Once again, the Internet has served us well as we follow the reports of an Orange County rarity, the Dickcissel. Normally, this bird is found in western NY if at all, it's range normally confined to the mid-western United States. In the 1800's, the Dickcissel was a common breeder along the Atlantic coast, but basically disappeared in the east until the 1920's. Since that time, it has reappeared on rare occasions to breed in the east, but only only in very small numbers. Well, so far, it appears to be one lone male, but the bird is very loyal to its site in the Black Dirt farms of middle Orange County. Many birders have had the opportunity to see this specialty since it was first reported last week, and the bird shows no sign of leaving this site in the near future.
As a special bonus feature, the bird is accompanied with a number of not-so-common Grasshopper sparrows, Indigo buntings, and a pair of Common grosbeaks (also rare in the county). And so, once again, our network of birders throughout the state has proven invaluable in our avocation. Let's hear it for technology!
