2013: Weeks 25 & 26 – Connecticut to Virginia

June 16^th – 29^th

       It’s been a typical June for us as we have been traveling to and fro from one graduation party to another and then down to our grandson’s baseball tourney in Virginia.  In spite of the hurried atmosphere and the tight schedule, we still manage to get a few looks at the local scenery and wildlife. 

      Last week, the best opportunity came when we visited our close friends in Connecticut to celebrate the first birthday of their granddaughter and my godson.  It would be hard to find a nicer setting as we partied along the shore of the Long Island Sound at Fairfield Beach.  While the variety was limited, the total numbers and the amount of action was not.  At low tide, the exposed sandbars (far more numerous and far more visible since the visit of Super-storm Sandy) were alive with Ring-billed gulls, Great egrets, and a few Black-crowned Night-herons. 

       The gulls were constantly jockeying for position and for “prime real estate” as they flew in to the crowds with jaws agape and pharynxes ablaze.  Even if there was plenty of open space nearby, it seemed that the small amount of territory occupied by only a few gulls was the place most desired by those just joining the scene. 

 

     

     The most surprising sight to me later in the day was the appearance of a well bedecked BC Night-heron.  I most often find these birds tucked away in the mangroves of Florida or the overhanging boughs in areas like Brigantine NWR, and so when I saw this lone bird standing on the shore of the Long Island Sound, I really thought I had something.  When I checked e-bird to see if anyone else had reported this gem, I found that the area is considered a “Hot spot” for these herons.  Truth of the matter is, that one birder reported 46 of the Black-crowns in the same area only days earlier.  When you don’t bird and area very often, everything is new and exciting, so I’ll lick my wounds and be happy with the sighting and the photos.

       Later in the week, Sharon and I took a trip north to see if we could add the elusive Grasshopper sparrow and the Upland sandpiper to the “Year-list”.  Our best venue for both these birds seemed to be the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR in the northernmost parts of our county.  Pulling into the preserve at the hottest time of day was not what I had originally planned, but that’s how it worked out, so that’s what we did.  From the parking area in the middle of the old airfield, we saw little and figured it was going to be one of those really sparse days resulting from mid-day highs of almost 90 degrees.  Nonetheless, I started out walking through the grasslands and almost immediately heard the insect-like song of the Grasshopper sparrow.  There were at least two (later to become 5) which were close to the trail and without a great deal of effort, I was able to grab a couple of shots as they flew among the grasses. 

      

       These birds were later joined by quite a few Bobolinks which were even more out in the open, but kept their distance out in the field and offered little more than “documentation quality” shots.  Killdeer were also on site and showed evidence of breeding as did the Bobos.  To be honest, it was quite a show for such a “wrong” time of day.

 

Bobolink with nesting material

       Our final venture proved to be almost devoid of birds other than the “common” ones like song sparrows, Tufted titmice, a ton of Robins, and the not-so-common Eastern wood pewees.  The opportunity to hike around this new venue for us, the Alum Springs Park in Fredericksburg, Virginia, made up for the dearth of birds, however, and in spite of the short time we had to visit, we now know that it is a place we must come back to in the future (perhaps on our way back from Florida).

      

       At the end of this upcoming week, we will begin an eight day adventure birding the North Dakota region with a group of 8 birders from the New Jersey Audubon Society.  Covering prime birding locales in ND, Wyoming and South Dakota should provide us with some pretty rich material for the upcoming blogs.  So please visit us again during the next two weeks!

      

2013: Week 24 – Gettysburg

June 9^th – 15^th

  This past week was the 45^th Annual Reunion of the Class of ’68 at Lafayette College.  Several of my old (should I say former) friends from my college days have remained close and we try to get together whenever possible.  We had a great time in spite of some rather dreadful weather which seems to be the norm lately.  The plan was that we would all travel to Gettysburg National Military Park to revisit these hallowed grounds on the occasion of the 150^th Anniversary of the famed Battle of Gettysburg. 

      And so, in spite of continuing downpours, we headed southwest for a short 2 ½ hour journey down to the park.  The weather was dreary but not a total washout when we arrived, and we spent the afternoon touring the newly renovated Visitors Center, Cyclorama, and Museum.  Later in the afternoon, we visited the Mills House where Lincoln wrote the last section of his famous Gettysburg Address.  With all these indoor activities, little birding took place other than Sharon and I trying to spot any little brown jobs along the way.

       

       The following day was even wetter, but we were determined to tour the battle field, so we signed up for a guided tour.  Being outdoors, even if it was in a steady downpour, we began to appreciate the number of species which were present in the fields and along the forested edges of the park.  As we looked over the landscape from a landmark known as Little Round Top, we gained an awareness of the true horror of the battle that took place here 150 years ago. 

