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.