Orange County – Page 70 – Orange Birding

Orange County Waterfowl

~Male Hooded Merganser at Schervier Pavilion in Warwick NY, 3/11/15.~

It’s been a good week of birding so far, the warm weather has been so nice to be out in, and it has thawed some of the open water in the county. As a result, I’ve done pretty well with waterfowl in Orange County over the past couple of days-

Glenmere Lake 3/11/15: Ring-necked Duck (3), Common Merganser (2), and Mute Swan (2).

Warwick Town Hall 3/11/15: Canada Goose (35), Mallard (8), Gadwall (5), Ring-necked Duck (25), Hooded Merganser (2), Common Merganser (2), and American Coot (1, FOY).

Schervier Pavilion 3/11/15: Hooded Merganser (2).

Newburgh Waterfront 3/12/15: Canada Goose (4), Mallard (25), Common Merganser (3), Red-breasted Merganser (1), Pied-billed Grebe (1, FOY), Great Cormorant (1).

~This Red-breasted Merganser in the Hudson River, seen from the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry parking lot, 3/12/15.~

~This is my first photo that shows the maroon ‘ring neck’ on a male Ring-necked Duck. It was quite a coincidence as I was just talking about this with Maria Loukeris earlier that afternoon. RNDU at Warwick Town Hall, 3/11/15.~

~Ring-necked Ducks in flight, Warwick NY 3/11/15.~

~My first American Coot of the year, at Warwick Town Hall, 3/11/15.~

Orange County Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3/10/15

~Lesser Black-backed Gull, Newburgh Waterfront, 3/10/15.~

As my work day was coming to an end, I received two separate reports for Red-breasted Mergansers on the Hudson near Newburgh, NY. One was a text from Rob Stone, the second a call from Bruce Nott. I headed in that direction in hopes of getting a RBME for Orange County for the year. From Plum Point Park I had some distant waterfowl where the water was open, but the heat waves were distorting the image in my scope way too much to confidently ID the birds. From what I could tell, they were likely Common Mergansers.

When I got back in my car, I had a missed call on my phone (which I had forgotten there). It was from Bruce; I called him back and he had what he believed to be a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL – seen from the old Torches parking lot. I hustled over, but I was too late. The bird had ridden the ice floes up river and out of scope range. I was really bummed! Then, some folks started to feed the ducks and gulls from the parking lot and a good number of the gulls were up in the air. Many relocated on the ice floes right in front of us, and fortunately, one of them was the Lesser Black-backed Gull. I relocated the bird and had Bruce take a look – we both liked it for a LBBG. The bird was close enough for some decent photos, so I sent it out – thank you to John Haas, Rob Stone, and Curt McDermott who all responded that they agreed with LBBG. Huge thanks to Bruce Nott – this is life bird #318 for me, very exciting! Oh, and I never did get a Red-breasted Merganser tonight…

~One more look at the LBBG, seen from Torches at the Newburgh Waterfront, 3/10/15.~

Signs of Life in Orange County

~A couple of Ring-necked Ducks made my day today. Glenmere Lake, 3/9/15.~

QUICK POST: It’s not much, but it’s a start. I stopped by Glenmere Lake after work today and I was pleased to find two Ring-necked Ducks (first of the year for me) and one Common Merganser in one of the thawed areas in the lake. Afterwards, I made my way over to the Liberty Loop viewing platform. Kyle Dudgeon was there already, Linda Scrima and Maria Loukeris showed up not too long after I arrived. It was nice to be out in the warmer temperatures, and we enjoyed watching a male American Kestrel hunting. The bird went two for two, successfully catching (and then eating) what I assume were voles on his first two attempts. Also of note, we heard my first Orange County Killdeer of the year.