       In direct contrast to this image, a beautiful soaking wet Indigo bunting (left) flew onto the scene and sang its song to those of us in tune with such things.  Sadly, I was the lone observer present and managed to capture a quick image with the little SONY Point-and-shoot.

       Among the other species of note we saw but failed to photograph were a number of Bobolinks, Eastern meadowlarks, and Field sparrows.  The weather was simply not conducive to photographing wildlife.

       The next day, as we prepared to head back north to New York, Sharon and I managed to take a quick ride back to some of the areas we had visited with the tour the previous day.  We actually had a short period of sunshine which we relished for the 45 minutes of its presence.  As we drove up to the Gettsburg Eternal Light Peace Monument, we found a number of avian visitors including a singing Chipping sparrow, Gray catbird, and Field sparrows.

 

Gray catbird

       Further along the route, we stopped to check out the 150^th Pennsylvania Volunteers monument which caught our eyes.  The entire monument is in the shape of a tree, complete with nesting birds captured in stone.  

       We wondered how much thinking of such peaceful settings were on the minds of those thousands of young soldiers facing almost certain death.  As we looked at the various monuments, a Song sparrow lighted upon the top of a nearby obelisk and began to sing out its familiar refrain.  Again, no one nearby really paid it any heed other than the two of us.  How much richer our world is since we began to bird and pay closer attention to what is constantly in close proximity to us regardless of what else we are doing.

       Eventually, we found ourselves back home.  We had reports of a Mississippi kite that was being spotted back up in Saugerties, not far from where we traveled last week to find the King rail!  And so, off we went once again.  When we arrived on site, we both saw the bird flying off to the east.  We both had good looks through the bins, but the cameras were both in the back seat.  Not to bother. Surely the bird would return to its reported perch and allow me to get some nice photos.  As luck would have it, after three hours of patiently waiting for the kite’s return, we realized that we had gotten our one and only sighting as we drove in.  Better than nothing, but it would have been nice to get a little better view!

       

        As we waited, we did get some nice birds who came by our own perch.  A Wood thrush sang loudly and closely, though as usually the case, out of view.  Several Great-crested flycatchers put on quite a show for us high in the bare trees as did a small contingent of Cedar waxwings.  A phoebe came in close to allow me a decent shot (above), but it was little consolation for not getting a good look at the kite.  Summer is only beginning, so maybe we’ll have another shot at the bird later.

       After a rain-laden week, the forecast for the upcoming days looks a bit better and we will be happy to get out and get some more comfortable birding in.  In just a matter of weeks, we’ll be visiting North Dakota and we are both really looking forward to that!

2013: Week 23 – Springing into life

June 2^nd – 8^th

       We began our week with a quick look at one of our favorite Orange County birding venues, Benedict Farm in Montgomery.  We had other family affairs to attend to and so figured we’d just get a quick birding fix before tending to those.  We can usually count on the farm for a variety of sparrows and swallows as well as Bluebirds, grassland species like Bobolinks, and Goldfinches.  In the short time we spent looking around the farm, we had plenty of finches and sparrows to look at and photograph.  The finches are now in their pure golden phase and are a joy to behold.

 

       They were joined by a number of Song sparrows, but try as we may, we were unable to bring any other sparrows into view.  A couple of Eastern kingbirds and Phoebes did come in to investigate what we were doing on their turf if for only a brief time.  Barn swallows were also abundant and the old abandoned farm buildings certainly afford these swift insect hunters a fine place to set up house.  Peering into the empty wooden structures, we could easily see a number of nests ready for the new brood of youngsters.

       

       The following day, a number of us took part in the annual Silloway Wildlife Count for Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks.  By days end, we had tallied 100 species of birds as well as many reptiles, amphibians, and insects.  The one species we had trouble counting were the 17 year cicadas which are really beginning to let their presence known.  After 17 years under ground, the noisy critters are out and about, singing their hearts out to woo any interested females into joining them for a little amorous interactivity.  Millions of the insects are now choral members of one of the most massive vocal displays witnessed on the planet.  We will be serenaded for another month or so before the newly hatched young fall to the ground and bury themselves in the soil for the next decade and  a half.  I suppose we really have to forgive them for being a little overwhelming when we figure they only get out once every 17 years!

     

         Later in the week, Sharon and I went on yet another “chase” as we pursued a King rail reported to be haunting the grounds of a marshland up in Ulster County.  Ulster is pretty far north of the normal breeding range of these wetland birds and recently, the King rail has been declining in the north.  It is still pretty much a “regular” down in Florida, but for us to find one this far north is quite unique.  We did not find the rail when we first arrived as it was remaining quiet and was well hidden in the vegetation.  Eventually, a truck drove down the narrow road dividing the two parts of the wetland, and for whatever reason, this noise or vibration seemed to get the rail going.  His call is one that’s hard to miss as it is as loud as it distinctive.  We drove down to close proximity of the call, but gave the bird enough space so as not to spook it.  Sure enough, after about a 10 minute wait in our vehicle, the rail came out close enough to the roadside to give us a nice look and a decent photo.  We’ve been quite fortunate in finding the birds we chased this year, and it was rewarding to finally get to see and photograph this northern rarity.

