the Brookline Birding Club’s overnight pelagic birding trip. We boarded the Hellen H, a 100 foot deep sea fishing boat in Hyannis, Massachusetts, and headed out to the Hydrographer Canyon area (east and south of Cape Cod).
As always, I started the trip with my usual anxieties – what would the ship be like? Where would I store my stuff? Where would I sleep? What would the restrooms be like? Would we get any good birds? Some these anxieties were well founded – as we boarded, it was difficult to determine what areas were up for grabs and which had been taken already. I ended up stashing my gear under some occupied benches in the cabin; less than ideal, but at least my gear was out of my hands and I could wander the boat and start doing some birding. I eventually found an area on the deck which looked good for sleeping (and it was, to a point – more on that later). The layout of the lower deck was nice and lended itself to good birding. The upper deck, where I had spend most of my time birding on previous pelagics, was not as accommodating as it was filled with benches and sleeping areas which would allow for easy movement from one side of the boat to the other. And the men’s room. It was a tremendous upgrade to the restrooms I’ve experienced on every previous pelagic. It had both a urinal and a toilet, with plenty of room and handrails.
~The bird of the trip for me – one of two South Polar Skuas. BBC Overnight Pelagic 08/26/24.~
As for the birds, they certainly did not disappoint. We located all of my target birds on the first day, and I enjoyed adding a remarkable 5 species to my life list. Here’s a list of highlighted species, with my life birds indicated:
Red Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Long-tailed Jaeger (life bird)
Pomarine Jaeger (life bird)
South Polar Skua (life bird)
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
White-face Storm-Petrel (life bird)
Leach’s Storm-Petrel
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
Black-capped Petrel
Cory’s Shearwater
Great Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater (reported but I did not see)
Manx Shearwater
Audubon’s Shearwater (life bird)
~Thankfully they call out all the bird species as they find them, because it took me some time to (hopefully) correctly identify all the jaegers in my photos. I believe this is a Pomarine Jaeger; what a sharp looking bird this is. BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/27/24.~
And, sleeping. I ultimately did not get very much sleep. I went to sleep on Monday night somewhere between 9:30 and 10:00, as I was exhausted. I slept for a couple of hours and then woke up and started to toss and turn trying get comfortable on the hard deck. Then, around 2:15am, I was dozing when a crew member woke me up to let me know that there was a storm coming through and I’d have to get off the deck or get soaked. A couple waves of some serious thunderstorms rolled through; we enjoyed some of it from the deck (the lightning was fantastic!) until it started coming down sideways and we took refuge in the cabin. I did not get much sleep (other than dozing off from time to time while sitting up on a bench) after that, and I got gradually more and more seasick with the boat being anchored and just rocking away. It wasn’t until first light, when I could see the horizon again, that I started to feel a little bit better.
~Long-tailed Jaeger, BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/26/24.~
Tuesday’s birding was as productive as Monday. The first good bird of the day was our second White-faced Storm-Petrel of the trip. We got good looks at both of them, but I’ll tell you that that’s a tough bird to photograph. That didn’t stop me from trying; see my less than stellar result below. On Tuesday we added one really good bird – Black-capped Petrel. The bird was on the move and although I saw it, it was not good looks and I didn’t get any photos. A second South Polar Skua capped off the trip, which was pretty remarkable. In the early afternoon, a thick fog rolled in, and from then on we just were on a steady course heading back to Hyannis. It was an excellent and exhuasting trip.
~Excellent bird, not so excellent photo. Very cool to see this bird and add it to my life list. BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/26/24.~~As I’ve grown to expect, we got great looks at plenty of Great Shearwaters, both on the water, and …~~…in flight. Great Shearwater during the BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/26/24.~~Another Pomarine Jaeger zips by. BBC Overnight Pelagic 08/26/24.~ ~Manx Shearwater on the water. BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/26/24.~~Manx Shearwater taking flight, BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/26/24.~~I got my best looks at Cory’s Shearwaters during this trip. BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/26/24.~~~Pomarine Jaeger, BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/26/24.~~One more shot of Monday’s South Polar Skua. What a bird! BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/26/24.~~Wilson’s Storm-Petrel on Tuesday morning, not long after sunrise. BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/27/24.~~I kind of dig this photo. Long-tailed Jaeger banking during the BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/26/24.~~Pomarine Jaeger, BBC Overnight Pelagic, 08/27/24.~
Sunday Shots: Overnight pelagic teaser edition. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, I enjoyed some really excellent birding on Brookline Bird Club’s overnight pelagic out of Hyannis, Massachusetts. We found all of my target birds for the trip, and I added an incredible five birds to my life list. I have loads of photos to get through still, but I will be publishing a full post with details and tons of photos, as soon as I can.
