Registrar: Matthew Fischer
Participants: 9
Weather: Scattered clouds; temperature ~74°F; gentle NE breeze; humidity 48-49%
Bird Species: 61
The parks in the Jamaica Bay watershed surrounding JFK airport, collectively known as Baisleywild, named after farmer David Baisley who owned the land in the 19th century, are some of the most underrated and undiscovered birding spots in all of New York City. In order to tap into this potential, the Linnaean Society reached out to local Queens birding expert Joe Schiavone to create this brand-new trip.
We started off at Baisley Pond and were immediately treated to a Peregrine Falcon, later seen perched and apparently content, chasing Laughing Gulls over the lake. The waterfowl we spotted included Wood Ducks and an American Coot, but unfortunately we did not see the Common Gallinule that had been reported at the park recently. We circumnavigated the park and saw numerous warblers, including a Blackburnian and a Wilson’s. We had great views of some noisy Monk Parakeets attending to their nest, and at the end of the loop were treated to a Philadelphia Vireo.
Our next stop was Roy Wilkins, an active park with community gardens where we were treated to a Cooper’s Hawk, two American Kestrels, and a pair of Ravens. A quick peek into the Bluebelt Stormwater Management Facility gave us wonderfully close-up views of a very cooperative juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron.
After having lunch in the park, we circumnavigated Springfield Lake and had good views of a Belted Kingfisher. We ended the day at unkempt Idlewild Park, where we saw some late Snowy Egrets and another American Kestrel, who posed for us. Everyone on the trip came away with great memories and a much deeper understanding of the parks in the Jamaica Bay watershed.
Species List
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Mallard
American Black Duck
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
American Coot
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Monk Parakeet
Eastern Phoebe
Philadelphia Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Northern Cardinal
