Orange County – Page 72 – Orange Birding

Mt. Peter Hawk Watch

Well, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I had another slow day at the hawk watch with a total of 24 migrating raptors (a lot less than the 122 from the day before!). The highlight for me was stumbling upon a Hermit Thrush when I first arrived at the watch in the morning. It’s a miracle that I had the camera out and was able to get a shot. Here’s a shot of a low flying Turkey Vulture:

And, here is my report for the day:

Mount Peter
Warwick, New York, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 19, 2013
——————————————————————-

Species            Day’s Count    Month Total   Season Total
—————— ———– ————– ————–
Black Vulture                0             20             45
Turkey Vulture               0              4              7
Osprey                       1             16            119
Bald Eagle                   0             14             85
Northern Harrier             0              7             34
Sharp-shinned Hawk          18            354            754
Cooper’s Hawk                3             21             45
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          0             11             32
Broad-winged Hawk            0              0           7611
Red-tailed Hawk              0              3              9
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel             1             18            108
Merlin                       1              6             11
Peregrine Falcon             0              6             12
Unknown Accipiter            0              2              2
Unknown Buteo                0              1              4
Unknown Eagle                0              0              0
Unknown Falcon               0              0              1
Unknown Raptor               0              1             19

Total: 24 484 8898
———————————————————————-

Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 14:30:00
Total observation time: 6.5 hours

Official Counter: Matt Zeitler

Observers:

Visitors:
Lynne Snyder, Eileen Fox, and Allen Herron.

Weather:
Cool and sunny at the start of the watch with very little wind.
Temperatures and clouds both increased and wind picked up from the south as
the day progressed. Temperatures ranged from 11 to 18 degrees Celsius.

Raptor Observations:
The height of the flight was highly variable today with some birds flying
just over the observation platforms and others at the limit of binoculars.
For migrating raptors we had (1) unknown American Kestrel. In the third
hour of the watch (2) adult Bald Eagles were spotted to the west of the
platform and eventually headed northeast. In the fourth hour of the watch a
single adult Bald Eagle soared over the valley for a while before heading
north.

Non-raptor Observations:
Non-raptor species: Brant (10), Blue Jay (11), Tufted Titmouse (4),
Black-capped Chickadee (2), Cedar Waxwing (16), Canada Goose (102), Downy
Woodpecker (1), Red-bellied Woodpecker (1), Northern Flicker (1), American
Robin (2), Common Raven (2), American Crow (6).

NO! Nelson’s Sparrow

Common Yellowthroat at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 10/18/13.

The amazing Rob Stone strikes again, locating a NELSON’S SPARROW earlier this week, on the trail near 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, just off Route17M. This is another first for Orange County. You can visit John Haas’ blog for photos and more details. In an effort to see and photograph the bird, I have spent the last three evenings searching. I had no luck at all on Wednesday. On Thursday I ran into fellow Mearns Bird Club members John and Mary (sorry, but I don’t know their last names). John successfully re-located the bird and got a good look at it. By the time I got to where he was, I could see the bird moving in the grasses but I did not get to see the bird. Ajit and Liza Antony showed up shorty after and we relocated what we presumed was the bird. Liza and I got a very brief look at the bird – enough for me to know that we were likely looking at the correct bird, but not enough for me to positively identify it. Tonight I tried my luck again but it was very windy, making it very difficult to see such a small bird moving in the grasses. I plan on giving it one more try tomorrow morning.

Swamp Sparrow at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 10/17/13.

The birding was still very good without getting the Nelson’s Sparrow. In the pond at the end of the trail, shorebirds are still making a good showing, with one of the two Long-billed Dowitchers still present, as well as Killdeer, Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, and Least Sandpipers. For waterfowl I had: Canada Geese, Mallards, Green-winged Teals, Blue-winged Teals, Mute Swans, and Northern Shovelers.

Five Lesser Yellowlegs and one Long-billed Dowitcher congregate on the near side of the pond. 6 1/2 Station Sanctuary, 10/18/13.

Glenmere Lake Photos

Ruddy Duck out at Glenmere Lake, 10/13/13.

