Orange Birding

A Snowy Thanksgiving

Tricia and I traveled to the Jersey Shore early Thanksgiving morning to spend the holiday with her family there. I was able run to the beach to sneak in couple of hours of birding before the festivities began. I love birding at the beach in the winter, it’s such a pleasant experience, and I enjoyed many of the expected goodies. Highlights included Common and Red-throated Loons, Black Scoters, and loads of Brant. But the true highlight was when I happened upon a SNOWY OWL resting in the dunes. I shared my discovery with two non-birder women who were appropriately blown away by the view in my scope. What an awesome surprise; it’s been a while since I’ve seen one and this bird did not disappoint.

~Snowy Owl at the Jersey Shore, 11/24/21.~

~A closer crop of the Snowy Owl at the Jersey Shore, 11/24/21.~

Saturday Morning in Sullivan County, 11/20/21

Yesterday afternoon both Karen Miller and John Haas gave me the heads up that the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL that was at Sullivan County Community College last week had returned. John was going to check for the bird today and let me know if it was present, but on an impulse I headed to the college first thing this morning. Fortunately the bird was present and confiding. Plus the early morning light was very nice on this very sharp looking bird. I spent some time and got some photos before moving on to Neversink Reservoir.

~Lesser Black-backed Gull at SCCC, 11/20/21.~

At the reservoir, my pleasant morning of birding continued with a distant Common Loon. Apparently COLOs have been sparse in the county, so both John and Scotty Baldinger joined me to see the bird. Other highlights at the reservoir included a single Horned Lark landing on the rocks briefly before moving on, an Adult Bald Eagle lazily flying over, and what I’m pretty sure was the call of several American Pipits on a flyover.

From there I went to Liberty to look for the Northern Shrike that has been seen up that way; I didn’t have any luck. I need to catch up with a shrike this winter, it’s been a while since I’ve seen one. I stopped briefly at Morningside Park on my way home, where I had 10 Hooded Mergansers, 3 Ring-necked Ducks, and a single Pied-billed Grebe.

~Bald Eagle at Neversink Reservoir, 11/20/21.~

Huge thanks to John and Karen for the heads up about the LBBG, it was my 193rd bird in Sullivan County. And, as a bonus, I wasn’t aware of it but I’d never had a Horned Lark in the county, so that was 194!

~Common Merganser in Liberty, NY 11/20/21.~

Hawkwatch Finale/Sunday Shots, 11/14/21

Today was my final day of counting at Mount Peter Hawkwatch for the year. Tomorrow is the last day of the season; it always seems to go by so quickly. The season ended with a dud for me, as I had (8) countable birds in six hours. Of note, I had a Common Loon fly nearly directly over the viewing platform and my penultimate bird of the season was a young Bald Eagle with tail plumage that made my heart race for a split second. It was a good season for me; I enjoyed it much more than last season and it’s got me excited to do it all over next year. I’ve included today’s report summary at the bottom of this post; I will also do a future post which will include Judy Cinquina’s end of season report.

~This is one mean looking Rusty Blackbird! Wickham Lake, 11/06/21.~

~Canada Geese on a foggy morning at Wickham Lake, 11/06/21.~

~I love this bird! Purple Finch at Mt. Peter Hawkwatch this morning, 11/14/21.~

~I posted a different photo of this same bird last week, but I just love the markings and I thought this shot was pretty cool too. Northern Harrier at Beaver Pond, 11/06/21.~

~Check out this Bald Eagle! Mt. Peter Hawkwatch 11/14/21.~

~American Pipit in the black dirt, 11/07/21.~

Breakneck Loop, 11/13/21

Yesterday evening, on impulse, my brother-in-law Bill called me and asked me if I wanted to go hiking. And on impulse I said yes. He wanted to hike the Breakneck Ridge, Breakneck Bypass, Wilkinson Trail Loop in Beacon, New York; a friend of his had highly recommended it. He texted me a link via the AllTrails app; it was rated as difficult and I began to wonder what I had signed up for.

In the morning, at the trail head, Bill and I read the sign which read: “WARNING: This is not just a walk in the park! Breakneck Ridge is a steep rock scramble that is for experienced hikers in excellent physical condition only”. Experienced hikers? Check. Excellent physical condition? Ummm, that might be a problem. In the first 3/4 of a mile we climbed 1,250 feet! But, we took it slowly and rested when we need to; doing it that way made it not too difficult for us. It was pretty exhilarating to reach the flags and check out the views at that point. It was a bonus to have a Peregrin Falcon hanging around the area. My camera was in my bag, so unfortunately not shots of that bird.

The rest of the way was less challenging than the first 3/4 mile. The loop in its entirety is listed as 2.8 miles, but for us, including getting to and from our cars it was just over three and a half miles. And it took over three hours to complete, lol. The signage indicates that it’s approximately a 3 hour loop, so I guess we weren’t moving too terribly slowly.

