Connetquot State Park, Oakdale

I was recently a Connetquot State Park  - my target birds were the 2 recently reported Red Necked Grebes.  I didn't find them but I couldn't stay long either to do a decent search.  It seems I've been having bad luck with target birds recently- but I did eventually get good pics and looks at Redheads and the female King Eider.  Not sure why I seem to have bad luck with target birds since I was lucky to find the feeding Red Tailed Hawk and Screech Owl at Massapequa Preserve and seem to have a habit of finding "off season" birds in our area. Perhaps I do best when I don't have anything specific that I'm looking for.

Anyway, the main lake at Connetquot had an impressive number of waterfowl: Gadwall, Hooded Mergansers, Ring Necked Duck, and American Wigeons.  I was surprised to see so many drake Common Mergansers and was about to get a photo of one when I saw an adult drake Eurasian Wigeon that reminded me of the 3 impressive ones I saw last winter at Massapequa Preserve.  Didn't get a great pic but had to try for nostalgia's sake.

Eurasian Wigeon and Gadwall

Jones Beach, Point Lookout, Sands Point, Lake Capri, Gilgo Beach, Massapequa Preserve

I started out at Jones Beach West End - I saw about 10 Horned Larks on the road.  At the Coast Guard Station notable birds were Long Tailed Ducks, Common and Red Throated Loons, Horned Grebe and a female Common Goldeneye. I came back in the afternoon and also found about 10 Sanderlings on the spit and 2 Great Comorants by the commercial fishing lot. I searched in vain for the Northern Shrike.

Drove up to Sands Point to look for the reported Barrow's Goldeneye and Red Necked Grebe - total waste of time.  Lake Capri in West Islip had 3 drake and 2 female Redheads (North side)  I tried looking for the Gyrfalcon by Gilgo Beach, but no luck - I did find a Pergerine Falcon on a perch and a Harrier.  I saw a Yellow Rumped Warbler off Ocean Parkway.  There wasn't not much going on at Point Lookout besides gulls on the jetty because of the dredging - there was one seal in the inlet.

I figured I'd try my luck back home at the Massapequa Preserve since I haven't been there in a while - was by far the best spot of the day - highlights were an odd Muscovy/ Mallard? Hybrid by the bike bridge at Brady Park, a Red Tailed Hawk - just caught a Green Winged Teal for dinner- sadly, it was not a quick death for the teal.  Carolina Wrens, Song Sparrows and Robins were all around, also saw a Kingfisher and Catbird.  At dusk, saw a mouse hopping on the trail 10 feet in front of me, then all of a sudden, an Eastern Screech Owl swooped in and took it up to a tree.  The Hybrid and Eurasian Wigeon were all the way up by Linden Street.  Also saw a fox in the nearby tall marsh grass. 

Eastern Screech Owl - Massapequa Preserve

Eurasian Wigeon and American Wigeon - Massapequa Preserve

Robins - Massapequa Preserve

Mallards - Massapequa Preserve

American Wigeon - Massapequa Preserve

Coot - Massapequa Preserve

Muscovy/ hybrid? - Massapequa Preserve

Red Tailed Hawk at the "attack site" - Massapequa Preserve

Red Tailed Hawk with Green Winged Teal

Red Tailed Hawk with Green Winged Teal
(later/ more graphic images are not included)

Pergerine Falcon - Gilgo Beach

Redheads - Lake Capri, West Islip

Massapequa Preserve and South Oyster Bay

Massapequa Lake was mostly frozen but while I was there, 3 Blue Jays were flying over Merrick Road.  I drove down to the lot at the end of Alhambra Road to scan the bay but all I could find were gulls and geese.  I tried the lake by Brady Park and was surprised that it wasn't frozen on the east side - there were lots of gulls on the iced area - on the water were coots, gadwall, mallards, and pied billed grebes.  Along the water's edge, there were 3 Great Blue Herons.

