Connetquot State Park, Oakdale

I stopped by Connetquot State Park to check out the waterfowl on the pond - found a drake Northern Pintail, a large flock of Gadwall with Ring Necked Ducks mixed in and a single Lesser Scaup. Mute Swans, Mallards and a Great Blue Heron were also present.  On the pond closer to Sunrise Highway I saw a pair of Northern Shovelers and possibly a hybrid Eurasian Wigeon but could not re-locate it to confirm.

Northern Pintail

Gadwall

Ring Necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup

Great Blue Heron

Massapequa - Backyard Birding

A few chickadees have been at the feeders since Saturday - they seem calm and were in one spot long enough so I could get some good pics.

Chickadee

Forest City Community Park, Wantagh

I had some time to stop by the pond at this park for a short time - a lot of the pond was iced over, but found 2 juvenile Common Mergansers and 2 Ringed Necked Ducks mixed in with some Mallards.  Was foggy from the sudden higher temps (around 50).

Common Merganser

Ring Necked Ducks

North Shore: Centerport, Oyster Bay, Bayville, Glen Cove

My target birds for the day especially on the north shore were Redhead and White Wing Scoter  - I successfully found both.  The Snow Buntings were a nice surprise.

Red Tailed Hawk - East Beach, Glen Cove

Horned Grebe - East Beach, Glen Cove

Scaup, Bufflehead - East Beach, Glen Cove

Brant - Bayville

White Winged Scoter - Bayville

Common Goldeneye - Bayville

Snow Bunting - Oyster Bay, Centre Island

Canvasbacks, Hooded Merganser, Green Winged Teal, Ringed Necked Duck, Canada Goose - Centerport

Redhead, Canvasback - Centerport

South Shore: Jones Beach, Point Lookout, Captree State Park

On Thursday, I was all over the North and South Shores: Jones Beach, Point Lookout, Gilgo, Cedar Beach, Captree, Robert Moses State Park, Lake Capri, Sunken Meadow State Park, Centerport, Huntington Harbor, Cold Spring Harbor, St John's Pond, Oyster Bay, Bayville, and East Beach (Glen Cove).  I usually stay on the south shore, but figured I'd give the north shore some attention for a change.  Many of the harbors were frozen from the recent single digit temperatures.  Robert Moses was quiet except for a few Buffleheads and a single Gannet flying by.  I tried looking but could not find the Gyrfalcon at Captree or the Northern Shrike at Jones Beach West End.  I was lucky to locate the 7 Harlequin Ducks at Point Lookout and some good pics of Goldeneye at Captree.

Common Goldeneye - Captree State Park

Red Breasted Merganser - Captree State Park

Harlequin Ducks - Point Lookout

Harlequin Ducks - Point Lookout

Bonaparte Gulls

Long Tailed Duck - Point Lookout

Common Eiders - Point Lookout

Greater Scaup - Jones Beach Coast Guard Station

Lesser Scaup - Jones Beach Coast Guard Station

Scaup, Ruddy Ducks - Zachs Bay

I was all over the North and South shores today: Jones Beach, Point
Lookout, Gilgo, Cedar Beach, Captree, Robert Moses SP, Lake Capri (West
Islip), Sunken Meadow SP, Centerport, Huntington Harbor, Cold Spring
Harbor, Oyster Bay, Bayville, East Beach (Glen Cove). I usually stay on
the south shore, but figured give the north shore some attention for a
change,
- See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=600695&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.5UjUh2Xd.dpuf

Bayville

I had some time to take a ride to the North Shore, so stopped by Oyster Bay and Bayville.  In Oyster Bay I saw large groups of Buffleheads (largest group seen from West Shore Road) and Scaup sp. (most seen near Centre Island) From the parking lot of Stehli Beach in Bayville, I saw two groups of Common Goldeneye (lifer) The closer group had about 10, the further group had about 30.  I also saw a few drake Red Breasted Mergansers near the shoreline.

Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye and seagull

Happy New Year!

2013 was a good year - saw lots of lifers -so far, my life list is 171 species photographed in the USA and around 5 that were seen but not photographed.  I'm hoping to add at least 10 new species to the list in 2014- we'll see how I do a year from now.  Started the new year taking a few pics from inside the house this morning - was lucky to see a goldfinch, song sparrow and white-throated sparrow at the feeders this morning. Looking forward to a good year.

Goldfinch

Mourning Dove

Starling

Goldfinch and House Sparrow

House Sparrow

White Throated Sparrow