Italy: Roma, Ischia, Sorrento, England: London

 My wife and I went on a trip to Italy without the kids.  We had planned this for a while so in the meantime I joined Uccelli d'Italia Birds of Italy on Facebook.  So far this year I haven't had any lifers yet so was hopeful I would see a bunch in Italy.  I looked up different birds on Facebook and ebird.  One of my target birds was European Robin but I learned they mostly migrate north in the summer.  I also really wanted to see a Eurasian Bee Eater - there were some reports of them on ebird, but I didn't get to see them either.

The focus of the trip was sightseeing  - for example, in Rome, we saw the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St Peters Basilica, Borghese Museum, and the Coliseum.  I didn't set out on my own on any birding excusrions.  All my sightings could actually be considered "incidental".  That started when we landed in Rome and even before we got off the plane.  I saw some crows around the runway that had odd coloring, knowing they were Hooded Crow, a lifer before even getting off the plane.  Our hotel in Rome had some trees, bushes and all that behind it.  I was able to see some birds there including Sardinian Warblers.  One day I walked down there and found some trails back there but mostly saw just Eurasian Blackbirds that I disturbed.  Touring Rome, I was able to see Ring Necked Parrots, Yellow Legged Gulls, Wood Pigeon to name a few.  After several days we were off to Ischia.  We took a speed train and I saw a bunch of egrets briefly in a field which by default were Cattle Egret.  Cattle Egret were recently split so I was able to add a new lifer, Western Cattle Egret.  The ferry left out of Naples where I saw a White Wagtail right by the port.  Ischia was wonderful and once again, the view from our hotel room was great for birding.  I saw a Kestrel, and Spotted Flycatchers.  Ischia had a more natural beauty appeal to it.  When we left for Sorrento, we took another ferry back in the Gulf of Naples.  Before I went on the trip, another birder told me to be on the lookout for shearwaters and petrels.  The ferry ride didn't disappoint and I was able to see and photograph Yelkouan Shearwaters.  We arrived in Naples and got a taxi to Sorrento.  Sorrento was beautiful but I was a little disappointed since I thought Sorrento was my of a countryside than a city.  However, when we got to the hotel and I looked out the window it overlooked a lemon/ fruit grove and mountains.  I saw a couple more birds there including Magpies that I was able to photograph fairly well.  On the last day, we had to transfer at heathrow London airport.  At first, I wasn't sure but when we were on the plane ready to head home, I thought I saw some crows around the runway.  I later realized they were which would be Carrion Crows by default, another lifer to add to my life list!  18 lifers, + 3 heard only.  I'm not sure how to count the "heard only" since I have always just counted actually see birds.  Right now, I'm considering having 2 life lists...... 

TOBAY Beach, Seawatch

 There were recent reports of Parasitic Jaegers by Robert Moses but time was a little short this morning so I tried a seawatch at TOBAY.  There was a good amount of birds, but the highlight were several Wilson's Storm Petrels - they have been reported in decent amounts recently.

 

Gardiner County Park, Virginia Rails

 I went to Gardiner County Park after seeing reports of Virginia Rails - I was able to see a few and heard at least 4.

Massapequa, yard, thrush

 I saw a thrush type bird in my neighbor's pine tree across the street - assuming it was a Hermit Thrush or Veery.

Massapequa Preserve, Seamans' Neck Park, Tackapausha

 The LIRR is no longer on strike so this is my last WFH day for a while.  I got a little extra early than I normally would - I went to the preserve first at my usual "patch" by Pittsburgh Ave hoping for some warblers. Not much luck with anything unexpected but did see a Coopers Hawk and good views of a Red Eye Vireo.  As I was leaving, I heard what sure sounded like a Willet but time was short so I didn't go back towards the pond to look for it. I was kinda bummed out since I "always find something" interesting at the preserve and right about when I was about to leave I saw a perched Turkey Vulture!  I took a shortcut where I went past Tackapausha pond - not much going on but saw a mom Mallard with some babies.  I was happy to arrive at Seaman's Neck Park where I heard some shorebirds upon my arrival.  It was a good visit since I saw a nice variety of shorebirds - most if not all that you would expect at the Jones Beach Coast Guard sandbar/ spit.  I was happy to see 2 Short Billed Dowitchers in the marsh somewhat close to me.  I also saw a Clapper Rail that seems to favor the cut near the edge of the marsh, Semi palmated Plovers, some Dunlin including one that was near me that I enjoyed looking at.  I saw a crow divebombing a Willet which was weird.  At first I thought I saw a Tri-colred Heron but turned out to be a Little Blue Heron but I'll take that too.

Massapequa Preserve - Red Eyed Vireos!

 I work from home today since the LIRR is on strike today (won't get into that) I went to the preserve for a while before work - not much with warblers - only saw the resident Yellow Warblers and a Black and White Warbler.  I was hoping to see a Red Eyed Vireos because last summer I think I went the whole summer without seeing one.  I used the Merlin App and it was continuously picking up it's singing.  I finally got to see one after a search.  I had realized that I have been hearing them for a while and dismissing them as Robins : )

Connecticut; Storrs, Glossy Ibis

 I was picking up my daughter from college so I checked out the rare bird alert for CT. There were reports of a Swainson's Warbler at least but I noticed a report of a Glossy Ibis right by my daughter's college UCONN. Before I picked her up, I looked for the Ibis and foudn it rather quickly - there were some geese and presumably Yellowlegs around it.  On the drive back, I believe I saw a Red Shouldered Hawk and saw 2 Black Vultures circling above one of the highways.