Hempstead Lake State Park

I started at HLSP around dawn and birded for almost 5 hours - Redstart females and Robins were very abundant - hightlights include 2, possibly 3 Yellow Throated Vireos, Canada Warbler, Chestnut Sided Warbler, good amount of Black and White Warbler, calling Eastern Wood Pewee and a flycatcher which I can best determine to be a Yellow Bellied Flycatcher.  Jones Beach and Southard's Pond were not particularly noteworthy.

Canada Warbler

Jamaica Bay East Pond, Hempstead Lake State Park

Went to J-Bay with Snouty to get in some shorebirding - there weren't much in numbers but we got some variety: Pectoral Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpipers, White Rumped Sandpipers, and Short Billed Dowitchers.

I later went solo to check out Hempstead Lake State Park and found a flycatcher that appeared to be a good candidate for a Yellow Bellied Flycatcher - unfortunately, it got chased away by a territorial Hummingbird - I went back the next day and didn't find the YB Flycatcher bu did find a Canada and Worm Eating Warbler.

Massapequa Preserve, Nissequogue River State Park

I went to Massapequa Preserve early in the morning - highlights were 2 Black and White Warblers, and a continuing Muscovy.  I went with Snouty to look for a reported Franklin's Gull the day before at the south shore beach lots but only saw Laughing Gulls.  We went to Nissequogue to look for Otters - didn't see them but found Northern Waterthrush, Wood Pewees and another empid that we couldn't ID - possibly a Wood Pewee but had a light colored chest.

Avalon Park and Preserve, EPCAL

I went back to Avalon to look for Indigo Buntings and Hummingbird Moths - I didn't see the moths, but did see a pair of Indigo Buntings.  I checked out EPCAL and the surrounding areas - highlights were ~6 Indigo Buntings, Wood Pewee, Red Tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Great Crested Flycatchers, 1 Grasshopper Sparrow, House Wrens, Chipping Sparrows and fairly sure I saw a Blue Gray Gnatcatcher and a Pine Warbler.

Avalon Park and Preserve, Stony Brook, Caleb Smith, Blydenburgh Preserve

Went to Avalon - highlights were 7 young Ring Necked Pheasants, a group of Orioles (Baltimore), and a singing Blue Winged Warbler.  Stopped by Caleb Smith and Blydenburgh - highlight was a Louisiana Waterthrush!

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area

I went to "J-Bay" to look for a reported Acadian Flycatcher but didn't have any luck...I didn't have much luck with shorebirds either - highlights were lots of egrets, a Green Heron and ~6 Hummingbirds on the west side.  This was the first time I've visited since the breach on the west side pond had been fixed.  I went to Oceanside mostly to look for a continuing reported Snow Goose, but didn't see it - highlight was seeing several Saltmarsh Sparrows.

Scalzi Riverwalk, CT: King Rail

There were reports of a continuing King Rail near Stamford so I took a chance with Snouty to go try and see it.  At first it seemed doubtful we would find it and we saw an entertaining Green Heron up close that kept our spirits up.  Long story short, we got the King Rail by working as a team and I yelled over to Snouty when I first spotted the bird creeping through the "brush" near the stream.  It came out in the open briefly before hiding in the weeds again.  Later reports suggested the King Rail was molting perhaps explaining why it was in such an odd location.  Also saw a nice looking Great Egret, Grackles, Swifts and Goldfinches.  A Red Tailed Hawk was overhead calling.  (Lifer #349 for continental USA)

King Rail

King Rail

King Rail

Green Heron

Green Heron (was going for an "artsy" photo)