Goosepond Mountain State Park, 05/26/18

~One of several Blue-winged Warblers we had at Goosepond Mountain State Park, 05/26/18.~

On Saturday morning, I met up with Linda Scrima and Maria Loukeris and we headed to Goosepond Mountain State Park to try our luck. We parked at the Laroe Road entrance to the trail, which has been renovated since the last time I was there – the parking area is better with fresh gravel and the entrance to the trail has been cleared of all overflowing vegetation. I was on a bit of a tight schedule, but we still managed to walk a pretty good portion of the trail, walking nearly a mile and a half in before turning around.

~This was my first chance to photograph an Eastern Towhee this year. Goosepond Mountain SP, 05/26/18.~ 

It was a birdy walk, but with all the trees leafing out, we certainly had more birds heard than seen. We had many BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS; they were mostly heard but we did track down several of them and they all were, indeed, Blue-winged Warblers (no hybrids, no Golden-winged Warblers). American Redstarts were numerous, as were Eastern Towhees, one of which provided a nice photo op. We didn’t know it at the time, but our best bird of the day was a flycatcher, perched high on a dead tree snag. The sun was on the other side of the bird, causing it to be severely backlit. We spent some time trying to turn it into an Olive-sided Flycatcher, but in the end we left the bird unidentified. That is, until Maria got home and looked at her photos. In the pics she could see that the bird had white  tufts on its back – indicative of an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER! I never even knew this was a field mark for OSFL! When I got a chance to look at my photos and lifted the shadows, sure enough the tufts were quite evident (see photo below). I thought it was really nice work by Maria to pick up on it and I was happy to have taken a few photos of the bird – you never know! I’d had some possible OSFLs in the past – all out at the Bashakill, but I was never certain enough to count them – so this bird is a lifer for me : )

~Olive-sided Flycatcher at Goosepond Mountain, 05/26/18.~ 

AND A FEW PHOTOS TO CATCH UP FROM EARLIER THIS WEEK:

~Not the best shot, especially since I think this is a very photogenic bird; Eastern Kingbird at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge’s Liberty Loop, 05/20/18.~ 
~Flycatcher Sp. at Citgo Pond, 05/22/18. My suspicion is that this is a Willow Flycatcher, based on the crest and the long tail, but this bird never called while I was there.~ 
~Great Blue Heron at the Liberty Loop last Sunday, 05/20/18.~ 

8 thoughts on “Goosepond Mountain State Park, 05/26/18”

  2. Hi Matt – I always look forward to reading your blog … getting tips on where and when to see birds and especially seeing your beautiful photos !
    Just wanted to say Thanks !
    Perhaps I will get over to Goosepond myself to see what I can find .

    1. You are welcome, Liz! Comments like yours make it all worthwhile, I’m glad that you are getting something out of the blog. Go to Goosepond, you’ll really enjoy it. Matt

  3. My son in law was up to Sterling Forest a few days ago and missed the golden winged. We have had success there in the past as well as getting Brewster’s. Is there another area in Orange or Ulster where they occur on a regular basis? Had white pelican yesterday at the Meadowlands. May go up to Ryan 92 in Columbia for the spoonbill this morning

    1. I don’t really know of another good Golden-winged spot. If you know Sterling well enough and are in the right spot, you’ll get them there. Did you run for the Spoonbill? Maria ran for it successfully – love that bird. Matt

  4. Nice Matt,
    You have such good luck getting these birds to sit still long enough for a shot!!!

    Wilma

    1. Thanks Wilma, but you know how it is – every once in a while you get a cooperative bird and you better click away! Matt

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