King rail

       Finally, it looks like we are going to be “grandparents” again as the House sparrows have once again set up quarters in the eaves of our home.  Some people find these “exotics” annoying, but when you really look carefully at them, they can be quite handsome.  This morning, I was apparently not the only living being to find them so, as a female succumbed to the advances of an exceptionally fine looking male and allowed him to have his way with her.  And so, can youngsters be expected in the foreseeable future?  We’ll let you know in upcoming installments of “Naturally Digital”.

2013: Week 22 - Nesting birds and Cicadas

May 26^th – June 1^st

       What a volatile week weatherwise!  Changes occurred from day to day and from hour to hour.  We never quite knew just what to expect.  The weather forecasters kept telling us to be prepared for any and everything,  and they were right!  After a pretty dry April (whatever happened to “April showers”?), we’ve had plenty of precip in May.  That would not have been so bad except that the rains were accompanied by much cooler than normal temps.  Example…..

       On Tuesday of the week, the day after Memorial Day, we set out at around 8:00 AM, heading for the Bashakill to see if we could pick up any stragglers.  When we left home, it was fairly warm and sunny.  It looked promising!  As we drove west down Route 17, the skies began to fill in and lower.  Still, the rains held off and we figured we’d get in a couple of hours of decent viewing.

Veery

       As we entered the preserve via Havens Road, we immediately heard plenty of chatter.  Common yellowthroats were singing their “whichety, whitchety, whitchety” song along both sides of the road, and indeed we were to hear and see plenty more of these masked warblers this morning.  The Veeries have also begun to sing in earnest, but it was their distinct “veeeeerrr” call that drew our attention at first.  Sure enough, close to the road but still nestled in the cover of the foliage, a veery called out to us.  With the RAV as my blind, I managed to get off a couple of shots which I later had to lighten up to get a good view.  He only stayed for two or three frames before dropping out of sight.  Still, one good view of these fine-looking specimens is more than gratifying.

       We moved down to the “orchard” and had enough bird song to keep us scanning the tree-tops.  The “bird du jour” for the parking area had to be the Redstart.  An occasional glimpse of the red and yellow varieties was all we could muster, but we knew there were other songs being sung and continued our quest.  As we walked down the “Stop Sign trail”, we heard the slow trill of the Swamp sparrow close to the trail.  In the reeds, we could see an individual bouncing along from stem to stem and occasionally jumping up onto an overhanging branch for a better view of what was coming down the trail. 

     

       The rich chestnut sides of this sparrow make for easy identification if his distinctive song was not enough.  Nice views of a summer resident of the Bash.

      As we continued our birding through the park, the skies thickened and the rain began to fall more steadily.  We decided to give the “Nature Trail” a quick look, but the cameras were relegated to the back seat of the vehicle as the rain is generally not kind to electronics and optics.  What a shame, for as we walked the first section of the trail, we immediately had a nice view of a Least flycatcher and the Warbling vireo, both singing and both about 10 feet apart.  Soon, a Black-billed cuckoo called and as we looked for the source, one flew into clear view.  It certainly would have made for a nice shot, but I always maintain that if you really want the best looks at some great birds, just leave the camera in the car…..works every time.  The rain drove us back to the parking lot where Sharon and located a Cerulean warbler possibly nesting nearby.  We watched in the rain as the bird called once or twice, flew overhead and back and then disappeared into the thick foliage.

       Our last sighting of the day was up on the power line on Port Orange Road, just outside the Bashakill boundaries.  Every year, we make a quick stop here to see if the Prairie warblers are singing.  It’s pretty much a “sure thing”, but Sharon says , “Never say never and never say always”.  This time, the bird was here in spite of the falling rain.  We often get the Chestnut-sided up here as well, but that bird had enough sense to stay in out of the rain.

 

Prairie warbler

       And so, we began with sunny skies and ended up with stormy weather with a high of 57 degrees on one of the final days of May!  But what did the rest of the week hold for us?

       High heat!  After such a chilly beginning, the temperature rose more than 30 degrees over the next two days.  Along with the heat came the emergence of the 17 year cycle Cicadas.  By the end of the week, the emergence was patchy with some area not showing any sign of the insects at all, while other areas were literally covered with newly emerged adults and the molted exoskeletons.  The mating chorus was just beginning to be heard by week’s end.

       We rounded out the week with a walk through the Outdoor Discovery Center in Cornwall.  Although it was hot, we still managed to record 43 species.  The migrants appear to pretty much moved on, but the remaining birds are beginning to nest and we did find 8 species showing signs of such behavior.  Best sightings of the day included a pair of Green herons flying overhead, a pair of gorgeous Scarlet tanagers (male and female) foraging for food and/or nesting material in the middle of the forest trail, a late Pine siskin, and nesting Yellow warblers.  

