photos – Orange Birding

Monhegan Island 2026

Last weekend, Tricia and I spent five days on Monhegan Island, off the coast of Maine. It was our third time on the island, and I have to say that it is probably my all-time favorite vacation spot, which is a little bit ironic because the birding consists largely of songbirds, which readers may know is not my most favorite type of birding. But the island is such a refreshing place to be – I love getting on the ferry, leaving the car behind, and having this small, beautiful, birdy island to explore on foot for the the next several days.

~Magnolia Warbler, Monhegan Island 05/23/26.~

It was our first visit to the island in the springtime, and the birds did not disappoint. Including three additional species from ferry rides, I had a total of 74 species -I’ve included my list of all species observed on the island at the bottom of this post. Over two thirds of all species were songbirds, with (16) of them being warblers. I felt pretty good about the number of birds I observed – I know I missed several species through word of mouth and also birds that the Merlin app heard but I did not pick up on, but overall I thought I did pretty well.

~This is among my favorite warbler species – Blackpoll Warbler on Monhegan Island, 05/23.26.~

In a twist, the highlight of the trip was not songbird related. On Saturday afternoon, after a full morning of birding, I went to the Monhegan Brewery to enjoy a cold beer and some deep-fried pickles. While I was enjoying my lunch, I noticed a distant, interesting bird in flight. I grabbed my binoculars and got on the bird – it was a raptor with a striped wedge-shaped tail. Almost as soon as I got on the bird, my view was obstructed by a building. I jumped up, camera in hand, and tried to pick it up again on the other side of the building, but did not have any luck. The only bird (to my mind) that fit the bill was Mississippi Kite, but that seemed very unlikely – we were on an island ten miles off the coast of Maine! I finished up my lunch quickly and headed in the direction I’d seen the bird. I ran into another birder (Emily) and asked if she’d seen any interesting raptors, and she had, and described a light colored raptor with a white head! We were both floored at the possibility. I mentioned that I was pretty sure on a small island chock full of birders, someone else would have seen that bird and gotten some photos. The next day I ran into Emily again, and she confirmed my suspicions – the bird had been reported with photos! I couldn’t help but feel the pangs of disappointment of not getting any photos, but it was still a very exciting development. Fast forward to Tuesday – the day we were leaving the island. I took a break from packing my bags and went out on the side porch of the Monhegan House hotel where we were staying. I saw an interesting bird flying south and asked Tricia to grab my camera from the room while I tried to stay on it. The bird eventually turned around and flew nearly directly overhead allowing for some terribly backlit, but still very exciting photos:

~Wow! Mississippi Kite on Monhegan Island, 05/26/26.~

I was thrilled to get a second chance to document the bird. I don’t love the photos, but what can you do. From what I heard, the initial sitings on 05/23/26 were the first ever report of Mississippi Kite on Monhegan Island.

Other excitement for me included seeing and hearing plenty of Red Crossbills. For us in the Hudson Valley, it’s a rare treat to get a Red Crossbills, but I think the locals consider this a garbage bird for Monhegan Island, lol. I was excited to get the opportunity to see and photograph them up close.

~Red Crossbill on Monhegan Island, 05/24/26.~

~One more RECR on Monhegan Island, 05/24/26.~

Another interesting thing about birding on Monhegan Island is that the place is loaded with Ring-necked Pheasants. The birds breed there, I’ve photographed their young before and again during this trip. It’s curious to me that eBird still lists them as Exotic/Escapee; I’m not sure how that works.

~Ring-necked Pheasant chick on Monhegan Island, 05/23/26.~

~A female Ring-necked Pheasant takes a snooze. Monhegan Island 05/25/26.~

~These guys are all over the island, usually finding a high spot to perch on and vocalize. Ring-necked Pheasant on Monhegan Island, 05/24/26.~

The ferry ride back to the mainland proved to be exciting and was the icing on the cake for the trip. First I had a distant, unidentified shearwater. I could not get on the bird with my camera unfortunately, so a little bit frustrating, but also pretty exciting. And then, a little bit later, I was able to locate and photograph a single Atlantic Puffin! This was a fantastic way to end a great trip.

