Prospect Park: Varied Thrush

I tried earlier in the week before work with Mike Zito to see this bird but didn't have any luck.  Just saw a late Phoebe.  When the bird was reported in the morning, I figured I had a better chance to see it considering it was the weekend and more birders would be looking for it.  I drove to Prospect Park which I usually avoid doing and when I got there, no one knew where it was.  A few other birders next to me and I heard someone shout they had the bird so we ran over where they were.  It was uphill from the bridge and I was able to get "good enough" looks at it.  Nice to get a lifer but I have to say the overall experience wasn't pleasant.  The ride sucked, most of the other birders seemed rude and some guy wouldn't shut up about his knowledge about Varied Thrushes.  It was time to go after getting a few crappy shots.  Not the way I like to start birding in the new year.

Happy New Year

The past year was very interesting and I was happy to see some nice rarities.  My trip to California was awesome - definitely want to go back for another vacation and birding.  I loved seeing lots of Marbled Godwits all over the beach and Long Billed Curlews.  Black Phoebes and the hummingbird were some of the "cuter" birds I remember from the trip.  It was nice to end the year with the local Townsend's Warbler.  Hoping to see some cool birds in 2020.

MASSAPEQUA: Townsend's Warbler

(Massapequa in caps because I live there)  So, I saw a Townsend's Warbler was ebirded and then emailed to the Listserv at night on the 28th - it was part of the Christmas bird count, but not sure why it wasn't reported on time so others could see it - I won't get into that here.

So, early next morning before sunrise, I met Mike Zito to look for the bird at Phillip Healey Park in Massapequa.  The warbler had been reported to be in the 3 pine trees by the entrance.  After a little while a bird that looked "different" flew by and into the pines - it was the Townsend's Warbler.  The last time I knew one was on Long Island was also in Massapequa (preserve) back in April 2002.

Nice to have a rarity in my hometown - several days later, a Black Headed Gull was reported at the same park.  I had a feeling it was a good spot for gulls.

Heckscher State Park: Northern Shrike

I started the day birding with Snouty and we saw a couple cool things: the continuing Common Gallinule at Mill Pond, a Black Bellied Plover at Point Lookout parking lot with a beige tinge on the bottom, a weird hybrid type Mallard at Nickerson and I spotted a glimpse of a Lapland Longspur there also among a flock of Horned Larks.  I picked up my son from early dismissal when Ken Feustel reported a Northern Shrike at Heckscher.  I gave my son lots of snacks for the car ride, promised him McDonald's and picked up Snouty.  When we got there, no one knew where the Shrike was but then it flew over my car and into the marsh.  It was later seen in the trees far behind the marsh but another birder had a scope so I got a good look at it.  I used my 200x zoom Canon to get some documentary type shots.  Glad to get this lifer since I missed it the last 2 times I tried for it on Long Island.

Common Gallinule

Mallard - domestic/ hybrid

Northern Shrike

Northern Shrike

Notes from California trip: Pelagic Comorant

I went through my photos from California and saw a few Comorants that looked "different" to me.  I had a hunch they might be Pelagic Comorants and posted one photo from Cambria that confirmed my hunch. 

Jones Beach, Ocean Parkway

I drove in the snow to Mill Pond in Bellmore to look for the continuing Chat but it's either gone or I missed it again.  There were a lot of nice "common" birds there with a lot of cool ducks.  I drove down by Ocean Parkway where I'm fairly certain I found a continuing Rough Legged Hawk perched at the JFK Sanctuary.

Hempstead

Went to see the Harlem Globetrotters with the kids at Nassau Coliseum - saw a random Snow Goose near the Nassau Community College entrance.  Cool that my kids saw it.  (At least I thought so)