"I'm sharing my photos and stories of my bird watching adventures on Long Island. I also feature my sightings from around the USA and other countries when I travel. I hope you enjoy them." - Rob (from Massapequa)
There was a report of Great Comorants the day before at Jones Beach Field 10 - I saw some comorants in the distance but had to assume they were Double Crested. (the Great Comorant report was never confirmed) I did see some cooperative Ruddy Turnstones and saw my FOY Red Throated Loon that I wanted for my year list.
I went to Avon Pond later hoping to see American Wigeons for my year list - no luck, but did see Redheads and a surprise Snow Goose.
There were reports of a continuing Western Meadowlark at Bush Terminal Park and a Swainson's Hawk nearby down the street at a recycling station. Odd locations for both birds. I got to see both, but not really well. The Meadowlark flew by, landed in a tree backlit by the sun before disappearing into a off limits lot. The Swainson's Hawk was under the awning of the recycling plant. I normally don't like driving to Brooklyn, but had to get these lifers - everyone else did. Later on, I stopped by Mill Pond to find American Wigeons for my year list. I didn't see any but saw the continuing (adult) Common Gallinule.
Went to Disney with my family - we didn't have a rental car so all the birding I did was at the hotel, riding around in the hotel shuttle bus/ ubers, Disney and Epcot. Unfortunately, we all got sick from the trip : ( I was a bit disappointed since there were ebird reports of Vermillion Flycatchers and Whooping Cranes really close by. My consolation prize was seeing 2 lifer Limpkins at Disney. If one wasn't calling, I probably would have missed them. I also got to see an Anhingha up close by the hotel. Also got to see Wood Storks fly overhead at the hotel. List of birds I saw on the trip: Wood Storks, Palm Warblers (lots of them), Grackles (everywhere), Yellow Rumped Warblers, Yellow Throated Warbler!, Black/ Turkey Vultures, Crows, Comorants, Catbirds, Ring Billed Gulls, Sapsucker, White Ibis, Red Shouldered Hawk, Osprey, Mottled Duck?, Paula, Titmouse, Limpkins, Wood Ducks, Anhinghas, White Eyed Vireo, Tri Colored Heron, Purple Martins. I didn't get a great look but think I saw a Sandhill Crane by the airport and a hawk that I still can't identify. I was wondering if it was a dark morph Short Tailed Hawk or a Great Black Hawk. It appeared all black and had white flanks on it's tail. It was in the air and I was in an uber and didn't get great looks at it. Unfortunately, won't know for sure.
Went to the preserve to see my FOS Red Winged Blackbirds. Also saw a female Pintail that I think overwinters here each year.
I saw 2 Red Tailed Hawks in my neighbor's tree. They were shrieking too - my kids were outside and got to see them and hear them too. They were impressed with the shrieking.
This is a new location for me. There has been reports of 3 PineWarblers, a Nashville Warbler, Yellowlegs, Long Billed Dowitchers, Wilson's Snipes, and a Eurasian Teal here. The shorebirds were too distant in the NW corner and I didn't bother with my scope to look harder for the Dowitchers and Snipes. I didn't see the Nashville Warbler but did see the 3 Pine Warblers, a Cooper's Hawk and Red Tailed Hawk. I'm fairly certain I spooked a Rusty Blackbird.
