I shot this female Bufflehead taking off on the ice at Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary in Rye last Saturday, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked them. Though the light never seemed very good that day, I feel like I got a good exposure on these, showing the details of the birds head pretty well. The bird made an icy landing, quite close to the pier, which I watched but didn’t photograph. I took some photos of the bird perched (one of which I posted on Saturday) and then got the following shots of the bird as she took off from the frozen Long Island Sound.
~This is the shot that I really like, the head is sharp enough while there is some good blurring beginning on the wings. Bufflehead at Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary, 2/21/15.~~She is starting to get air born here and I love the position of her wings as she runs across the ice to pick up speed for the take off. Female Bufflehead at Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary, 2/21/15.~~Here she looks cute and almost a little dainty as she continues her run to takeoff. Female Bufflehead at Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary in Rye, NY 2/21/15. ~
~A nice look at a Short-eared Owl on a perch on the side of the road. I was starting to think all the SEOWs in the black dirt had perhaps moved on with the extended cold snap and repeated snow events we’ve been having. SEOW in the Black Dirt Region, 2/22/14.~
I don’t have much to say tonight – I ran around the black dirt today, just trying to get some photos. The weather was much more accommodating, with temperatures creeping up into the low 40’s; a huge change from what we’ve been having lately. Birds were still on the scarce side, but I got lucky with some Snow Buntings and of course finding a Short-eared Owl on the side of the road never hurts.
~A Snow Bunting takes a bath, Black Dirt Region, 2/22/15.~~Snow Bunting stealing the show in the black dirt, 2/22/15.~~Snow Bunting, Black Dirt Region, 2/22/15.~~Snow Bunting and Horned Lark in the black dirt, 2/22/15.~~Adult Cooper’s Hawk in Goshen, NY 2/22/15.~
~A Gadwall stands on the frozen Long Island Sound at the Edith G Read Wildlife Sanctuary in Rye, NY 2/21/15.~
This extended cold snap has made for some difficult birding. The obvious reason is that the cold has made it uncomfortable to be outside for extended periods of time, but this I can handle. What I can’t handle is staying out in this cold for extended periods of time and not getting birds. Birds have been pretty scarce at the spots I’ve visited in Orange County this week, so with that in mind, I headed to the coast this morning to see if I could do any better there. The answer is a resounding YES! I got an early start this morning and birded the Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary and the Rye Town Park and Beach. I finished the morning having seen 44 species, which for me is pretty good at this time of the year. Highlights for me included a half dozen PURPLE SANDPIPERS and 14 different species of waterfowl including distant but good looks at one my favorites, Long-tailed Ducks, of which I saw close to a couple dozen. I also did better with raptors than I have in Rye in the past: I had a Red-tailed Hawk just as I was getting off the highway, and then an adult Bald Eagle, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a pair of Red-tailed Hawks at the sanctuary, and finally, I had a Turkey Vulture as I was getting back onto the highway heading home.
~Female Bufflehead at the Edith G Read Wildlife Sanctuary, 2/21/15.~
It takes just over an hour to get to Rye from Goshen, which is really not too bad at all, and it’s definitely worth the trip.
Here’s my list for the morning:
~A Lesser Scaup gets all tucked in. Edith G Read WS, 2/21/15.~
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Lesser Scaup
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merg.
Great Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hk.
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Purple Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great B-b Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Wood.
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Black-cap. Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breast. Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
American Robin
European Starling
American Tree Sp.
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sp.
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
~Gadwall at the Edith G Read Wildlife Sanctuary in Rye, NY 2/21/15.~Brant are expected at this location, but for some reason I have always missed them until today. Edith G Read WS, 2/21/15.~One of a pair of Red-tailed Hawks that flew over while I walked the trails of the Edith G Read Wildlife Sanctuary, 2/21/15.~~A pair of Lesser Scaup coming in for a landing. Edith G Read Wildlife Sanctuary, Rye NY 2/21/15.~
I made out to the viewing platform at Wallkill River NWR Liberty Marsh this evening and it was COLD night! There were not many birds flying close, but I got lucky with the one bird that came close enough for photos – a male Northern Harrier or “Gray Ghost”. This was the only bird I took photos of tonight, but there were several hunting Northern Harriers, two distant Rough-legged Hawks, and at least one Red-tailed Hawk while I was there. It was not quite dark when I left, honestly I just was getting too cold to stay out, and the Short-eared Owls were not yet up.
