Songbirds – Page 12 – Orange Birding

Challenging Chat

~Yellow-breasted Chat at Canal Road in Vernon Township, captured by Linda Scrima on 6/26/15.~

On Thursday evening, I received word from Marianne Ofenloch that she had a Yellow-breasted Chat along the Appalachian Trail, off the Canal Road bike path in Vernon Township, New Jersey. I tried for the bird on Friday after work and ran into Marianne while I was there. The bird was heard for sure, and we were actually contemplating the possibility of there being two chats; there seemed to be one calling from either side of the trail, but the calls were never close enough together to be 100% sure there were two birds rather than the one moving around. Since I never got a look at that bird, I went back this morning to try for it again, in spite of the steady rain that was falling. Once again the bird was heard but not seen. At a couple of points, I could hear the bird, no more than 25 feet in front of me, but it stayed hidden from view! This is what I should have expected from a chat; I should have known it would not be as easy as when I went to Hopeland Sanctuary in Staatsburg for my lifer YBCH. On Friday morning, while I was working (poor me, ha ha!), Linda Scrima and Maria Loukeris went for the chat and had great success, as witnessed by the super photograph of the bird at the top of this post, provided by Linda.

It’s worth mentioning that this is a really good birding spot. In my two visits this weekend I had a total of 41 different species. The trail has a very wild and lush feel to it, but with enough open spaces to allow for good bird viewing and photographing. I am putting it on my list of places to frequent. Highlights included a pair of Yellow-billed Cuckoos that I was just a little slow on the draw for photos, a Scarlet Tanager family which included a young Brown-headed Cowbird, and Blue-winged Warblers. I should also mention that on Thursday Marianne also had a Golden-winged Warbler there.

~A young Scarlet Tanager with what looks like some sort of seed on it’s bill. Canal Road Appalachian Trail, 6/28/15.~

~Male Scarlet Tanager just off the AT at Canal Road, Vernon Township, NJ, 6/26/15.~

~A busy female Scarlet Tanager, Canal Road, Vernon Township, New Jersey, 6/28/15.~

Orange County BLUE GROSBEAK

~Blue Grosbeak at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 6/23/15.~

QUICK POST: Yesterday evening I finally caught up with the Blue Grosbeak that was reported out at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge (it was my third try in two days). Tonight I went back and managed to get some post-able photos of the bird (I was brain dead last night and blew a pretty good opportunity by not having my camera on the right settings). I’ve included a couple additional shots that I took along the way while out at the refuge.

~BLGR with a Song Sparrow, Wallkill River NWR, 6/23/15.~

~Red-winged Blackbird in flight, Walkill River NWR, 6/22/15.~

~Another bird I haven’t photographed in a while – American Goldfinch at Wallkill River NWR, 6/22/25.~

Adirondack Birding

~It was cool and a little strange to see Dark-eyed Juncos at the peak of Whiteface Mountain, 6/13/15.~

Well, it was another busy week; I thought for sure I would have gotten this post together well before now. I spent last weekend in the Lake Placid/Saranac Lake area of the Adirondacks. My main goal was to photograph Common Loons, but I also spent a good amount of time birding some of the hotspots of the area. Early Saturday morning I went to Whiteface Mountain’s Veterans’ Memorial Highway, hoping for my lifer Bicknell’s Thrush. After a little bit of a setback (the toll to access VMH doesn’t open until 8:45 am), I had a really enjoyable morning. I had never been up there before, the views were amazing and after parking the car, there is a short, but exciting hike to the peak. It was great to see (and hear!) the many Dark-eyed Juncos that were present. White-throated Sparrows were heard often and Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen and heard. I heard the Bicknell’s Thrush in four different locations, but disappointingly, I did not see any. I guess this is a bird that will have to wait for another time for me. I would not leave the mountain totally disappointed however. As I worked my way back down, pulling over often to bird, I finally got my lifer YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. I don’t think this should be difficult bird to get in this area, but when I was last here (2 years ago), I missed out completely.

