Massapequa Preserve

I went to the preserve because I've been seeing Grackles around my house and wanted to check if any other blackbirds were around.  At first I saw a vocal Raven by the LIRR lot (which later flew over the Pittsburgh Ave Pond) and then found about 8 Red Winged Blackbirds calling near the Pittsburgh and "Doris Place" ponds.  Cardinals were also singing...saw lots of White Throated Sparrows, some Song Sparrows and was treated to 2 Fox Sparrows.

Raven

Jones Beach West End

We got hit with a nasty winter storm so I just took a drive around the West End and other fields a Jones Beach mostly looking for uncommon gulls  - highlight was a group of Black Bellied Plovers with 13 Red Knots at the WE 2 lot.  Was crazy windy out so these guys were hunkered down behind the snow in the lot.

Black Bellied Plover, Red Knot

JFK Wildlife Sanctuary, Jones Beach Coast Station

What seemed to be a lackluster day with Snouty changed when we visited the JFK Wildlife Sanctuary where we saw a Great Blue Heron and some Black Ducks...when looking at the heron, we noticed a Bittern nearby.  The Bittern was skittish but we did get some "just ok" looks at it.  At the Jones Beach Coast Guard grassy area we found a Snow Bunting and Lapland Longspur mixed in with a flock of Horned Larks.

American Bittern

Lapland Longspur

Floral Park, Massapequa

There was a female Yellow Headed Blackbird at someone's feeder in Floral Park from Long Island Wildlife.  I didn't visit but checked out the flock of Common Grackles in the neighborhood - there were hundreds but no YH Blackbird.

Around 5pm, I saw a Sharp Shinned Hawk in a neighbor's tree (by my house).

Cammann's Pond, Point Lookout, Jones Beach West End, Tackapausha, Massapequa Preserve

Stopped at Cammann's Pond and found the continuing Black Headed Gull.  There was too much construction going on by Point Lookout so didn't bother trying to go on the beach.  The other highlights were Snow Bunting at Jones West End and 3 Red Tailed Hawks flying over Tackapausha.  It was quiet at Massapequa Preserve but I did see the Screech Owl.

Black Headed Gull

Black Headed Gull

Massapequa

I've been hearing a Song Sparrow all morning - hopefully a sign that spring is not too far away.

Patchogue, Dune Road, Bellport

Snouty and I started out looking for a reported Tufted Duck at Swan Lake Patchogue and for gulls at Shinnecock Inlet - struck out since we didn't find our target birds, Glaucous or Iceland Gulls.  We were thinking our day was a waste until we drove down Dune Road and found an American Bittern.  Also saw a Great Blue Heron and juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron.  Things got even better when we found a Short Eared Owl.  A quick stop at the apartment complex behind the Brookhaven landfill paid off with a beautiful Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, flyover Raven and there was a large raptor-type bird by the landfill but I couldn't get a good look.

Black Crowned Night Heron

Short Eared Owl

Short Eared Owl

Glaucous Gull

Iceland Gull