Eastport, Dune Road, Montauk

I saw recent reports of a Ross's Goose in Eastport and Ash Throated Flycatcher in Montauk - I tried thinking I would get 2 easy lifers but didn't find them.  My consolation was finally a decent look and photo of my "nemesis bird" from last winter - an American Bittern.  I saw one last year but only for a second.  There was lots of action off Montauk Point and Gosman's Dock - lots of Scoters, gulls, both loons and some Gannets.  On several occasions the gulls mobbed the loons who were catching fish - the gulls also were diving into the water for fish.  Only other bird that stood out was a Bonaparte Gull by Gosman's.

Ring Necked Pheasants

Buffleheads

American Bittern

American Bittern

Gannet

Gulls and Loons

Scoters and Eiders

Bonaparte Gull

Capri Lake, West Islip: Tufted Duck

I saw a report of  Tufted Duck and I was on the road 15 minutes after it was reported - I saw it through a fence and it was somewhat hiding behind a small island but I wasn't complaining.

Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck

Cedar Beach Marina

I tried looking for a Gyrfalcon that had been at Cedar Beach (south shore) for a few days - didn't find it - just Harriers and Great Blue Herons.

Northern Harrier

Northern Harrier

End of the Wild Goose Chase (mostly): Cackling Goose

Last winter and the last few weeks I've been trying to chase reports of rare geese especially Cackling Geese - well, I finally saw them today.  Two were reported at Flushing Meadows around Meadow Lake.  After getting lost in the mess of nearby roads I got into the park and spotted a good size flock of Canadas - I scanned the flock and almost immediately picked out a Cackling Goose but it disappeared into the crowd.  I got out of the car and found 2 and got good views of them.

Cackling Goose

flock of Canada Geese with 2 Cackling Geese

Cackling Goose

Cackling Geese

Cackling Goose

Cackling Goose

Cackling Geese

Cackling Geese

The Prospect Park Painted Bunting

There has been a Painted Bunting seen in Prospect Park for about a week now - it's become so popular that it was reported in the New York Times, NY Post, CBS, Weather.com, etc.  I finally had a chance to go see it Sunday morning so I got on the road by 5:37am and took a drive - I got a decent parking spot next to the park and quickly began my search for it.  When I arrived I was the only one looking for it so didn't have the convenience of a big crowd to look out for.  I looked around the skating rink and decided to walk around some more since it wasn't even sunrise yet.  I went up the hill near the skating rink and as I was heading down the path towards a lawn (around sunrise/ 7am)I saw a bright flash of green - it was unmistakable - I knew I had the bird.  I got a few bad photos but moved too fast on the bird, spooking it to fly to a pine tree.  As I walked over to it I saw it fly back to it's original location.  I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice so I went into "stealth mode" and was able to get good looks at the Painted Bunting from a few feet away. Other birders came but eventually the Bunting went MIA.  Later on it reappeared higher up on the hill where it attracted a large crowd.  I got another look at it and took a few more photos. I left after that feeling content since I had some time to myself to enjoy the bird.

I also saw a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, a pair of Cardinals and lots of Song Sparrows.  There were a lot of Northern Shovelers on the lake, as well as Canada Geese and Coots. There was a large flock of gulls towards the other side - I didn't have time to look at them and assumed they were all common types, but later on someone reported a Black Headed Gull among them.  I ended the morning with a Red Tailed Hawk welcoming me back home at the Massapequa exit off the Southern State.

Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting

Cardinal

some of the crowd

Northern Shoveler

Painted Bunting

Red Tailed Hawk

Wild Goose Chase (here we go again)

On Friday and Sunday I took a drive through Farmingdale and stopping at Belmont Lake looking for rare geese - there had been reports by Riverhead of Ross's (hunter got it), Cackling and Pink Footed and at Hook Pond, East Hampton of Tundra Swans and Greater White Fronted Geese.  I figured there was a good chance of finding some nearby but had no luck.  There was a report of Greater White Fronted Geese at Belmont Lake on Saturday so the chase begins.  Hopefully I'll see at least one more lifer goose this winter - same thing happened last year when I was chasing Greater White Fronted and a Barnacle - but I eventually did find them.

Hooded Merganser

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving - besides a turkey seen today, I went to the Massapequa Preserve with my son to find recently posted Great Horned Owls from Facebook page Long Island Wildlife.  It took some time, but I finally found one in the northern part of the preserve.

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl