South and North Shores: Clay Colored Sparrow

I started out looking for a previously reported Lark Sparrow at Robert Moses Field 2 but no luck.  I decided not to waste any more time and went to my favorite spot at the Jones Beach Coast Guard area.  There wasn't much going on at the sandbar so focused on the weedy spot and the median.  Highlight was a Blue Winged Warbler.  I walked the median without much excitement and then decided to look in the area north of the median zig-zagging through the small pine trees - I was rewarded with an unexpected daytime sighting of a Common Nighthawk - got killer views, but a photo that didn't do it any justice.  I was later joined by Michael Zito where we added Phoebes and Pewees to the list.

The North Shore was very unproductive - Cold Spring Harbor, Muttontown Preserve and Sunken Meadow - was lucky to get a White Eyed Vireo and Black and White Warbler at Sunken Meadow.

I headed back to the south shore and tried my luck at Gardiners County Park and Southards Park Pond without much success either.  I saw a report of a Clay Colored Sparrow at Captree State Park and was able to see it at the edge of the parking lot (lifer).  A stop at at Captree Island produced Great White Egrets, a few Little Blue Herons and Yellowlegs.  A quick stop at the north end of Massapequa Preserve was nice but not noteworthy.

Towhee juveniles

Baltimore Oriole female

Prairie Warbler

Prairie Warbler

Common Nighthawk

Eastern Wood Pewee

unknown - assuming juvenile

Blue Headed Vireo

Clay Colored Sparrow