Rarities – Page 2 – Orange Birding

Excellent Morning, 05/27/24

I woke up late and with low birding exceptions. Things started out pretty well when I ran into Kyle Knapp in the black dirt and we enjoyed photographing one of the most confiding Grasshopper Sparrows I’ve ever come across (see photos below). But, it wasn’t until I went to 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary afterwards, that things got really good. I arrived and almost immediately found an adult LITTLE BLUE HERON. I was really surprised by this, as we have only had an adult in Orange County one other time that I know of. I took some quick photos, and put the word out. At some point, when I was looking at my phone or camera, the bird had just disappeared…

Enter Dave Hultgren. We had never met before today, but I saw him further up the trail, so I went to him to see if he saw the bird fly. He did not just then, but he informed me that earlier, he had TWO adult Little Blue Herons! I walked further up the trail trying to relocate the birds, and sure enough, when I found one, I found two! It was pretty cool. Several other birders came to see the herons; Bruce Nott found a couple of Semipalmated Sandpipers, and a Least Sandpiper. Then, John Haas found a slightly larger sandpiper – it was a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER! What a great morning!

~Little Blue Heron at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 05/27/24.~

~Make that TWO Little Blue Herons! 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 05/27/24.~

~Grasshopper Sparrow in the Black Dirt, belting it out! 05/27/24.

~Grasshopper Sparrow in the Black Dirt Region, 05/27/24.~

Wow! Orange County Tricolored Heron, 05/13/24

Towards the end of the work day today, Karen Miller reported a Glossy Ibis at Beaver Pond, near Glenmere Lake. Linda Scrima ran for the bird, and not only did she get the ibis, she also located a TRICOLORED HERON! I ran for the bird after work, and fortunately it was still present. The bird was a little bit distant, but views in my scope were spectacular. It was actually a little jarring to see this beautiful bird right here in Orange County. Unfortunately, the bird flew, heading south, right around 6:30. Some of the birders present were going to go to the Liberty Loop to see if it showed up there, but as of this writing, I haven’t heard anything. This is the second documented siting of this species in OC, the previous was found by Ken McDermott in Cornwall Bay, way back in 1982! Congratulations to Linda on another great find.

All images taken at Beaver Pond in Florida, NY on 05/13/24.

Making Up For Lost Time

Wow, it was a very birdy weekend for me. Being away, there were plenty of birds that moved into the area that I hadn’t gotten yet for the year, so when I finally got back to it this weekend, I added a remarkable 34 new species to my Orange County 2024 year list. This put my year total at 167 (see my list of all the birds I added this weekend below). My birdiest spot was Elks Brox Memorial Park in Port Jervis, where I added 16 species in just about an hour’s time.

My most exciting bird was tracking down the NEOTROPIC CORMORANT, which has recently returned to the Newburgh Waterfront area (thanks to Bruce Nott for the heads up). Unfortunately, as birdy as it was, I did not have many photo ops, so here is a distant shot of the Neotropic Cormorant doing a nice wing flap.

~NEOTROPIC CORMORANT returns to Newburgh! Taken just south of Quassaick Creek, 05/12/24.~

Wow! Orange County LITTLE GULL!

I was on the golf course this morning when Jeanne Cimorelli reported that she briefly had a LITTLE GULL at Washington Lake. Fortunately, larophile extraordinaire Bruce Nott relocated the bird a little later at Plum Point. After golf, I ran for the bird, convinced that I had only a very slim chance of getting it. Fortunately the bird stuck around, associating with a large flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls on the Hudson River just north of Plum Point. I was thrilled to get on the bird on the water – at first it was a challenge to find it among the 70 or so Bonies, but then it got a little easier. Then the flock took flight, and that’s when finding the bird was easy, its dark underwings showing up very well. I believe this is the first county record of Little Gull; the bird was a life bird for me.

~It was really exciting to see this bird – LITTLE GULL at Plum Point 04/20/24. I would have loved to get closer looks and pics, but this could very well end up being a once in a lifetime occurrence, so I’m just thrilled to have gotten the bird.~

LITTLE GULL in flight amongst 70 or so Bonaparte’s Gulls, Plum Point, 04/20/24.~

OC Red-headed Woodpecker, 03/02/24

A mostly uneventful, rainy morning was saved when I found a single RED-HEADED WOODPECKER at the south end of Brown’s Pond. It’s been a few years since I’ve had this species in the county (others have had it), so for me it was good to see one. The bird was working some dead trees on the far side of the pond, so photos were difficult but I was able to at least document it. The only other noteworthy birds this morning was a quartet of distant Red-breasted Mergansers which I viewed on the Hudson River from Donahue Memorial Park.

