March 2026 – Orange Birding

Sunday Shots, 03/22/26

Things are starting to happen. We have open water throughout the county. On Wednesday, Karen VanDyk found a Red-necked Grebe at Lockenhurst Pond; I ran for the bird on Thursday evening after work, and fortunately it was still present – I’ve included a photo of the bird at the bottom of this post. I enjoyed distant but nice looks at the bird, as well as the male Red-breasted Merganser that Karen had reported there as well.

On Saturday I took a 7 mile hike out at Black Rock Forest. It was a pleasant walk; birdy enough to keep me interested, and the weather was pleasant. I added a few birds to my Orange County year list – I finally got a couple of Fox Sparrows, and I had my first Eastern Phoebes and Wood Ducks of the year. I stopped by the Newburgh Waterfront afterwards and got lucky with a Great Cormorant – thanks to Bruce Nott for that.

~Eastern Phoebe giving me the side eye at Black Rock Forest on 03/21/26.~

Then on Sunday, I birded several of the local lakes; I had plenty of waterfowl at many of the lakes, but the only new bird for the year was a Pied-billed Grebe. I also had a close but all too brief encounter with a River Otter – so brief I didn’t get any photos, but still it’s always exciting to see an otter.

~Ring-necked Duck at Orange-Rockland Lake, 03/22/26.~

~My first Pied-billed Grebe of the year – Wickham Lake, 03/22/26.~

~Rooftop Turkey Vulture in Goshen, NY on 03/22/26.~

~Great Cormorant at the Newburgh Waterfront, 03/21/26.~

~I love these dudes. Rooftop TUVUs in Goshen, 03/22/26.~

~Distant shot of the Red-necked Grebe at Lockenhurst Pond, 03/19/26.~

Sunday Shots, 03/15/26

It was a pretty quiet weekend of local birding for me. Wickham Lake and Greenwood Lake both finally had some small areas of open water but nothing too exciting going on, just some Common Mergansers and Buffleheads. There was not much going on in the black dirt, with the exception of the Tundra Swans that have been hanging out at the Liberty Loop.

This morning I took a couple of short hikes; I was hoping for Red Crossbills, but I came up empty at both locations. First, I walked two miles at Reservoir 3, where the Pine Siskins continue to be the best bird. Then I headed to the Middletown Reservoir Trails for the first time ever; thanks to Ronnie DiLorenzo for the tip. I enjoyed walking a nice three mile loop; my best bird was Red-breasted Nuthatch, and I was able to get a few shots of an accommodating Brown Creeper.

~Brown Creeper at Middletown Reservoir Trails, 03/15/26.~

~BRCR at Middletown Reservoir Trails, 03/15/26.~

~One more shot of the Brown Creeper at Middletown Resevoir Trails, 03/15/26.~

~American Red Squirrel at Middletown Reservoir Trails, 03/15/26.~

Sunday Shots 03/07/26 – More Shorties

I’m feeling pretty under the weather today, so, in spite of reports of some very good birds, I’ve stayed home all day to rest and recuperate. Reported birds included: 11 Tundra Swans at the Liberty Loop, 4 Tundra Swans at the Bashakill, Snow Geese and Tundra Swans near Winding Hills Park, and a Greater White-fronted Goose at the Camel Farm. It’s good to see some things are happening.

Luckily, I still have some photos to post this evening. Yesterday afternoon I was driving in the black dirt when I inadvertently flushed a pair of Short-eared Owls. They were roosting in the taller roadside grasses, and they flushed as I approached in my car. One bird didn’t go very far when it flushed; it was the best look I’ve gotten of a Short-eared Owl in quite some time.

~Short-eared Owl in the Black Dirt Region, 03/07/26.~

~Shorty in the black dirt on Saturday 03/07/26.~

~One final Shorty shot, black dirt, 03/07/26.~

Orange County Snow Geese, 03/07/26

Right on cue, our first Snow Geese descended on the county yesterday morning when Matthew VanDyk reported approximately 40 birds on Skinners Lane. Shortly afterwards, Linda Scrima located a Ross’s Goose in the flock. By evening, Travis Rubio reported the flock had grown to over 500 birds. When I arrived this morning, I had an estimated 1,200+ birds. The birds were distant and very active, so I did not really have a chance to search for the Ross’s, but it’s always a good day of birding when you have a nice big flock of Snow Geese.

~Snow Geese flying over horizon in the Black Dirt Region on 03/07/26.~

~Snow Goose in the black dirt, 03/07/26.~

~Snow Geese in the black dirt, 03/07/26.~

Sunday Shots, 03/01/26

There’s not very much going on in the area these days. On Saturday morning I went to Reservoir #3 in Port Jervis to try for Red Crossbills again, but didnt’ have any luck. My consolation prize was a nice and somewhat accommodating flock of Pine Siskins. That’s a species that I don’t get too many photos of, so I enjoyed that. Also of note on Saturday morning, I went to the Liberty Loop where I had at least (6) Rough-legged Hawks. It’s been a while since we’ve seen those types of numbers in our area.

~Pine Siskin at Reservoir #3, 02/28/26.~

~One of six Rough-legged Hawks at the Liberty Loop, 02/28/26.~

I put a lot of miles on my car on Sunday morning, but it was mostly unproductive. The only notable observation I had was seeing that the Tundra Swan was still around – I found it on the banks of the Wallkill River on Celery Avenue.