Orange County – Page 73 – Orange Birding

Saturday 4/26/14

Long-tailed Duck at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 4/26/14.

I was hoping that the birding would be good this morning because of the rain that had come through last night. I got out to the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge just before eight, and as I got out of the car, I saw one of the best birds of the day – a LONG TAILED DUCK. It took me a moment to figure it out because I was not expecting it. I took some pictures and put the word out. Linda Scrima came out for the bird and Karen Miller was already on her way to the refuge. The bird was located in the pool right in front of the viewing platform and was close enough for decent photos. Maria Loukeris also made it out for the bird and then joined up with the three of us as we walked the Liberty Loop.

It was a great morning of birding with many good birds. We did alright with waterfowl, with some migrants still hanging in: Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal (many!), and a handful of Ring-necked Ducks. As far as shorebirds go, we had a Spotted Sandpiper (my First Of Season) and 2 Greater Yellowlegs. About half way down the west side of the loop, we had a very cooperative group of Yellow-rumped Warblers .

Yellow-rumped Warbler at Wallkill River NWR, 4/26/14.

In that same spot we also had three types of swallows: Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, and Northern Rough-winged Swallow. Karen Miller spotted this beautiful NRWS perched on a tree just off the trail – it was awesome!

Northern Rough-winged Swallow at Wallkill River NWR, 4/26/14.

Shortly after that, when we were at the southern end of the trail (the furthest point from the parking area!), the lowlight of the day occurred. I don’t usually include the low points in my posts because really there aren’t too many – if I’m out birding its usually all good. Well, this

was not good, I stepped into hole in the trail and sprained my ankle. I went down hard; everything crashing to the ground, scope, camera, camera hood flying off. I knew I had injured my ankle, but what I didn’t know at the time was that I had also damaged my camera lens. I didn’t find out until I got home because the camera seemed to operating properly. When I looked at all my photos taken after the fall, every one of them is slightly blurry. I will be taking the lens in on Monday, hopefully they can fix it and it’s not too expensive.

We finished the loop, seeing an Osprey fishing and a female Northern Harrier patrolling the swamp. The Long-tailed Duck was still present and while we took more photos, I received a call from Rob Stone – he had three BONAPARTE’S GULLS as well as another Long-tailed Duck, Bank Swallows, and a Horned Grebe over at Owens Station Road. We hustled over and got the BOGU, HOGR, and LTDU for sure. I was pretty sure that I got a look at one Bank Swallow, but it was a brief look and no one else got a good enough look at the bird.

Three Bonaparte's Gulls at Owen Station Road, 4/26/14. Photo by Linda Scrima. — One of my highlights of the day – three distant Bonaparte’s Gulls at Owen Station Road, 4/26/14. Photo by Linda Scrima.

The camera/ankle disaster aside, it really was one of the better mornings of birding this spring!

Greater Yellowlegs – Wallkill River NWR, 4/25/14

Quick Post: I had my first significant shorebird sighting of the year: 9 Greater Yellowlegs tonight at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. Thanks to Linda Scrima and Maria Constantelos Loukeris, who originally located the birds and gave me the heads up. When I saw the birds, they were located on the north side of Oil City Road, in the pool that is furthest to the west (towards Winding Waters Trail).

The birds were too distant for good photos - one of 9 Greater Yellowlegs at Wallkill River NWR, 4/25/14. — The birds were too distant for good photos – one of 9 Greater Yellowlegs at Wallkill River NWR, 4/25/14.

Orange County Midweek Update

My FOS Greater Yellowlegs at the small pond near Glenmere Lake, 4/10/14.

On my way out of work today, I received a text from my fellow hawk counter Carol Linguanti, telling me she had located an active Red-tailed Hawk nest in Warwick. I stopped by to check it out and it was really cool to see it:

Huge thanks to Carol for the heads up. Red-tailed Hawk on the nest, Warwick NY, 4/10/14.

Next I headed over to Glenmere Lake to see what was going on. The water was extremely choppy and there were not nearly as many waterfowl present. Of note I had a single Common Loon, 9 Lesser Scaup, a single Bufflehead, and 6 Mute Swans. There is a small pond not too far from the lake and I went there to check for waterfowl. There was small number of Green-winged Teal present, a pair of Mallards and a pair of Mute Swans. The highlight of the stop (and maybe the day) was a Greater Yellowlegs, my first of the year.

My last stop for tonight was at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary. My best birds there were a pair of Blue-winged Teal that did not seem to know I was present. I shot many photos through the grasses:

One of my favorite ducks, a pair of Blue-winged Teals at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 4/10/14.