       Also of note was the Gray Tree frog shown below.  This frog is often heard throughout the northeast, but because it rarely descends from high treetops and because it is nocturnal, it is rarely seen.  So, this photograph is a record of a fairly rare opportunity to actually see one!

       As we progress into June, the cicadas are sure to become more numerous and more vocal.  The birds will no doubt become less vocal as they begin to have their young and become quiet, not wanting to attract the attention of predators to their whereabouts.  So, let’s see what the beginning of June has to offer this photographer of the natural world.

2013: Week 21 – Birding the Jersey Shore

May 19^th - 25^th

       We took a break from the woodlands and the warblers to check in on waders, gulls, and shorebirds during this time of optimum breeding plumage.  Among the choice locations to find these birds within a few hours of home is the Jersey shore.  Good friends of ours have a home in Manahawkin near Long Beach Island and we were fortunate enough to be able to use their summer home as our base of operations for this week. 

      

     Our first port of call was the Brigantine unit of the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.  The refuge lies just outside the old historic town of Smithville and is made up of 47,000 acres of coastal habitat managed for use by migratory avian wildlife.  The “Brig” as it is known to birders all along the east coast is easily accessible by an 8 mile wildlife drive around the impoundments.  Tuesday’s drive was under sunny skies if not a bit windy.  The great thing about the Brig is that even if you know what to expect depending upon the time of year, there are always surprises.  Our first sighting of the day was of a elusive Marsh wren which chose to perch up high and sing out its warbling call  only several feet from the boardwalk.  A second wren was calling from the other side of the trail and the exposed bird was probably calling to either ward off a potential rival or to simply “touch base” with another local inhabitant. 

Dunlin

       Moving further along around the drive, we were amazed at the number of Dunlin feeding in the massive mudflats.  Several weeks earlier, we found similar congregations of these waders at Bombay Hook NWR.  We wondered if we possibly could be now looking at some of the same birds we saw down there in Delaware.  Most of these birds will continue their journey north to the Canadian arctic where an abundance of insects found during the summer months helps sustain the birds during their breeding season.

       The Ospreys have returned from their wintering grounds and have already set up their nests along the Jersey coast.  Many have already had chicks and those who have not will by the beginning of June.  This male of this pair had been out foraging and was bringing back some nourishment for his “bride” as she lay incubating her eggs.  Throughout the week, we came across many ospreys in virtually every shoreline habitat we searched.

       The other birds we took special interest in were the American oystercatchers.  We found this pair feeding along the water’s edge, only to be interrupted by a second pair.  A short squabble ensued ending in the intruders being driven off by the two who had been here at the beginning.  Having seen only one or two of their species during out entire three and a half months in Florida, it was a real pleasure to be able to watch this interaction.

   

         The next day, we headed up to the north end of Long Beach Island where the  Barnegat Lighthouse is located.  We know that gulls are notorious for eating anything and everything, but we finally found one staple that even the Herring gull found less that palatable.  Perched on a algae-encrusted boulder on the jetty below the lighthouse, a stately looking gull had managed to secure a starfish for its lunch and began tearing the echinoderm limb from limb.  It finally had ripped one leg off and gulped the morsel down.  But wait…..up and out it came as the gull was having some difficulty ingesting the limb.  Try, try, again and down the leg went once again.  The seabird quickly dropped down into the inlet to grab a quick drink, but even that did not seem to make the star any more appetizing.  Finally, the gull flew off, leaving the remains of the starfish lying on the jetty.  Nothing seemed interested in the ort as long as we watched and we can only assume that starfish are not on the top of the epicurean delights list of gulls….at least not the one we watched.

      

       Leaving the jetty, we drove down along the marina near an area called Viking Village to see what might be swimming, flying, of foraging along the sandbars.  Our first sighting of note was a pair of Common loons in full breeding plumage.  As I zoomed in on the closest bird for a nice shot, he dove.  I waited for at least 5 minutes and never saw the bird resurface.  Loons can stay down for a long period of time, and this one was apparently electing to do just that.  Meanwhile, an Oystercatcher came flying out of the reeds on the sandbar and circled the area loudly calling its warning to all other birds in the area. 

       Must have a nest on the island, we thought.  Before long, we found out what all the commotion was about as the mother emerged with a young chick in tow.  Oystercatchers aren’t always easy to find, but to see one with a youngster, that was special!

       

       Later that afternoon, we headed south to Tuckerton and Great Bay Boulevard.  The long STRAIGHT roadway out through the marshes is a great place to observe herons, egrets, dunlins, dowitchers, and other shorebirds.  Our main target this afternoon, however, was the Seaside sparrow.  This sparrow is a skulker, and is more often heard than seen.  It was quite some time that we had been in the field for the past two days and had yet to see OR hear one.  Then, when we weren’t really thinking about the bird, we heard part of its call as we drove by. 