~Photo by Bill Barrett. Smile through the pain! Breakneck Loop 11/13/21.~

The descent was of course much more gradual; which was relaxing and allowed for Bill and I to catch up and talk more as we hiked. As for birds, it was typical hiking birding with not many species seen or heard. The list is short: Peregrine Falcon, Common Raven, Turkey Vulture, Ring-billed Gull, Eastern Bluebird, Black-capped Chickadee, and Dark-eyed Junco.

~Breakneck Loop; the view looking south down the Hudson River, 11/13/21. Photo by Bill Barrett.~

I got my best bird of the day on my way home – I stopped at the Beacon waterfront and found a single Bonaparte’s Gull out on the Hudson River. I waited the bird out and it eventually flew and I was able to get salvageable shot, in spite of screwing up my settings.

~Bonaparte’s Gull at Long Dock Park at the Beacon waterfront, 11/13/21.

~A Common Raven plays with a stick over the Hudson River. Breakneck Loop, 11/13/21.~

Super Saturday Morning, 11/06/21

What a morning! My first stop was Wickham Lake, which I thought was going to be a total bust because the lake was completely obscured by fog. But, I located a Greater Yellowlegs feeding in the puddles along the shore. The light was beautiful and the bird was very accommodating. I also had a Great Blue Heron in some interesting light, so I got some photos of that bird as well. From there, I was heading up to Mt. Peter Hawkwatch, where I was to be the official counter for the day. On my way there, I had a lovely, close encounter with a beautiful coyote. This was the first coyote I’ve ever seen that showed some curiosity towards me as I pulled my car to the side of the road. It’s been a good while since I’ve seen a coyote, and to get one this confiding was a thrill.

~Coyote on the frosty grass, Orange County NY 11/06/21.~

Once I was at Mt. Pete, I was getting the feeling it might be a slow day. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and although the wind was from the northwest, it was just the slightest breeze. I had no raptors at all for nearly 2 hours. Then, I picked up a bird to the northeast of the platform – I immediately recognized it as a young GOLDEN EAGLE! I was so happy, the bird circled up and eventually migrated directly over the platform.

~GOLDEN EAGLE! Mt. Peter Hawkwatch 11/06/21.~

After the excitement of the Golden, my prediction came true and it was an incredibly slow flight. I had a total of only (8) migrating raptors in 6.75 hours of counting. I did have one other highlight though, I found a Purple Finch, which was a new 2021 county bird for me, bringing my total to 203 species this year in Orange County.

~Greater Yellowlegs at Wickham Lake, 11/06/21. This bird had a bum foot, but seemed to be feeding very well. I feel like I see a lot of shorebirds hopping around on one foot, but it doesn’t seem to hold them back too much.~

~Beautiful beast. Coyote in OC, 11/06/21.~

~This was actually on my way home this evening; I stopped at Beaver Pond to look for ducks. The markings on this Northern Harrier are just gorgeous to me.~

~An unexpected surprise at Wickham Lake this morning, Greater Yellowlegs 11/06/21.~

~Great Blue Heron first thing this morning at Wickham Lake, 11/06/21.~

~The Golden Eagle streams out over the platform at Mt. Peter Hawkwatch, 11/06/21.~

~Purple Finch at Mt. Peter Hawkwatch, 11/06/21.~

Sunday Shots, 10/31/21

The highlight of my weekend was running for the Sullivan County Lapland Longspur yesterday afternoon. But I did get out both mornings as well. American Pipits continue in high numbers in the black dirt, so I took advantage and tried for photos both mornings: Saturday in the rain and puddles and Sunday in the nice light. Late shorebirds in the heavy puddling in the black dirt were my main focus both mornings, but unfortunately they were relatively scarce. I had a nice sized flock of Killdeer Saturday morning (35+ birds), and then on Sunday I found 3 Lesser Yellowlegs at the Camel Farm on Sunday.

~A very accommodating Bald Eagle in the black dirt, just after sunrise on Sunday morning 10/31/21.~

Bruce Nott let me know he had a Black Scoter at the Newburgh Waterfront on Saturday; I got there a little late in the morning but the bird was still present. Photos were tough, but scope views were fantastic and the bird was my 202nd bird in Orange County this year.

And finally, later on Sunday morning into the early afternoon I joined official counter Ken Witkowski at Mt. Peter Hawkwatch. I expected a decent flight, but unfortunately it was on the slow side. We did have some pretty good looks at several migrating Red-shouldered Hawks, but otherwise it wasn’t noteworthy.

