Two nice days

Wow, we have had two really nice spring/summer like days in a row. beautiful sunshine accompanied by decent temperatures have made walking in the parks really enjoyable. The birds are seeming to settle into theior summer resident breeding routines. Still I manage to add a few FOS birds as I go along. Today while driving and coffee in heckscher i noticed that the beach heather is in bloom. I must have missed it the last few trips, I need to be more open for seeing things

Slow day

I just barely squeezed some birding in today. A quick walk after exercise and a ride later on through the park produced some of the usual suspects and no surprises. May is coming to an end and soon "Every day in May" will be over.then it will be on to shorebirds, we'll ahve to see what this year produces. Next Tuesday we go to Shinnecock that could be indicative of what the season will be like.

Oceanside MNSA Recap 05/26/2015

Our walk today was at Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area. Whae had spectacular weather, sunshine , mild temperatures but with a little bit of wind. We saw what one would expect see at Oceanside. There were a pair of Black-Crowned Night herons and a pair of Yellow-crowned Night herons stalking in the low tide areas at a very close distance. The resident Ospreys were on the nest at the bay side. We had a smattering of shorebirds, Willets, Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plovers and Semi-palmated Plovers. All the boardwalk trails have been restored or rep[laced.. It was a nice morning with some nice birds.

Lazy day

I did a quickie today at Connetquot. Not much happening, a few of the usual suspects on a beautiful morning. Looks like things are going from slow to slower. Lets see what the rest of the week brings.

Jamaica Bay Recap May 23, 2015

We did the last of our weekend walks at Jamaica Bay this Saturday May, 23.The weather was a little cool and windy, but crisp and clear.
We met in the parking lot and first went to the west pond old trail. The trail does not go completely around the west pond due to Superstorm Sandy. We walked out to the breech and turned around and went back to the gardens. We walked both gardens and also went to the far side marsh on the north of the west pond. There we had a spectacular view of the NYC skyline and the new Freedom Tower,

Birding was very good. We had over forty species of birds for the morning. We managed to see a few warblers, Yellow, Blackpoll Common Yellowthroat, Magnolia and lots of American Redstarts. At big John's Pond we had some very good looks at  a Spotted Sandpiper, a bathing Blackpoll Warbler and a hunting Yellow warbler.

Patience, patience

I spent the morning waiting for a Little Egret to show up at Gardiners Park in Bayshore. There were at times up to twenty people waiting for this bird. It was seen sporadically for the past few days at the park. It would fly out and then reappear later on in a different section of the park. I gave it my best. Though some of the time was productive as I added Willow Flycatcher, Marsh Wren and Saltmarsh Sparrow to my year list.

Birding Gods

After camera shopping I stopped in sans Souci park to do a quick walk. As I walked down the trail I thought this would be a good spot to get an Ovenbird. A few steps later I heard on down the trail. I didn't get to see it. As I was walking back to my car I saw a bird in the tee tops, a plain looking largish bird. I got a look at it and saw a Slightly raised top of head and eventually some streaking on the belly and sides. Then I got a look at the eye and the rusty color and had my ovenbird. The birding gods heard me.

GSBAS Tuesday May 19, 2015 at Hempstead Lake State Park recap

Again we made the best of an overcast cloudy, misty day to do our birding in. Hempstead usually provides a good morning of birding, we had over thirty species for the morning. Right at the parking lot we started hearing birds, we picked up Blackpoll, Northern Parula, and American Redstart warblers right away. As we walked further down the path a Wood Thrush started singing, always a pleasant sound in the woods We saw Blue-grey Gnatcatchers and Robins sitting on nests. Warbling Vireos were singing and being seen everywhere.

After Hempstead Park we went to Jones beach West End where we saw an Eastern Kingbird sitting on the roadside. All in all another good morning of birding

Hooray, Finally Ospreys at Robert Moses Nest Platform

Today on my run through Robert Moses, I noticed that the Osprey platform near the hawk watch platform is occupied. After many years Osprey have built a nest and seem to be doing the right things.  They may not be successful this year but it is a start.

Yellow Warbler Day

They were everywhere again today, though I did discover a Yellow Warbler nest . I sat for a half hour in one spot and managed a close up of a Yellow warbler. Later on while walking out I saw a Yellow Warbler fly up into a tree repeatedly. Thinking there might be a nest I waited and sure enough a Yellow flew to a nest a couple of times. It was an interesting nest, I have never seen one before so it was nice to see

Nice day, Nice walk

I took my daily walk in Connetquot this morning. There were Orioles everywhere you looked and listened. Still haven't seen an Ovenbird yet, have heard one or two but not the number we are used to at this time of year. usually they are a gimmee in Connetquot. I also heard my fist Pee wee of the season but did not get a look at it either. I did see a pair of green herons on the road to Brook Rd near the wetland there. Still Slugging!

