Massapequa Preserve - "the" Red Morph Screech Owl is back

I stopped by the preserve to try to find the recently reported Woodcock and Wilson's Snipe - even though I've seen Woodcocks at Bryant Park a few times, I thought it would be nice to see them at "my preserve".  I struck out on both but was surprised to see the original Red Morph Screech Owl in the original tree.  Just to make sure it wasn't the second "new" one,,,I went down by Brady Park and confirmed they were 2 different Red Morphs.

Also seen were a Winter Wren, Northern Pintail, Black Duck, Mallards, American Wigeons.  A Kingfisher was heard, but not seen.

Lots of Red Winged Blackbirds were actively singing in the reeds by the Walker Street lot, as well as Cardinals and Song Sparrows.  Hopefully that means Spring is on the way...

the "original" Red Morph Screech Owl

the "new" Red Morph Screech Owl

Jones Beach

I drove down to Jones Beach just for the chance to see something from the car...there was a recent report of a Long Eared Owl so I figured was worth a shot.  On the way before Ocean Parkway, I saw 2 Snow Geese in the median.  

I met up with another birder who brought me to where the owl was - I could've got a better photo if I got closer but didn't want to disturb the owl.  Soon after, another birder pointed out he just saw a Short Eared Owl over the dunes - I saw a dark silhouette which he confirmed was the Short Ear - I sped over to the West End 2 lot - got good views of the Short Eared Owl - put on a good show - at one point it was tussling with a Northern Harrier - the Harrier got the heck outta there.

Two lifers within minutes - can't beat that.

Snow Geese, Canada Geese

Long Eared Owl

Short Eared Owl

Short Eared Owl (left), Northern Harrier (right)

Massapequa Preserve, Massapequa

I stopped at Massapequa Preserve to check out the previously reported possible hybrid Ross/ Snow Goose. I don't see anything indicating a hybrid - looks like a Snow Goose to me - in any event it was very vocal with the Canada Geese - it was at the Pittsburgh Ave Pond and the stream south of Clark St. Also in the stream, but North of Clark St was a continuing male Wood Duck. Other waterfowl included Pintail, Bufflehead, Ruddy, Black Duck, Coots and Mallards - many walking on the ice giving good photo ops.

At my house (2 blocks from the preserve) Cardinals and Song Sparrows were singing.

Snow Goose

Snow Goose

Snow Goose

Wood Duck

Bufflehead

Coot

I stopped at Massapequa Preserve to check out the previously reported
possible hybrid Ross/ Snow Goose. I don't see anything indicating a hybrid
- looks like a Snow Goose to me - in any event it was very vocal with the
Canada Geese - it was at the Pittsburgh Ave Pond and the stream south of
Clark St. Also in the stream, but North of Clark St was a continuing male
Wood Duck. Other waterfowl included Pintail, Bufflehead, Ruddy, Black
Duck, Coots and Mallards - many walking on the ice giving good photo ops.

At my house (2 blocks from the preserve) Cardinals and Song Sparrows were
singing.
- See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=868066&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.3TMut2Ux.dpuf

I stopped at Massapequa Preserve to check out the previously reported
possible hybrid Ross/ Snow Goose. I don't see anything indicating a hybrid
- looks like a Snow Goose to me - in any event it was very vocal with the
Canada Geese - it was at the Pittsburgh Ave Pond and the stream south of
Clark St. Also in the stream, but North of Clark St was a continuing male
Wood Duck. Other waterfowl included Pintail, Bufflehead, Ruddy, Black
Duck, Coots and Mallards - many walking on the ice giving good photo ops.

At my house (2 blocks from the preserve) Cardinals and Song Sparrows were
singing. - See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=868066&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.3TMut2Ux.dpu

I stopped at Massapequa Preserve to check out the previously reported
possible hybrid Ross/ Snow Goose. I don't see anything indicating a hybrid
- looks like a Snow Goose to me - in any event it was very vocal with the
Canada Geese - it was at the Pittsburgh Ave Pond and the stream south of
Clark St. Also in the stream, but North of Clark St was a continuing male
Wood Duck. Other waterfowl included Pintail, Bufflehead, Ruddy, Black
Duck, Coots and Mallards - many walking on the ice giving good photo ops.

At my house (2 blocks from the preserve) Cardinals and Song Sparrows were
singing. - See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=868066&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.3TMut2Ux.dpuf

I stopped at Massapequa Preserve to check out the previously reported
possible hybrid Ross/ Snow Goose. I don't see anything indicating a hybrid
- looks like a Snow Goose to me - in any event it was very vocal with the
Canada Geese - it was at the Pittsburgh Ave Pond and the stream south of
Clark St. Also in the stream, but North of Clark St was a continuing male
Wood Duck. Other waterfowl included Pintail, Bufflehead, Ruddy, Black
Duck, Coots and Mallards - many walking on the ice giving good photo ops.

