Massapequa Prserve, Seamans' Neck Park, Tackapausha.

 The LIRR is no longer on strike so this is my last WFH day for a while.  I got a little extra early than I normally would - I went to the preserve first at my usual "patch" by Pittsburgh Ave hoping for some warblers. Not much luck with anything unexpected but did see a Coopers Hawk and good views of a Red Eye Vireo.  As I was leaving, I heard what sure sounded like a Willet but time was short so I didn't go back towards the pond to look for it. I was kinda bummed out since I "always find something" interesting at the preserve and right about when I was about to leave I saw a perched Turkey Vulture!  I took a shortcut where I went past Tackapausha pond - not much going on but saw a mom Mallard with some babies.  I was happy to arrive at Seaman's Neck Park where I heard some shorebirds upon my arrival.  It was a good visit since I saw a nice variety of shorebirds - most if not all that you would expect at the Jones Beach Coast Guard sandbar/ spit.  I was happy to see 2 Short Billed Dowitchers in the marsh somewhat close to me.  I also saw a Clapper Rail that seems to favor the cut near the edge of the marsh, Semi palmated Plovers, some Dunlin including one that was near me that I enjoyed looking at.  I saw a crow divebombing a Willet which was weird.  At first I thought I saw a Tri-colred Heron but turned out to be a Little Blue Heron but I'll take that too.

Massapequa Preserve - Red Eyed Vireos!

 I work from home today since the LIRR is on strike today (won't get into that) I went to the preserve for a while before work - not much with warblers - only saw the resident Yellow Warblers and a Black and White Warbler.  I was hoping to see a Red Eyed Vireos because last summer I think I went the whole summer without seeing one.  I used the Merlin App and it was continuously picking up it's singing.  I finally got to see one after a search.  I had realized that I have been hearing them for a while and dismissing them as Robins : )

Connecticut; Storrs, Glossy Ibis

 I was picking up my daughter from college so I checked out the rare bird alert for CT. There were reports of a Swainson's Warbler at least but I noticed a report of a Glossy Ibis right by my daughter's college UCONN. Before I picked her up, I looked for the Ibis and foudn it rather quickly - there were some geese and presumably Yellowlegs around it.  On the drive back, I believe I saw a Red Shouldered Hawk and saw 2 Black Vultures circling above one of the highways.

Massapequa house and preserve

 I worked from home today so had some time in the morning to go to the preserve.  Before I got up I heard a Baltimore Oriole calling so I knew some new birds had arrived.  I love hearing the orioles around my house.  I took my bike to the preserve, hoping to see some new warblers.  I only saw Yellow Warblers, but did get my first (bad) photo of a Baltimore Oriole.  When I got home, I was treated to my first yard Blue Eye Vireo!  Later on, I mailed a birthday card to my brother, I heard and saw a Baltimore Oriole in my neighbor's tree - I think the oriole has been around a few days.  Hoping some new arrivals arrive soon. 

Jones Beach West End, Lido Preserve, Nickerson, Camaan's Pond, Seaman's Neck Park: Tufted Duck, Clapper Rail

 I got up early hoping to do some birding since I haven't done much recently.  I got to Jones Beach Coast Guard station - not much there but did see Brant eating grass on the median, getting ready to migrate north soon.  I went to Lido, hoping to see FOS Glossy Ibis but was gross and cold there - I only saw some Yellowlegs and my FOS Tree Swallows.  Not much at Nickerson.  I stopped by Camaan's Pond where I got unsatisfying looks and photos of the Tufted Duck - I was hoping the tuft had grown but not really.  I was very disappointed with my morning so I stopped by Seaman's Neck Park.  I felt a little better since I saw my FOS Willets, and some Oystercatchers flying by and calling cheered me up.  I did hear Clapper Rails so I looked around and saw one coming towards me in a ditch/ cut.  Eventually he turned a corner and was out of sight, but I did manage a few good pics.  There were a lot of Brant in the fields also - getting ready for the migration soon.

Massapequa Preserve - Catbirds are back!

 I stopped by the preserve - bird of the day were the Catbirds who were back in full force! (meow)

Home, Baltimore Oriole?

 I think, but not sure I'm hearing a Baltimore Oriole in the neighbor's tree.

Home, FOS Chimney Swift

 I came home early and finished working so I had some time in the evening.  I took Stella for a walk and saw my FOS Chimney Swift.

Massapequa Preserve, Wantgh Park

 I saw a Yellow Warbler that was singing in the preserve - Merlin App ID'd it as a Cardinal?  Sometimes Merlin couldn't register anything even though the Yellow Warbler was 2 feet in front of me.  I saw a Palm Warbler also.  I tried going into Seaman's Neck Park but was locked, so went to Wantgh Park but the only highlight was a Snowy Egret.

Camaan's Pond - Tufted Duck - yes

 Saw the Tufted Duck?  The tuft was short but visible - was more visible when the wind picked up.