Meanwhile, back in Orange County, the excitement for me this weekend was finding a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER in the black dirt on Saturday morning. BBSA is definitely one of the coolest birds that we can expect in our area each fall, so it was great to catch up with one.
~Corey’s Shearwater, BBC Overnight Pelagic 08/26/24.~~Not a great shot, but it’s always great to see a Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Black Dirt Region 08/31/24.~
Yes, it’s Saturday Shots this week. Tomorrow, very excitingly, I head to Cape Cod to go on a two-day pelagic trip, so I will not be able to post.
As you might expect, locally my focus remains on shorebird migration. After work on Thursday I went out to the black dirt; I found very few shorebirds but I had a nice experience with a Northern Harrier in the beautiful evening light. This morning was a little more successful regarding shorebirds – just as I was leaving the house, Kyle Knapp texted me to let me know he had three American Golden-Plovers in the black dirt. The birds stuck around for my arrival, but unfortunately they were quite distant, so while I enjoyed decent scope views, photos were out of the question.
~Northern Harrier in flight, Black Dirt Region, 08/22/24.~
I also tried 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary later in the morning. Conditions are still poor for shorebirds, and probably for waders as well (I had just a handful of Great Blue Herons). My highlight was running into a mixed flock of songbirds on my way back to the car. Birds included: Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Gray Catbirds, and a couple of Black-capped Chickadees.
~Red-eyed Vireo at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 08/24/24.~~I have this as a Blackburnian Warbler. I can’t remember if I’ve ever had this species during fall migration before. 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 08/24/24.~~Northern Harrier in the black dirt, 08/22/24.~~Red-tailed Hawk at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 08/24/24.~~One more shot of the Red-eyed Vireo, 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary 08/24/24.~
On Friday evening, Jeanne Cimorelli found a BAIRD’S SANDPIPER in the black dirt. Early Saturday morning, I joined forces with birding bud Bruce Nott, and we relocated the bird. In fact, we were able to find (2) BASAs. Unfortunately, the birds did not cooperate for photos, but, on Saturday I had one come closer to the road and I was able to finally get some halfway decent shots of this beautiful bird. It was my 200th species in Orange County this year. I was happy to reach that milestone, after not doing so last year.
~Baird’s Sandpiper in the black dirt, 08/18/24
I spent the weekend looking for shorebirds, but did not add any new species besides the Baird’s. My observations were limited to: Killdeer, Semipalmated Plovers, a single Pectoral Sandpiper, and Least Sandpipers. Bruce did have a Black-bellied Plover on Saturday morning, but I was unable to catch up with that bird.
I tried my luck one more time at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, but conditions remain poor for shorebirds, and in fact I did not have many waders either (3 Great Blue Herons and a single Great Egret).
~Great Egret at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 08/17/24.~~A Baird’s Sandpiper shaking off the rain on Sunday morning in the Black Dirt Region, 08/18/24.~~If you throw a rock in Orange County these days, there is a good chance you’ll hit a Great Egret. These dudes are seemingly everywhere right now. This one was at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 08/17/24.~
I left the house before sunrise this morning to get out to the Black Dirt Region to see how many of yesterday’s shorebirds stuck around. Although many of the shorebirds seemed to have departed, early on a decent amount of shorebirds were still present. My list included the following species:
Killdeer
Semipalmated Pover
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
~Semipalmated Plover in the black dirt, 08/10/24.~
Jeanne Cimorelli briefly located an UPLAND SANDPIPER, but unfortunately it flew almost immediately after she found it. By mid-morning, as the sun started to get higher and the temperature rose, things had pretty much dried up (both literally and figuratively). I stopped by 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary on my way home, and due to the rain, shorebird conditions are basically nonexistent. BUT! I did see a Glossy Ibis, thanks to a friendly photographer couple’s tip. Interestingly, the bird was clearly not the same individual I’d located last weekend.