Other notable waterfowl present included: Ring-necked Ducks (21), Green-winged Teal (18), and Pied-billed Grebe (2).

WEDNESDAY 4/9/14

Yesterday I made it back out to the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge to walk the Liberty Loop. I mostly wanted to check on the Eurasian Wigeon, which continued on the west side of the loop, well into Sussex County. I was finally able to get a shot that is somewhat identifiable:

Eurasian Wigeon at Wallkill River NWR, 4/10/14.

Not long after taking this shot, all the waterfowl lifted up. I looked for an eagle or perhaps a Peregrine Falcon but never found the source. I lost the EUWI in the process, but did manage an interesting shot of Green-winged Teals in flight.

Waterfowl in flight! Wallkill River NWR, 4/9/14.

I should note that there was still a good number of waterfowl present at the refuge, including: Ring-necked Duck, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Northern Shovelers, Mallard, Canada Goose, Pied-billed Grebe, and Blue-winged Teal.

Black-capped Chickadee at Wallkill River NWR, 4/9/14.

Caspian Tern Double Encore

One of two Caspian Terns at Glenmere Lake this afternoon, 4/8/14.

A few notable sightings from today:

I stopped by Glenmere Lake after work today and located TWO CASPIAN TERNS. Bruce Nott, Ken McDermott and Curt McDermott also got to see the birds. Also present was a group of approximately 20 Lesser Scaup and 4 Horned Grebes.

I left Glenmere Lake and went over to the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge and walked out the west side of the loop where I was able to relocate the EURASIAN WIGEON. I tried for that bird yesterday without success but did get my first of the year Wilson’s Snipe and Pine Warbler.

Finally, I spoke to John Haas, who had four BONAPARTE’S GULLS at the main boat launch at the Bashakill. I did not have time to make it out there tonight, but I might try for them tomorrow.

The two Caspian Terns together - shot with the iPhone through my scope. Glenmere Lake, 4/8/14. — The two Caspian Terns together – shot with the iPhone through my scope. Glenmere Lake, 4/8/14.

Sunday Shots 4/6/14

The big news of the day was that Tom Burke had located a EURASIAN WIGEON at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. I was birding at the Bashakill with Karen Miller when I received a call from John Haas, letting me know about it. Tricia and I finally made it out to the refuge in the early afternoon and walked the west side of the Liberty Loop and joined several other birders that were looking at the bird in scopes. We got great looks in the scope, but photos were really tough. On our way out, more birders were on their way in to get a look at the bird. Here is a pretty awful photo of the bird:

Eurasian Wigeon in the top third of the photo a little to the right. Click here to see what the bird actually looks like.

Before the wigeon excitement, I had a nice morning of birding out at the Bashakill with Karen. We started at Haven Road, where my best bird was a Pied-billed Grebe seen in the distance on the north side of the bridge. There was a good number of Tree Swallows present, so I spent some time trying to photograph them in flight. They are not only a small bird, but so quick and unpredictable. Here’s a couple shots:

Tree Swallow in flight at the Bashakill, 4/6/14.

Our next stop was the Main Boat Launch, where I got to see Ed Morse for the first time of the season; it was great to see him back at it, keeping a close eye on the Bashakill Eagles. We checked on the eagle’s nest, saw 12 Horned Grebes in the distance, and then walked the Birch Trail. On the way we ran into Scotty Balding who informed us that he had seen an additional 16 Horned Grebes from the lookout, and a raft of 172 Ring-necked Ducks just a bit further down the trail. I spoke to Scotty again later in the day and his total count for Horned Grebes was 33! Pretty amazing that the Bash has had so many HOGRs for so long. Karen and I enjoyed the walk and had some relatively close encounters with some of the Bashakill’s more familiar residents:

A pair of Wood Ducks flying by the Birch Trail at the Bashakill, 4//6/14.

It's such a thrill when you get a Bald Eagle hunting so close to the trail. Bashakill, 4/6/14. — It’s such a thrill when you get a Bald Eagle hunting so close to the trail. Bashakill, 4/6/14.

This last photo is from earlier in the week but I didn’t have a chance to post it (it was on Thursday, the same day as the Caspian Tern sighting). Rob Stone had called to let me know there was a good photo opportunity for Common Goldeneyes at Greenwood Lake. I never got a Common Goldeneye close enough for good shots, plus the lighting was not great, but I do like this shot of a Bufflehead taking off:

Saturday 4/5/14

At Orange & Rockland lake there were three Ring-necked Ducks that were very accommodating, 4/5/14.