I went out on a photo mission to Glenmere Lake first thing this morning. I was on the lake in my kayak before the sun was up, with the goal of trying to get some Pied-billed Grebe photos. Last year I got some grebe photos out at the Basha Kill, but this year I never saw a Pied-billed Grebe while I was kayaking there. I have stopped by Glenmere Lake without the kayak several times recently and noticed a decent number of grebes present. I was thinking it would be pretty easy to get some good photos by just paddling out to the birds. Boy, was I wrong. The grebes were VERY aware of my presence and kept their distance and dove under when I got too close. I was thinking that the reason I was able to shoot the Pied-billed Grebe out at the Basha Kill was because the channels out there are so narrow, so I think they might get a little more comfortable with kayak/boat traffic passing close by. I finally floated very slowly towards one grebe, the light was very pleasing, and I was able to shoot about 12 photos. Here is my best effort:

A Pied-billed Grebe caught in the first rays of sun for the day. Glenmere Lake, 10/13/13.

I only had a little bit of time to be out this morning, but on my way in I found this Ruddy Duck, who was much more cooperative than any of the grebes, and the light was pretty nice too.

This shot is not a crisp as some others, but I can't resist the water dripping off the bill. Ruddy Duck at Glenmere Lake, 10/13/13. — This shot is not a crisp as some others, but I can’t resist the water dripping off the bill. Ruddy Duck at Glenmere Lake, 10/13/13.

Ruddy Duck on a red lake. Glenmere Lake, 10/13/13.

A Double-crested Cormorant takes off. Glenmere Lake, 10/13/13.

Mt. Peter Hawk Watch

I spent the day counting hawks out at the Mt. Peter Hawk Watch. I feel a little snake bit this year; I had another slow day with a total of only 28 migrating raptors. The highlights for me were an immature Bald Eagle and a Peregrine Falcon in the afternoon. Here’s my report:

Mount Peter
Warwick, New York, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 12, 2013
——————————————————————-

Species            Day’s Count    Month Total   Season Total
—————— ———– ————– ————–
Black Vulture                0              3             28
Turkey Vulture               0              0              3
Osprey                       0             10            113
Bald Eagle                   1             11             82
Northern Harrier             1              4             31
Sharp-shinned Hawk          23            208            608
Cooper’s Hawk                1             13             37
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          0              3             24
Broad-winged Hawk            0              0           7611
Red-tailed Hawk              0              2              8
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel             0              9             99
Merlin                       0              4              9
Peregrine Falcon             1              4             10
Unknown Accipiter            0              2              2
Unknown Buteo                0              1              4
Unknown Eagle                0              0              0
Unknown Falcon               0              0              1
Unknown Raptor               1              1             19

Total: 28 275 8689
———————————————————————-

Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours

Official Counter: Matt Zeitler

Observers: Don Leak

Visitors:
Terry Ann Gmelch, Don Leak, Caroline and Richard Kurtz, and Jeane
Thelander.

Weather:
Sunny and warm with some clouds. There was a light NE wind for the duration
of the watch. Temperatures ranged from 11 degrees to 23 degrees Celsius.

Raptor Observations:
Migrating Raptors: One immature Bald Eagle and one unknown Northern
Harrier. The local Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures were very active and
could be seen in flight or on the cell tower for the duration of the watch.

Non-raptor Observations:
Non Raptor Species: Canada Goose (713), Eastern Bluebird (4), Blue Jay
(105), White-breasted Nuthatch (1), Downy Woodpecker (1), Red-bellied
Woodpecker (1), American Crow (9), Common Raven (4), Titmouse (2),
Black-capped Chickadee (2), Yellow-rumped Warbler (1), and (4) unidentified
gulls.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Matt Zeitler (mattzeit@yahoo.com)

Long-billed Dowitchers Continue

It was not a great night for photos, but it was good to see that the pair of LBDOs continue out at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary 10/10/13.

Tonight at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, the two Long-billed Dowitchers continue in the small pond to the south of the Heritage Trail. Additional shorebirds included 11 Lesser Yellowlegs and 4 Pectoral Sandpipers. I also enjoyed a decent showing of waterfowl with Canada Geese, Mallards, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, a single American Black Duck and a single Northern Pintail.

I also tried something new for me tonight: I wore camouflage. I’ve heard many photographers talk about how effective camouflage is for photographing wildlife, and tonight I experienced it for the first time. While shooting Yellow-rumped Warblers, I noticed that the birds seemed far less likely to flush. Also, while shooting the two Dowitchers, 10 Lesser Yellowlegs flew in and landed between myself and the Dowitchers – pretty darn close really. It’s only one outing, but it does appear to make a difference.

Yellow-rumped Warbler at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 10/10/13.

One of 11 Lesser Yellowlegs seen today at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary.

I had to wait for this LBDO to do some scratching to get a shot with his bill completely out of the water.