~Male NOHA at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 2/5/15.~~Northern Harrier in flight. Wallkill River NWR, 2/5/15.~
~Cooper’s Hawk at the Newburgh Waterfront, 1/24/15.~
I got out a little late on this Saturday morning because I was waiting for the roads to clear from the fresh snow which had fallen overnight and continued to fall into the morning. I spent a little time in the New Hampton area of the black dirt. From Celery Avenue I could see many Canada Geese over the river in the fields that run along Onion Avenue. I stopped to scan them and from there I could see that there were approximately 20 SNOW GEESE among them. The Snow Geese were difficult to make out – there was plenty on the ground and it was still falling. I hustled around to Onion Avenue and spent some time scanning a large group of geese; I estimate over 1200 Canada Geese and maybe 100 Snow Geese. I did not find any other types of geese in with them. I birded my way up to Turtle Bay Road before turning back (I wanted to get to the Newburgh Waterfront for late afternoon to try for gulls again). Along the way I came across what is likely the same Merlin I have had before, as it was perched in the same spot on a wire along the road. I saw a couple of distant flocks of Horned Larks and then a small group landed briefly on the road. Among them was a single LAPLAND LONGSPUR, which was awesome to see.
I tried for gulls from the old Torches parking lot on the Newburgh Waterfront. There were many present, mostly riding the ice floes up the Hudson River. Herring Gulls seemed most numerous, followed by Ring-billed Gulls and then Great Black-backed Gulls (which I had nearly 30 of). I had one distant first winter Iceland Gull, but no sign of the bird I had yesterday and believed was a Lesser Black-backed Gull. I guess a better, confirmed look at that bird will have to wait until another day. When I have seen a bird that I am not very sure of, I really like to have a photo, because as time passes, doubts start to creep into my mind. I had a couple of raptor highlights while I was there as well. Out on the ice I had 8 Bald Eagles. In the parking lot, a woman stopped her car to tell me there was a hawk perched on a post. It ended up being a Cooper’s Hawk that posed nicely for me. For a day where I wasn’t sure if I would even get out, it was a really good day.
~A Red-tailed Hawk leaves a snowy perch on a snowy morning in New Hampton, NY 1/24/15. ~This certainly seems to be a favorite perch for this Merlin. I have seen it there before, and if you look to the left of the bird there appears to be some remains of prey stuck to the wire. I waited for ages for this bird to fly but after 20 minutes I had to move on. I passed the same spot on my way back, nearly 45 minutes later and the bird was still there! Merlin in New Hampton, NY 1/14./15.~~Snow Geese in the snow. Onion Avenue, 1/24/15.
~A Northern Harrier cruises by my blind, Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, 1/17/15.~
The big news this week was the eBird report of a Snowy Owl at the Liberty Marsh in Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge on Wednesday 1/14/15. I, of course, spent Thursday and Friday evenings after work going for the bird, but with no luck. I left the house this morning with the Snowy Owl being the most important bird on my mind. I did some running around in the Black Dirt and even followed a lead that took me to Chester, NY but had no luck with the Snowy. The Chester bird was likely a leucistic Red-tailed Hawk; I saw photos from the couple that had given me the lead, and I got a very distant look at the bird through my scope. I would like to get back there to get a better look one of these days.
In the afternoon I decide to just try for some photos, so I headed to the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR. The north blind that is furthest out was free, so I spent the afternoon shooting raptors. I love spending time in the blinds out there; you can get such great looks at the birds.
~This one made me happy. Rough-legged Hawk in the Black Dirt, 1/17/15.~~Adult Bald Eagle in the Black Dirt, 1/17/15.~~I was sitting in the blind thinking that it would be nice if a Red-tailed Hawk would fly towards me rather than away. Moments later this bird flew in. Red-tailed Hawk at Shawankgunk Grasslands NWR, 1/17/15.~~The harriers were pretty active today at the grasslands. Northern Harrier at the Shawangunk Grasslands, 1/17/15~~Northern Harrier at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, 1/17/15.~~I was happy with how this photo turned out. Northern Harrier just before sunset at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, 1/17/15.~~The Short-eared Owls got up pretty early today, just after 4:00 pm. None came close enough to my blind for photos while the light was still good. I took this one just as I was preparing to head back to the car. Short-eared Owl at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, 1/17/15.~~A deer checks things out at the Shawangunk Grasslands, 1/17/15.~
QUICK POST: I made the rounds in southern Orange County this afternoon but I didn’t find anything out of the ordinary to report. It was a cold and gray one, but I still did my best to get some photos; here are a couple of shots from the day.
A Northern Harrier takes a turn in the early morning sunlight. Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, 1/10/15.
I started my day off this morning heading out to the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge. I was meeting Wayne Hall out there, he wanted to talk to me about a column he is putting together about myself, birding, and bird photography. It was a very cold morning, but Wayne and I walked the trails a bit and talked. We took refuge from the wind in the south blind for a little while, continued our conversation and had a couple of nearby Northern Harriers. Back in the parking lot, I spotted, in the distance, our first Rough-legged Hawk of the day. Shortly after I first noticed the RLHA, it swooped down and flushed 10 Short-eared Owls. The owls did not stay up for long, but it was good to see them. Wayne and I sat in my car for a while and, as we talked, I had an adult Bald Eagle fly over in the distance. It was a pleasure to meet Wayne, and I will be curious to see how his column comes out. It was also nice that we did so well for birds while we were there. I should also mention that on my way out to the grasslands I made a quick stop by Lippincott where I was happy to find what I was looking for: Eleven Common Goldeneyes.