I made it out to three locations this morning. My first stop was a quick ride around the Orange & Rockland Lake. There was not too much going on there really, but I was able to get some photos of three Ring-necked Ducks that for some reason did not mind my presence. My best bird was a Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew over as I was pulling away. Here’s my list:

Canada Goose 6
Green-winged Teal 2
Ring-necked Duck 3
Bufflehead 1
Double-crested Cormorant 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Mourning Dove 1
Tree Swallow 8

My second stop was at Glenmere Lake, in hopes that the Long-tailed Ducks that had been seen there were somehow still around. I had tried for them unsuccessfully the night before. Well, I struck out again with the LTDUs, but it was still a worthwhile stop. Photos were really not an option between the grey rainy weather and most birds being quite distant.

Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 2
Wood Duck 6
American Black Duck 5
Mallard 3
Ring-necked Duck 45
Greater Scaup 4
Lesser Scaup 8
Bufflehead 12
Common Merganser 1
Common Loon 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Ring-billed Gull 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
American Robin 10

Downy Woodpecker at Wallkill River NWR, 4/5/14. — Downy Woodpecker shot through the branches, Wallkill River NWR, 4/5/14.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, I headed over to my third stop of the day – the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. I wanted to walk the Liberty Loop to see if there were any new waterfowl present. I had walked about halfway up the west end of the loop and was scanning the waterfowl when Linda Scrima and two other folks caught up with me. Linda introduced me to her friends and fellow birders, Jean and Ray, and the four of us continued down the trail for a while. We all got our first RUDDY DUCKS (2) of the season before Ray and Jean headed back. Linda and I continued walking the loop where we eventually ran into another birder named Mike, who was having trouble identifying a bird that he had seen in the back pond along the trail to Owens Station Road. He was sure it was a grebe, but it was diving at all. We eventually relocated the bird, which ended up being my first PIED-BILLED GREBE of the year. Mike continued back to the parking lot and Linda and I ended up walking that trail all the way to Owens Station Road and birding the pond over there as well. The sun had come out and it warmed up a bit as we headed down the east side of the loop back to our cars. It was a nice walk and in the end I totaled 32 species for the refuge and Owen Station Road combined:

This Red-tailed Hawk was harassing the ducks for a short time, making many of them pick up. Wallkill River NWR, 4/514.

Canada Goose 85
Wood Duck 8
American Wigeon 12
American Black Duck 10
Mallard 25

Blue-winged Teal 1

Northern Shoveler 3

Northern Pintail 90
Green-winged Teal 85
Ring-necked Duck 100
Bufflehead 1
Common Merganser 15
Ruddy Duck 2
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant 3
Great Blue Heron 2

Black Vulture 2

Turkey Vulture 12
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Killdeer 2
Ring-billed Gull 3
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
American Crow 14
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Eastern Bluebird 3
American Robin 15
European Starling 20
Song Sparrow 10
Red-winged Blackbird 60

Common Grackle 8

Belted Kingfisher 1

Orange County Caspian Tern

Caspian Tern in flight over Glenmere Lake, 4/3/14.

I went out to Glenmere Lake this evening to go for the two Common Loons that had been seen out there and to see if anything else had moved in. I was pleasantly surprised to find a tern perched on the far shore of the lake, among a group of approximately 15 Ring-billed Gulls. I made a quick call to Rob Stone to help with the ID and he and Anthony later joined me to confirm that it was a Caspian Tern. John Haas and Karen Miller joined us shortly after that and we all got good looks at the bird in our scopes. The bird was distant for the most part, but flew close enough to get some halfway decent shots (after some heavy cropping).

The two Common Loons were present and when I first arrived they were calling, which I just love.

A distant and dark shot of one of two Common Loons present at Glenmere Lake tonight, 4/3/14.

Waterfowl Wednesday

One of 43 (!!!) Horned Grebes at the Bashakill WMA today, 4/2/14.

It started with a phone call from Karen Miller today while I was at work today. She had taken the day off and was birding with John Haas and Scott Baldinger. She called to rub in the fact that they had seen 43 (!!!) HORNED GREBES at the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area. I headed towards the Bashakill after work and when I arrived at Haven Road, I immediately located group of 8 Horned Grebes in the distance. I was able to get some decent shots of a couple of the birds, but then I moved on, heading back to Orange County. For more details on birding at the Bashakill today, go to the Bashakill Birder to read John Haas’ post.

