Pink-footed Goose!

On Monday evening after work, I caught up with the Pink-footed Goose that has been seen recently at Overpeck Park in Bergen County NJ. I found the bird on a soccer field with about 60 Canada Geese.

I find this bird to be really beautiful. Pink-footed Goose at Overpeck Park 2-4-13.
I find this bird to be really beautiful. Pink-footed Goose at Overpeck Park 2-4-13.
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PFGO with CAGO at Overpeck Park 2-4-13.
Some more Canada Geese came in for a landing while I was there.
Some more Canada Geese came in for a landing to join the party…
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One more of the PFGO with CAGO at Overpeck Park in Bergen County NJ 2-4-13

 

 

 

Sunday 1-27-13

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This was such a pretty bird to see – Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk in Warwick NY 1-27-13.

Sunday afternoon I had to resist the urge to go back to the Shawangunk Grasslands and sit in the blind. I decided instead check a few spots in Orange County and see what I could find. My first stop was in Warwick to look for a leucistic Red-tailed Hawk that my friend  and fellow hawk counter Carol Linguanti had recently told me about. I was thrilled just to  find the bird and see it, but what was really exciting was to be able to get some photos of this incredible bird. It was amazing to see this bird in flight; what a beauty. Huge thanks to Carol for helping me out with this one.

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It really was something to see this hawk in flight.

There was one Northern Harrier that was flying low and hunting and so many Red-tailed Hawks that this one had to find a perch on the top of a house:

A Red-tailed Hawk perched on the roof of a McMansion in Warwick, NY.
A Red-tailed Hawk perched on the roof of a McMansion in Warwick, NY.

My next stop was Missionland Road. I drove the length of the road and tallied 7 Red-tailed Hawks, 8 Black Vultures, many crows and one American Kestrel (which, of course, was on a wire).

I also got some photos of this bird in flight, but they were all silhouettes. Male American Kestrel at Missionland Rd.
I also got some photos of this bird in flight, but they were all silhouettes. Male American Kestrel at Missionland Road 1-27-13.
I really enjoyed seeing these Black Vultures at Missionland Rd.
I really enjoyed seeing these Black Vultures at Missionland Rd.

For my final stop I figured I would hit my favorite – Wallkill River NWR. I had an enjoyable walk around the Liberty Loop; I did not see anything out of the ordinary but I did get a good showing of “regulars” and took the opportunity to take some photos:

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One more Junco. They were kind enough to sit for some photos.
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I’m still in search of a good one of these – Downy Woodpecker at Wallkill River NWR 1-27-13.
These guys are never too shy. Song Sparrow at Wallkill River NWR 1-27-13.
These guys are never too shy. Song Sparrow at Wallkill River NWR 1-27-13.

 

 

 

 

 

BARRED OWL!

Barred Owl at the Great Swamp NWR in Basking Ridge NJ, 1-4-13.

It is really amazing to me when you go out looking for a specific bird and you actually get to see it. Tricia and I were on our way to a wedding in New Hope Pennsylvania. I checked the map and our route took us right past the Great Swamp NWR. I was there not too long ago and had a conversation with a local birder. He told me that there are a pair of Barred Owls that are pretty regular at the reserve, he even told me where they are likely to be found. Well Tricia and I went to the reserve and looked where he had said, but had no luck. On our way out however,  we saw a stopped car. The driver was out and had his camera set up on a tripod…I figured it had to be something good. The photographer (I was so excited I never got his name!) told me he had found a Barred Owl. This was the first owl he had ever found on his own, so he was pretty excited too. He showed us where owl was and we got really good looks in our binoculars. Photos, however were pretty tough because the bird was deep in the woods and there were so many little branches between myself and the bird. The photographer had set up his camera in the only clear shot at the bird. I took a couple photos right along side with some success, but then he surprised me by removing his camera body off the lens and asking me if I wanted to take some photos using his lens! He had a monster lens set up, and the result is the above photo. Huge thanks to that photographer – how generous!

Mississippi Kites In Orange County!

I made it out to Sterling Forest State Park in Tuxedo New York this evening to try to see the Mississippi Kites that had been seen there over the last several days. I would like to thank all the folks from the Edgar A. Mearns Bird Club who posted about the kites. I was not disappointed in the least! I was there for an hour and a half and both birds where present almost the entire time. I watched as they ate dragonflies and also got to see them mate on two separate occasions! What a great day of birding! Here’s some photos:

Male Missippi Kite at Sterling Forest State Park
Female Missippi Kite at Sterling Forest.
Sharing a dragonfly.

May 29, 2012 – Here’s a few more:

Sharing a dragonfly.
This is the best shot I got of them mating.
Dragonfly snack.