California

I took a family trip to California...we started out at San Francisco, drove south along the coast to Los Angeles and back - stopped at Monterey, Cambria, Santa Barbara and vistas along the way.  I added about 28 lifers on the entire trip. 

Some of the birds I saw were incidental (example Band Tailed Pigeon at Disney) and others I found when I specifically went out birding.  I was surprised to see how common some species were in California compared to Long Island such as Marbled Godwits and Whimbrels seemingly "all over" the beach at Santa Barbara.  I was lucky to see a California Condor fly by at Nepenthe restaurant in Big Sur.  My main target bird was a Heerman's Gull and by the end of the trip I saw hundreds.  I thought I saw a lot of Western Kingbirds in Santa Barbara but I had some doubt that they could have been Cassin's Kingbirds. 

A few of my favorite birds was an Anna's Hummingbird that lived ouside our room in Santa Barbara (photo below) and 3 Red Necked Phalaropes that my daughter found, also in Santa Barbara.  Pelicans were plentiful.

Annas Hummingbird

Allen's Hummingbird

Acorn Woodpecker

Band Tailed Pigeon

Bewicks Wren

"Bicolored Blackbird"

Black Oystercatcher

Black Phoebe

Black Turnstone

Brandt's Comorant

Brewer's Blackbird

California Towhee

California Condor

California Gull

Heerman's Gull

Western Gull

California Scrub Jay

Black Eyed Junco

Elegant Tern

Hooded Oriole

Lesser Goldfinch

Long Billed Curlew

Olympic Gull (Western x Glaucous Winged)

Pigeon Guillemot

Red Necked Phalarope

Scaly Breasted Munia

Spotted Towhee

Stellers Jay

White Collared Swift

Wrentit

Nickerson Beach

There had been Black Terns reported at Nickerson Beach so I went one morning and finally lucked out and saw one -also saw several Gull Billed Terns.  I've seen Black Terns before but this was the first one I saw in breeding plumage - a lifer "black, Black Tern".

Black Tern

Cupsogue: Wilson's Plover, Cow Meadow: Black Bellied Whistling Ducks

Went with Snouty to find a continuing Wilson's Plover at Cupsogue - Snouty found it for me and we lucked out because that was the last day it was reported.  Later in the day we chased a report of 4 Black Bellied Whistling Ducks at Cow Meadow and we got to see them also.

Wilson's Plover

Black Bellied Whistling Ducks

Richard DeKorte Park, NJ: Curlew Sandpiper

Recently, I went to HLSP, Jones Beach, Muttontown and Heckscher State Park.  The highlights were 2 Bay Breasted Warblers at HLSP.  There has been some rarities in the area including a Swainson's Warbler in CP, Sage Thrasher and Burrowing Owl at Jaybay, Wilson's Plover at Cupsogue.  I went with Snouty to try for the Sage Thrasher but it wasn't seen today but we went to Richard DeKorte after to try for a Curlew Sandpiper that was seen 2 days? in a row.  We found others birders who had their sights on the Curlew and we were about to get decent scope views but it soon disappeared.  Other highlights were Marsh Wrens in the actual preserve and 2 random Ravens I saw on Long Island. - Jones Beach and Wantagh. 

Timber Point: Common Greenshank

I was notified of a report of a Common Greenshank at Timber Point golf course - at first I didn't think I could go but a series of unusual circumstances made it possible.  I didn't stay long but got decent looks at it.  It stood out from surrounding Greater Yellowlegs because it was much paler.  I could also see that the bird was more upturned than the Yellowlegs.  I was especially happy to get this lifer since there were reports of Golden Winged Warblers and Kentucky Warblers in the NYC area that I would like to see but wasn't able to.

Common Greenshank (center)

Early Spring Migration (mid April - May)

I haven't had many chances to go birding so I take every opportunity I can get even if it's for a short time in the local (Massapequa) preserve.  The biggest surprise was a female Purple Finch, also saw a Towhee.
 
There has been a Black Necked Stilt at the Nickeron parking lot that has since moved to Lido Preserve. 

Behind Metrotech, Brooklyn, I saw what I believe to be 2 Sandhill Cranes heading west.

I visited Bayard Arboretum and caught a quick glimpse of the annual Yellow Throated Warbler from the entrance. 

Yellow Warblers, Warbling Vireos, Baltimore Orioles, Northern Parulas, Chimney Swifts, and Forster's Terns are now obvious in the preserve, also had a male Redstart.  I also saw and heard Baltimore Orioles, Chimney Swifts, and Northern Parulas in my neighborhood. 

Manorville: Red Crossbills!

There were reports of Red Crossbills at the Paumanok Trail in Manorville - I had missed/ dipped on the Red Crossbills that had been at Jones Beach earlier in the winter so when I saw these were continuing, I made sure to try for them - I saw them - at least a handful on my first try.  Also seen were Pine Siskins and Bluebirds.  Since then, there has been at least one pair that hopefully will stick around and have babies, however, I don't plan on going back because of birders getting ticks on them.

Red Crossbill pair