Massapequa Preserve, Cardinal singing

 On my walk to the LIRR, I heard a Cardinal singing - was nice to hear, but seems a little early?

Happy New Year!

 Just some quick notes for 2025.  I had around 9 lifers this year - only 2 were from Long Island, the rest from Curacao.  Looking ahead, I feel that I need to travel to increase my life-list (apparent more and more with every passing year)  I also added European Herring Gull to my life list - I feel that was the gull that was at Old Field Lighthouse some years ago.  I also added "Mangrove Warbler" since it was split from Yellow Warbler.  (our local Yellow Warbler is now known as Northern Yellow Warbler)

 There has been a Cassin's Sparrow at Montauk Point that would be a lifer for me - the problem is that I can't find a good day to see it since I would have to leave early in the morning and come back before my son's religous class etc.  If it sticks around, I might try to see it.  The reports have said that it will actually fly up to people - very curious - wish a lot of birds that I try to find were that easy!

Will see what the new year brings.... 

Bullock's Oriole, West Islip - no

 There were photos on Facebook, then reports of a female/ immature male Bullock's Oriole (and a Chat) at at a bird feeder in West Islip next to a school - I tried to find it one morning but didn't see either.  I wasn't too upset since I had seen a male Bullock's Oriole at Stillwell Woods in Syosset some time ago.

Robert Moses State Park

 I took a quick trip to Robert Moses - saw Horned Larks and my FOS Snow Buntings by field 2.

Manheim/ Mount Joy, Pennsylvania

 My son had a volleyball tournament in Manheim PA.  Of course, I realized it was an opportunity to possibly see some birds we don't get on Long Island such as Barred Owl, Pileated Woodpecker and was even wishing for a possible Golden Eagle.  I didn't see any of those but when my son and I were driving around we went to the top of a hill that had a cemetary on it and had a Bald Eagle fly towards us and land in a tree.  Later on, we found a Red Shouldered Hawk perched right at our hotel.  I saw some other raptors here and there in the sky such as Turkey Vultures, Black Vulrures? (can't remember) and Red Tailed, Red Shouldered Hawks.  BTW, the town does not smell nice (all farmland).

Tundra Bean Goose, Beaver Lake, Locust Valley

 There were reports of a Tundra Bean Goose at Planting Fields but it seemed to have disappeared from there rather quickly - I assume because of zealous photographers.  A little while after it showed up at Beaver Lake which is the lake that is between Shu Swamp and Oyster Bay.  I went really early in the morning around sunrise with Mike Z to try to see it - it would be a lifer for me.  After a long time searching, another birder spotted it with their scope and the rest of us were able to have an idea where to look (to the right of the red bush)  It was on the far side of the lake by the private winter sports center.  Using my scope I was able to get better pics of it eventually than using my camera.  Since then it was been seen at the properties around there, Dosoris Pond, and Nassau County Golf Club in Glen Cove.  It was neat to see the blue color in the beak.

 

 

 

Jones Beach, TOBAY, Massapequa Preserve

 There was a report of a Marbled Godwit yesterday at Field 10 so I tried to find it but didn't have any luck.  The Coast Guard Station didn't have many sandpipers anymore - assuming shorebird season is over - there were some Oystercatchers, Yellowlegs, Semi Palmated Plovers.  I noticed some spider crabs were beached up on the dock, so I kicked them (gently) back into the water so feel like my visit wasn't wasted.  I stopped by Massapequa Preserve - not as many warblers as yesterday but did see Parulas, one unidentified one that I'm guessing was a female Black Throated Blue (still not sure), Great Crested Flycatchers, Warbling and Red Eyed Vireos and Redstarts.