-BARNACLE GOOSE in Ramsey NJ, Mirror Lake Area, 12/17/14.
I got out of work a little bit late this afternoon, but I still had time to try for the BARNACLE GOOSE which had been reported in Ramsey, New Jersey on eBird. I tried for the bird yesterday without any luck, but today it worked out great. I got my lifer BAGO and it did not disappoint – what a super bird! I was able to get very good looks and my photos, while quite grainy due to the low light, still made me very happy. The Barnacle Goose has been sort of a nemesis bird for me. There have been a few Barnacle Geese that have been reported in the NY/NJ area in the past several years. There was one in Orange County back in 2012 that eluded me as did the one in the Bronx last year (which I only tried for one time). There was a Barnacle Goose reported at this same location last year and I tried for it several times but struck out each time. So, it was VERY satisfying to finally see this bird. If you are planning to go for this bird, please contact me and I will give you details.
– Another look at the BARNACLE GOOSE in Bergen County today, 12/17/14.
One of four Northern Shovelers takes a lap around the Citgo Trail pond at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 10/6/14.
I had an appointment cancelled, so I got to do some unexpected birding after work this afternoon. I had forgotten my binoculars at home, so I stopped by to pick them up and headed to the closest spot – 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary. I was thinking about sparrows as I took the Citgo Trail, but the wind had picked up pretty good and sparrows were scarce. I had a few pleasant surprises when I got to the pond – a nice sized collection of shorebirds: 22 Lesser Yellowlegs, 3 Greater Yellowlegs, and 1 Solitary Sandpiper. The highlight, however, was seeing my first Northern Shovelers (4) and Blue-winged Teal (3) of the fall. A Northern Harrier cruised through at one point and picked up many of the waterfowl and shorebirds. I think it was about 3 years ago that I would get a harrier at this location regularly, but this is the first one I have seen there in a while. It was a gorgeous night and I had some decent birds, which made me happy. Here’s some more photos and my list for the night:
Eastern Bluebird, 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 10/6/14.A Lesser Yellowlegs takes flight when a Northern Harrier flew over. 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 10/6/14.I had nearly 20 Tree Swallows tonight. 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 10/6/14.
Canada Goose 65
Mute Swan 4
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 16
Blue-winged Teal 3
Northern Shoveler 4
Green-winged Teal 25
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 8
Northern Harrier 1
Killdeer 9
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 3
Lesser Yellowlegs 22
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 8
Tree Swallow 18
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Eastern Bluebird 2
American Robin 4
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 85
Common Yellowthroat 1
Palm Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 12
Song Sparrow 2
Red-winged Blackbird 12
Common Grackle 20
House Sparrow 25
Baird’s Sandpiper, located by John Haas at Apollo, 9/29/14.
I received a text today from John Haas that certainly improved my Monday – he had located a BAIRD’S SANDPIPER at Apollo Plaza in Sullivan County. I headed over after work and I was not disappointed. The bird was easily located as there were only two birds present, the other being a Killdeer. I parked and took some shots of the bird and fortunately the bird kept slowly working its way towards me. This is a beautiful bird, I guess I say that often, but while I was there I couldn’t stop thinking it. Huge thanks to John for locating the bird and alerting me!
Baird’s Sandpiper at Apollo Plaza, 9/29/14.I typically do not like shots of birds head-on, but I sort of like this shot, plus it shows the interesting shape of this bird’s body. Baird’s Sandpiper at Apollo Plaza, 9/29/14.…but no – the Killdeer goes after the Baird’s Sandpiper. Only two birds present, you would think they could get along…
Two Lesser Yellowlegs sandwich a Greater Yellowlegs. 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 9/26/14.
I had a nice collection of shorebirds at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary tonight. The birds have seemingly totally abandoned the pond at the end of the Citgo Trail and can now be seen easily in the mud flats of the marsh from the Heritage Trail. Here’s my list:
Two Pectoral Sandpipers with what I believe is a Semipalmated Sandpiper. 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 9/26/14.Pectoral Sandpiper at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 9/26/14.
**One year ago this week at www.orangbirding.com: On September 29, 2013, I also had a Pectoral Sandpiper – this time at Morningside Park in Sullivan County. See that post here. **
**Two years ago this week at www.orangebirding.com: I had American Kestrels and Sparrows at Wallkill River NWR. Check it out here. **
This evening I stopped by the small pond at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary and was treated to a pair of Lesser Yellowlegs doing who knows what for nearly five minutes. It involved a lot of hopping around and chasing one another. I really enjoyed seeing this; the photos are distant and heavily cropped, but I really like them. Any thoughts on this behavior are certainly welcome…
Buff-breasted Sandpiper in the Black Dirt Region, 8/30/14.