Dowitcher Update

As of 5:30 this evening (10/5), the two Dowitchers at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary continue. The consensus is that these birds are in fact Long-billed Dowitchers. I sent John Haas over 20 photos last night and he re-located the birds this morning to get a look himself. John feels that these are Long-billed Dowitchers – see his comment in my original post about these birds and go to his blog to see his post. Both are interesting and informative – well worth clicking over to. I also posted on the NY Birders Facebook page and all comments have been supporting LBDO.

Between these two birds and the Black Scoters located by Bruce Nott, it has been great weekend of birding!

BLACK SCOTERS in Orange County

Thirteen Black Scoters at Lake Washington today, 10/5/13.

Huge thanks and congratulations to Bruce Nott who located thirteen Black Scoters on Lake Washington today. Bruce gave me a call, as did John Haas to alert me about the birds. Luckily, Tricia and I were in Beacon and were able to stop by our way home. We got very good looks in Bruce’s scope and I was able to take a few photos that are distant and backlit, but still helpful I think. Thanks again Bruce – nice one!

One more shot of the Black Scoters that Bruce Nott located on Lake Washingon, 10/5/13.

Which Dowitcher?

I had a pair of Dowitchers out at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary this evening, between 5:00 and 6:00. I do not know whether they were Long-billed or Short-billed. I did hear them call, and my immediate thought was Long-billed, but I am not familiar enough with the calls to make a positive ID. Please comment if you get these birds or if you have any thoughts on the ID. Thanks!

10/5/13 – Here a several more shots of the birds from various angles.

Stilt Sandpiper?

I believe I had a Stilt Sandpiper out at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge between 5 and 6 o’clock this evening. I am feeling pretty good about this ID, but having only ever seen the bird once before, I am not totally convinced . If you have any thoughts on the identification of this bird please weigh in; you can make a comment here or email me at mattzeit@yahoo.com. Here are a few more photos:

Mt. Peter Hawk Watch – 9/28/13

Well, I had another slow day for migrating raptors at Mt. Peter Hawk Watch today. Overall I think the numbers of migrating hawks at the watch have been good this season, but I only had 21 today. Visit Hawkcount.org to see all the data for the year. Here is my report from today:

Mount Peter
Warwick, New York, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 28, 2013
——————————————————————-

Species            Day’s Count    Month Total   Season Total
—————— ———– ————– ————–
Black Vulture                0              0              0
Turkey Vulture               0              2              2
Osprey                       1            101            101
Bald Eagle                   1             71             71
Northern Harrier             2             26             26
Sharp-shinned Hawk           8            362            362
Cooper’s Hawk                0             21             21
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          1             20             20
Broad-winged Hawk            8           7591           7591
Red-tailed Hawk              0              6              6
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel             0             86             86
Merlin                       0              5              5
Peregrine Falcon             0              6              6
Unknown Accipiter            0              0              0
Unknown Buteo                0              3              3
Unknown Eagle                0              0              0
Unknown Falcon               0              1              1
Unknown Raptor               0             16             16

Total: 21 8317 8317
———————————————————————-

Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours

Official Counter: Matt Zeitler

Observers: Tom Millard

Visitors:
Steven Liss and family, several families eating their ice cream.

Weather:
A heavy fog rolled in from the valley shortly after my arrival to the
watch, but cleared up by the end of the first hour. It was a warm sunny day
with some clouds and a gentle NW breeze that shifted to NE during the fifth
hour of the watch. Temperatures ranged from 10 to 25 degrees Celsius.

Raptor Observations:
Migrating raptors included (1) Immature Bald Eagle, (2) unknown Northern
Harriers, and an immature Red-shouldered Hawk.
Non-migrating raptors: Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures were flying for
most of the day as was one local Red-tailed Hawk. Just before noon Eastern
Standard Time an immature Bald Eagle circled west of the viewing platform
but then headed north.

Non-raptor Observations:
Non-raptor species: Tufted Titmouse, Blue Jay (49), Black-throated Green
Warbler (2), Cedar Waxwing (18), Eastern Phoebe, Canada Goose (33), Chimney
Swift (5), Red-bellied Woodpecker, Palm Warbler.

Beautiful marking on this bird. Red-tailed Haw at Mt. Peter Hawk Watch, 9/28/13.

I had a decent Blue Jay flight early in the day, with 49 Blue Jays, Mt. Peter Hawk Watch, 9/28/13.

I really think I should have gotten a better shot of this bird, this was the most accommodating warbler. — I really think I should have gotten a better shot of this bird, this was the most accommodating Black-throated Green Warbler. Mt. Peter Hawk Watch, 9/28/13.