August 2017 – Orange Birding

Orange County GLOSSY IBIS, 08/29/17

QUICK POST: While at work today, Bill Fiero reported to the Mearns Bird Club App a GLOSSY IBIS at Citgo Pond. I made plans with Linda Scrima to meet there after work and go for the bird. When we first got there, it appeared that the bird had moved on, but eventually we located it on the far side of the pond hanging out with the Mallards and the Canada Geese. We were able to get some documentary photos; the lighting was terrible and the bird was pretty distant. Meanwhile, I was also scanning the shorebirds present. Numbers were up considerably, with over 20 Lesser Yellowlegs present, a couple of Semipalmated Sandpipers, a handful of Least Sandpipers, a single Killdeer and the shorebird of the day… a half dozen dowitchers. I think they are likely SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS. I’m sort of playing the odds here because the time is right for SBDO rather than Long-billed, but also, the birds do not appear to be overly humpbacked and their undersides do not seem to be as solidly marked as found in LBDO. Please comment if you have any thoughts on the accurate identification of these birds – thanks. What a great evening of birding, I sort of wasn’t really expecting it! Huge thanks to Bill for locating and reporting the GLIB.

~Short-billed? Dowitchers at Citgo Pond, 08/29/17.~

~One more shot of the GLIB at Citgo Pond, 08/29/17.~

~I sort of like this photo – all you dowitchers get to the left, Lesser Yellowlegs to the right! Citgo Pond, 08/29/17.~

Interesting Birding

Friday night’s shorebirds were definitely the highlight of this weekend’s birding, but I did get out both Saturday and Sunday mornings, trying mostly for shorebirds. I had mostly the usuals and my best birds for the weekend were 3 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS first thing Saturday Morning in the Black Dirt. Also noteworthy was a single Pectoral Sandpiper at Citgo Pond on Sunday morning.

I feel like I have some interesting birding experiences recently. The one that stands out most for me was Saturday morning, when I found a bird at Pine Island Turf Nursery (remember – by permission only), that I was unable to identify. I am at the point with my birding that, when I’m in the black dirt, it’s unusual for me not to be able to identify a bird. Luckily, I was able to get some photos of the bird and I sent them immediately to John Haas and Rob Stone. Both came back with the same answer: a hatch year HORNED LARK. Rob added that it likely had recently fledged. When I first saw the bird, I was thinking HOLA or maybe American Pipit, but looking at it, I could not pin it down. It was really cool to see this bird and also excellent to document that HOLAs are breeding in Orange County. There was a tremendous amount of heat distortion in the air Saturday morning, and I photographed the bird from my car, so I think the heat from my car distorted the pics. What an interesting looking bird:

~Hatch year Horned Lark at Pine Island Turf Nursery 08/26/17.~

~Another look at the hatch year HOLA, Pine Island Turf Nursery 08/26/17. Look at the “jowls” on this bird!~

Also on Saturday morning: At Turtle Bay, I had a pair of young Cooper’s Hawk’s in a distant field. They were among a murder of crows, perhaps 25 or so. The crows were making a racket generally harassing the hawks, as they do. The young hawks seemed to think this was a game and repeatedly chased the crows, sometimes flying after them and other times “hopping” towards them.

All week, Bobolinks have been present in large flocks in the black dirt. They have been quite a sight and I was hoping that I would eventually get a decent photo op; I finally did on Saturday morning and I’ve include my best shot at the top of this post.

On Thursday evening I was at Citgo Pond trying for shorebirds. As I was scanning the pond, a large number of Cedar Waxwings were flying over my head, presumably hawking insects. They were very acrobatic in their flying, turning on a dime and at times bordering on hovering. I attempted to take some flight shots and it proved more difficult than I would have thought; I did manage to get a couple of interesting shots:

~Cedar Waxwing “hovering” above me. Citgo Pond 08/24/17.~

And, finally, on Sunday morning I went to Citgo Pond once again for shorebirds (9 Least Sandpipers, 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 5 Lesser Yellowlegs, 4 Killdeer). On my way in, I had a pair of young wrens on the trail. I wasn’t sure if they were Marsh or House; I was sort of assuming House but looking at the photos when I got home, I’m thinking they must have been Marsh Wrens. They were along the trail and spending some time in the trees, but also some time in the marsh grasses. Please comment if you can confirm/deny this ID, thanks.