~Pectoral Sandpiper in the BDR, 08/10/24.~~Red-tailed Hawk on prey in the black dirt, 08/10/24.~~I like this shot for a variety of reasons, but mostly because it looks like the bird’s head is backwards on its body. Another Red-tailed Hawk in the Black Dirt Region, 08/10/24.~~One more Semiplover pic. BDR 08/10/24.~
QUICK POST: This evening I was out late birding until I couldn’t see anymore because the number of shorebirds in the black dirt region was off the charts. Earlier today Kyle Knapp texted me to let me know he had a good number and variety of shorebirds in the black dirt. A little later Bruce Nott let me know he had a Red-necked Phalarope at the Camel Farm. I was working, of course, so at 5 o’clock when I called it a week, I headed out to see how I could do. My highlight was finding two WILLETS – this is only the second time I’ve ever had them in the county, so I was pretty excited. Other shorebirds that I located in the black dirt this evening included: Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Greater Yellowlegs.
~One of two Willets in the black dirt tonight, 08/09/24.~
I’ll be curious to see how many birds stick around until tomorrow. I know that I’ll be out bright and early, looking. Thank goodness tomorrow is Saturday!
Also, one more note – there was some action at the Newburgh Riverfront today also: Jeanne Cimorelli reported at first a single Laughing Gull, and then later in the afternoon, a remarkable 21 Laughing Gulls! It will be interesting to see if the river provides any more gems tomorrow as well.
~Here they both are together. Willets in BDR, 08/09/24.~~I was really trying to get a shot of their pretty wings, but unfortunately this is the best I could do. Willet in the black dirt, 08/09/24.~~Pretty bird. Willet striking a pose in the black dirt, 098/08/24.~
This morning, at my first stop in the black dirt, I found a nice collection of shorebirds in a field which had substantial puddling. I had a total of 6 species, and it made me very happy:
Killdeer
Semipalmated Plover
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Pectoral Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
~
Later in the morning, I stopped by 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, hoping for more shorebirds. I didn’t have any luck with shorebirds, but I was able to locate a Glossy Ibis. It was a bonus that the bird was close enough for excellent scope views and some decent photos. I spent some time with the bird, put the word out, and then continued my search for shorebirds. Later, I saw the Glossy Ibis flying across the marsh to the far shore.
~GLIB at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 08/04/24.~ ~The Glossy Ibis was being hassled by a Great Egret, and so it kept taking short flights to keep its distance. GLIB at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 08/04/24.~~I’ve been trying to not take Indigo Bunting photos this summer – I’ve taken so many over the years and they are just everywhere. But, I couldn’t resist this dude in his colorful perch. Black dirt, 08/03/24.~~I photographed this same bird a couple weeks back, on a nearby similar perch. Red-tailed Hawks are generally not very confiding, but on both occasions this bird did not seem to mind my presence. Here the bird took a glance my way, but immediately afterwards, it went right back to scanning for prey. Missionland Road, 08/04/24.~~This bird never said a word, but I believe it’s a Willow Flycatcher, Black Dirt Region, 08/03/24.~~Some quick Googling tells me that these are likely a type of Meadowhawk Dragonfly. If anyone knows more about them, please feel free to weigh in. Black Dirt Region, 08/03/24.
I wish I was reporting on a fabulous bird today, but alas, it wasn’t in the cards this weekend. I birded both mornings, staying local, and trying mostly for shorebirds. Killdeer, Least Sandpipers, Solitary Sandpipers, and Spotted Sandpipers were all I could come up with. I heard (but did not see) the Blue Grosbeak in the black dirt on Saturday morning. Anyways, here are several shots from the weekend, a couple from the black dirt, couple from the backyard, and I’m even throwing a selfie in.
~Northern Cardinal in our yard, o7/26/24.~~A young Horned Lark in the black dirt, 07/28/24.~~Killdeer enjoying a snack. Black Dirt Region, 07/28/24.~~House Finch cuteness in our backyard, 07/27/24.~~Beautiful morning in the black dirt, 07/28/24.~