Blue Jays

Pied Billed Grebes

Great Blue Herons

North and South Fork: Montauk, Hamptons, Orient Point, Greenport

I didn't let the snowstorm stop me - I managed 21 species Monday - nothing unusual except a lot of Robins - they were the most abundant songbird during the 2 days. (~120)  Of course Tuesday was the better day - I focused on the bays and ocean. Between both days had a total of 43 species.

I finally located one of the King Eiders at Shinnecock Inlet - (she) was very distinct from the Common Eiders so perhaps weather conditions were to blame for my previous unsuccessful attempts.  Although all 3 scoters and Common Eider were present around most locations, the largest numbers I saw were definitely by Shinnecock Inlet.  Common Loons seemed to be everywhere - oddly, I only saw 4 House Sparrows and 2 Mallards during the entire trip.

White Winged Scoter, Gosman's Dock, Montauk (during snowstorm)

Seagulls, ocean, by S Edgemere Street, Montauk

mix Common Eiders, Black Scoters, ocean, by S Edgemere Street, Montauk

mix Black, White Winged, Surf Scoters, seen from cliffs at Camp Hero, Montauk

Black Scoters, Montauk Point

Scoter mix, Montauk Point

Black Scoters, Montauk Point

 

Great Comorant, Lake Montauk inlet

Common Eider, Lake Montauk inlet

Common Loon, Lake Montauk inlet

Mute Swans, Canvasbacks, Mill Creek, Water Mill

Common Eiders, Gull, by Shinnecock Inlet

Surf Scoter and Common Eider, Shinnecock Inlet

Surf Scoters, Shinnecock Inlet

Scoter mix, Shinnecock Inlet

King Eider and Common Eider (females), by Shinnecock Inlet

Ruddy Turnstone, Shinnecock Innlet

Sanderling, Shinnecock Inlet

Red Breasted Merganser, Shinnecock Inlet

Black Ducks, Shinnecock County Park West (off Dune Road)

Hawk, along Route 25 around East Marion

Gulls at Orient Point

Common Goldeneye, Surf Scoters, Long Tailed Tailed Ducks, off Orient Point

House Finch, Orient Point State Park

Great Blue Heron, Orient Point State Park

Horned Grebe, Greenport

South Shore from Shinnecock Inlet to Jones Inlet

I drove out east and birded back going west.  Heading down Ponquogue Ave, there was a large flock of 75+ Robins eating berries in the trees and on he nearby houses.  On Shinnecock Inlet I was on the west side of the inlet and met a fellow birder- I could not locate the King Eiders again - I know what to look for, but I guess the waves made it difficult. Present were all 3 Scoters, Scaup, Red Breasted Mergansers, Horned Grebe, a Ruddy Duck, Common Eiders and there were a decent amount of Bonaparte Gulls mixed in with the usual types.  Saw a loon that I need to ID - probably a Common Loon but looked small.  (also saw a seal again)  

At Patchogue Lake (following a previous report from ABA) I finally located and took good photos of 3 Redheads (2 drakes, 1 female)  Besides Mallards, Gadwall, Wigeon, Shovelers, Coot, and Wigeons, there were at least 8 Northern Pintails.

At Gilgo/ Cedar Beach Marina I tried looking for the Gyrfalcon but could not locate it - found a Harrier and Pergerine Falcon instead looking for dinner along the parkway.

At Jones Bach West End: did a big search but could not find the Northern Shrike - I found an American Pipt, 2 Redwing Blackbirds, a Flicker, House Finches, Horned Larks and a flock of Snow Buntings touched down in front of me on the dunes right before sunset.