~I have this as a young Marsh Wren – Citgo Pond 08/27/17.~

~It’s not all that unusual to have a Great Blue Heron in the Black Dirt, but on Saturday morning, 08/26/17, I had 3 during my travels.~

~I’m sure folks are getting tired of Least Sandpiper photos, but I’m not. LESA at Citgo Pond, 08/24/17.~

OC Shorebird Report, 08/25/17

~One of 5 Lesser Yellowlegs at the Citgo Pond, 8/24/17.~

QUICK POST: Things are finally happening! It was a heck of a week in Orange County for shorebirds. On Tuesday 8/22, Linda Scrima reported a single BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER in the black dirt. I tried for that bird in the evening, but came up empty. On Thursday 8/24, Karen Miller had 12 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS in the black dirt. I could not get out there, because I was at the Citgo Pond, checking on conditions, which are bordering on excellent for shorebirds. I had nearly a dozen Least Sandpipers, 5 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, and some Killdeer.

So, today, Friday 8/25, John Haas had two BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS and 4 AMGPs at Pine Island Turf Nursery (be advised that you need permission to bird at PI Turf Nursery. They are very accommodating to birders but if there is work being done access will be denied). I was headed there after work when I was contacted by Linda Scrima, who had 2 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS at another location in the black dirt. I changed my plans, met Rob Stone, and we got Linda’s two BASAs as well as a single AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER. I was thrilled to finally get some good fall shorebirds, and the icing on the cake was later in the evening, just as it was getting dark, I got fabulous scope views of a pair of UPLAND SANDPIPERS! What a night! Let’s hope this is just the beginning!

~A Least Sandpiper treks through the mud at Citgo Pond, 08/24/17.~

~Two BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS in the black dirt, 08/25/17.~

~A distant American Golden-Plover, Black Dirt 08/25/17.~

A Good Morning at Morningside Park, 08/17/17

~There is probably a good reason that there were very few shorebirds present this morning…. let me think…. hmmm… MERLIN at Morningside Park, 08/17/17.~

I put my kayak into the water at Morningside Park just as the sun was coming up over the trees this morning. My goal was to photograph migrating shorebirds in the early morning light, but unfortunately there were not all that many present (are you sensing a theme this fall?). I had a single Spotted Sandpiper, 2 Solitary Sandpipers, and 3 Least Sandpipers, but that’s it for shorebirds. There was a MERLIN present that was tearing around and keeping the shorebirds on their toes, which was exciting but doesn’t help when your target birds are its prey. The small falcon perched for a while in a nearby tree and I was happy to get some decent photographs; it’s been a while since I’ve seen or photographed a Merlin.

~I know they are not super exciting, but I love these little Least Sandpipers; they are just little beauties. Morningside Park 08/17/17.~

Otherwise, I ran into just “the usuals”, with plenty of Green Herons and Great Blue Herons to photograph in the beautiful morning light. I spent just about 2 hours in the water and had 30 species in that time, which made for some pretty good birding.

~The Solitary Sandpipers and the Spotted Sandpiper were not like most shorebirds out at Morningside Park. Most shorebirds are extremely confiding when you approach in a kayak; you can get very close without disturbing them at all. The SOSAs and the SPSAs, however, flush very easily so I took a few shots early on and left them in peace.~

~Green Heron on a nice perch, Morningside Park, 08/17/17.~

~Spotted Sandpiper at Morningside Park, 08/17/17.~

~Great Blue Heron at Morningside Park, 08/17/17.~

~One of 2 Solitary Sandpipers at Morningside Park this morning, 08/17/17.~

~There were plenty of Green Herons around to photograph, so I was enjoying them. Morningside Park, 08/17/17.~

Shorebird Report, 08/13/17

~One lonely Least Sandpiper in the Black Dirt. I was really enjoying seeing this bird today – fortunately the bird was foraging close to the road so I able to get close looks and some photos. Black Dirt, 08/13/17.~

SHOREBIRD REPORT: Well, there is actually not very much to report, but it’s not for lack of trying. I am more than ready for some shorebirds to show up in Orange County, but really, the birds have been sparse. Here’s the latest:

Friday 8/11: I had a single Greater Yellowlegs at the Camel Farm, where conditions are finally shaping up a bit for shorebirds.

Saturday 8/12: The Camel Farm was a bust, but I had a single Semipalmated Plover at one location in the Black Dirt, and I had three Lesser Yellowlegs and a single Least Sandpiper at another location in the BD (as well as hundreds of Killdeer).