~Wow! Atlantic Puffin on the ferry trip from Monhegan Island to Port Clyde, 05/26/26.~

As always, I took loads of photos, so enjoy a sampling:

~Northern Parula on Monhegan Island, 05/26/26.~

~Red-eyed Vireo on Monhegan Island, 05/23/26.~

~Common Yellowthroats were all over the place. Monhegan Island, 05/23/26.~

~There were loads of Northern Yellow Warblers as well. Monhegan Island 05/26/26.~

~I think is was one of my better birds from the trip. Olive-sided Flycatcher on Monhegan Island, 05/26/26.~

~Another birder told me that the American Herring Gulls nested between Whitehead and Blackhead, so I took a hike out there and checked it out. Monhegan Island, 05/25/26.~

~I always enjoy seeing the seals when I’m on the island. I like how this crew almost seems to be posing for the shot. Monhegan Island, 05/25/26.~

Sunday Shots, Long Island Edition 05/17/26

Tricia and I attended a Friday wedding on Long Island. We rented a place on the water in East Patchogue, right on Patchogue Bay, with her family. On Saturday morning I was able to do some birding at small park right that was a couple doors down, before heading home. One of the neighbors has Purple Martin houses on his property, so I enjoyed plenty of Purple Martins that were flying around. Birds of note at the park included Forster’s Terns, Least Terns, and a relatively cooperative Snowy Egret.

~Snowy Egret in East Patchogue, Long Island, 05/16/26.~

~Snowy Egret in East Patchogue, 05/16/26. The Great Egret in the background serves as a nice comparison to the two most common egrets on Long Island.~

On Saturday evening I birded 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary and added Semipalmated Plovers to my Orange County 2026 year list. This morning (Sunday), I birded the Middletown Reservoir Trails again – this is a place that is quickly becoming a favorite of mine – it always seems to be extremely birdy. My best bird was a Canada Warbler, which is not a bird I get very often in the county. Photos were tough this morning, but that’s just the way it goes sometimes.

~My only usable photo from this morning. Pileated Woodpecker at Middletown Reservoir Trails, 05/17/26.~

~Purple Martin, East Patchhogue 05/16/26.~

~Least Sandpiper in East Patchogue, NY 05/16/26.~

~Greater Yellowlegs wading in the Patchogue Bay, 05/16/26.~

~One more Purple Martin shot – this one with nesting material. East Patchogue, NY 05/16/26.~

An Accommodating American Bittern, 05/12/26

I joined birding bud Linda Scrima out at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary this evening after work. We were going there to try for the Snowy Egret that had been reported there a day earlier. We both were pretty sure it would not be around, as it had not been reported all day, but it provided a good excuse to get us out of our houses on a Tuesday evening. We were sorting through shorebirds, and I had just located a single Dunlin. I figured it would be the best bird of the day until moments later Linda got my attention and had me look down at the near shore. To my surprise, it was an AMERICAN BITTERN, out in the open, right below us. We watched and photographed as the bird caught two crawfish just yards away. If you know the typical behavior of bitterns, you will understand how amazing this was. The bird then took a short flight and landed among the vegetation – a much more familiar way of seeing an American Bittern. All photos were taken tonight at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 05/12/26.

Sunday Shots, 05/10/26

I had another fantastic weekend of birding. It’s actually hard to remember when I’ve had a more birdy weekend. I added 26 species to my Orange County 2026 year list; I’m including a screenshot from eBird with the new birds and their locations at the bottom of this post. Notable birds included White-winged Scoters – four of them at Wickham Lake this morning – a very nice find by Kyle Knapp. It’s the first time since 2022 that I had all three scoters in Orange County (Surf, Black, & White-winged). Also at Wickham Lake, I had my first Wilson’s Warbler in several years. It was a crafty little stinker, but I managed to get a couple shots to at least document it. Also at Wickham Lake, I had a Northern Waterthrush – that’s a bird that’s not a guarantee for me on any particular year.

