Orange Birding

Sunday Shots, 07/16/23

With even more rain falling overnight and into the morning, I headed back out to the black dirt to try for shorebirds again. I was really feeling like there might be an exciting bird out there today, but, alas, it wasn’t to be. I did enjoy observing the same 5 shorebird species (Killdeer, Least Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, and Lesser Yellowlegs), and I had some decent photo ops with a small flock of Least Sandpipers that flew in and landed not too far from my car.

~Least Sandpiper in the black dirt, 07/16/23.~

Later in morning I went to the Newburgh Waterfront to see if anything good was going on there, or if I could at least finally catch up with the Neotropic Cormorant. Unfortunately it was mostly uneventful, but I did manage to see my first Orange County Great Egret of the year.

A young Tree Swallow flying over the puddles in the black dirt, 07/15/23.~

~Marsh Wren at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge’s Liberty Marsh, 07/15/23.~

~A Least Sandpiper reflects on things in the black dirt, 07/16/23.~

~I was enjoying the swallows that were feeding on insects above the puddles in the black dirt. Here’s a young Barn Swallow swooping in, 07/15/23.~

~A young raccoon peers from behind its parent. Purgatory Road, 07/16/23.~

~Great Egret fly-by at the Newburgh Waterfront, 07/16/23.~

OC Shorebirds, 07/15/23

With all the rain we got in Orange County this week, I was optimistic that we would see some shorebird activity. I went out after work on Monday and searched in the black dirt. Conditions were good, and Killdeer were plentiful. I also saw a decent number of Spotted Sandpipers, a single Solitary Sandpiper, and a handful of Least Sandpipers. This morning my plan was to go hiking at Sterling Forest, but I changed my mind after last night’s rainfall. Conditions in the black dirt were good again, and I added several Lesser Yellowlegs to the mix. Unfortunately, they were flying model airplanes over the field and the LEYEs flushed before I got any photos. Spotted Sandpipers were more scarce, but I did have close to a dozen Solitary Sandpipers.

~A couple of Solitary Sandpipers in the black dirt, 07/15/23.~

~Spotted Sandpiper in the black dirt, 07/15/23.~

~One more Solitary Sandpiper. Black Dirt Region 07/15/23.~

Sunday Shots – Catching Up, 07/09/23

It’s the time of year where there’s not much exciting happening, but, of course, I’ve still been getting out. I’m catching up a bit here today because with the 4th of July holiday, I was able to get out Monday and Tuesday as well as this weekend. I’ve been mostly sticking to my usual haunts in Orange County, but I’ve also checked out some spots in Ulster and Sullivan Counties, to mix it up a little bit.

Locally, I dipped on the Neotropic Cormorant at the Newburgh Waterfront a couple of times since the end of June when Bruce Nott discovered that it had returned. Hopefully I’ll catch up with it sooner than later. In the black dirt, I was happy to catch up with some juvenile Horned Larks this morning; I’ve been on the lookout for them. And, I found even more Killdeer chicks this morning; they seem to be everywhere this year.

~A young Horned Lark in the black dirt, 07/09/23.~

Outside of OC, my favorite trip was heading up to Peekamoose Road yesterday morning. I just love the name of that road, first off, but the spot is really worthwhile. I missed my target bird (Mourning Warbler), but got excellent binocular views of both Canada Warblers and Blackburnian Warblers. It was also a treat to hear several Winter Wrens singing; I was never able to lay eyes on them unfortunately.

On my way home yesterday, I stopped at the Bashakill. I checked in on the Prothonotary Warbler at the Stop Sign trail – I heard the bird but it never came close enough for looks. I enjoyed a few other stops at the Bash, including the Deli Fields where I got some decent shots of a Red-eyed Vireo (one of those birds always heard but not seen nearly as often). Earlier in the week, I birded The Grasslands in Ulster County, where I enjoyed hearing and finally locating and photographing a Grasshopper Sparrow just south of the viewing platform. My target bird was Upland Sandpiper (at Grasslands and Blue Chip Farm), but that was always a long shot.