At my house (2 blocks from the preserve) Cardinals and Song Sparrows were
singing. - See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=868066&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.3TMut2Ux.dpuf

I stopped at Massapequa Preserve to check out the previously reported possible hybrid Ross/ Snow Goose. I don't see anything indicating a hybrid - looks like a Snow Goose to me - in any event it was very vocal with the Canada Geese - it was at the Pittsburgh Ave Pond and the stream south of Clark St. Also in the stream, but North of Clark St was a continuing male Wood Duck. Other waterfowl included Pintail, Bufflehead, Ruddy, Black Duck, Coots and Mallards - many walking on the ice giving good photo ops. At my house (2 blocks from the preserve) Cardinals and Song Sparrows were singing. Good birding, Rob in Massapequa www.longislandbirding.blogspot.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.co... http://www.NortheastBirding.co... http://www.NortheastBirding.co... ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/ny... 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdi... 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailin... Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird... --

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  Jan 29, 2015
  By Nate Swick and George Armistead 2013 was an incredible year for vagrants, particularly unexpected ones, and a hard…
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  Jan 25, 2015
  A bird walk yesterday morning led by Huck Hutchens at Estero Llano Grande State Park in Hidalgo Co, Texas,…

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- See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=868066&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.3TMut2Ux.dpuf

I stopped at Massapequa Preserve to check out the previously reported possible hybrid Ross/ Snow Goose. I don't see anything indicating a hybrid - looks like a Snow Goose to me - in any event it was very vocal with the Canada Geese - it was at the Pittsburgh Ave Pond and the stream south of Clark St. Also in the stream, but North of Clark St was a continuing male Wood Duck. Other waterfowl included Pintail, Bufflehead, Ruddy, Black Duck, Coots and Mallards - many walking on the ice giving good photo ops. At my house (2 blocks from the preserve) Cardinals and Song Sparrows were singing. Good birding, Rob in Massapequa www.longislandbirding.blogspot.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.co... http://www.NortheastBirding.co... http://www.NortheastBirding.co... ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/ny... 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdi... 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailin... Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird... --

ABA's FREE guide to
gear

ABA's FREE guide to
listing & taxonomy

ABA's FREE guide to
conservation & community

ABA's FREE guide to
travel

ABA Blog » #abarare

• #ABArare – White-throated Thrush – Texas
  Feb 7, 2015
  On February 6, 2015, Todd McGrath found an ABA Code 4 White-throated Thrush at Estero Llano Grande State Park…
• #ABArare – Fieldfare – Nova Scotia
  Feb 2, 2015
  On January 31, Kathleen Spicer discovered an ABA Code 4 Fieldfare visiting a fruiting apple tree in her garden…
• #ABArare – Common Scoter – California
  Feb 1, 2015
  On January 25, Bill Bouton found and photographed an apparent Common Scoter in the Crescent City boat basin in…
• The TOP 10: Best ABA Area Vagrants of 2014
  Jan 29, 2015
  By Nate Swick and George Armistead 2013 was an incredible year for vagrants, particularly unexpected ones, and a hard…
• #ABArare – Gray-crowned Yellowthroat – Texas
  Jan 25, 2015
  A bird walk yesterday morning led by Huck Hutchens at Estero Llano Grande State Park in Hidalgo Co, Texas,…

Subscribe to this Feed

FeedWind

Get Flight Calls, the ABA newsletter, delivered to your inbox each month...

• Email:

- See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=868066&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.3TMut2Ux.dpuf

Great Backyard Bird Count

This year's Bird Count was from Friday, February 13th - Monday February 16th - since the weather was bad and I was home anyway, I made a good attempt the count the birds outside my window by the bird feeder - also scanning the sky for anything that might be passing over.  Although I did not see a continuing Chipping Sparrow that has been around, I was happy with the results because I feel like they are generally typical of what I've been seeing around my neighborhood recently.  I've been noticing Mallards have been landing in my area recently so was pleased when I saw a small flock flying low.  The only "miss" that I wish I saw was the one or 2 random raptors that usually are seen around my house.

Red Bellied Woodpecker - not seen on Bird Count

Chipping Sparrow - not seen on Bird Count

Cardinal - from Bird Count

Jones Beach, Massapequa Preserve, Point Lookout, Mill Pond, Bellmore

For the most part, I was the only birder out today - it was cold and blustery again, but that didn't stop me - the birds are out all the time.  I caught up with a small group of songbirds feeding on the exposed grasses - saw Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, Chipping and Song Sparrows and several Lapland Longspurs.  A large Crow caught my eye making me think it could be a Raven - I'm still undecided if it was an unusually large Crow or a Raven.

Massapequa Preserve was largely uneventful except for a Hermit Thrush - Point Lookout had some activity, a decent amount of Bonaparte Gulls was most notable. 

Mill Pond hosted a decent amount of waterfowl (mostly Shovelers) and at least 6 Great Blue Herons.  A Pied Billed Grebe "photobombed" my shot of a Hooded Herganser.  Either the same one or another caught a fish and I was able to get a photo.

Lapland Longspur

Lapland Lonspur, Snow Bunting

Lapland Longspurs

Lapland Longspurs

Lapland Longspurs, Snow Bunting

Horned Larks

Savanah Sparrow

Large Crow or Raven?

Hermit Thrush

Brant, Bonaparte Gulls

Northern Shovelers

Hooded Merganser, Pied Billed Grebe

Ruddy Duck

Great Blue Herons, Common Merganser

Pied Billed Grebe with dinner