Massapequa: Raven

I was driving down up Route 107 around Southern State Parkway and saw some Crows chasing something - turned out to be a Raven which landed on a small building.  The Raven was a bit small but definitely a Raven.

EPCAL, Avalon Park Preserve, Seatuck, Robert Moses State Park

I took a trip east with my birding buddy Mike to EPCAL - his target bird was a male Blue Grosbeak, mine was a good look at aa Grasshopper Sparrow - we first tried the spot across from the runway and did see quick glimpses of Grasshopper Sparrows (heard also).  We then parked at J&R's Steakhouse and took the trail across the street.  We saw a good amount of Indigo buntings along the way, Baltimore Orioles, Eastern Kingbirds, Swallows and right before leaving we saw a pair of Blue Grosbeaks.

We then drove to Avalon for our target bird Northern Bobwhite - I figured at the very least it was worth a visit since Mike had never been there.  We didn't see any Bobwhites, but did see an Orchard Oriole fly by, the nesting Comorants and a Black Crowned Night Heron down a small turtle

I stopped by Seatuck to try my luck for Bobwhites  -I found about 50 chicks but they were in a cage - I guess waiting to be released so I can't count those.  A quick drive down by Robert Moses was rewarded with a nie view of a Barn Swallow.

Blue Grosbeak

Black Crowned Night Heron

Bobwhites (captive)

Barn Swallow

Blue Grosbeak pair

Jamaica Bay East Pond

I went to Jamaica Bay because someone reported an Acadian Flycatcher.  I didn't see it but did see the Barn Owls in their nesting box at Big John's Pond, Black Skimmers, Glossy Ibis and Yellowlegs on the East Pond and a flyover cuckoo.

Jamaica Bay East Pond: Wilson's Phalarope

There was a recent report of a Wilson's Phalarope at the "raunt' section of the East Pond  -when I arrived I looked for it but no luck - I did see some terns, Black Skimmers and some Glossy Ibis well south of the raunt.  As I was leaving I spotted a sandpiper near the Glossy Ibis.  Since there were no other shorebirds around I guessed it could the Wilson's Phalarope - it was very distant but a zoomed in photo at 120x confirmed it.

Wilson's Phalarope

Cutchogue, North Fork: Purple Martins

I went to Cutchogue to try to find Bobwhites since they were recently reported there - did not see any but was pleased to see a bird house in a marsh with Purple Martins - a "NY State lifer" for me.  Also saw Red Tailed Hawks around and a Turkey Vulture above the LIE around exit 70.

Purple Martins

Massapequa Preserve

While my son was in school I checked out Massapequa Preserve - at the lake on Merrick Road I saw a Wood Duck..later, I walked from the Pittsburgh Avenue pond to the Brady Park pond occasionally going into the wooded trails.  I mostly took notice of butterflies and spiders but did see a Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, Baltimore Orioles, terns and a Black Crowned Night Heron at Brady Park, Red  Eye Vireo, heard a White Eye Vireo and again saw Warbling Vireos defending their space against other birds.

Uplands Farm Sanctuary, Cold Spring Harbor

I returned to see if I could find another Orchard Oriole - didn't find any.  Saw Baltimore Orioles, Yellow Warblers, Red Tailed Hawks soaring high above, but the most interesting thing I saw were a pair of Warbling Vireos chasing a Blue Jay.

Redwinged Blackbird