Massapequa Preserve

I stopped at the north end of the preserve and around the "Doris Place" pond - did not see anything unusual: highlights were Warbling Vireos, Red Eye Vireo, Yellow Warbler, and Great Egret.

At home I heard and saw a female Rose Breasted Grosbeak across the street.

Great Egret

Massapequa Preserve

Was by the sw corner of Massapequa Lake this morning and saw a Blackburnian Warbler.  There was a report of a White Winged Dove and Bay Breasted Warbler at Jones Beach so I rsuhed over there but they were not refound.  Went back to Massapequa Preserve but this time by Pittsburgh Ave. and saw the typical birds for this spot: Osprey, lots of Baltimore Orioles and Yellow Warblers, Black and White Warbler, Northern Parula, Warbling Vireo, Red Eye Vireo.  Heard but did not see a Black Billed Cuckoo.

Swans

Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area, Hempstead Lake, Massapequa, Stillwell Woods

I decided to check out Oceanside if only to see a reported Tri-Colored Heron that had been reported for a few days of the ever-elusive Clapper Rails that are "rumored" to live there - I saw neither but did see a Saltmarsh Sparrow, Yellow Crowned Night Herons, Willets, Yellowlegs, Glossy Ibis, Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper and my FOS Green Heron.

I heard there was a Black Billed Cuckoo at HLSP but I couldn't locate it - my consolation prizes were a great looking Indigo Bunting and Redstart.

Across the street from my house I heard and saw a Northern Parula and saw 2 Black and White Warblers.

There was a report of both cuckoos and about 15 Bobolinks at Stillwell Woods in Syosset - I went there later in the day and was able to find some Bobolinks - about 7 at least.  Also heard a few Wood Thrushes.

Saltmarsh Sparrow

Yellow Crowned Night Heron

Redstart

Indigo Bunting

Northern Parula

Bobolink

Jones Beach, Hempstead Lake, Valley Stream, Heckscher State Parks: Black Throated Green Warbler

Started out at Jones Beach West End and the Coast Guard Station - besides expected shorebirds for May, 2 Short Billed Dowitchers, Common Yellowthroat, Towhees and Brown Thrashers, there wasn't much action.  I got a text from Rob P that Valley Stream had a good amount of my "nemesis bird" the Black Throated Green Warbler.  Not a lifer for me since I've briefly saw on last year but it always bothered me that I didn't get a great look at it.  When I arrived Rob P got me a Black Throated Green Warbler high up but I got good looks at it - it was actually then when I realized that I can take photos of birds high up that aren't just silhouettes if I use my manual setting.  Spent some time at Valley Stream and then checked out Hempstead Lake where I found some more Black Throated Greens on my own.  Between these 2 spots I also saw: Baltimore Orioles, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Warbling Vireos, Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers, a great looking Indigo Bunting, House Wren, Ruby Crowned Kinglet, Great Crested Flycatcher, Northern Parula, Black Throated Blue, Yellow Rumped, Ovenbird, Magnolia (FOS), Yellow, Black and White, Prairie, Redstart, and heard a Blackpoll in the same spot where I saw one the day before.

I went to Heckscher Park because a Bobwhite was seen the day before - didn't find it.  Since I was in the area I stopped by Timber Point Marina and was pleasantly surprised to see about 12 Short Billed Dowitchers, breeding pluamge Dunlins as well as Willett and Yellowlegs.  On the way back, I checked out Captree Island where I saw Yellowlegs, Willett, and a group of about 20 something Glossy Ibis.

Black Throated Green

Black Throated Green

Prairie Warbler

Rose Breasted Grosbeak

Tree Swallow

Short Billed Dowitchers

Glossy Ibis

Black Throated Blue

Hempstead and Valley Stream State Parks: Blackpoll

There was a major Spring migration fallout yesterday so I made sure I got out to look around if only for a few hours.  My first bird of the day was a Baltimore Oriole in my neighborhood so I figured I was off to a good start.  When I was at Hempstead Lake State Park I was a bit disappointed - only bird of note was a Great Crested Flycatcher.  A friend of mine was at Valley Stream where he saw 3 Yellow Billed Cuckoos and my "nemesis bird" the Black Throated Green Warbler.  I saw one last year but was only a quick glimpse.  I headed over to Valley Stream where I was again disappointed - didn't see much at first except for another Great Crested Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Northern Waterthrush, Hermit Thrush and a bunch of Yellow Rumped Warblers.  My luck changed as I was leaving when I found a Scarlett Tanager, Wood Thrush (heard also), Northern Parula and a lifer Blackpoll - all by the playground where my son was enjoying the nice day.

Baltimore Oriole (Massapequa)

Canada Geese

Scarlett Tanager

Wood Thrush

American Goldfinch

Blackpoll on bottom left?

Jones Beach West End, Hempstead Lake State Park: Cliff Swallow

I took a went around the Jones Beach West End swale and around the Coast Guard area looking for shorebirds - I found my FOS Semipalmated Sandpipers and Plovers, Spotted Sandpiper, and a pair of Short Billed Dowitchers.  I also saw Piping Plovers, Black Bellied Plovers and Dunlin in breeding plumage as well as 2 gulls trying to catch some goslings - luckily the parent geese chased away the gulls.

Hearing that a Cliff Swallow was seen, I headed over to Hempstead Lake State Park where I got my lifer Cliff Swallow as well as a Bank Swallow, Barn and Tree Swallows, Chimney Swifts and possibly a Northern Rough Winged Swallow also.  I did a brief check of the trees along the stream and found a singing male Redstart.

Piping Plover

Semipalmated Sandpipers

gulls trying to catch goslings

Dunlin

Black Bellied Plover

Short Billed Dowitcher

Cliff Swallow

Jones Beach Coast Guard Station, Prospect Park (Brooklyn): Cerulean Warbler

At the area by the Jones Beach Coast Guard Station there was a noticeable increase in shorebirds with a handful of Willets, a group of Yellowlegs and a Black Bellied Plover.

I saw a report of a Cerulean Warbler at Prospect Park - long story short, it was rough getting there and back to the park and getting to the bird.  I did see it and it was a lifer so can't complain about that.

Cerulean Warbler

Yellowlegs and incoming Black Bellied Plover

Yellowlegs

Great Egret

Willet