{"id":9403,"date":"2019-08-10T12:54:17","date_gmt":"2019-08-10T16:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orangebirding.com\/?p=9403"},"modified":"2019-08-10T13:03:45","modified_gmt":"2019-08-10T17:03:45","slug":"excellent-morning-8-10-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orangebirding.com\/?p=9403","title":{"rendered":"Excellent Morning, 8\/10\/19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I missed posting last week because Tricia and I went to the Jersey Shore on a mini-vacation. I fit some birding in while I was there, and I’m working on that post. Meanwhile, I got out early this morning and headed to the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. Kathy Ashman was already there when I arrived; we joined forces and had an amazing morning of birding. It was one of those lucky mornings where the light was beautiful and the birds were plentiful and didn’t mind our presence in the least. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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~Green Heron stalking prey, Wallkill River NWR 08\/10\/19.~<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My main goal was, of course, shorebirds – I’ll get to them in a minute. Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets are still present at the refuge in good numbers, and this morning they were joined by several very accommodating Green Herons, as well as a brief but amazing look at a pair of Sandhill Cranes. Swallows were also present in good numbers. I had mostly Tree Swallows, with a handful of Barn Swallows and a couple of Bank Swallows. Kathy had Northern Rough-winged before I arrived. Also of note, we had my first Northern Harrier in a good while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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~It was awesome to get such a close up look at this Wilson’s Snipe, Wallkill River NWR, 08\/10\/19.~ <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As for shorebirds, we had a respectable nine species:<\/p>\n\n\n\n