         We slowly backed up and got to the spot where we thought we had initially heard the sparrow.  We pulled off to the side of the road and parked the car.  Getting out as quietly as possible, we began the vigil.  It did not take too long before the bird flew by, but when it landed, it simply disappeared.  Only after another 10 minutes did we finally catch sight of the bird down on a bare patch of ground within the reeds.  I managed to get off several shots before it jumped up onto an overhanging branch to give me a little better shot.  Then, the bird disappeared once again and was not seen again.  Still, we had our target bird for the day and a new bird for the year-list.

      Another bird on our list of desired sightings for the day was the Stilt sandpiper.  As with yesterday, we had plenty of willets, and plenty of dunlin, and plenty of semi-palmated sandpipers.  But finding the Stilt was a different story.  Finally, the sought after bird flew into a shallow pond among the semi-palms.  I watched with the scope and then switched over to the larger lens.  Still at some distance, I attached the 1.4X teleconverter and used the tripod to steady the camera.  As if to pose, the bird reared back and opened its wings, exposing its barred underside.  A fine finish to a fine day.

     

       Our final day here in New Jersey was spent checking for a rare Eurasian bird, the Curlew sandpiper.  Each year, a vagrant shows up in south Jersey and this year was no exception.  Our friend Warren who is a volunteer with NJ Audubon offered to help us find the bird as he led a weekly birding tour through the area of Heislerville Wildlife Management Area in Cumberland County.  As luck would have it, when we arrived at the impoundment where the bird had been seen over the course of the previous week, it was flooded to the point that all the mudflats were under water.  No mudflats = no Curlew sandpiper.  As the day grew colder, windier, and wetter, we concentrated on a rookery of Black-crowned night herons, Great egrets, and Double-crested cormorants as well as searching for Red knots.

 

Red knots with Ruddy turnstones

       The knots are only here briefly, feeding on the nutritious horseshow crab eggs.  The knots are headed north and in preparation for their breeding ritual, they have taken on their rich rusty plumage.  At Cook’s Beach in Cape May County, we found a major flock of these birds which are presently in the process of completing a 9,300 mile journey from the southern tip of South America to the regions above the Arctic circle.  Although is was cold and rainy, and we were obligated to see the birds from quite a distance, it was still an exciting experience to see them in the wild.

       At the end of the week, we headed back to New York through a miserable rainy and cold (mid 40s) late May day.  Hopefully, the weather will finally change for the better and become more spring-like next week.

      

        

2013: Week 20- “Break-a-hundred”

A “Big Day” of birding in Orange County

       This week was one of preparation for and then execution of a “Big Day” of birding here in Orange County.  A “Big Day” crams as much birding as possible into a 24 hour period and it usually produces some great numbers of species and an equally great number of exhausted birders.  Our birding club, The E.A. Mearns Bird Club” of Orange County New York holds their event every May at the peak of warbler migration when the weather is usually quite pleasant.   The still young leaves have not yet emerged to the point that the trees can hide each and every bird within their boughs making for some exciting viewing of these most beautiful North American birds.

       This year’s  “Break-a-hundred” as our event it known was one of our best with 80% of the teams managing to find at least 100 species in the 24 hour period.  The winning team actually was able to find and identify 140 species…..a remarkable feat!  So, what is it like to compete in a Big Day?  Our event began at 4:00 P.M. on Friday afternoon.  Our team gathered at one of our members homes at about 2:00, gathered all our birding paraphernalia, loaded into three vehicles, and headed out to our first site…..Iona Island in Harriman State Park.  The idea is to orchestrate the day so that you cover as many different habitats which will hopefully produce as many different species of birds as possible.  Iona is a marsh which we were counting on producing rails, shorebirds, perhaps egrets and herons as well as gulls, possibly terns and others. 

       Precisely at 4:00, we began checking off the species we could see from that point on….no species seen prior to the official start time count until the clock has started ticking.  Before the start, we had seen three Greater yellowlegs, a shorebird, in several locations of the marsh.  Of course, once the contest actually began, the bird had disappeared.  It took almost another hour to relocate this species, but in the meantime we had already racked up almost two dozen species….a decent start.

      When we figured we had exhausted the possibilities here at the marsh, we moved up into the upland forests of Doodletown.  A historical location near the marsh, the now deserted town has little to indicate that it was once a thriving community other than some disappearing roadbeds, old stone walls, and ornamental plantings from the time it was taken over by the state in the mid-60s.  Now it serves as an oasis for many of the warblers migrating north during the month of May.  As the team hiked through the property, we heard many songs of the warblers as well as actual sighting of a good number of the birds.  Most accomplished birders can identify a bird by its song as well as by its outward appearance.  A couple of hours here gave us a respectable number of birds for the first day, but of course the day was only beginning.  We still had about 21 hours to go!

