Orange Birding

Good Shorebirding, 08/19/25

QUICK POST: I played a hunch and ran out to the Black Dirt Region after work this evening. I got lucky and was able to locate a single BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, along with two American Golden-Plovers. The birds were distant and mostly backlit, but still it was a thrill to see them. I put the word out and Silas Wareham and Jeanne Cimorelli both ran for the birds and got them. On a personal note, this evening put me over the 200 bird mark in Orange County for the year, with birds #200 and #201. Pics were tough, but I tried my best to document.

~Always a thrill to see this bird. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER in the black dirt, 08/19/25.~

~One of two American Golden-Plovers in the black dirt tonight, o8/19/25.~

~Buff-breasted Sandpiper and American Golden-Plover in the BDR, 08/19/25.~

Young Horned Larks

I went out to the black dirt three nights this week, and again this morning, hoping for shorebirds of course. Unfortunately, notable shorebirds were not in the cards; the only shorebirds I found were Killdeer (many!), a handful of Least Sandpipers, and a single Semipalmated Sandpiper. As a consolation prize, on a couple of evenings I spent some time with some young Horned Larks. I think they have a fantastic look at this age – it’s obvious that they are larks, but at the same time they look like an entirely different bird. The photos with the nice golden look were taken on 08/11/25 and the others were taken on 08/14/25.

UPLAND SANDPIPER, 08/10/25

I finally got lucky and found an UPLAND SANDPIPER in the Black Dirt Region this morning. Unfortunately, the bird was absolutely miles out in a field, so pics were very tough (click here to see what an Uppy actually looks like). The bird was jumpy, and I felt like at any moment it might come closer, but, frustratingly, it kept taking short flights and getting further away instead. During one longer flight, the bird was calling while in flight, so that was pretty cool. Several folks came out for the bird; I know a few got it and a few were still trying to relocated it when I finally left.

~Terrible, distant photos, but what can you do? Upland Sandpiper in the Black Dirt Region, 08/10/25.~

~Upland Sandpiper in the black dirt, 08/10/25.~

OC Baird’s Sandpiper 08/05/25

QUICK POST: I made an impromptu trip to the black dirt this evening after work, hoping for maybe an Upland Sandpiper. It was a beautiful evening with an eerie light due to the smoke in the air from the wildfires in Canada. There were loads of Killdeer to keep my interest up, and although I came up empty regarding the Uppy, I was able to locate a single BAIRD’S SANDPIPER associating with a small flock of Killdeer in a grassy field.

~Baird’s Sandpiper in the black dirt, 08/05/25.~

~One more look at the BASA in the black dirt, 08/05/25.~

Sunday Shots, 08/03/25

Well, there wasn’t much happening this weekend with one exception: On Saturday morning, in the black dirt, I relocated a DICKCISSEL that Bruce Nott had originally found on Thursday morning but hadn’t been seen since. It was a nice surprise for me – I figured that bird was a one-hit wonder for sure. Otherwise, not much was going on, so I’m supplementing this weeks shots with some recent shots from my back yard. Hopefully things will really start to pick up this coming week.

~Dickcissel in the black dirt. Nice find by Bruce Nott; I was happy to catch up with it this weekend.~

~I don’t really like this photo, but I can’t remember ever seeing and photographing a Spotted Sandpiper chick before, so I wanted to include it. I took this on Saturday morning and went back to the same location on Sunday, but there was no sign of the young sandpiper. ~

~Eastern Phoebe in our yard on 07/25/25.~

Orange County Sanderling, 07/31/25

With the weather moving in today, I knew I wanted to check the Black Dirt Region for shorebirds after work this evening. It was mostly quiet until I found a single field with a decent sized collection of shorebirds, maybe 40 or so birds. One bird stood out immediately; I did what I could to document it before the rain came down in full force. While I sat in my car in the rain, I put the word out and sent photos. John Haas responded very quickly, identifying the bird as a SANDERLING. Sanderling was on my short list, but I certainly wasn’t sure about it. Big thanks to John and everyone that weighed in. Other species present were Least Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers, and Killdeer. I’ll leave you with this reminder: BAD WEATHER = GOOD BIRDS = TERRIBLE PICS.