Camaan's Pond - Tufted Duck - no

 I tried for the continuing Tufted Duck at Camaan's Pond - no luck.

Massapequa Preserve: Pine Warbler, Red Breasted Nuthatch

 I stopped by the preserve before work - not much going on so I walked deeper into the woods and found more birds - I saw a Pine Warbler and a Red Breasted Nuthatch which I don't remember seeing in "my" preserve.

Jones Beach West End - Goshawk - no

 There was a continuing Goshawk at Jones Beach West End - since there wasn't much going on so I figured I would try for it - but didn't see it.  I saw Savannah Sparrows, Killdeer, Horned Larks in the dunes.  The Horned Larks were singing a lot.  I did see some Tree Swallows - not rare but they're back.  Ospreys were back also.

Tackapausha - Great Egret

 Was driving on Merrick Road with my son - noticed a Great Egret at Tackapausha - first of the season for Long Island?  Might be after checking e-bird.

Mystery Gull Sept 7 2025

 

Tour of Italy

 My wife and I are planning a trip to Italy in August -Rome, Ichia? and Sorrento.  Of course I'm planning on seeing lifers - hopefully a whole bunch.  I told my wife to be prepared for me to look cringe cause I'll have my camera and bins on me the whole time.  I'm hoping to see some T!ts : ) and a European Robin would be great, but looks like they might mostly migrate in the summer but some do stay around.

Massapequa yard, Eagles, Raven, Owl

 After getting hammered with snow recently, today was finally a nice break with warmer weather - the sky was clear and the birds seemed "happy" and were singing a lot - hearing cardinals, sparrows, grackles and possibly a Red Winged Blackbird.  I was outside and saw what I assumed were 2 Red Tailed Hawks soaring to the south, but I noticed some white on the tail of one.  I don't like to assume the ID of birds so I grabbed the bins and discovered that they were actually 2 Bald Eagles drifting north - I got some distant photos.  Later on, I saw a Raven going by.  I have been hearing/ seeing them regularly by me.  They almost seem more common than Crows by me.  There were also some gulls drifting high up in the sky.  On a side note, I heard a Great Horned Owl in the evening from the preserve.  I have been hearing them often enough lately.

 

Massapequa Preserve

 I needed to get out if only for a little while - I had seen another local birders report of a Canvasback at the preserve at the lake by the LIRR tracks.  I went over and found it right away and a Common Merganser flew in for a while - nice to see both up close - there were also a variety of domestic type Mallards that I wasn't aware of since I haven't been out birding in a while.

 

Common Yellowthroat from Sept 11, 2024 in my yard

 Old photo that was loaded on my laptop.  Periodically, I upload photos onto my laptop, then might post them on my blog and/ or a thumb drive to save them.  I'm stil behind on going through photos but starting to catch up!

 

Connecticut, Red Shouldered Hawk

 I drove my daughter up to college - on the way back I checked out the area around the hill by her college for Pileated Woodpeckers since they were recently ebirded there - no luck with that, but did see some flocks of Horned Larks on the roadside. (it had snowed the day before)  On the way home, somewhere in Conencticut, I'm fairly certain I saw a Red Shouldered Hawk perched on the side of the highway.

Massapequa Preserve, Cardinal singing

 On my walk to the LIRR, I heard a Cardinal singing - was nice to hear, but seems a little early?

Hartford, Connecticut, Barnacle Goose

 My son had a Volleyball tournament in Hartford Connecticut - we only went up for one day instead of the weekend since he had a conflict with religion class Saturday.  There were recent reports of a Barnacle Goose about 8 minutes away from the venue so we took a qukck detour and saw the goose quickly but it was a little obscured through a chain link fence.  The ebird reports that I had seen disappeared later that day - I saw some chat that the recent reports (there were a group of 3 Barnacle Geese also in Connecticut) implied that the recent sightings were captive/ escapee types.  With concerns of hunters stalking reports of waterfowl, it's hard to know exactly what's really going on.

 

Happy New Year!

 Just some quick notes for 2025.  I had around 9 lifers this year - only 2 were from Long Island, the rest from Curacao.  Looking ahead, I feel that I need to travel to increase my life-list (apparent more and more with every passing year)  I also added European Herring Gull to my life list - I feel that was the gull that was at Old Field Lighthouse some years ago.  I also added "Mangrove Warbler" since it was split from Yellow Warbler.  (our local Yellow Warbler is now known as Northern Yellow Warbler)

 There has been a Cassin's Sparrow at Montauk Point that would be a lifer for me - the problem is that I can't find a good day to see it since I would have to leave early in the morning and come back before my son's religous class etc.  If it sticks around, I might try to see it.  The reports have said that it will actually fly up to people - very curious - wish a lot of birds that I try to find were that easy!

Will see what the new year brings....