       Among the birds found at this site were the nemesis bird for many of the teams, the Olive-sided flycatcher (left).  This bird perches atop the highest snags and should be easy to spot.  And yet, the bird is usually located more by his call of "Quick-three beers!" before he is seen.  So it was today as we were one of the few teams to be lucky enough to come across this species.

       We also added a nice Spotted sandpiper here below the dam.  Sitting in the shade alongside the outflow, he was well camouflaged and if it were not for the keen eyes of one of our observers, we well might have walked right by without seeing him.

Spotted sandpiper

       When we departed Doodletown, the sun was setting as we headed over to an area known as Mine Road where we hoped to get a few species that become more active in the hours of twilight.  There was the hope of garnering a few owl as well.  Mixed success met us at this site.  The Whip-poor-wills began singing loudly as the skies became darker as did the Wood cock, but nary a single owl was willing to add its name to our checklist.  By 9:30, we decided to head back home and grab a few hours of rest so that we could be on site and birding as the sun rose tomorrow morning.

       We reconvened at 3:30 A.M. and headed out to our next birding venue, the Bashakill Swamp.  “The Bash” as it is known has long been a birder’s paradise and is exceptionally productive during the spring months.  We knew we could also count on Eagles and Ospreys here as it serves as nesting territory for those two species.  As the sun began to rise the unmistakable call of the American bittern joined the chorus of Red-winged blackbirds, Wood ducks, Common gallinules, and Great blue herons. 

 

"The Bash" at 5:00 A.M.

        Swamp sparrows, flycatchers, vireos, and the prized warblers would be joining in soon, so we had to move quickly.  If you are lucky, you can see more than 20 species of these brightly colored birds including this gorgeous Magnolia warbler.  Some warblers are easy to find and you can count on checking them off fairly early in the day, but others like the Nashville, Cape May, Bay-breasted and Mourning warblers are much more difficult to locate, however, and are thus more revered in the birding world.  By this mornings end, we had more than 20 warbler species on our list. 

 

Magnolia warbler       

        From here, it was up into the higher country where we were looking for birds like the Dark-eyed junco, Winter wren, Raven, and Yellow-bellied sapsucker (yes, there really is such a bird!).  We were shocked when we came up short with only the raven being added to the list.  We move down to the reservoir where swallows were a possibility, but even here we could only find the Rough-winged swallow which we already had bagged earlier.

        A local Boy Scout Camp offered a mixed hardwood forest with some tall pines and in the past we had see the exquisite Blackburnian warlber (known familiarly as the “fire-throat” because of his brilliant orange throat patch).  Here we did succeed in finding the target, but we had to move on.  The hours were passing, and as the day wore on it was harder and harder to add new birds to the growing list.

        We returned to the Bash to visit a couple of spots we had left unbirded earlier in the day.  We were rewarded for the effort with several other warblers, the Golden and Blue-wing warblers.

Blue-winged warbler (archival shot)

       Now it was time to head back to the wetlands in an effort to clean up with a few marsh birds like the Sora and any sandpipers we could locate.  We were headed for Oil City Road on the New Jersey border and then back to an area near Goshen known as 6 ½ Station.  Up until now, the weather had cooperated nicely with partly to mostly sunny skies, calm winds and warm temperatures.  But Mother Nature decided to give us a more memorable send-off, so the final two hours were played out in rather rainy and chilly conditions.  While the Sora eluded us, we did pick up several nice sandpipers at a 6 ½ Station.  It was here we finally tallied the Pectoral sandpiper as our final species of the 24 hour period. 

       All competing members, about 30 of us, joined together to a count down the numbers of species each group had located.  Our team had a respectable 126 species which would have won in many of the past years.  Today, however, it was only good enough to take third.  Still, it’s not really about the win (yeah, right?) but rather about being together with great friends in this beautiful world of ours and completely being immersed in a pastime that means so much to so many of us. 

       Next week, Sharon and I will continue to chase the migrant warblers as we head to south Jersey for more great habitat and even more great birds.  See you next weekend to tell you all about these latest adventures.

2013: Week 19 – Migrants finally moving

May 5^th – 11^th

       A rain abbreviated week will insure that this week’s blog will be a bit shorter than normal.  We found ourselves taking short trips out to local sites whenever the clouds parted for a few hours.  Still, in spite of (or more probably because of) the unsettled weather, the migrants we have been eagerly anticipating have finally started to drift in. 