This Rough-legged Hawk stirred up 10 Short-eared Owls before coming in close enough for photos. RLHA at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, 1/10/15.I shot this Northern Harrier from the south blind at the Shawwangunk Grasslands NWR, 1/10/15.
In the afternoon, I did a quick driving tour of parts of the Black Dirt Region. My main goal was to hopefully located a large group of geese to sort through, which I did on Onion Avenue in New Hampton, NY. Unfortunately, just as I started to look through them, in a large and loud wave, every last Canada Goose picked up. I estimate that there were approximately 2000 birds present. Most of the geese seemed to relocate to the Wallkill River, right along Celery Avenue; I did not follow them over there, I will try my luck with them again tomorrow.
I really like these types of photos – Canada Geese taking flight at Onion Ave, 1/10/15.
I ended up with 23 species in the black dirt, all expected species, and I took photos along the way. I was particularly happy to run into this young Cooper’s Hawk:
-Cooper’s Hawk on Breeze Hill Road, 1/10/15. -MODO on Lynch Avenue, 1/10/15.
My final stop of the night was the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. I met up with Linda Scrima and Maria Loukeris by the Liberty Loop platform where we enjoyed the White-crowned Sparrows that have been hanging out there. Maria headed home, Linda and I walked out on Liberty Lane. We had a super surprise when we came upon a large flock of American Tree Sparrows; I estimate that there were close to 60 birds present. They would perch on the trees and bushes along Liberty Lane, then fly off into the refuge and disappear into the grasses. Then they would all return and perch briefly before heading back out to the refuge. They did this at least a half a dozen times before we headed back to the parking lot.
A sunset shot of an American Tree Sparrow at Wallkill River NWR, 1/10/15.
It was 4:40 and the light was getting low when the Short-eared Owls got up. There was just enough light to get some grainy photos; it was a great way to end a super day of birding from one National Wildlife Refuge to another.
A super grainy Short-eared Owl shot, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 1/10/15.
QUICK POST: It was a long weekend for me with a lot of birding; here are a few shots that didn’t make it into previous posts:
This is the first bird that I photographed this year, what a great way to start the year. Eastern Screech-Owl in Sullivan County on New Year’s Day.-I’ve been trying to get a photo of an American Tree Sparrow that I like; I like this one. ATSP on Lynch Avenue in New Hampton, NY 1/4/14.
Northern Harrier at Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, New Year’s Day. Conditions were perfect for photos that evening, but unfortunately I did not get many opportunities with the harriers, and the Short-eared Owls got up after dark.
-It was a shame to have this Merlin on a wire as far as photographs go. I was hoping to get a shot of the bird as it flew, but I missed out when the bird was flushed by a truck that drove by between myself and the bird. Merlin on Onion Ave in New Hampton, NY 1/2/15.
I was lucky enough to have the day off today, and the weather was perfect, so it made for a great day of birding. I started the morning by taking a tour of the black dirt region, where I had 23 species. Highlights include a MERLIN on a wire seen on Onion Avenue and a LAPLAND LONGSPUR in a large flock of Horned Larks on Mission Land Road in Pine Island.
-I saw these two first winter White-crowned Sparrow from the viewing platform at the Liberty Loop Trail, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 1/2/15. -Gray Ghost in flight. A male Norther Harrier at Skinner Lane, 1/2/15. -One of several flocks of Horned Larks that I had in the black dirt region. It was disappointing that I had no Snow Buntings among them, but I did locate a single Lapland Longspur in a large flock on Mission Land Road. Horned Larks in flight on Mt. Eve Road, 1/2/15.
I also made quick stops at Glenmere Lake and Warwick Lake – I added 5 species to my list, and I had a pair of adult Bald Eagles at both locations. My final stop was the Newburgh Waterfront; I stopped first at the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry parking; Fish Crows were calling from the trees as I sorted through the gulls there but found only Ring-billed, Herring, and Great Black-backed Gulls present. From there I went to the parking lot of the old Torches. Immediately, as I got out of the car, I saw a first winter ICELAND GULL on the edge of the parking lot among the other gulls and Rock Pigeons. I was able to get much better photos than I did earlier in the week, but I failed to get any flight photos. Once the gulls picked up, it was very chaotic and difficult to follow where the the Iceland Gull went. I eventually relocated the bird on a piling in the water, but just as I located it, all the gulls picked up again. Ken McDermott joined me shortly after that, but when I decided to head home, we still had not relocated the bird. I added an additional 5 species to my list for the day, giving me a total of 33 species for the day.
-I love this bird, what a pretty gull. Iceland Gull at the Newburgh Waterfront, 1/2/15. –ICELAND GULL alongside a Ring-billed Gull, Newburgh Waterfront, 1/2/15. -One more shot of the Merlin on a wire in New Hampton, NY 1/2/15.