After the Bash, I hustled over to Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge to see if we had had any similar luck in Orange County. I was going to meet Karen at the refuge, and when I arrived, Karen was already there and Joyce DePew was there as well. From the viewing platform we got a good look at a trio of American Coots – my first of the year.

My FOY American Coot, one of three at the Wallkill River NWR, 4/2/14.

We also had a Killdeer fly over in good light:

We walked the loop, and the marsh was loaded with waterfowl:

Canada Goose 80
Mute Swan 4
Wood Duck 2
American Wigeon 35
Mallard 30
Blue-winged Teal 5
Northern Shoveler 2
Northern Pintail 75
Green-winged Teal 85
Ring-necked Duck 100
Bufflehead 4

I was very conservative with these numbers because for me, it becomes difficult to keep track of all the bird numbers when you are also having conversations. I had a great time – good company, perfect weather, and plenty of birds – very hard to beat it.

The Northern Pintails were making a sound in flight that I don't remember hearing before. It was new to Joyce and Karen as well. NOPI at Wallkill River NWR, 4/2/14. — The Northern Pintails were making a sound in flight that I don’t remember hearing before. It was new to Joyce and Karen as well. NOPI at Wallkill River NWR, 4/2/14.

3/31/14 – Catch Up

Song Sparrow at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 3/31/14.

Okay, so it’s time to play a little catch up. I’ve been getting out a bit in the last week but haven’t been organized enough or had the time to do posts. I’ll start with tonight after work – I stopped by 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary right here in Goshen. I am happy to say that all the ice has melted and the sanctuary was relatively birdy. It was nice to be on foot once again as well. Here’s my list for the night:

Canada Goose 85
Wood Duck 2
American Black Duck 3
Mallard 15
Green-winged Teal 3
Ring-necked Duck 12
Great Blue Heron 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Mourning Dove 5
Northern Flicker 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Eastern Bluebird 1
American Robin 35
American Tree Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 12
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle 6

So, that was tonight. Now for the catch up over the last week. No great photos to speak of, but I guess that’s just the way it goes sometimes.

Monday 3/24/14

Monday I was out in the Black Dirt Region sorting through Canada Geese with no luck. I was happy to see that 4 Short-eared Owls were still around though.

Tuesday 3/25/14

Tuesday I was out looking for geese in Pine Island and came across a small flock of Snow Geese – approximately 400 birds. This group continues and was seen at the Camel Farm by a couple of people today (3/31/14).

Wednesday 3/26/14

Wednesday was so cold and windy that I did not stay out very long at all. Really, just long enough to get some shots of this mixed flock of blackbirds. This pic looks like all Red-winged Blackbirds, but when I was looking at the birds on the ground there were definitely some Brown-headed Cowbirds in the flock.

Thursday 3/27/14

I actually got it together and did a post on Thursday from my visit to the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge but did not include this Turkey Vulture shot. See Thursday’s post here

Saturday 3/29/14

I had Nature Watch Training at the Basha Kill in the morning and I got out for a little while in the afternoon. Notable observations included 3 Snowy Owls in the Black Dirt and the continuing flock of 400 to 500 Snow Geese as well.

Sunday 3/30/14

On Sunday, I only had a brief window to bird early in the morning. I headed over to the Hudson River to look for waterfowl. On my way over I stopped by the Heron Rookery across from Stewart Airport and noticed that several Great Blue Herons had taken up residence there. There was not many waterfowl to be seen from the Hudson, but I did have 15 or so Tree Swallows hunting over the river, seen from Plum Point. On my way back I stopped at Brown’s Pond, and although it was still mostly ice, there were some waterfowl to be found, including: Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Merganser, American Wigeon, Bufflehead and Mute Swan.

Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge 3/27/14

Ring-necked Ducks in flight at Wallkill River NWR, 3/27/14.

Tonight after work, I walked the Liberty Loop at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge for the first time in ages. It proved to be quite birdy, and a good showing of waterfowl was certainly the highlight:

Canada Goose (1500)
Wood Duck (35)

American Wigeon (4)
American Black Duck (30)
Mallard (60)

Northern Pintail (75)

Green-winged Teal (50)
Ring-necked Duck (120)

Hooded Merganser (6)

Other highlights included 14 Turkey Vultures that appeared as if they might have been moving through, and I also had an attractive looking Skunk that I was able to get a couple of mediocre shots of. It felt really good to be on foot, taking a hike, and out of the car for a change. It has been a long cold winter of car-birding.

Thanks to the gentleman on the trail that gave me the heads-up about this skunk. Wallkill River NWR, 3/27/14.

More RNDUs in flight at the Wallkill River NWR, 3/27/14.