~Red-headed Woodpecker at Brown’s Pond, 03/02/24.~

~RHWO in flight at Brown’s Pond, 03/02/24.~

Sunday Shots, 02/25/24

This morning I arrived at Black Rock Forest just after sunrise. It was a cold morning; my car told me it was 16 degrees Fahrenheit when I arrived. I enjoyed a 6.25 mile walk on a gorgeous, crisp morning. The birding was as you would expect, with plenty of the usuals. Birds of note included a calling Barred Owl, and a singing Winter Wren. Both birds were my first for 2024. Photos didn’t happen, so you will have to settle for a selfie I took in front of Upper Reservoir. I really was a beautiful morning to be out and about.

~Wilson’s Warbler at Newburgh Waterfront Park, 02/25/24.~

Afterwards, I went to Newburgh Waterfront Park to try one more time for the Wilson’s Warbler. Well, I guess 5 (6?) times is a charm, because not only did I get the bird, it posed for photos. Otherwise, it was the usuals, including the Ruby-crowned Kinglet which as been at that spot for a while now. I did a quick scan of the gulls present and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but by then I was ready to head home for the day.

~American Goldfinch in the Reservoir 3 area, 02/24/24.~

~One more shot of the WIWA, Newburgh Waterfront Trail 02/25/24.~

~It was a super cold but positively gorgeous morning at Black Rock Forest, 02/25/24.~

~A winter weekend in OC wouldn’t be complete without a Horned Lark photo. This one was showing its horns pretty well, which I enjoyed. Black Dirt Region, 02/24/24.~

OC Red Crossbill, 02/24/24

Well, it took many miles and several trips out to the Port Jervis area, but I was finally able to get more than just a flyover look at a RED CROSSBILL. I was just northwest of Huguenot, driving on Franke Road, when I luckily spotted a bird on the road and slowed to a stop before flushing it. I picked my bins up, and sure enough, it was a male RED CROSSBILL, gritting on the road. It was a brief, but very exciting encounter – after about 3o seconds the bird flew. I tried to stay on it, but it went quite a distance and I lost it in the tree line. I’m not sure if this totally satisfies this crossbill itch I have, but it certainly beats a flyover.

~Male Red Crossbill gritting on the road in Huguenot NY, 02/24/24.~

Glaucous-winged Gull, 01/21/24

Yesterday afternoon, birding bud Bruce Nott contacted me to let me know he had a gull at the Newburgh Waterfront that he believed was a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. Unfortunately, I was unable to run for the bird yesterday, but I was able to catch up with the bird today. I headed over towards the river in the early afternoon – I knew it was likely too early for the birds to be in Newburgh, so I went directly to the Beacon Waterfront. Luck was on my side, as that was exactly where this rare gull had decided to spend the afternoon. There were many happy birders that came out to try for the bird, whose normal range is on the West Coast. There has been some chatter online, some from from gull experts, about the possibility of the bird being a hybrid – I will be curious to see if we get any additional information or clarity. Most reports from today seem to indicate that the bird looks good for GWGU, and yesterday’s eBird reports were confirmed. I will post a follow up if any more information is forthcoming. Huge thanks and congratulations to Bruce on yet another great find.

~Glaucous-winged Gull on the ice at the Beacon Waterfront, 01/21/24.~

~I thought this was a sharp looking bird, especially in flight. Beacon Waterfront, 01/21/24.~

~We also had 2 Iceland Gulls while I was in Beacon, one adult (above) and one 2nd year. Beacon Waterfront, 01/21/24.~

OC Yellow-throated Warbler, 01/07/24

As the snowstorm wound down today, I headed out to the Newburgh Waterfront to see what I could find. I was mostly thinking about gulls, but I also knew I had to check the Waterfront Trail for warblers. Well, the gulls were a bust (only the expected species), but I was thrilled to find a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER! I put the word out – at least I thought I did, but in my haste, I unfortunately sent it to the wrong What’s App thread. Bruce Nott and Peter Chernak arrived as I was departing (I’d contacted them directly), and they both got the bird as well. Hopefully it will stick for others. I also had a Palm Warbler and I was finally able to finally catch up with the Tennessee Warbler that’s been reported at the same location. It was quite an unexpectedly good afternoon of birding.

~Exciting bird! Yellow-throated Warbler at the Waterfront Trail in Newburgh, NY 01/07/24.~

~YTWA at the Waterfront Trail, 01/07/24.~

~Palm Warbler, Newburgh Waterfront Trail, 01/07/24.~

~Tennessee Warbler at Waterfront Trail in Newburgh, NY 01/07/24.~

Orange County Northern Shrike, 01/06/24

This morning, after a stop in the black dirt region to pick up Lapland Longspur for the new year (I found 2), I went to Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge’s Winding Waters Trail. I went for the NORTHERN SHRIKE that has been seen there for a few days (huge thanks to birding bud Maria Loukeris for the heads up). On my way out on the trail, I did not have any luck with my target bird. But, on the way back, I could see the shrike perched high in a tree in the distance. I made my way back towards the car (and closer to the bird), and I joined Linda Scrima. We enjoyed decent, if brief looks at the bird, and took some photos of course. I think Northern Shrike is a favorite of many birders, and you can certainly count me among them.