Orange County – Page 50 – Orange Birding

FOY Black-crowned Night-Heron, 07/28/17

~Digiscoped shot of one of the two juvenile BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS at the Liberty Loop this evening, 07/28/17.~

I met Linda Scrima out at the Liberty Loop viewing platform just after 7:00 this evening. My goal was to try to finally get my first BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON of the year in Orange County. Early on, Linda located some small shorebirds way in the back of the pool in front of the view platform. I got on them with my scope and we had 4 Least Sandpipers, and my first PECTORAL SANDPIPER of the fall migration. A little later, we had nearly twenty Great Egrets pick up from the southernmost part of the loop and relocated into some nearby trees, presumably to roost. And then, not too long after that, we had a single distant BCNH flying high on the east side of the loop, followed by a second one that flew from the middle of the marsh, straight towards the viewing platform and eventually settled in behind some vegetation a little ways out in the pool in front of the platform. I didn’t even try to take photos with my camera, but I was able to get a few decent looking digiscoped shots of the bird. I typically see this bird earlier in the year (I had my first in the month of June, three of the last four years). The BCNHs were my 199th bird in Orange County so far this year.

Wow, Orange County SNOWY EGRET!

~SNOWY EGRET at 6 1/2 Station Road’s Citgo Pond, 07/24/17.~

Put the summer doldrums on hold for a minute! With last night’s rainfall, I was optimistic that we might get a good bird today. Kyle Dudgeon and I were only half-joking about the outside possibility of a Roseate Spoonbill, since they’ve had one in New Jersey recently. Then I received a text from Linda Scrima – with an attached eBird report for a SNOWY EGRET at Citgo Pond, reported by a Kevin McGann at 8:23 this morning! I met Linda there after work to check it out; we were doubtful that the report would be accurate, not knowing Kevin McGann and having been burned on several inaccurate SNEG reports in recent years. We walked out to the pond, and sure enough there was a SNOWY EGRET! We put out the word and several birders were able to come join us in viewing the bird. Other highlights included hearing a Cooper’s Hawk calling from the trees (only my second time hearing the “kac, kac, kac” call), my first Lesser Yellowlegs in a couple of weeks, 10 (!) Green Herons, and a Red Fox on the far side of the shore, located by Kathy Ashman and Karen Miller.

~The bird was actively feeding and seemed to be successful. SNEG at Citgo Pond, 07/24/17.~

Staying Local

I’ve had a busy week, so I spent most of my birding time this week staying local. I went to 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary’s Citgo Pond several times; I have mostly been trying for shorebirds since conditions at the pond have been perfect. Although there has been good number of shorebirds present, the variety has been lacking: Least Sandpipers (30+), Semipalmated Sandpipers (2), Solitary Sandpipers (2), and Killdeer (12+).

~One of the two Semipalmated Sandpipers that I’ve had at Citgo Pond this week, 07/17/17.~

The trail and the pond have been birdy and I’ve been averaging 25-30 species of bird each visit, all expected species. Highlights include nine (!) Green Herons in a single visit. I also saw my first Blue-gray Gnatcatchers in ages and there are many young birds around (Song Sparrow, Eastern Kingbird, Marsh Wren, Common Yellowthroat, Tufted Titmouse…). So, while the birding has been decent, I am ready for some more significant shorebird movement, which hopefully isn’t too far away. Here’s several shots from the week, enjoy.

~All week I’ve been hearing the “whit” call of a couple of Willow Flycatchers on the trail out to the Citgo Pond. Today I finally got a good look and some photos, 07/23/17.~

~Yellow Warbler at Citgo Pond, 07/22/17.~

~Young Song Sparrow at Citgo Pond Trail, 07/20/17.~

Wow! Orange County WHITE IBIS!

~One of the 5 White Ibis at Wickham Lake this evening, 07/16/17.~

QUICK POST: Well, Rob Stone strikes again. This evening he somehow managed to relocate the five immature WHITE IBIS that had been reported in Orange County earlier this week, but had not been seen for several days (I thought those birds were long gone!). I, of course, ran for the birds and when I arrived, Rob got me on them immediately. They appeared to be getting ready to roost in the treetops on the shore of Wickham Lake. I have to say that seeing WHIB, in Orange County, in the treetops, just blew me away. It was so awesome! Linda Scrima showed up shortly after I did, and then Curt McDermott and Karen Miller not long after her. Curt had been Kayaking at Glenmere Lake, so he had his kayak. I was really excited when he pretty much insisted that I get the first run in the kayak to get some photographs while the light was still good. I paddled out and got great looks at the two birds at the very top of the trees and, of course, clicked away. Huge thanks to Rob for relocating the birds and to Curt for the kayak. What a night!

~Two WHITE IBIS yucking it up in the treetops on the shore of Wickham Lake, 07/16/17.~

Sunday Shots, 07/09/17

~A very cooperative Green Heron at the Citgo Pond, 07/07/17.~

QUICK POST: I got out several times this weekend; most of my birding was relatively uneventful with the exception of getting my first shorebirds of the fall migration – 5 LEAST SANDPIPERS at the Citgo Pond on Friday afternoon. I went back this afternoon and the only shorebirds present was a half dozen Killdeer. Here’s several shots from the weekend.

