Massapequa Preserve

Yesterday evening I stopped by the preserve to look for new migrants - I walked on the Greenbelt Trail between the two main ponds North of Clarke Street.  There were a lot of Yellow Rumped Warblers and Blue Grey Gnatcatchers by Pittsburgh Avenue but no other migrants.  Juding from last year it seems they show up here in more modest numbers by mid-May.  I also found a Kingfisher by the "bamboo grove".

Syosset Woodbury Park

I was in the area so stopped at Syosset Woodbury Park - around the picnic area under the pine trees and the nature trail - was hoping for some warblers, but all I found were Robins, a Flicker and a Chipping Sparrow.

Massapequa Preserve and Bryant Park

I stopped at Massapequa Preserve before work this morning and although it was very “birdy” I didn’t see any new migrants.  Cardinals, Robins, Red Winged Blackbirds, Grackles were all over as well as Downy Woodpeckers  - a Carolina Wren put on a show singing for the sunrise and a pair of Red Bellied Woodpeckers put on their own kind of show.  There’s a nesting pair of Mute Swans on the smaller pond.

***I only saw the red morph Screech Owl for the last few weeks – can someone please message me if you see the grey one?  A few local birders and myself are concerned if something happened to it.  (not assuming the worst yet)

During my break, I walked over to Bryant Park with my friend and local NYC birder Mike (has a thing for Juncos in Wyandanch and Grackles) – we just saw Song and White Throated Sparrows – we talked to another birder who also noted it was slow, but mentioned he saw a Hermit Thrush and a Swamp Sparrow earlier.

Screech Owl - Massapequa Preserve

Great Egret - Massapequa Preserve

Downy Woodpecker - Massapequa Preserve

Mute Swans - nesting pair - Massapequa Preserve

Carolina Wren - Massapequa Preserve

Red Bellied Woodpecker - Massapequa Preserve

North and South Shores

Today I was out from sunrise to sunset at the following locales: Jones Beach, Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area, Mill Pond (Bellmore), Bayville, Oyster Bay Wildlife Refuge, Muttontown Preserve, Bailey's Arborteum, St John's Pond, Cold Spring Harbor, Uplands Farm Sanctuary, Heckscher Park (Huntington), Lloyd Harbor, Caumsett, Tackapausha and Massapequa Preserve.

Some places were almost lifeless, while others had a lot of activity - overall total was 75 species - Bailey's Arborteum was TEEMING with Yellow Rumped, Palm Warblers and Blue Gray Gnatcatchers..also a Pine Warbler.  I was giving myself whiplash from trying to keep up with all the activity.

Robins, Common Grackles, and Ospreys seemed to be everywhere.  Highlights were:

Jones Beach West End: Towhees, Brown Thrashers and 3 Kestrels on the median, 4 Harlequin Ducks, both Loons, Long Tailed Ducks, Black Scoters, and Piping Plover (and seals) by the inlet
Oceanside Marine Study: 2 Glossy Ibis, Great and Snowy Egrets
Mill Pond (Bellmore): Black Crowned Night Heron
Muttontown Preserve: Red Headed Woodpecker (not much else)
Bayville: 3 Horned Grebes (were not present anywhere else)
Lloyd Harbor: 6 Greater Yellowlegs, Bufflehead

Kestrel - Jones Beach West End

Common Loon - Jones Beach Coast Guard Station

Towhee - Jones Beach West End

Red Throated Loon - Jones Inlet

Piping Plover - Jones Beach West End

Harlequin Ducks - Jones Inlet

Oystercatchers - Jones Beach West End

Oystercatchers - Jones Beach West End

Great and Snowy Egrets - Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area