~To me, this Grasshopper Sparrow’s head shape is not what I’m used to seeing. Usually, the transition from bill to head is flat, whereas this bird there is a little bit of a rise at the bird’s forehead. This sort of threw me at first. GRSP at the Grasslands, 07/03/23.~

~A young European Starling in the black dirt, 07/09/23.~

~Blue Jay fledgling in our yard, 07/03/23.~

~The 2 adults were never very far away.~

~No Neotropic, but I of course found several Double-crested Cormorants at the Newburgh Waterfront, 07/04/23.~

~Killdeer puffball in the black dirt this morning, 07/09/23.~

Sunday Shots 07/02/23

In some ways it’s hard to believe it’s July already, but with the birding doldrums kicking in, it sure feels like summer. On Saturday morning I headed to Sullivan County in an effort to spice things up a little bit. I birded Hickok Brook Multiple Use Area, hoping to get lucky with a Ruffed Grouse. I’ve had them there in the past, but on Saturday I didn’t have any good fortune. Still, I really enjoyed the morning and it was good to see and hear some species that I don’t see as often in Orange County, such as Magnolia Warblers, Blackburnian Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and Hermit Thrushes.

~I finally found a cooperative Common Yellowthroat. Hickok Brook MUA, 07/01/23.~

~I’ve never had this happen before – a male Scarlet Tanager landed on the trail directly in front of me. Hickok Brook MUA, 07/01/23.~

On Saturday evening, Tricia and I enjoyed a cocktail on the back deck. The birds were active, so I grabbed my camera and grabbed some shots of some the birds that are nesting in the yard.

On Sunday I stayed in Orange County – I found a very distant perched and singing Grasshopper Sparrow at the OC Airport. Aside from that, there wasn’t much to report on and the poor light did not lend itself to good photos. There are still many Killdeer and Killdeer chicks around, both at the airport and in the black dirt.

~House Finch in the crabapple tree in our backyard, 07/01/23.~

~Any thoughts on the species of this fledgling? I feel like I’m usually pretty good at identifying these very young birds, but this one has me stumped. I was thinking Hermit Thrush, someone suggested Ovenbird too. Hickok Brook Multiple Use Area, 07/01/23.~

Sunday Shots: Monday Edition, 06/26/23

Between the weather, the time of year, and some personal obligations, there wasn’t much going on for me birding-wise this past weekend. Still, I like to try to post at least once a week, and I did get a few images worth sharing.

Early Saturday morning, I walked in the rain out to the back pond at the Liberty Loop. I was hoping for Least Bitterns, Sora, or anything exciting. Instead, I got plenty of Red-winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows, lol. Birds were remarkably scarce, especially since there was almost no foot traffic on the trail due to the poor weather. Afterwards, I drove a little of the black dirt area, and then walked the trail at Goosepond Mountain where I had a notable bird – I flushed a trailside American Woodcock in a large field off of the main trail.

~Red-winged Blackbird in the rain. Liberty Loop 06/24/23.~

I had a funny thing happen at Owens Station Crossing after I left the loop. I drove in to OSC to see if anything was going on. There wasn’t much, but I did see this:

~Purple Martins at Owens Station Crossing, 06/24/23.~

I was perplexed as to why the middle PUMA was perched nearly completely upside down. I was very embarrassed when I texted the photo to Linda Scrima (who works with the PUMAs at Owens Station), and she informed me that it is actually a statue that they put there to lure in early scouters, but it had somehow turned upside down, lol. It reminded me of when I was first starting out birding around 2012 – a long-time Orange County birder told me about a location in the black dirt to try for Short-eared Owls. I went out one evening; I arrived a little late and it was getting dark quickly. Shortly after arriving, I spotted an owl perched on a post, a few hundred yards out. I took loads of photos, trying to capture it in the darkness and distance. It wasn’t until I got home and looked at the photos on the computer that I saw it was a plastic owl, lol. You gotta be able to laugh at yourself sometimes, ha ha.