~The view from the peak of Whiteface Mountain, elevation over 4,800 feet.~

~Lifer YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER at Whiteface Mountain, 6/13/15.~

Later in the morning, I headed over to Bloomingdale Bog to walk the trail there. I had three main target birds – Gray Jay, Black-backed Woodpecker, and Boreal Chickadee. Gray Jays are usually very easy to get here; there is actually a feeder station on the trail where they can usually be found, but on this day there were none to be seen. I eventually saw one young Gray Jay further down the trail (a fleeting look, no photos), but struck out on my other two targets. Alder Flycatchers (FREE BEER!) were easily seen and heard on the trail, and my best bird outside of the Gray Jay was a Nashville Warbler that I saw 100 yards from he trail head as I was heading back to my car. I then headed over to Bigelow Road, but by then it was the heat of the afternoon and it was not very birdy at all.

On Sunday morning, I headed back to Bloomingdale Bog, this time starting from the south end of the trail. It was here that I finally got a Black-backed Woodpecker (unfortunately, it was a very distant look). Other highlights included Least Flycatchers right at the trailhead, and hearing a male Ruffed Grouse do its drumming display several times, which was very exciting. A Boreal Chickadee had been reported at this location just a few days earlier, so I was really hoping for one, but it was not to be.

~One of several Alder Flycatchers at Bloomingdale Bog, 6/13/15.~

~An acrobatic Nashville Warbler at Bloomingdale Bog, 6/13/15.~

~One of two Merlins I had over the weekend. This one was located at Follensby Clear Pond, 6/13/15. I also had one as I was heading towards Whiteface Mountain earlier in the day.~

Appalachian Trail – Vernon, NJ

~Ah, one of my favorites – Grasshopper Sparrow on the Appalachian Trail in Vernon Township, 6/19/15.~

I met up with Kyle Dudgeon today after work and we hit a couple of spots. Our first stop was the Appalachian Trail – Pochuck Creek Boardwalk, which was pretty much a bust. Swamp Sparrows were heard but only seen at a distance. Marsh Wrens were heard but not seen. We had distant looks at Wood Ducks and a Great Blue Heron that flew over a couple of times.

So, from there we headed over to the Appalachian Trail on Route 94 in Vernon Township. The first half a mile of this trail is a good spot for Grasshopper Sparrows, Prairie Warblers, and Field Sparrows. We did well with all three, getting very good looks in nice light. I don’t think this is a great spot to see a large variety of species (we had just over 10 tonight), but you can certainly get good looks at a few.

~Prairie Warblers were numerous and easily spotted at the Appalachian Trail in Vernon Township, 6/19/15.~

~Field Sparrow on the Appalachian Trail in Vernon Township, NJ, 6/19/15.~

~I haven’t photographed many Eastern Phoebes this year. This one was at the Appalachian Trail – Pochuck Creek Boardwalk, 6/19/15.~

Dutchess County YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT!

~**YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT!** Hopeland Sanctuary in Staatsburg, NY 6/6/15.~

All twitches should be this easy! Actually it would probably get boring if they were all this easy, but this morning I was more than happy to have an easy time finding the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT which had been initially located by Steve Bauer and reported by many. I got up very early and headed north towards Hopeland Sanctuary in Staatsburg, NY. It was raining pretty good as I left, and I was beginning to think it was a mistake to try and fit this into my busy day. When I arrived, it was cloudy and gray, but rain-free. I did not have any details about the bird or the sanctuary, I was figuring that there might be some other birders present to point me in the right direction, but unfortunately this was not the case, so I parked and headed up the trail. About 100 yards in, the trail split, the Hopeland Trail continued straight and the Huntington Trail went off to the right. I’m not sure why I took the Huntington Trail, but I did, and a couple hundred yards later I heard and saw the bird, perched out in the open! I watched and photographed as the bird moved around in the brush on the right hand side of the trail, more often out of sight than in sight, but calling nearly non-stop. I took photos whenever the bird did come out in the open, the light was low so the shots are a noisy, but I am so thrilled to get any chat photos at all! This was as different as can be from my Yellow-breasted Chat FAIL from last spring! This was a life bird for me (#341), and an exciting one at that!

~YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT cooperating for a photo! Hopeland Sanctuary, Staatsburg NY 6/615.~ — ~**YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT** cooperating for a photo! Hopeland Sanctuary, Staatsburg NY 6/615.~

~What a thrill to see this bird! **YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT** at Hopeland Sanctuary, 6//6/15.~

~This Pileated Woodpecker was SO close but never got out into the open! Mills-Norrie State Park, 6/6/15.~

A Serious Case of PFBS

~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:

Orange County State Parks 5/10/15

~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.~ — ~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.~

Bring on the Warblers!

~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.~

Black Dirt Sunday and Weekend Catch Up

~A Northern Harrier shot through the grasses out at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 1/31/15.~

I spent an enjoyable morning birding in the black dirt; I spent just over three hours hitting many of the usual spots. Notable observations included fewer Canada Geese than I have had in recent days, I’m not sure where all the geese were hiding out. Also, on Missionland Road, where there were hundreds of Horned Larks earlier this week, I did not have one lark. I did manage to relocate 4 Lapland Longspurs in small flock of mixed sparrows. And, on Onion Avenue in New Hampton I had my first American Robins of the year:

~One of a group of 8 American Robins on Onion Avenue, 2/1/15.~

It was a good morning with a total of 32 species identified:

~American Goldfinch on Missionland Road, 1/31/15.~

Canada Goose
Mallard
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Mourning Dove
Short-eared Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Merlin
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Lapland Longspur
American Tree Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

~An American Tree Sparrow leaves its perch, Missionland Road, 1/31/15.~

~I had 8! Eastern Bluebirds in my yard as I left in the morning – not a bird I see in our yard very often. Goshen NY, 2/1/15.~

~Gray Ghost at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 2/1/15.~

~I had heard about the Merlin that was hanging around Liberty Marsh at Wallkill River NWR, I finally saw it today, 2/1/15. You had to see this bird fly, absolutely incredible, so fast!

Eastern Meadowlarks, 1/25/15

~One of three Eastern Meadowlarks at the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, 1/25/15.~

I was pleasantly surprised when three Eastern Meadowlarks landed and perched in the tree in front of the north blind at Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge. I knew that there were some meadowlarks present at the refuge this winter because I’ve caught fleeting glimpses a couple of times this January. But this was not a quick look, the birds perched in the tree for a little while and then dropped into the grasses in front of the blind to feed. Before any of the meadowlarks gave me a clear shot for a photo, a female Northern Harrier flushed the birds and they relocated to a tree behind the blind. Again, they dropped down from the tree to forage through the grasses behind the blind which were not as thick as they were in front, allowing me to get some photos.

~I wonder if the new snowfall allowed these birds to reach where they couldn’t before? EAME at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, 1/25/15.~

I looked at the range maps in the Crossley Guide, Sibley Field Guide, and on the All About Birds website. Both the Sibley and All About Birds range maps include Ulster County, New York as part of the year round range for Eastern Meadowlarks, while the Crossley Guide has it just as “typical breeding range” but not very far from the year round range. According to the Stokes Guide to Bird Behavior II, Eastern Meadowlarks gather into flocks in the late summer after breeding. Some flocks move southward while others remain to winter and “forage in old fields of corn, stubble, and weeds. At night they roost together, often in the tall grasses of marshes. Occasionally they join with grackles to roost”.

~An Eastern Meadowlark perches briefly at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, 1/25/15.~

As much as I love to go to the grasslands for the raptors in the winter, the meadowlarks were a wonderful surprise for me this morning. There was plenty of raptor activity as well (Rough-legged Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, American Kestrel, Northern Harriers, Black Vultures), and I will prepare a post for them in the next day or so.

~I was happy to get some photos that were pretty much in focus, it was tough with all the vegetation. Eastern Meadowlark at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, 1/25/15.~

~Tough to catch these birds in flight. EAME at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, 1/25/15.~

~Eastern Meadowlark at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, 1/25/15.~