A Good Morning, 04/27/19

I headed back to Stewart State Forrest’s Route 207 Marsh as my first stop this morning. I was hoping for some interesting shorebirds, but unfortunately I only found Killdeer, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Solitary Sandpipers. It was a cold morning at the marsh, and the wind gusts were making viewing through my scope less than ideal. It also seemed quieter than it was a couple weeks ago. I wasn’t there as long, and I didn’t have birding bud Bruce Nott’s eagle eyes, but I ended up with only about half the number of species.

~While editing this pic, I zoomed way in and counted a remarkable 32 BONAPARTE’S GULLS. Kowawese Unique Area at Plum Point, 04/27/19.~

My next stop was more productive and downright exciting. I headed over to the Hudson River, hoping for shorebirds, terns, or gulls. I first checked Shore Road in Cornwall on Hudson. From there, looking north, I saw a collection of birds on a small sandbar. They were quite distant, but I was pretty sure one of the birds was a CASPIAN TERN. I jumped back into my car and drove over to Kowawese Unique Area at Plum Point to try and get a better look. I walked along the river heading north for a good ways to try and get closer to the birds. When I finally stopped and set up my scope, I was happy to see that I was correct about the tern, but in addition there was a good number of BONAPARTE’S GULLS present. My best count while I was there was 22 individuals, but when I got home I counted in my pics and I had a remarkable 32 BOGUs in a single shot! I watched the birds for a good while just to make sure I wasn’t missing a Little Gull (now that would have been something!). Still, I was pretty excited to get these birds – it was just the sort of birding I was hoping for today.

~CASPIAN TERN (far left) with a number of BONAPARTE’S GULLS, Kowawese Unique Area at Plum Point, 04/27/19.~
~Bonies in flight over the Hudson River, as viewed from Kowawese Unique Area at Plum Point, 04/27/19.~
~One of the highlights of this morning’s stop at Route 207 Marsh – Green-winged Teals with 3 Blue-winged Teals in flight over the marsh.~

4 thoughts on “A Good Morning, 04/27/19”

  2. Spent a few days last wk. in Del. , Virginia and Maryland. With warmer weather the migration is a bit earlier. Stops were made at Bombay Hook, the Palmetto Pear tree Preserve in N.C., Pea Island on the Outer Banks, and the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia.Some of the highlights include: Loggerhead Shrike,Summer Tanager, Brown Headed Nut, Protho, Prairie, Hooded, and Swainsons warblers. Pea Island produced Marbled Godwit, White Ibis, Br. Pelican, Least, Royal, and Sandwich Terns.

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