Jones Beach West End, Jones Inlet

I spent the later part of the day and into the evening at the West End - I tried looking for a reported Vesper Sparrow and Lark Sparrow but didn't have much luck - songbird numbers seemed a lot lower than recent trips - even Yellow Rumps seemed scarce.  Tree Swallows were still around but in less numbers.

I walked passed the swale and onto the beach - I found the Peregrine Falcon perched on a fence.  I made the long journey to the jetty stopping every now and then to look out onto the ocean  - saw gulls and Gannets and a bird that I could not ID stealing food from another bird.  On the inlet I saw Ruddy Turnstone, Dunlin and Sanderlings.  A Red Throated Loon flew overhead and I spooked up a single FOS Snow Bunting in the dunes.

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Gannett

Gannett

Bryant Park, NYC

Checked around for migrants - the skating rink is still being built but I was still able to find a Hermit Thrush, Overnbird, a pair of Common Yellowthroat Warblers as well as the expected sparrows.

Massapequa Preserve

I tried looking around the "Doris Place pond" for Eurasian Wigeon but didn't find any - thinking maybe the increase in dogs (a lot of them are unleashed) might be scaring them away. 

I also tried looking around the pond by Pittsburgh Avenue but only saw a Coot.

Massapequa Lake: Ducks!

Great spot for ducks, also very scenic with the foliage.  Seen today within a half hour: Mallards, Black Duck, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Ring Necked, Pintail, Lesser Scaup, Shovelers, Hooded Mergansers, Coots, Pied Billed Grebes, Wood Ducks (around the island)

Coot

scenic photo

scenic photo

scenic photo

scenic photo

scenic photo

Mute Swan

Pied Billed Grebe

American Wigeon

Great Blue Heron

Wood Ducks

waterfowl mix

waterfowl mix

Double Crested Comorant

scenic photo

scenic photo of the "Dorus Place Pond"

Massapequa, Bryant Park, NYC

Saw a few birds on my morning commute - there was a "flyctacher" resembling a Phoebe by the Massapequa train station - caught my attention because it was unusually vocal - had to catch the train so couldn't get a better view - I'll have to assume it was a Phoebe.

At Bryant Park they've been constructing the skating rink/ winter wonderland thingy so space is limited - did see an Ovenbird, Starlings, White-Throated and Swamp Sparrow.

Jones Beach West End, Robert Moses State Park

I spent a lot of the morning looking for the Chat but it never showed up - lots of Yellow Rumped Warblers and sparrows were everywhere.  I did get a nice look at 2 Lark Sparrows - I got a good photo of the "better" looking one as it crossed into the Coast Guard area.  The other was preening itself in the "hedgerow".  I looked for Red Headed Woodpeckers seen the last few days but didn't have any luck.  There were 2 Northern Harriers flying over the dunes.

There were lots of Brants at Zachs Bay and a nice surprise were 2 Green Winged Teal.

I tried looking for the juvenile Red Headed Woodpecker and also had wishful thinking about the Western Kingbird at Robert Moses but didn't locate either - there were a lot of Flickers on the golf course.  On the ocean there were lots of gulls in the surf and on the beach.  Terns were moving west along the coast - the only positive ID I got were Forster's.

When I returned to the west end I walked the median to the turn around and back.  I found a juvenile White Crowned Sparrow at the turnaround, a few Kinglets, Phoebes, Flickers, and there were some Merlins in the area.  One was particularly aggressive chasing around for it's dinner.

Lincoln's Sparrow

Baltimore Oriole

Common Yellowthroat

Lark Sparrow

Lark Sparrow

Yellow Rumped Warbler

Surf Scoter

(duck)

tagged Canada Goose

(sparrow)

shorebird mix

shorebird mix

Swamp Sparrow

Boat Tailed Grackle

Northern Flickers

gulls (assuming Laughing)

Green Winged Teal, Brant

Merlin

Eastern Phoebe

White Crowned and White Throated Sparrows

Cedar Waxwings

Jones Beach Coast Guard Station, Massapequa

I tried again briefly for the Chat, but no luck - Yellow Rumped Warblers and sparrows were still abundant.  While leaving the area, I saw a Cooper's Hawk?  flying over the West End.

My consolation were some nice backyard birds - a Phoebe that stuck around most of the day and a Savannah Sparrow.

Eastern Phoebe in my yard!

Brant

(sparrow in my yard - think White Throated)

Eastern Phoebe

Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Jones Beach Coast Guard Station: JUST SPARROWS...Lark Sparrow and Vesper Sparrow

I sped down to the Coast Guard area since there was a report of a Chat and Lark Sparrow which would be great lifers for me - they have been reported recently in various areas.  There has been reports of Red Headed Woodpeckers also so would have been nice to get a better photo than the lifer I had at Muttontown Preserve last year.

I tried for the Chat but it never came out when I was there...I was able to see the Lark Sparrow - someone let me use their scope so I got a good look at it - what a beauty.  A nice surprise was a lifer Vesper Sparrow - I got a quick look at it before it disappeared (saw the white eye ring)  Yellow Rumped Warblers and sparrows were all over the place: White-Throated, Swamp, Song, Savannah, Chipping, White Crowned, Lincoln's, and Field (and House).  The Tree Swallows were still gathering and the large flock by the West End Swale was impressive.

The Brants have arrived in decent numbers - on the sandbar, there were a good numbers of Dunlin.