This Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is hopefully the last photo I will post using my 55-250mm lens for a long time – I got my 100-400mm lens back today. I took some test shots in the Canon parking lot and the lens seems to be working well, but I will know for sure once I take a look at the shots on the computer. This gnatcatcher was shot at Sterling Forest on Monday 5/5/14 in the afternoon. It was not very birdy out there at that time, but I am pretty sure you can do well for warblers there in the early morning.
A very cooperative American Redstart that we took many photos of. Wallkill River NWR, Winding Waters Trail, 5/4/14.
I was running a little bit early to meet Karen Miller at the Winding Waters Trail, so I decided to make a quick stop at the Pine Island Turf Nursery. There was a good collection of shorebirds present, so I called Karen and she joined me there. We had three Bald Eagles, a Gadwall and did pretty well with the shorebirds, with 12 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 3 Greater Yellowlegs, 8 Lesser Yellowlegs, and a single Pectoral Sandpiper. Our intention was to go for warblers on this morning, so we did not linger and headed over to Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge.
Yellow Warbler at Winding Waters Trail, 5/4/14.Karen and I chased this House Wren around for a while, and I was finally able to get a shot that I like.
In spite of the windy conditions, Winding Waters Trail was full of birds. The area to the right of the trail, for the first 500 yards or so, is flooded and there are some Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs as well as Solitary Sandpipers there. As we walked the trail, we had plenty of birds to look at, and since I haven’t really gone for warblers year, I got several first of the season birds (FOS). Karen was very sharp all day and was finding many of the birds we saw. Karen headed home after we got back to the cars, and I went back to look at the shorebirds with my scope, and then went over to the viewing platform by the Liberty Loop and I walked out Liberty Lane, where the fields were flooded and I was hoping for more shorebirds. It was only somewhat productive; I had 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, and 3 Spotted Sandpipers. I ended the day with 45 species and 10 FOS birds. Here’s my list:
A female American Kestrel takes flight, Liberty Lane 5/4/14.
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
American Black Duck
Mallard
Green-winged Teal
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs (FOS)
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird (FOS)
Warbling Vireo (FOS)
American Crow
Common Raven
Palm Warbler at Winding Waters Trail, 5/4/14.
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
House Wren (FOS)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Gray Catbird (FOS)
European Starling
Louisiana Waterthrush (FOS)
Common Yellowthroat (FOS)
American Redstart (FOS)
Yellow Warbler (FOS)
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Towhee (FOS)
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Solitary Sandpiper, my FOS, Pine Island NY 5/1/14.
So, I did not have a very productive week of birding; my ankle was in pretty rough shape up until Thursday, I had to run down to Jamesburg NJ on Monday after work to drop off my camera lens with Canon, and work was crazy, causing me to work late on three days. Thursday looked to be promising, so I did get out to a few spots. The best stop of the afternoon was at the Pine Island Turf Nursery, which had some substantial flooding. I had a single very distant BONAPARTE’S GULL, many Killdeer, a couple of Greater Yellowlegs, and the Solitary Sandpiper in the photo above. Keep in mind that birding at the turf nursery is by permission only – ask at the office if it’s okay.
This was taken on Sunday, the ankle is looking a feeling WAY better now.
Ankle/lens Update: The ankle is doing much better, it has been only a week and I can get around pretty well already. The swelling is mostly down and the bruising has for the most part cleared up. As for the lens, it was pretty good news. I called Canon on Friday and they let me know that it can be repaired and it’s not going to be too costly. Unfortunately, they had to order in a couple of parts so it will not be ready until later this week at the earliest.