~It’s been ages since I’ve posted any Prairie Warbler shots, and now I’ve posted in two straight posts. This bird was at Mount Peter Hawkwatch – I stopped there on my way home from work on Friday, 0707/17 to grab an ice cream, yummmm.

~One of five Least Sandpipers at Citgo Pond on Friday, 07/07/17. This bird absolutely refused to turn and face me, so I had to settle on getting a shot as it preened.~

~One of about a dozen Killdeer at Citgo Pond, 07/07/17.~

~This Green Heron was freaking out when a Killdeer did a close fly-by; it made its posture as big as possible, when previously it was down low in a stalking posture. Citgo Pond, 07/07/17.~

~I photographed 2 Green Herons at Citgo Pond on 07/07/17; I thought the coloring on this bird was beautiful.~

~Three Bald Eagles, including one bathing in the Delaware River. Shot looking down from Hawk’s Nest, 07/08/17.~

Wow! Orange County Forster’s Tern!

~A beautiful FORSTER’S TERN at the Liberty Loop this evening, 07/01/17.~

QUICK POST: Huge thanks to Linda Scrima, who contacted me tonight to let me know she had a FORSTER’S TERN at Wallkill River NWR’s Liberty Loop. I jumped into the car and ran for the bird, and WOW, what a beautiful bird! It was perched on the measuring pole just to the left of the viewing platform, which made for a great photo op. I’ve never had FOTE in Orange County before, so this is OC bird #243 for me! Very exciting!

Orange County Black Bear, 06/12/16

QUICK POST: These days it looks like I’m doing better with mammals than with birds. I did some local birding after work today with Acadian Flycatcher as my target bird. I was able to get the flycatcher (heard first and then seen, but no photos), which made me happy, but it was a Black Bear that stole the show. It was very dark on the trail, so I was happy with how my photos came out since they were taken with an ISO of 10,000. On my way out I also came across some Wild Turkeys with some super cute chicks. I birded for just over an hour and I had 27 species.

~The bear was eating vegetation as I photographed it, 06/12/17.~

Good Birding?

Every once in a while, my best bird isn’t a bird at all. I spent the afternoon after work today birding at Goosepond South, a spot that I’ve never been to before. Towards the end of an uneventful and not overly birdy hike, I came upon this mink and it made my day. I’ve never really caught more than a glimpse of a mink, but in this case I was sitting still for quite some time and the mink did not appear to know I was there and appeared on the far shore of the stream. It then actually swam closer to me before disappearing into the grasses on the near side of the stream’s edge.

Camel Farm Shorebird Bonanza!

Wow, what a night at the Camel Farm! I went out to check for shorebirds after work; I was not feeling optimistic but wanted to just check just to see if anything was going on. Surprisingly, there was a good number of shorebirds present. Shortly after I began scanning the big pond, I located a single RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, followed shortly after by a second one! I was completely freaking out and I put the word out. Linda Scrima, Maria Loukeris, Karen Miller, John Haas, and Scotty Baldinger all joined me and we had what we considered quite a good list of shorebirds…

RED-NECK PHALAROPE (2)

Least Sandpiper (3)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (2)

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (6!)

Spotted Sandpiper (1)

Lesser Yellowlegs (1)

Killdeer (4)

…until Rob Stone called me later this evening, just before it started getting dark, and amazingly added a WILSON’S PHALAROPE, a Dunlin, and three Short-billed Dowitchers! What an incredible night for OC shorebirds! I’m floored by it, and I’m trying to figure out a way to get out and check on the these birds first thing in the morning, especially the WIPH, I’d love to get a look at that bird!

~Documentary Shot of two Red-necked Phalaropes at the Camel Farm, 05/30/17.~

Wow! Orange County CHAT!

~Wow! One of two YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge’s Winding Waters Trail, 05/21/17. Photo by Linda Scrima (thanks!).~

After participating in the Break 100 on Friday and Saturday, I had no plans to bird on Sunday. That all changed when I received a text message from Linda Scrima, containing the call of a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT! I dropped everything and headed out to Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge’s Winding Waters Trail. When I arrived, Linda was on not one, but two chats! At first the birds did not call, but then they started to. One bird popped up and and perched in perfect light. I’m not sure what happened (lack of sleep? brain cramp? who knows?), but my settings were all off and my pics were pretty bad. But, I got great looks at the bird before it dropped down into the brush. Shortly after, the second bird perched high in a tree – providing great looks in my binoculars, but the bird was totally backlit so photos were not much of an option. I was super excited to see this bird; I have been hoping to get one in Orange County for ages, having gotten them in both counties north and south of OC (Sussex, NJ and Ulster). Many other birders arrived and got the birds as well – there was genuine joy on folk’s faces when they saw and heard the birds. Huge thanks to Linda for relocating the bird, which was originally located yesterday during the Break 100 by the team of Alan and Della Wells and Dave and Sharon Baker.