Here are my shots from the week – I’m starting off with one of my favorite shots of the year so far – of a young Horned Lark in the Black Dirt Region. I was out on Monday 5/4/26, hoping for Lapland Longspurs, and although didn’t have any luck in that regard, this bird was an excellent consolation prize.

~I love this bird and this shot. Young Horned Lark in the Black Dirt Region, 05/04/26.~

~Chestnut-sided Warbler at Middletown Reservoir Trails, 05/10/26.~

~Veery at Middletown Reservoir Trails, 05/10/26.~

~White-winged Scoters at Wickham Lake, 05/10/26.~

~Wilson’s Warbler at Wickham Lake, 05/10/26.~

~This bird would not come out into the open. Wilson’s Warbler at Wickham Lake, 05/10/26.~

~Brown Thrasher at Wickham Lake, 05/10/26.~

~It was a Brown Thrasher kind of weekend, this bird was at Laurel Grove Cemetery, 05/09/26.~

~One more shot of the young Horned Lark in the black dirt on 05/04/26.~

Sunday Shots, 05/03/26

It’s the time of year when there are plenty of birds around, so it made for a very pleasant weekend of birding. I added (18) new species to my 2026 Orange County year list. I had a decent showing of shorebirds on Saturday, with six species observed. At the Camel Farm, Linda Scrima and I had Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper and Killdeer. I added Spotted Sandpiper at the Liberty Loop platform. I did alright with songbirds too; I added (9) new species of wood warblers to my OC year list, including my favorite new species from the weekend, a beautiful Cape May Warbler.

~Cape May Warbler at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Port Jervis, 05/03/26.~

I also spent some time in the black dirt looking for and finding Lapland Longspurs. On Saturday I was pleasantly surprised to see the flock of Horned Larks was still around and although it took a while, I was able to locate a single LALO in non-breeding plumage. Today I was able to get on a couple of LALOs pretty quickly, and one was in breeding plumage. Unfortunately, the birds are moving around a lot, and the spots they have been favoring are distant enough to make getting photos very challenging, and I failed on both days. I was still pretty excited though, as these are my first observations ever of this species in the month of May.

~The flock of Horned Larks with the Lapland Longspurs remained uncooperative, but there are plenty of of larks which are not part of the flock and are going about their business of having young. This one landed on the road right in front of me; I couldn’t resist getting a few shots. Horned Lark in the Black Dirt Region, 05/02/26.~

~Sandhill Crane in flight over Liberty Marsh, 05/02/26.~

~Ruby-crowned Kinglet at Laurel Grove Cemetery, 05/03/26.~

~Cape May Warbler at Laurel Grove Cemetery, 05/03/26.~

~And one final shot of the CMWA at Laurel Grove Cemetery, 05/03/26.~

~I took this last weekend, Greater Yellowlegs on Lynch Avenue in the black dirt on 04/26/26.~

Sunday Shots, 04/12/26

I checked some local lakes and then birded the Newburgh Waterfront on Saturday morning; my best birds were a couple of distant Horned Grebes on Wickham Lake. This morning I took a hike at the Middletown Reservoir Trails. I find it a very enjoyable place to bird, it has some decent habitat and the trails are very easy to walk. It was a birdy walk this morning; I got fantastic looks at a Red-breasted Nuthatch, and I had over 30 species on my list. I also added couple of new birds to my OC year list – Eastern Towhee and Pine Warbler, which is always nice.

~I was pleased to hear and see several Pine Warblers at Middletown Reservoir Trails this morning. It’s a start!~

~Carolina Wren is a bird that is absolutely everywhere, but somehow I never seem to get any photos. I got this one on Saturday 04/11/26 at the Newburgh Waterfront Trail.~

~A young Red-tailed Hawk at the Newburgh Waterfront Trail, 04/11/26.~

~Tree Swallow at Wickham Lake, 04/11/26.~

~Female Common Merganser at the Newburgh Waterfront, 04/11/26.~

Sunday Shots, 03/22/26

Things are starting to happen. We have open water throughout the county. On Wednesday, Karen VanDyk found a Red-necked Grebe at Lockenhurst Pond; I ran for the bird on Thursday evening after work, and fortunately it was still present – I’ve included a photo of the bird at the bottom of this post. I enjoyed distant but nice looks at the bird, as well as the male Red-breasted Merganser that Karen had reported there as well.

