This past Thursday was an absolutely gorgeous day here in Orange County. It was my favorite kind of winter weather, cold, crisp, and sunny. I was, of course, working. But the weather was eating at me, plus I was having a hunch that the Newburgh Waterfront might be good. So, I got the okay from my boss, and I left work a little early and headed to the river, where I immediately hooked up with birding bud Bruce Nott. We were barely getting through our salutations when I located a first winter ICELAND GULL on an ice floe directly in front of the boat launch.
Shortly after locating the bird, all the gulls on the floe took flight. And, for the first time this season, they actually flew closer to us, putting down not too far out after making a couple circles. I was pretty excited because I’d been able to stay with the bird in flight and just because it was such a good look when the bird put down in the river. It was a beautiful, if slightly disheveled bird, and Bruce and I thoroughly enjoyed its presence as we spent a fabulous evening scanning the river for gulls.
Yard Bird Total as of 01/29/22: (22) – I added a Red-tailed hawk this week, which was exciting because it’s a species that I missed last year.
Matt … Absolutely gorgeous photos. Tom Lake
Thanks so much, Tom, and thanks for checking in. Matt