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| Mallards |
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| Gulls, Comorant |
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| Mallard |
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| Muscovy hybrid |
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| Bufflehead |
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| Red Winged Blackbirds |
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| Black Duck |
"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)
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Massapequa Preserve
On Saturday, I checked out some of the ponds and streams at the Preserve - the temperature was in the teens and the birds looked like they were trying their best to stay warm. I saw a report of a Muscovy hybird on Long Island Wildlife (FB page) and did connect with my target bird. A group of ~ 6 Red Winged Blackbirds was a treat - giving hope that Spring might actually come.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Massapequa, Massapequa Preserve
Massapequa Preserve was relatively quiet on Sunday - a few American Wigeons, Hooded Mergansers, Mallards, a Great Blue Heron - only thing a little unusual was a Hermit Thrush.
At my house, there were some American Goldfinches at the feeders - the black and white back pattern was impressive up close. While outside taking down the Christmas lights I heard a metallic "scratching noise" then saw a Sharp Shinned Hawk or a Merlin swooping down the street. It must have been perched on my chimney cap or gutters.
At my house, there were some American Goldfinches at the feeders - the black and white back pattern was impressive up close. While outside taking down the Christmas lights I heard a metallic "scratching noise" then saw a Sharp Shinned Hawk or a Merlin swooping down the street. It must have been perched on my chimney cap or gutters.
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| American Goldfinch |
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| Great Blue Heron |
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| Great Blue Heron |
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Massapequa - Backyard Birding
I was checking out the action at my feeder - always nice to see "something" outside my window - but this time I noticed what resembled a "house sparrow with a junco tail" - not a hybrid, just an unusual specimen. Also saw a Fox Sparrow which is always a treat.
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| House Sparrow female with aberrant tail feathers |
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| Fox Sparrow |
Massapequa Preserve
I went back to the preserve today to check out the Orange Crowned Warbler in particular. When I went looking for it and the Nashville Warbler on a previous occasion I only "saw" the Nashville - it wasn't until I looked a photo that I realized I accidentally captured the Orange Crowned too - so long story short, I observed the OC this time so it actually counts as a "sighting".
Later on, I took my daughter to show her the red morph owl - always a good time looking at the owl and my daughter enjoyed the experience as well.
Later on, I took my daughter to show her the red morph owl - always a good time looking at the owl and my daughter enjoyed the experience as well.
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| Red morph Screech Owl |
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| Red morph Screech Owl |
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| Red morph Screech Owl |
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Long Island - Early January Updates
Normally each time I post I'll list the locations but since I was all over Long Island I'll make a generalization showing the recent sightings. Highlights for me were some "lifers" including American Bittern, Nashville and Orange Crowned Warblers, Eurasian Teal and Blue morph Snow Goose. I got a photo of the Barnacle Goose from the side. Some things not photographed but worth mentioning were 2 Hermit Thrushes seen and chirping to each other, Great Horned and Screech Owls were heard. Many duck species were seen including a pair of Mergansers.
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| Snow Buntings |
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| Glaucous Gull |
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| Mockingbird |
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| Boat Tailed Grackle - one of 2 seen at Jones Beach Field 10 |
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| Canvasbacks |
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| Canvasbacks |
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| Scaup |
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| Eurasian Teal, Green Winged Teal |
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| Snow Goose, Blue Morph, Canada Geese |
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| Barnacle Goose |
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| American Bittern |
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| Common Eider |
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| Purple Sandpipers |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Common Eiders |
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| Gannet |
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| Greater White Fronted Geese |
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| Bald Eagle - juvenile |
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| Nashville Warbler (left), Orange Crowned Warbler (right) |
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Jones Beach Field 10, West End...first 2015 lifer...Black Headed Gull
After seeing reports for a few days of a Black Headed Gull, I headed down to Jones Beach Field 10 where a few other birders pointed it out to me - it circled around the bay and landed in the water long enough for me to get a decent shot. I also stopped by the Coast Guard Marina where the highlights were a good number of Bonaparte Gulls.
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Bonaparte Gulls |
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Massapequa Preserve
I started the new year off birding Massapequa Preserve - beautiful but cold morning and lots of birds were out. My first photograph for 2015 was a Grackle - common birds were abundant in the preserve - about 25 species in the 90 minutes I was there. Highlights were around a hundred Robins north of the Doris Place pond, 3 woodpecker species and a Hermit Thrush.
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| Grackle |
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| Hermit Thrush |
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| Hairy Woodpecker |
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| Downy Woodpecker |
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| Mallard and Wigeon |
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| Wigeon pair |
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| Robin |
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| Wigeon |
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| Robin |
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| Chickadee |
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Looking back on 2014 it was a very lucky year for me with 62 "lifers" which brings my life list to 240 species seen in the United States. I tried to pick a top 5 list but it was difficult for me to pick just 5. So this is my "Unoffcial top 5 list" for 2014:
5. Northern Wheatear
4. Cassin's and Couch's Kingbirds
3. Long Billed Dowitcher
2. Rusty Blackbird
1. Marbled Godwit
I will also make a special note about the Red and Grey Screech Owls I've seen at Massapequa Preserve. I've seen the Grey one recently, but the Red one has been MIA for some time.
Looking ahead to 2015, I'm going to make the same prediction I made last year and say that I'll see 10 new species in the upcoming year. I'm not going to bet whether I reach this goal because I'm superstitous about these sort of things. My target birds for the year are American Bittern, Pectoral Sandpiper, Whimbrel, and Bicknell's Thrush.
5. Northern Wheatear
4. Cassin's and Couch's Kingbirds
3. Long Billed Dowitcher
2. Rusty Blackbird
1. Marbled Godwit
I will also make a special note about the Red and Grey Screech Owls I've seen at Massapequa Preserve. I've seen the Grey one recently, but the Red one has been MIA for some time.
Looking ahead to 2015, I'm going to make the same prediction I made last year and say that I'll see 10 new species in the upcoming year. I'm not going to bet whether I reach this goal because I'm superstitous about these sort of things. My target birds for the year are American Bittern, Pectoral Sandpiper, Whimbrel, and Bicknell's Thrush.
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