GSBAS Nature Walk at Massapequa Preserve

Our Tuesday walk this week was at Massapequa Preserve. We had warm temperatures and sunshine for most of the walk, a really nice day. Eleven folks showed up to enjoy a morning of birding and nature. Over the years the preserve has always given us plenty of Warbling Vireos to look at, today was no different. They were everywhere giving us all good looks. A nest was observed as it was being constructed by a Warbling Vireo. We had thirty species of birds. At the end of the walk a Fowlers Toad was spotted hopping alongside the trail A nice day and a nice walk appreciating Nature.

Persistence, persistence

Spent the afternoon doing local birding. It is still a struggle to accumulate some numbers and seen anything out of the ordinary. This upcoming weekend I will not be around for the Bashakill trip due to being in Chicago for Neil's birthday. That is a trip whereI usually add quite a few birds to the list, I'll have to make it up someway somehow.

May 10, 2915 Birding and Breakfast

Today we had another successful Birding and Breakfast at Connetquot State park preserve.  Over forty people showed up on what started out as a cloudy foggy morning.  As we wre haing our breakfast and listening to the birding lecture, the skies cleared, the sun came out and we wound up with a spectacular morning.

We do these events three times a year, in September January and May. They are always well attended. It is a coordinated event between The NYS Parks staff at Connetquot SPP, The Friends of Connetquot support group and Great South Bay Audubon. The Parks folks set up the room and prepare and serve the food. The bagels are provided by the Melville deli, the rest of the food is donated by the friends of Connetquot. The parks staff does the bird presentations, and Great South Bay Audubon does the leading of the walks. The Friends of Connetquot also provide moral support.

Over thirty species of birds were seen on the morning's walk. As we left the building a Red-tailed Hawk was seen up close. it was sitting on a fence right near the Grist mill.Later it was perched in a tree. It was sitting in the sunlight just waiting and watching. Everyone enjoyed the moment. There were Baltimore Orioles everywhere you looked and we had regular flyovers by Osprey.

A great morning was enjoyed by all attendees, come and join us next time.

Still Slugging

We had our annual trip to Alley Pond park today with an extension to Jamaic bay. Still struggling to accumulate some numbers. Even with all the help of good listeners and good eyes I still only managed five new FOS Birds.

An interesting bird was a leucistic Starling on the grass at Alley pond.

The weather was crappy, overcast and slightly foggy with cool temperatures. It made seeing the birds very difficult. Traffic both ways to and from JBWR was awful.

Another day of waiting

After exercise I wen to Southard's Pond Preserve in the Village Of Babylon. the silence was deafening. The only warblers I saw was a bunch of Yellows. There was a pair of Warbling Vireos setting up housekeeping near the entrance, and they were very active.

Timber Point saved the day

A morning' walk at Connetquot SPP was kinda ho hum, adding only a Great-crested Flycatcher to the year list. After shopping for new shoes, I headed to Heckscher with coffee. Heckscher was even quieter than  Connetquot. As a last thought I headed over to the East Marina at Timber Point. Lo and behold there were a few new shorebirds on the flats. I saw a bunch of both Yellowlegs and four Short-billed Dowitchers plus a few Least Sandpipers and some continuing Willets. A forsters tern sat pretty for a photo op.

Having to work for your birds

The last two days have been brutal. No migration is in sight. West of us in the city environs they are getting migrants, not numbers of individual species but a broad range of species. On our Tuesday walk we barely had twenty species, and nothing unusual. On my beach run today birds were sparse. I did have a notable pair of Black Scoter that look like they might be hanging around. I don't know, we might miss the whole migration to the west of us.

Above 70 today

Another nice day for a walk. I went in to heckscher by the Greenbelt Blue Trail entrance at Timber Point. Quiet for the most part, but dawn by the apple tree bench there was bunch of yellow Warblers. they were chasing each other around and not letting up at all. There was no peace if you were a Yellow Warbler in that area. That is the first sighting of any numbers so far this season. So maybe we are progressing.

On the way out I stopped at The East Marins a nd saw a couple of Forster's Terns sitting on the pilings.

A walk in the park, Central Park, That is.

Our trip to Central Park had some of the best weather we have seen so far this year. Low winds, bright sunshine and mild temperatures mad for a really nice day. Nineteen people showed up for ther walk. The birds were not around in great quantities but there were a decent number of species. I personalyl had forty species and fourteen FOS birds. Not a bad day. I had eleven species of warblers my self alone. I want to see the trip list and what we had overall. the only decent picture I got was of a yellow-rump. Maybe spring is springing?

May day, may day, the start of every day in May

I walked in Connetquot and  birded by car in Heckscher today. I heard at Connetquot a Great Crested Flycatcher and on the lake I saw alone female Common Merganser. I won't count the GC Flycatcer as I didn't see the FOS yet so it will wait. The Merganser is lost or out of place for some reason but enjoyable to look at none the less. The rid through Heckscher was unevenful.