Drove out to Indiana Road in Goshen, NY early this morning to beat the heat. I arrived at 8:15 and it was already 85 degrees. The trip was worth the time and effort, however, as I got real nice views of the reported Orchard orioles along the tree line near the site where we had the Dickcissel earlier this year. First sighting was of a female in the trees closest to the Dickcissel location (see image above). I parked here and walked further down the road and found another female (or perhaps the same bird), along with a beautiful juvenile.
Shortly thereafter, a male with food in its bill flew into the same tree. I later found a male Blue grosbeak in another short ailanthus tree along Indiana. The bird was content to stay deep in the foliage affording me only fleeting but definitive glimpses. Many Savannah sparrows were also present. All in all, it was a short trip in dreadful heat which turned out to be most productive.