~I know I’m a little pipit-obsessed, but I want to enjoy them while they are here. American Pipit in the black dirt, 10/31/21.~

~Very possibly the last Blackpoll Warbler of the season for me. This bird is pretty late. Mt. Peter Hawkwatch 010/31/21.~

~I watched the American Pipits in the black dirt feeding in the rain and puddles on Saturday morning. I was impressed by how efficient they were and how well they seemed to be eating. This insect seemed to be the main fare, but they were also pulling up smaller rice-shaped insects from time to time. AMPI in the BDR, 10/30/21.~

Sullivan County LAPLAND LONGSPUR, 10/30/21

Those of you that know me or have read the blog for a while probably know that LAPLAND LONGSPUR is one of my favorite birds. So, I was pretty stoked this afternoon when John Haas called me to tell me he’d had a very cooperative LALO at the Neversink Reservoir. It was a little late in the afternoon, but I decided to run for the bird. On my John called me; he was going to meet me out there to help locate the bird. When I arrived, John was already there and on the bird. Running for a bird doesn’t get any easier than that! And the bird was a beauty, in beautiful plumage and was very confiding as John had indicated. The icing on the cake was a single Snow Bunting on the rocks; it was another cooperative bird. The Lapland Longspur was my 192nd bird in Sullivan County. As always, huge thanks to John for all the help.

~Awesome bird! LAPLAND LONGSPUR at Neversink Reservoir, 10/30/21.~

~What a cutie; Snow Bunting in the rocks at Neversink Reservoir, 10/30/21.~

~SNBU at Neversink Reservoir, 10/30/21.~

~One more look at the Lapland Longspur at Neversink Reservoir 10/30/21.~

~And finally, one more of the bunting. SNBU at Neversink Reservoir 10/30/21.~

Sunday Shots, 10/24/21

I went out to the black dirt first thing this morning with American Pipits on my mind. I wasn’t disappointed; I saw many (hundreds) and I was able to get some decent photos in the early morning light. Sparrows were also abundant with Savannah and Song Sparrows being most abundant. I did see a couple of White-crowned Sparrow and caught a brief glimpse of a Vesper as well. In the afternoon I went back to Mt. Peter Hawkwatch and counted with official counter Will Test. It was pretty good flight while I was there with a decent flow of birds and good variety (Sharp-shinned, Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, Cooper’s, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, and Osprey). Interestingly, Turkey Vultures continued to move through; we counted 120+ while I was there.

~American Pipit in flight, black dirt 10/24/21.~

Earlier in the week I spent some time in my yard – it’s been pretty birdy recently. I added Blue-headed Vireo to my 2021 yard list and the vultures are roosting in large numbers, probably 50-60 birds, mostly Turkey but with a handful of Black Vultures too.

~American Pipit on the road in the Black Dirt Region, 10/24/21.~

~White-crowned Sparrow in the black dirt, 10/24/21.~

~Savannah Sparrow on a nice perch in the black dirt, 10/24/21.~

~I’ve never seen an American Pipit perch on vegetation before, but today I saw several doing this. BDR, 10/24/21.~

~Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the backyard, 10/21/21.~

~Turkey Vulture coming in to roost in our backyard, 10/21/21.~

~A more typical look at an American Pipit in the black dirt, 10/24/21.~

~Blackpoll Warblers are still sticking around. This one was in the black dirt this morning, 10/24/21.~

Extraordinary Event at Mt. Peter Hawkwatch, 10/23/21

This afternoon I joined official counter Jeanne Cimorelli and Tom Millard at Mt. Peter Hawkwatch. Early on, it was mostly uneventful, with a smattering of the usuals – Sharp-shinned Hawks, Coopers Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, and a Northern Harrier. But, just before 3:00, Jeanne located a number of distant birds… and they seemed to be kettling up. They were quite distant, just specs in the bins, but Jeanne got on the kettle with her scope and they were Turkey Vultures! Over the next 45 minutes, we watched as over 850 Turkey Vultures passed through, forming multiple massive kettles as they did so. It was pretty incredible! We surpassed last year’s total count for Turkey vultures in a mere 45 minutes. I believe the previous daily record for migrating TUVUs was around 200 birds; that record was shattered today. Photos don’t do it justice, but here’s several that I took as it was happening.

Sullivan County Long-billed Dowitcher, 10/17/21

While I was out birding this morning, I got a call from John Haas – he had a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER at Morningside Park in Sullivan County. At first I was hesitant about running for the bird; I would first have to go home for my kayak and then head to the the park, it would be close to an hour and a half of travel time to get there. But then I thought about it and there were too many good reasons for me to go for it. At this time of the year how likely is it for me to see any more shorebirds in our area? Plus, Long-billed Dowitcher is a great bird that I don’t get to see very often, especially not locally. And, I would get great views of the bird in the kayak. AND, it would be a new species for me in Sullivan County (my 191st).

~Beautiful bird. Long-billed Dowitcher at Morningside Park, 10/17/21.~

So I ran for the bird, and I’m sure glad I did because I had an awesome time. It was great to see John, and as I paddled up to him he informed me that the dowitcher was still present, and had in fact been joined by a Pectoral Sandpiper. It was very windy on the lake, so I wedged my kayak against some branches in the water not too far from he island the birds were on and sat tight. They weren’t very close at first, but I stayed put and they both moved a little closer and I was able to get some great looks and photos before backing my kayak away and heading back in. On my way back I stopped to enjoy a couple of Ring-billed Gulls on a couple other islands; you know I always enjoys seeing and photographing gulls. Huge thanks to John for heads up, he made my day.