Sunday 8/13: I had a single Least Sandpiper in the Black Dirt that was very accommodating for photos, the Camel Farm had no shorebirds, and Citgo Pond had 5 Least Sandpipers. All the recent rain has made conditions at Citgo less than ideal, so I was happy to have the 5 LESAs. I ran into Jeff Goulding and Bill Fiero at Citgo, and they informed me that they had several Lesser Yellowlegs at the Liberty Loop earlier in the day. They also informed me that the LITTLE BLUE HERON continues at that location. And, finally, John Haas had 20 Least Sandpipers, 2 Solitary Sandpipers, and a Semipalmated Sandpiper at Morningside Park in Sullivan County this morning. I plan on getting out to that location in the upcoming days for sure. Check out his post here.

~One of the MANY Killdeer in the Black Dirt right now, 08/1/17.~

~Another look at the Least Sandpiper in the Black Dirt, 08/13/17.~

~Two Lesser Yellowlegs at Turtle Bay, 08/12/17.~

~When looking for shorebirds, it seems much more likely to find falcons. American Kestrel in the Black Dirt, 08/13/17.~

~A young American Kestel perched on some farm machinery – I don’t mind the man made perch in this case. Black Dirt, this one if from a couple weeks back, 07/29/17.~

~The Little Blue Heron at Liberty Loop continues through today. This shot was taken on Friday, 08/11/17.~

Uppy Update, 08/07/17

~One of 2 UPLAND SANDPIPERS in the Black Dirt, 08/07/17.~

After work today, I went out in the rain and checked the Black Dirt for shorebirds. Right where I had a single Upland Sandpiper last Wednesday, today I located a pair of them. The big difference is that this time around the birds were pretty close to the road, AND I had my camera, so I was able to get some decent shots. I put the word out and Linda Scrima was able to join me.

We photographed the birds from our cars for a while, until I saw a white bird fly across one of the fields. I jumped out of my car and snapped some shots. It was a swallow of some sort; I am guessing leucistic rather than albino since there was hints of brown on the underside of the bird. It was flying with a single Barn Swallow, so I am guessing that it might be one as well. Any thoughts on the ID of this swallow, please comment.

~A shot of both UPLAND SANDPIPERS together. Black Dirt, 08/07/17.~

~Unidentified swallow in the Black Dirt – possibly a Barn Swallow? ~

~One more of the uni swallow, blurry but showing the tail. Black Dirt 08/07/17.~

Orange County LITTLE BLUE HERON, 08/05/17

~Excellent bird for the county – the LITTLE BLUE HERON feeds in the pool in front of the viewing platform at the Liberty Loop, 08/05/17.~

QUICK POST: This morning I ran to Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge’s Liberty Marsh to see the juvenile LITTLE BLUE HERON that Linda Scrima had relocated (the bird was originally reported to eBird yesterday by Ken Witkowski). Linda had put the word out, so several other local birders also got to see the bird: Joyce DePew, Kathy Ashman, Karen Miller, John Haas, and Scotty Baldinger were all present as some point while I was there. The bird spent most of it’s time conveniently right in front of the viewing platform, out maybe 75 feet or so. It did relocate a couple of time and at one point it came back to the pool in front of the viewing platform; as it came in, it snagged a large frog mid-flight! I’ve never seen a wader do that before! Check out the bottom pic in this post to see it. Huge thanks to Linda for finding the bird and for getting the word out. More good OC birding!

~LBHE in flight, coming back to the pool in front of the Liberty Loop viewing platform, 08/05/17.~

~LBHE at Wallkill River NWR’s Liberty Marsh, 08/05/17.~

~Little Blue Heron with prey – a large frog that it snagged mid-flight! Wow! Liberty Marsh, 08/05/17.~

Happy Birthday!….

~Digiscoped shot of the Upland Sandpiper in the Black Dirt, 08/20/17.~

…to me! This evening, on my 48th birthday, I located my 200th bird of the year in Orange County – an UPLAND SANDPIPER! The heavy rains this afternoon cancelled my golf game, so I headed to the black dirt to look for birds. Honestly, my expectations were low, but when I located this uppy, I was totally thrilled. What an excellent bird for #200! Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me, so I relied on digiscoping to document the bird. I watched the bird for a good while, and having put the word out, eventually Dick Riley and Karen Miller both showed up to get the bird. Good OC birding!