~A Red-winged Blackbird with a mouthful. Liberty Loop, 06/24/23.~

~White-tailed Deer lounging in the rain at the Liberty Loop, 06/24/23.~

~Osprey on the nest at Bayard Cutting Arboretum, Suffolk County NY 06/25/23. On Sunday, Tricia and I stopped by the arboretum before going to my niece Kate’s graduation party (congratulations Kate!).

Sunday Shots 06/18/23: Swallows

This morning I followed up on a report on the Mearns Bird Club app. The other John, aka The Lobsta, found a Bank Swallow colony in Slate Hill. The site did not disappoint – there were many Bank Swallows present and very active. I parked my car and used it as a blind and enjoyed the show. Afterwards, I decided to make it a swallow day, and I headed to a known nesting area for Cliff Swallows. Unfortunately the light was terrible there, making for terrible photos (I’ve posted one nonetheless). And finally, I headed over to Lower Wisner Road and spent some time with the nesting Tree Swallows at that location.

~Bank Swallow taking off. Slate Hill NY 06/18/23.~

~An adult Bank Swallow leaves the nest, Slate Hill 06/18/23.~

~Bank Swallow, Slate Hill, Orange County NY 06/18/23.~

~One more Bank Swallow shot, Slate Hill 06/18/23.~

~Tree Swallow at Lower Wisner Road in Warwick, NY 06/18/23.~

~One more Tree Swallow at Wisner, 06/18/23.~

~Terrible shot, but I wanted to include at least one Cliff Swallow shot. Warwick, NY 06/18/23.~

Sunday Shots 06/11/23: Killdeer of All Ages

Aside from my hike at Black Rock Forest, I seemed to find Killdeer everywhere I birded this weekend. Many are working on their second clutch of the season. Meanwhile, the young Killdeer from the first clutch now have the appearance of clumsy teenagers; not quite adult size with a very pathetic looking tail, lol. Here’s a few shots from the weekend, with Killdeer ages ranging from eggs in the nest to the adult watching over.

~Ulster County Killdeer chick, 06/10/23.~

~Another puffball in Ulster County, 06/10/23.~

~Adult Killdeer with eggs on the nest. I took this shot through a fence, using my car as a blind. Orange County 06/11/23.~

~A young Killdeer in Orange County, 06/11/23. To me, at this age they look like awkward teenagers.~

Black Rock Forest, 06/10/23

It was five years ago today that I finally got my first Ruffed Grouse in Orange County. The location was at Jupiter’s Boulder in Black Rock Forest, so I headed there first thing this morning, hoping to finally get lucky again. Unfortunately, I had no luck with the grouse, but it was a beautiful and birdy hike. I enjoyed a couple of my favorite summer birds – Acadian Flycatcher and Yellow-throated Vireo. Another highlight was a low flyover of a Broad-winged Hawk while I ate my snack and drank some water right beside Jupiter’s Boulder. I completed my hike with 28 species observed, which I was pretty happy with.

~Broad-winged Hawk at Black Rock Forest, 06/10/23.~

~One more of the ACFL at Black Rock Forest, 06/10/23.~

Sunday Shots – Life Bird Edition, 06/04/23

This morning I headed out to the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area to try for the PROTHONATORY WARBLER which had been present for 6 days. Well, make it 7 days, as the bird was still present and with some patience I got some fabulous looks and some decent photos. Huge thanks to John Haas, who got me on the bird initially, and Scotty Baldinger, who got me on it for my photos. It was great to see them, as well as some of my other favorite birders, Mary B, PJ Singh, Jeff and Liz Zahn, and Karen Miller. The PROTHONOTARY WARBLER was a life bird for me (#443), and of course, a Sullivan County bird (#208).

~PROTHONOTARY WARBLER at the Bashakill, 06/04/23.~

~One more look at the PRWA, Bashakill WMA, 06/04/23.~

IRELAND 2023

Tricia and I just returned Tuesday evening, after spending 10 days in Ireland. It was my third trip to the Emerald Isle since I got heavily into birding back around 2011. As we have in years past, we spent our time on the west coast, visiting with Tricia’s family and spending time sightseeing and birding in the Clifden area initially, and then Galway after that. I observed a total of 57 species during the trip; 14 were new species for me in Ireland, and 12 of those were life birds.