On Saturday I took a 7 mile hike out at Black Rock Forest. It was a pleasant walk; birdy enough to keep me interested, and the weather was pleasant. I added a few birds to my Orange County year list – I finally got a couple of Fox Sparrows, and I had my first Eastern Phoebes and Wood Ducks of the year. I stopped by the Newburgh Waterfront afterwards and got lucky with a Great Cormorant – thanks to Bruce Nott for that.

~Eastern Phoebe giving me the side eye at Black Rock Forest on 03/21/26.~

Then on Sunday, I birded several of the local lakes; I had plenty of waterfowl at many of the lakes, but the only new bird for the year was a Pied-billed Grebe. I also had a close but all too brief encounter with a River Otter – so brief I didn’t get any photos, but still it’s always exciting to see an otter.

~Ring-necked Duck at Orange-Rockland Lake, 03/22/26.~

~My first Pied-billed Grebe of the year – Wickham Lake, 03/22/26.~

~Rooftop Turkey Vulture in Goshen, NY on 03/22/26.~

~Great Cormorant at the Newburgh Waterfront, 03/21/26.~

~I love these dudes. Rooftop TUVUs in Goshen, 03/22/26.~

~Distant shot of the Red-necked Grebe at Lockenhurst Pond, 03/19/26.~

Sunday Shots 03/07/26 – More Shorties

I’m feeling pretty under the weather today, so, in spite of reports of some very good birds, I’ve stayed home all day to rest and recuperate. Reported birds included: 11 Tundra Swans at the Liberty Loop, 4 Tundra Swans at the Bashakill, Snow Geese and Tundra Swans near Winding Hills Park, and a Greater White-fronted Goose at the Camel Farm. It’s good to see some things are happening.

Luckily, I still have some photos to post this evening. Yesterday afternoon I was driving in the black dirt when I inadvertently flushed a pair of Short-eared Owls. They were roosting in the taller roadside grasses, and they flushed as I approached in my car. One bird didn’t go very far when it flushed; it was the best look I’ve gotten of a Short-eared Owl in quite some time.

~Short-eared Owl in the Black Dirt Region, 03/07/26.~

~Shorty in the black dirt on Saturday 03/07/26.~

~One final Shorty shot, black dirt, 03/07/26.~

Orange County Snow Geese, 03/07/26

Right on cue, our first Snow Geese descended on the county yesterday morning when Matthew VanDyk reported approximately 40 birds on Skinners Lane. Shortly afterwards, Linda Scrima located a Ross’s Goose in the flock. By evening, Travis Rubio reported the flock had grown to over 500 birds. When I arrived this morning, I had an estimated 1,200+ birds. The birds were distant and very active, so I did not really have a chance to search for the Ross’s, but it’s always a good day of birding when you have a nice big flock of Snow Geese.

~Snow Geese flying over horizon in the Black Dirt Region on 03/07/26.~

~Snow Goose in the black dirt, 03/07/26.~

~Snow Geese in the black dirt, 03/07/26.~

Sunday Shots, 03/01/26

There’s not very much going on in the area these days. On Saturday morning I went to Reservoir #3 in Port Jervis to try for Red Crossbills again, but didnt’ have any luck. My consolation prize was a nice and somewhat accommodating flock of Pine Siskins. That’s a species that I don’t get too many photos of, so I enjoyed that. Also of note on Saturday morning, I went to the Liberty Loop where I had at least (6) Rough-legged Hawks. It’s been a while since we’ve seen those types of numbers in our area.

~Pine Siskin at Reservoir #3, 02/28/26.~

~One of six Rough-legged Hawks at the Liberty Loop, 02/28/26.~

I put a lot of miles on my car on Sunday morning, but it was mostly unproductive. The only notable observation I had was seeing that the Tundra Swan was still around – I found it on the banks of the Wallkill River on Celery Avenue.