Connecticut, Red Shouldered Hawk

 I drove my daughter up to college - on the way back I checked out the area around the hill by her college for Pileated Woodpeckers since they were recently ebirded there - no luck with that, but did see some flocks of Horned Larks on the roadside. (it had snowed the day before)  On the way home, somewhere in Conencticut, I'm fairly certain I saw a Red Shouldered Hawk perched on the side of the highway.

Massapequa Preserve, Cardinal singing

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

Hartford, Connecticut, Barnacle Goose

 My son had a Volleyball tournament in Hartford Connecticut - we only went up for one day instead of the weekend since he had a conflict with religion class Saturday.  There were recent reports of a Barnacle Goose about 8 minutes away from the venue so we took a qukck detour and saw the goose quickly but it was a little obscured through a chain link fence.  The ebird reports that I had seen disappeared later that day - I saw some chat that the recent reports (there were a group of 3 Barnacle Geese also in Connecticut) implied that the recent sightings were captive/ escapee types.  With concerns of hunters stalking reports of waterfowl, it's hard to know exactly what's really going on.

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.

Sunken Meadow State Park, Barrow's Goldeneye, Ross's Goose

 I went to Sunken Meadow State Park since there were reports of a continuing immature drake Barrow's Goldeneye in the "river" that flows between the sound and a marshy area.  I was able to find it easily enough and get OK photos - I had only seen a Barrow's Goldeneye once before and it was far away.  On the way, I spotted a flock of a geese with a white goose in the mix - turned out to be a Ross's Goose - there was some talk from another birder that it has been around a few days, but not really reported.  There was a recent ebird report but was only flying, didn't land.