~American Kestrel with prey at the Wallkill River NWR Liberty Loop viewing platform, 3/9/15.~

~Common Merganser at Glenmere Lake, 3/9/15.~

Sunday Shots – 2/22/15

~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.~

Longspurs, Larks, and Buntings

~Snow Bunting in the uh well, snow. Black Dirt Region, 2/8/15.~

This past Sunday, I finally got my first Snow Buntings of the year. I know that folks have been seeing them throughout the black dirt region, but I somehow kept coming up empty. After Karen Miller and I tried unsuccessfully for the Ulster County Gyrfalcon in the morning, we decided to head back to the black dirt region to try for Snow Buntings. We did well, finding 6 in a flock of approximately 75 Horned Larks.

Then, today after work I received a text from Linda Scrima who had a couple of Lapland Longspurs in the black dirt. I met her out there and took some photos before heading over to the Wallkill River NWR Liberty Loop viewing platform, where it was relatively quiet. For the first time in a long while I did not see any Northern Harriers. We did get good looks at a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, one distant Turkey Vulture and several Red-tailed Hawks. It was getting pretty dark when the Short-eared Owls got up; I counted four of them.

~I’m not sure what was going on while taking these photos, all of them are soft. Snow Bunting in the Black Dirt, 2/8/15.~

~Snow Bunting with a Horned Lark, Black Dirt, 2/8/15.~

~I love these guys. Lapland Longspur with a Horned Lark in the Black Dirt, 2/11/15.~

~A nice look at the feet of the Lapland Longspur. Black Dirt, 2/11/15.~

~Larks and Longspurs in the snow piles. Black Dirt, 2/11/15.~

Gray Ghost on a Cold Night

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.~

A Cute Couple

~Short-eared Owl love at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 2/3/15. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner…~

Yesterday evening I was on Missionland Road, searching for the nearly two dozen Lapland Longspurs seen there earlier in the day by both Rob Stone and Ken McDermott (21 and 19 respectively), when I received a call from Ken. There were two Short-eared Owls perched together north of Oil City Road at Liberty Marsh. I headed over and the birds were still on their perch. It was a distant look and this photo is heavily cropped, but still pretty darn cute. Thanks to Ken for the call and hopefully I will get back out to try for the LALOs on another evening this week.

I went to the Newburgh Waterfront this evening to try for gulls; I had a report from Curt McDermott on Sunday of a Glaucous Gull. Gulls were plentiful, but I unfortunately was unable to locate anything other than Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, and Great Black-backed Gulls. I did have three Bald Eagles on the ice floes – two adults and one immature.

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!

Longspurs and Larks

~A Lapland Longspur on Missionland Road, 1/31/15.~

I tried over the past couple of days to get some better shots of the Lapland Longspurs on Missionland Road. Yesterday the light was perfect and the birds were on the road but I had no luck with photos. . This afternoon the light was good, and although the birds did not come in as close as I would like, I did manage to get some better shots. I had 4 LALOs in a small flock of Horned Larks. Also present today was a nice flock of American Goldfinches, many Savannah Sparrows and American Tree Sparrows, and a single Song Sparrow. The Horned Lark photos were taken on Tuesday when I first saw the LALOs.

~A Horned Lark forages on the side of Missionland Road, 1/27/15.~

~Two of the four Lapland Longspurs I saw today on Missionland Road, 1/31/15.~

~A Horned Lark leaps to presumably grab and pull down some seeds to eat. I noticed this week that while the larks use this technique, the Lapland Longspurs will actually perch to feed….

...like this bird is doing here. Lapland Longspur on Missionland Road, 1/31/15.~ — …like this bird is doing here. Lapland Longspur on Missionland Road, 1/31/15.~

LAPLAND LONGSPURS!

QUICK POST: This afternoon, just after 3:00, I had 6 LAPLAND LONGSPURS on Missionland Road. I had just finished looking through hundreds of Horned Larks hoping for longspurs or buntings but without success. I have photos which contain all six birds, but unfortunately none came out very well, so here is a decent shot with four of the six. Nice birds to see, that’s for sure.