Robin

Bonaparte Gull

Common Loon

Black Scoter, Common Eider, Surf Scoter

Redheads, Northern Pintail

Redheads

Northern Pintail

Mallard pair

Bufflehead

American Pipit

House Finch

Snow Buntings

Snow Buntings

I drove out east and birded back going west. Highlights were:

On Ponquogue Ave, waiting for everyone to drive into the school lot, there
was a large flock of 75+ Robins eating berries in the trees

Shinnecock Inlet: was on the west side of the inlet and met a fellow birder
- I could not locate the King Eiders again - I know what to look for, but I
guess the waves made it difficult.
Saw all 3 scoters, Common Eiders and a decent amount of Bonaparte Gulls.
Saw a loon that I need to ID - probably a Common Loon but looked small.
(saw a seal again)

Patchogue Lake: (followed previous report from north side of lake by the
bridge) about 8 Pintails and 3 Redheads (2 drakes, 1 female)

Gilgo/ Cedar Beach Marina: tried looking for the Gyrfalcon but could not
locate it - found a Harrier and Pergerine Falcon instead

Jones Bach West End: did a big search but could not find the Northern
Shrike - found an American Pipt, House Finches, Horned Larks and a flock of
Snow Buntings touched down in front of m - See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=613241&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.DYxqhY9E.dpuf

I drove out east and birded back going west. Highlights were:

On Ponquogue Ave, waiting for everyone to drive into the school lot, there
was a large flock of 75+ Robins eating berries in the trees

Shinnecock Inlet: was on the west side of the inlet and met a fellow birder
- I could not locate the King Eiders again - I know what to look for, but I
guess the waves made it difficult.
Saw all 3 scoters, Common Eiders and a decent amount of Bonaparte Gulls.
Saw a loon that I need to ID - probably a Common Loon but looked small.
(saw a seal again)

Patchogue Lake: (followed previous report from north side of lake by the
bridge) about 8 Pintails and 3 Redheads (2 drakes, 1 female)

Gilgo/ Cedar Beach Marina: tried looking for the Gyrfalcon but could not
locate it - found a Harrier and Pergerine Falcon instead

Jones Bach West End: did a big search but could not find the Northern
Shrike - found an American Pipt, House Finches, Horned Larks and a flock of
Snow Buntings touched down in front of m - See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=613241&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.DYxqhY9E.dpuf

I drove out east and birded back going west. Highlights were:

On Ponquogue Ave, waiting for everyone to drive into the school lot, there
was a large flock of 75+ Robins eating berries in the trees

Shinnecock Inlet: was on the west side of the inlet and met a fellow birder
- I could not locate the King Eiders again - I know what to look for, but I
guess the waves made it difficult.
Saw all 3 scoters, Common Eiders and a decent amount of Bonaparte Gulls.
Saw a loon that I need to ID - probably a Common Loon but looked small.
(saw a seal again)

Patchogue Lake: (followed previous report from north side of lake by the
bridge) about 8 Pintails and 3 Redheads (2 drakes, 1 female)

Gilgo/ Cedar Beach Marina: tried looking for the Gyrfalcon but could not
locate it - found a Harrier and Pergerine Falcon instead

Jones Bach West End: did a big search but could not find the Northern
Shrike - found an American Pipt, House Finches, Horned Larks and a flock of
Snow Buntings touched down in front of m - See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=613241&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.DYxqhY9E.dpuf

I drove out east and birded back going west. Highlights were:

On Ponquogue Ave, waiting for everyone to drive into the school lot, there
was a large flock of 75+ Robins eating berries in the trees

Shinnecock Inlet: was on the west side of the inlet and met a fellow birder
- I could not locate the King Eiders again - I know what to look for, but I
guess the waves made it difficult.
Saw all 3 scoters, Common Eiders and a decent amount of Bonaparte Gulls.
Saw a loon that I need to ID - probably a Common Loon but looked small.
(saw a seal again)

Patchogue Lake: (followed previous report from north side of lake by the
bridge) about 8 Pintails and 3 Redheads (2 drakes, 1 female)

Gilgo/ Cedar Beach Marina: tried looking for the Gyrfalcon but could not
locate it - found a Harrier and Pergerine Falcon instead

Jones Bach West End: did a big search but could not find the Northern
Shrike - found an American Pipt, House Finches, Horned Larks and a flock of
Snow Buntings touched down in front of m - See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=613241&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.DYxqhY9E.dpuf