Registrar: Lisa Kroop
Participants: 10
Weather: 75 °F to 89 °F; humid, sunny; wind 4 – 7 mph
Bird Species: 55
The focus of our walk was nesting birds, and we started at Conference House Park to find them. Beginning along a lush, wooded path, we soon saw evidence of recently fledged birds. Our first sighting was a Gray Catbird in juvenile plumage, followed by robins with spotted breasts, a young Baltimore Oriole, and a White eyed Vireo trio moving in the upper reaches of nearby trees. We kept a lookout for nests, and saw some empty ones – a possible Cooper’s Hawk nest in good condition, a distant Bald Eagle nest, some dilapidated nests of unknown species, and one that was occupied by an alert robin looking back at us. After exiting the woods, we headed to the beach near the southernmost tip of Staten Island (and of New York State, as a sign nearby proclaimed). Beyond, in the bay, a colony of nesting Double-breasted Cormorants was occupying a channel marker, and further out, at the top of a lighthouse, an adult Osprey perched on its nest. Back on the beach there were Canada Geese with goslings and large numbers of starlings; and flying over the water, close in, were Common Terns, and many gulls. Leaving the beach, we entered a meadow where we heard and saw the first Indigo Bunting of what would become several for the day, and in a wetland area, we discovered two well camouflaged Green Herons.
Our next stop was Mount Loretto Unique Area. This time we began by walking through a meadow, where we spotted Red-winged Blackbirds singing and moving among the grasses and a Tree Swallow family in a tree. We paused to observe some dragonflies along the path, and then headed to a platform overlooking a large pond, where an enormous snapping turtle swam towards us, looking at us expectantly; we concluded that it was accustomed to being fed. We were excited to see Least Terns hovering over the water and plunging for food; there were four of them, and they were unexpected. There were also Great Egrets, a Green Heron, and several Ospreys flying by; singing Indigo Buntings, Warbling Vireos, and a Northern Mockingbird; and vocalizing Green Frogs and Bullfrogs. We were unsuccessful at finding a Willow Flycatcher, but we were rewarded with the song (and view) of a Blue Grosbeak, and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo was heard.
Following lunch, we headed to Lemon Creek Park, where there is a long-established Purple Martin community. We learned that the initial housing was built in 1953 by the ornithologist Howard Cleaves, and the structures have been maintained by volunteers ever since. The houses were vibrant with many Purple Martin adults and chicks. Above the adjacent water channel (Lemon Creek) we saw our first Forster’s Terns of the day.
Our final destination was Great Kills Park to see the Bank Swallows and their nests, and, possibly, the reported, rare-for-the-season Black Scoter. We didn’t find the Black Scoter, but we had a nice surprise seeing a Little Blue Heron on the mud flats, holding its own against a harassing Great Black-backed Gull. And sharing the mudflats with the Little Blue Heron were a pair of American Oystercatchers, a Snowy Egret, a Boat-tailed Grackle, and along the grassy edge – and easy to miss – a Yellow-crowned Night Heron. And all the while, the Bank Swallows were swooping and flying in front of us and along the sand bank below.
Many, many thanks to Howie for leading us on this trip. In spite of the hot and humid weather, we all had a really great time and saw some really great birds.
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
American Oystercatcher
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Least Tern
Forster’s Tern
Common Tern
Double-crested Cormorant
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Little Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Green Heron
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Great Crested Flycatcher
White-eyed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Fish Crow
Bank Swallow
Tree Swallow
Purple Martin
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Song Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Butterflies
Cabbage White
Summer Azures
Pearl Crescent
Odonates
Eastern Amberwing
Needham’s Skimmer
Slaty Skimmer
Blue Dasher
Herps
Common Snapping Turtle
Red-eared Slider
Mammals
Cottontail rabbit
Feral cat