 

       On Sunday,  Sharon and I drove out to Mine Road to check the “hot spots” and see if our warblers were finally arriving.  It’s been a relatively slow spring, with the usual May visitors coming to the party fashionably late.  But arrive they did and we had several nice sightings of the front guard.  Our first were a group of warblers at the gate to a site along the road known as “Area U”.  We used to be able to hike well back into the forest here and it was always productive.  Since homeland security as become such a big issure over the past decade, much of the property has become posted and as such is off limits to us birders.  It’s the price we have to pay, I suppose, but it is West Point property and if they say stay out, we’ll abide by that.  From the roadside, however, we did pick up our first nice warblers of the season.  A beautiful Blue-wing let its presence known with its “brrr-buzzzz” song and we quickly caught a look through the bins. A bit frustrating in that it kept its distance and was not caught on camera, but it was recorded in the mind’s eye if nothing else. 

       A  bird flitting high up in the canopy was likewise out of camera range, but we could see that it was a fine Blackpoll warbler.  Hooded warblers, yellows, and Common yellowthroats were joining in the chorus and it was beautiful music to be sure.

 

Blackpoll taken in 2011

        Further along at a site we call the old sand piles, we had even better views of the Blue-wings.  Again, restricted to the roadside, we still managed to get closer views as one of their number scooted from one side of the road to the other (see photo below).  Later in the week, with a group from the Mearns club, we found the blues again, but this time accompanied with a lone Golden-wing….what a gorgeous bird!

 

Blue-winged warbler

       All in all, between the two days along Mine Road, we recorded around 35 species, many of which were first of the year birds. 

       One migrant which appears to have gotten lost, waylaid, or just happy to hang out was a Red-throated loon which had been reported lingering at the Croton Point Park beach on the Hudson.  The bird should probably be on its breeding territory up in Northern Canada or the Arctic.  But for whatever reason, here it was, swimming along diving, and seeming to have a good old time here in the Hudson Valley.   We’ll watch to see if it sticks around for much longer.

       

       Finally, again between storms, we took a ride out to Ironwood Road in Sterling Forest State Park.  The area has long been known as a reliable spot for Golden-wings and other warblers in May, so we were hopeful at getting another look at this beauty.  Rather slow again, but at least with some trekking up the power line right-of-way I was able finally to see the bird clearly. Again,  quiet and as deliberate as I could be, I could not approach anywhere near enough to get a decent shot, so I’ve included one of my shots from last year to display why birders work so hard to get a look at the Golden. 

 

Golden-winged warbler (archival shot)

       While down at the power line we did get some other nice looks by sitting in the car down at the end of the road and simply waiting to see what birds sand or flew into view.  In such manner, we had Common yellowthroats, Yellow warblers, a Blue-wing, and a number of Redstarts.  One of the redstarts perched above the RAV and allowed me to get my first photo of the year of this handsome bird. 

       

       Eventually, the bird decided we were not all that interesting and took flight, making for an interesting photo of the bird in motion.

       Well, now that the birds are here and the weather my begin to clear, we will try to get out for more of the warblers and have some good birds to report on next week.  Until then……

2013: Week 18 – East Coast Refuges

April 28^th – May 4^th

       Each year as we head back to the northeast from our winter quarters in Florida, we take our time and make an attempt to visit several National Wildlife Refuges.  We managed to visit four of our national preserves en route although one was an abbreviated stop due to adverse meteorological conditions.

       Our first stop was in the state of Georgia….the Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge.  The 2,824 acres of this park remind us of one of our favorite areas back in New York, the Shawangunk Grasslands, in that both refuges were at one time WW II airfields.  Harris Neck was established as a refuge in 1962, the park is made up of  salt marsh, open fields, forested wetland and mixed hardwood/pine forest habitat and as such is home to many resident and migrating birds throughout the year.  We’ve been visiting this refuge at the beginning of May for some years now and have come to expect  seeing certain species..  The park has a somewhat inauspicious entrance gate with a small parking lot (not unlike other NWR venues).  The road leading down to the Visitor’s Center should definitely be walked and not driven as that quarter of a mile can yield a plethora of wonderful sightings One such sighting this year was the Summer tanager.  As soon as we emerged from our car, we heard the richer raspier “robin song” associated with this bird.  Sure enough within a few minutes we found the bird singing this song and managed to get a clear view.

       We also had nice FOY views of the Red-headed woodpecker as we walked the road along with a White-eyed vireo singing from an isolated shrub and easily viewed.  Other birds we commonly see along this stretch of dirt road are the Brown thrasher, Painted bunting and Northern parula.

    

       As we continued on the loop around the refuge (there are over 15 miles of paved roads and trails within the confines of the park), we came across many nesting Wood storks, herons, egrets, gallinules and this feeding anhinga.  Those catfish have some wicked spines, and the bird worked hard at first stunning the fish by beating it against the branch below it, and then flipping it around until it could get it into the “safe” head-first orientation. 