Great Egret - Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area

Great Egret - Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area

Snowy Egret - Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area

Glossy Ibis - Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area

Tree Swallow - Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area

Osprey - Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area

Snowy Egrets - Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area

Red-Winged Blackbird - Oceanside Marine Study Area

Red Headed Woodpecker - Muttontown Preserve

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher - Bailey's Arborteum

Cardinal - Bailey's Arborteum

Fish Crow - Cold Spring Harbor

Common Grackle - Heckscher Park

Mute Swan female - Heckscher Park

Greater Yellowlegs - Lloyd Harbor

Screech Owl - Massapequa Preserve

Red Bellied Woodpecker - Massapequa Preserve

Towhee - Jones Beach West End

Massapequa Preserve

I stopped by the preserve today shortly after sunrise - Robins, Goldfinches, Cardinals, Red-winged Blackbirds, Song and White Throated Sparrows, and Carolina Wrens were all singing.  I stopped by and saw the red morph Screech Owl.  A Kingfisher was flying along the stream - it stopped in front of the Screech Owl - I tried to get a photo of both, but the Kingfisher didn't stay in one spot long enough.

Screech Owl

Goldfinch

Carolina Wren

Common Grackle

Great Egret

Brown Headed Cowbird

Mockingbird

Massapequa Preserve

I walked along the pond by Pittsburgh Avenue this morning - Red winged Blackbirds, Cardinals, Sparrows, and Carolina Wren were singing.  There were a good amount of Goldfinches as well.  Also present were a Great Egret, Double Crested Comorant, and Yellow Rumped Warbler.  Most winter winterfowl seemed to have moved on (at least at this location) except for a Coot.

American Goldfinch

Coot

Bryant Park

With my friend Mike, we spotted 2 Hermit Thrushes in the Southeast corner of Bryant Park by the "shed".  Hoping the Spring weather will bring in some new and excting migrants.

Jones Beach West End, Massapequa Part 2

I went back to Jones Beach West End and Masspequa Preserve today- same as yesterday except there were ~10 Black Bellied Plovers and some Dunlin on the sandbar by the Coast Guard Station. There were ~ 20 female Brown Headed Cowbirds mixed in with a flock of Starlings on the median. Also saw my FOS Snowy Egret on Green Island.

At Massapequa Preserve, there seemed to be more photgraphers/ bird watchers on the scene than birds.

Eastern Screech Owl - Massapequa Preserve

Eastern Screech Owl - Massapequa Preserve

Snowy Egret - Green Island, Wantagh

Black Bellied Plovers - Jones Beach Coast Guard sandbar

Went back to Jones Beach West End and Masspequa Preserve today- same as
yesterday except there were ~10 Black Bellied Plovers and some Dunlin on
the sandbar by the Coast Guard Station. There were ~ 20 female Brown
Headed Cowbirds mixed in with a flock of Starlings on the median. Also saw
my FOS Snowy Egret on Green Island.

At Massapequa Preserve, there seemed to be more photgraphers/ bird watchers
on the scene than birds. - See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=665611&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.GJEIQFJj.dpuf

Went back to Jones Beach West End and Masspequa Preserve today- same as
yesterday except there were ~10 Black Bellied Plovers and some Dunlin on
the sandbar by the Coast Guard Station. There were ~ 20 female Brown
Headed Cowbirds mixed in with a flock of Starlings on the median. Also saw
my FOS Snowy Egret on Green Island.

At Massapequa Preserve, there seemed to be more photgraphers/ bird watchers
on the scene than birds. - See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=665611&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.GJEIQFJj.dpuf

Jones Beach West End, Massapequa

I stopped by the Jones Beach West End today - lots of Robins, Starlings, and Red-winged Blackbirds. There were a decent amount of Flickers and 4 Killdeer were in the median by the booth. Also saw 2 Phoebes. At the Coast Guard Station, there were at least 6 Horned Grebes - some with great plumage. Common Loons and Long Tailed Ducks were still present. A lone Oystercatcher was on the sandbar that leads to "the Spit".  By the Coast Guard gates, a group of ~10 Cedar Waxwings landed in the trees.

At Massapequa Preserve, the red morph Screech Owl was visible. I saw a pair of Brown Headed Cowbirds there and a pair has been hanging out by the bird feeder in my yard all day.

Eastern Phoebe - Jones Beach West End

Horned Grebe - Jones Beach Coast Guard Station

Cedar Waxwings - Jones Beach Coast Guard

Eastern Screech Owl - Massapequa Preserve

Brown Headed Cowbird - my yard (Massapequa)