This morning a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was located in the Black Dirt Region by Jim Schlickenrieder (who I just met for the first time today). Not only that, the bird was moving around the Black Dirt pretty good, and Jim was able to relocate the bird two more times! To me this is pretty incredible, and thanks to his diligence and John Haas alerting me, I was able to see this amazing bird. Shortly after parting ways, Jim contacted John again to say he had located an American Golden-Plover. Wow, pretty good morning of birding for Jim!
One of nine American Golden-Plovers, Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
I left work this afternoon with one objective: to scour southern Orange County until I found some new shorebirds. Well, I got lucky, and at my fourth stop, which was the Old Warren Sod Farm, where I located 9 American Golden Plovers. The birds were quite distant and I was struggling to ID them. My initial thought was that they were Black-bellied Plovers and it wasn’t until John Haas showed up and the birds took flight that it became clear that they were AMGPs (no black wing-pits). The birds were quite restless and moved around quite a bit and luckily at one point they landed close enough to us for some photos. Linda Scrima also made it out a little later, and though the birds were a bit distant at that point, she got good looks in the scope.
Other shorebirds present included: Killdeer (100+), Least Sandpipers (2), Pectoral Sandpiper (1), and Lesser Yellowlegs (1).
AMGP at Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.Lesser Yellowlegs in some nice light. Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.Pectoral Sandpiper at Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14. Photo by John Haas. I had a camera meltdown when John located this Pectoral Sandpiper and was unable to get a shot. Four of the nine AMGPs was the best I could do in one photo. Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
A Glossy Ibis picks through the small pond south of the Heritage Trail at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.
So, yesterday afternoon I located an ibis the small pond to the south of the Heritage Trail at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary. Having just had a very good look at the three Glossy Ibis out at the Liberty Loop just last week, this bird seemed a little different to me. This bird had white at the base of both the upper and lower bill, legs that appeared to be light orange in color (as opposed to the darker legs on the three LL ibis), a much redder overall look that was less iridescent, and to me, the bill appeared to be slightly larger. With all this in mind I started to think about the possibility of a White-faced Ibis. I did some quick, inconclusive research on my phone app and then called Rob Stone and John Haas for some guidance. Apparently, both the legs and the facial skin of a WFIB should be red/pink in color, but the key for this ID, was to see the color of the bird’s eye. If the iris was red then it would make it a White-faced, if dark it would be a Glossy. Well, this bird does not have a very large eye, and I was viewing it from just under 150 yards away, which was going to make it difficult to determine. John showed up in no time at all, but by that time, the had bird picked up and move further out by about another 40 yards. Karen Miller, Linda Scrima, Bruce Nott, and Kathleen Ashman had also showed up. We all agreed that the bird was too far to see the eye color. It was getting darker by the minute, so it was decided that John and I would work our way around the pond to get a closer look. When we did so, it was still tough to determine the eye color; I think the setting sun was playing some tricks on us. Scotty Baldinger eventually joined us, and not long after that we felt confident that the bird’s iris was not red and the bird was therefore a Glossy Ibis. It was really a fun evening for me, spending time observing such an interesting and beautiful bird and to do so with some great people made it that much better.
GLIB at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.
One last thing – John wrote an interesting post about this bird on his blog, and reading it, I learned about another important identifying feature: according to the Crossley Guide, the white at the base of the bill always disappears behind the eye, as opposed to the complete white surround of the White-faced Ibis.
This photo shows that the white does not continue behind the eye. Glossy Ibis at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.
LITTLE BLUE HERON
I did not strike out two days in a row with the Little Blue Heron located in the pond near the intersection of Routes 302 and 17K in Bullville NY, 8/20/14.
It was an eventful afternoon of birding; before I went to 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, I went for the LITTLE BLUE HERON in Bullville again. This time I did not come up empty handed, the bird was easily located and though it was little far out, I got great looks in my scope and the photos were not too bad. This bird had a lot of personality to me – if I was a little closer (and it wasn’t backlit), I could have had some nice photos for sure because the bird kept striking interesting poses.
Quick Post: It’s late so I will give whole story in another post, but this afternoon at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, I located an interesting ibis that had me thinking that it was perhaps a White-faced rather than a Glossy… in the end it was a Glossy, but what an interesting and beautiful bird! Please go to the Bashakill Birder to read John Haas’ post about the bird. Meanwhile, it’s too late for a full post from me, but here are a couple of shots of the bird:
Glossy Ibis, 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary 8/20/14.I thought this was really a gorgeous bird. Glossy Ibis at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 8/20/14.
It must be something about Tuesdays. My golf day. The day when people seem find good birds. I received a call from Curt McDermott this morning; he had a Little Blue Heron in the pond just east of the intersection of 17K and 302 in Bullville (across from St. Paul’s Church). When I finally arrived after my golf match around 7:30 pm, Karen Miller met me there and the bird was no longer present – so I missed out. The good news is that apparently a lot of people got to see and photograph the bird throughout the day. Karen got some shots earlier in the evening, so huge thanks to her for letting me use one for this post:
Little Blue Heron, Bullville NY, 8/19/14. Photo by Karen Miller.