       

       As the thunderstorms began to roll in, we took one quick look at one of the impoundments adjacent to the old airfield and found Bobolinks flitting about the meadows.  We know we’ll find these up at our “airfield refuge” later this month, but these Bobos were the first of the year and a treat to see.

    

          From here, we continued north to South Carolina and Santee National Wildlife Refuge.   Located on the shore of SC’s largest lake, Lake Marion, the reserve was established back in 1941 and is now comprised of over 13,000 acres of managed lands.  This is also one of those places we “always” visit on our trips down to and returning from Florida.  

       As we entered the park early on Tuesday morning, we made a stop at the VC to see what birds were taking advantage of the feeders.  We found House finches and grackles along with the beautiful male Painted bunting.  We’ve had some nice sightings of this bird down in the sunshine state, but this may be the last view we have in some time, so we relished this splendid specimen.

       One bird we always hope to see here is the Prothonotary warbler.  A boardwalk winds its way through the swamps of Wright’s Bluff, a perfect habitat for these beauties and sure enough no sooner did we draw close to the swamp than we could here the ringing “tweet-tweet-tweet-tweet” call of the bird.  As we walked the swamp, several individuals flew overhead and perched to check us out. 

       As we photographed this striking warbler, fellow birder Joe noticed a large bird flying into the swamp at some distance.  Easily seen we found it to be a Barred owl.  The bird was not alone as it began its resounding series of “Who cooks for you?” and was quickly joined by the response of a second owl.  The two continued to converse back and forth long after we had left the boardwalk and the swamp.  The sound was almost ethereal as we walked along the trail on this cool misty morning.

       While exiting Santee, we came across one last bird of note.  Throughout the day we had heard many Great crested flycatchers calling from the tree tops.  We had even seen a few, but none so close as this individual which was obviously on the nest.  Actually, the bird was on the road getting ready to return to the nest.  As we slowly drove by, the flycatcher simply held its ground until we were on our way and they flew up to the nest.  Quite a sight!

        We still had miles to travel on this day, however, so we headed north for Virginia.  The next morning, the plan was to visit the Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR, and we did make a brief stop.  Mother Nature was not fully cooperating this morning, however, so Sharon suggested that we continue north towards more welcoming weather and another of our favorite birding sites, Bombay Hook in Delaware.  And so, off we went.       About four hours later, we drove onto Whitehall Neck Road in Smyrna, Delaware.  Strange that our journey began three days ago in New Smyrna Beach, Florida and here we were at a refuge in a town with a similar abeit not that common name.  Anyway…..

       As we entered the preserve, we found the feeders were attracting Goldfinches, Red-winged blackbirds, and White-crowned sparrows.  Tree swallows were making use of the bluebird houses and the Martin houses were over-crowded with purple martins.  It looked like we were going to pad the year-list nicely at this refuge.

      Shortly after leaving the Visitor’s Center, there is a parking area and a short trail to an observation tower overlooking one of the large impoundments.  When we arrived….what a sight!  Easily fifteen hundred Dunlin packed into the shallow water of the ponds, shoulder to shoulder.  Every so often, something would cause the myriad to rise en masse, make a quick flyover and then alight back into the water.  How they managed to all move in such synchronicity without crashing into one another is yet another wonder of nature.  Sprinkled in among the dunlin were quite a few Black-bellied plovers and both these plovers and the dunlin were well on their way to sporting their full breeding plumage.  Gorgeous!

 

       As we drove the loops and walked throughout the trails, we found many signs of spring and the nesting season.  Walking out to the marsh where we hoped to get our first Clapper rail of the year, we were surrounded by chattering House wrens.  We may have been getting too close to their staked out territory for their own comfort, so we quickly moved on. 

       Just down the trail, we found Tree swallows doing what Tree swallows should do….setting up their nesting site in a tree!  We commonly see these swallows nesting in bluebird boxes and other bird houses, but it was nice to see them actually using a natural cavity to nest in.

       

       When we finally made it out to the observation deck, we heard our second wren species of the day the Marsh wren.  We also heard the Clapper rail we were hoping for, but like the Marsh wren, it was heard but not seen.  Back to the car to continue our way around the refuge.  We had heard reports of one last bird we really wanted to find before we departed and made the final leg of the journey home.  Although no specific directions were offered, someone had posted finding a Tundra swan on the refuge.  We carefully were checking each and every body of water we came across, but to this point we had not found the bird.  Time was running out.  But a swan is a big bird!  How could we miss it?   As luck would have it, on the last impoundment we checked, there it was.  A white blob far out on a sand bar in the middle of the pond just had to be the swan.  We definitely needed the scope, but sure enough there was no mistaking this swan for anything but the Tundra.  A great way to end the visits to four of our national treasures….the National Wildlife Refuge system.

       We’re back in New York and the Hudson Highlands once again and it’s just the beginning of warbler season.  Next week, we’ll be out and about in search of these little gems.  Until then……