BBC

I did the beach and Heckscher this afternoon, and not much to show for it. Windy and chilly when the sun is in and still no birds to talk of. I tried for WF Ibis at Captree Rd to no avail.

Connetquot Exercise

Today I did a 4 mile walk in Connetquot SPP. I went from the main parking up to Bunce's bridge and back. It took me about 2 hours at a decent pace with some stopping to check things out. Still quiet in the summer doldrums. Of note though, was the number of gypsy moth caterpillars on tree along the roadside.It seem s pretty extensive and i haven't seen anything about it in the papers yet. A significant portion of the trees are defoliated, it looks like winter in the woods. Chipmunks must have had their babies as the woods id full of them visibly running around. I don't see that much at other times of the year.

Where has the month gone

Another long lapse in posting. I have to get more motivated. the birding is slow and the summer is progressing. We have a run of inconsistent weather, cooler, hotter , wind, no wind a little rain and some storms. I haven't had  much enthusiasm for birding because it has been so slow. Therewere some highlights. A Prothonotary Warbler was at Connetquot for five days giving everyone good looks, and a White-faced Ibis has seemingly returned for the second year at Captree Rd. Most of the boards are quiet also. No one is seeing anything. Hopefull the shorebird migration should start soon. the I will hope for rain to fill the puddles at Heckscher, this way I won't have to travel to get my shorebirds.

Begining to enter the doldrums

A walkin the par today was highlightrd by a picture of a wilddlower and not a really special wildflower. It is a Common Mullein, a roadside "junk" flower. As for birds, a few of the usual suspects.

Spring Season Wrap Up

Today was our last Tuesday Nature walk of the 2015 spring season. We were at Lakeland County Park in Ronkonkoma. As we left the parking lot we were greeted with the sounds of a Wood Thrush singing. What a great way to start or walk. We spotted the Thrush as we walked further down the path. It seemed to be hanging around in the area. We spotted a nest and left so it could return. At the end of our walk we again headed down the same path and this time saw the Thrush on the nest. A very nice sight to see.

The rest of our walk was heading south from the parking lot on the boardwalk. It is a very nice park with boardwalks and paths. We heard more birds than we saw but it was a great place for a walk in the woods. We did see some of the usual woodland birds expected at this time of year. We also happened to see a Muskrat in the streams. It was a nice walk to finish our season.

Photos by Bob Glasser

Have a good summer and we will see you in the fall.

Summer is coming

A really gorgeous morning enticed me to go for a walk, not that I need much enticing. Sunshine moderate temperature and little wind made for a nice walk in Connetquot. The Prothonotary is now missing for the last two days, but the resident YT Warblers are still hanging around. I did manage to see Eastern Pee Wee and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. I ran into some birders I knew and spent some time chatting and co birding. A really nice morning.

Little guy

Today while doing the Breeding Bird survey I noticed a movement in the grass. It was a vole crawling along just minding his own business. Five mnutes later I saw a fox scampering across the field just fifty yards away. Now i know how the Fox makes its living.

Good day in Connetquot

After a morning doing ocean parkway and before a lunch, I decided to take another run at the Prothonotary Warbler in Connetquot. On the way in I heard and saw a Yellow-throated Warbler. They are now seemingly resident in the summer here. the I went to see the Prothonotary again. I got much better looks today. How often is it that you see Yellow-throated and Prothonotary in the same place on the same day. Not often, let me tell you.

GSBAS Nature Walk 06/02/2015

Our Tuesday trip this week was to Shinnecock Inlet/Dune Rd, Westhampton. Despite miserable damp weather six birders showed up to brave the elements and do some birdwatching. We did well considering the light rain and cold and damp weather. We tallied over thirty species for the day. The main feature was shorebirds. We saw Piping Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, Ruddy Turnstones, Dowitchers, Skimmers, Yellowlegs, Willets  Oystercatchers and Semi-palmated Sandpipers. Our next trip,

at Lakeland Park in Ronkonkoma, will be the last of this spring season

The end of Every Day In May

What a way to end my annual May birding effort. In the morning I went to Werthiem National Wildlife refuge. I walked the black tupelo trail, a total of 2.6 miles round trip. As I was helping Ann food shop, I received a call about a Prothonatary Warbler at Connetquot SPP. Tim Dunn called me and told me where it was located and I went aand surprisingly, heard it first and then sawit for a period of about 45 minutes. I met a couple of other birders and we chatted as the bird worked its way around the marsh area.