~Sanderling in the black dirt, 07/31/25.~

~Semipalmated Plover in an absolute downpour. Black Dirt Region 07/31/25.~

Sunday Shots -An Overdose of Cuteness, 07/27/25

On Saturday morning I birded the area, hoping for some new fall shorebird arrivals. Unfortunately, I did not add any new species to my list from last week, and I had a total of only 4 shorebird species.

Black Dirt: Killdeer
Camel Farm: Killdeer and Least Sandpipers (2)
Liberty Marsh Platform: Solitary Sandpipers (2)
Beaver Pond: Killdeer and Solitary Sandpipers (5)
Bullville Pond: Killdeer, Least Sandpipers (2), Solitary Sandpipers (2), and Spotted Sandpiper (1)
6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary: Killdeer and Least Sandpipers (2)

The highlight for me was spending some quality time with a young Killdeer foraging under a sprinkler in the black dirt, so I’ll leave you with an overdose of cuteness. All photos taken on 07/26/25 in the Black Dirt Region.

Sunday Shots, 07/20/25

I was able to get out early both mornings this weekend and things are starting to happen. Shorebirds are on the move. On Saturday morning, I had a couple of Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sandpipers at the Camel Farm. Then, this morning I had two fields in the black dirt that were loaded with Killdeer, and at the Camel Farm, I found 3 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Least Sandpipers, and 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers. And finally, at Beaver Pond (near Glenmere Lake), I had 2 Solitary Sandpipers, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, and a handful of Killdeer.

~A calling Killdeer in the black dirt, 07;20/25. I’m really looking forward to shorebird season – it should be interesting. ~

Shorebirds aside, my first stop, super early on Saturday morning, was at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, where I kayaked again. I was trying for Red Crossbills, but unfortunately I didn’t have any luck with that species. Still, it was an enjoyable paddle, birdy enough and even though it was sunny, it was still nice and cool at that hour. I didn’t track my species for that paddle, but I had mostly the same usuals as last weekend, give or take.

~Black-and-white Warbler at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/19/25.~

~Black-and-white Warbler fledgling at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/19/25.~

~I think this is a beautiful bird. Mourning Dove at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/19/25.~

~Young Bald Eagle at Mongaup Reservoir, 0719/25.~

~Green Heron on the hunt at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/19/25.~

~Green Heron at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/19/25.~

Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/13/25

It’s not very often these days that I get to say I did something completely new locally, but that was the case this morning. I went kayaking at Mongaup Falls Reservoir in Sullivan County. Last night I was flipping through the book Quiet Water New York by John Hayes & Alex Wilson, and I saw their write up for this location. I realized that in spite of how close it is, I somehow never kayaked there before.

It was a cool misty morning went I put in. The mist stopped quickly, but the morning stayed cloudy and pleasantly cool. I wouldn’t have minded a little more light for photos, but what can you do? It was a very birdy paddle; I had over 45 species, and it was really just a peaceful morning to be out. Notable species for me included Common Merganser, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Magnolia Warbler. Merlin heard Purple Finch a couple of times, but that’s a bird I’ve never been very good at identifying by ear. Merlin also identified RED CROSSBILL several times. I kept missing it when it happened, but then I finally I heard something and looked at my phone and it said Red Crossbill. I kept listening, and even though Merlin was no longer picking it up, I was sure I was hearing a Red Crossbill doing its chipa-chipa-chipa call. I was scanning the treetops madly, but frustratingly, I never got a visual.

~A young Common Yellowthroat at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/13/25.~

~I was surprised to see this young Green Heron – the habitat didn’t seem quite right for it to me. I guess I was wrong about that – I saw several Green Herons during my kayak around the reservoir.~

~I was less surprised to see this bird. Adult Bald Eagle at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/13/25.~

~More young birds. Barn Swallows at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/13/25.~

~I’m pretty sure this is an Eastern Wood Pewee (I thought I heard some slight vocalization which sounded Pewee-like). Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/13/25.~

~Green Heron at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/13/25.~

~Another adult Bald Eagle at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/13/25.~

~And one final shot of the young Green Heron at Mongaup Falls Reservoir, 07/13/25.~

Sussex County White Ibises, 07/12/25

As we know, not much has been happening lately, so I was pretty happy to have some exciting birds to try for this morning. I went to Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge’s Liberty Loop to try for the 2 WHITE IBISES that have been observed there in recent days. Fortunately the birds stuck around for me, and I was able to find them easily. I believe the only other time I’ve seen this species in our area was back in 2017, when Rob Stone found 5 of them at Wickham Lake.