Tackapausha Nature Preserve, Seaford

My daughter wanted to go to Tackapausha to see her "baby owl friend" (actually a Screech Owl) in the exhibit building and then later decided she also wanted to explore the trails and see the ducks at the pond. (ofcourse I didn't object) We didn't see much on the trails: just one or a few of each: Red Bellied Woodpecker, Grackle, Red Winged Blackbirds, Cardinal, Robins, Mourning Dove, Sparrow sp. and heard a Carolina Wren. Just saw Mallards on the pond but was good enough for my daughter. The highlight was that we were treated to some good views of a Great Horned Owl perched
and flying in front of us.

Mallard

Red Winged Blackbird

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

My daughter wanted to go to Tackapausha to see her "baby owl friend"
(actually a Screech Owl) in the exhibit building and then later decided she
also wanted to explore the trails and see the ducks at the pond. (of
course I didn't object) We didn't see much on the trails: just one or two
of each: Red Bellied Woodpecker, Grackle, Red Winged Blackbirds, Cardinal,
Robins, Mourning Dove, Sparrow sp. and heard a Carolina Wren. Just saw
Mallards on the pond but was good enough for my daughter. The highlight
was that we were treated to some good views of a Great Horned Owl perched
and flying in front of us. - See more at: http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=640711&MLID=NY01&MLNM=New%20York#sthash.OTVQniOk.dpuf

Massapequa Preserve

I was at Massapequa Preserve Saturday around the parking lot and pond by Pittsburgh Avenue.  Song Sparrows, Cardinals and Red Wing Blackbirds were singing so hopefully that's a good sign that Spring is on the way.  Also saw Common Grackles, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Downy Woodpecker, Crows, and a Catbird (probably overwintering)

On the pond, there were mostly Mallards and Ringed Billed Gulls.  There were also a few Mute Swans, Black Ducks, Canada Geese and an American Wigeon.  A nice surprise were 4 Common Mergansers - a drake and 3 females.

Common Grackle

Common Merganser - male

Common Merganser - female

Backyard Birding - Massapequa

I went out in the yard hoping to find early migrants or one of the random hawks that sometimes fly overhead.  Saw a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Junco, Robin, Gulls, Pigeons, but mostly House Sparrows and Starlings.  A blackbird, possibly a Redwing or Grackle flew by a neighbor's house but I wasn't able to ID it.  I heard Cardinals and a Song Sparrow singing their Spring songs.

House Sparrow

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Robin - photo from last weekend

Jones Beach West End, Meadowbrook Parkway, Part 2

Thanks for everyone's help with the blackbird ID from yesterday - most are saying they were Boat Tailed Grackles and not Rusty Blackbirds.

At the Coast Guard Marina I saw the same waterfowl as Saturday - a female bufflehead and 2 Horned Grebes as well as 2 Common Loons and Brant.  There were more birds on the median today: Killdeer, Juncos, Mockingbirds.  I met a very pleasant couple looking for a light phase/ghost Northern Harrier, but we found a typical one over the dunes.  A crowd was gathered observing a Snowy Owl.

Along the Meadowbrook, I saw the previously reported Rough Legged Hawk and also 3 Red Tailed Hawks.

Red Winged Blackbird on left

Northern Harrier

Killdeer

Boat Tailed Grackle

Red Tailed Hawk

another Red Tailed Hawk

Rough Legged Hawk

Massapequa Preserve, Jones Beach West End, Meadowbrook Parkway

I was at Massapequa Preserve around 2:30 but not much going on (only there 30 minutes) I was mainly looking for the Screech Owl, but found an American Wigeon, Mallards and Chickadees.

I drove to Jones Beach West End around 4pm - at Field 10, saw one loon and gulls...the Coast Guard Station marina had a female Bufflehead with 2 Horned Grebes as company, also saw 2 Long Tailed Ducks in the distance. Nothing going along the road or median, but there was a Snowy Owl on top of one of the dunes.

I drove North on Meadowbrook Parkway looking for the reported Rough Legged Hawk, but only found a juvenile Red Tailed Hawk. I saw about 100 blackbirds  - with help from some ABA  - they're actually Boat Tailed Grackles (not Rusty Blackbirds).

American Wigeon - Massapequa Preserve

Horned Grebe - Jones Beach Coast Guard

Snowy Owl - Jones Beach West End

Boat Tailed Grackles

Boat Tailed Grackles

Red Tailed Hawk (juvenile) - off Meadowbrook Parkway

Great Backyard Bird Count

I figured I should participate in the 2014 Great Backyard Bird Count over the next days.  I tend to interpret things literally so I stayed in my yard even though the Bird Count allows bird watchers to report birds from any location.  I was hoping to report something exotic but even though I live a few blocks from Massapequa Preserve, I rarely see unusual birds from my yard.  I was happy with what I observed on my first day (56 birds, 14 species) since I feel it represents what I typically see from my yard (which is the purpose of the bird count.)  I also reported a Carolina Wren and Sharp Shinned Hawk which seem somewhat common around my area.

http://gbbc.birdcount.org/

 

The count has begun! Join us now

February 14–17, 2014

White Throated and Song Sparrows

Starling

Cardinal and White Throated Sparrow

White Throated Sparrow

Junco