Registrar: Karen Asakawa
Trip Report: Miriam Rakowski
Participants: 8
Weather: Sunny, temperatures 33-52 F; light winds NW 7 to WSW 6 mph
Bird Species: 50
Our first stop at the Salt Marsh Nature Center in Marine Park was quite fruitful. We saw a lovely Pine Warbler on this very first day of spring—a “First of Season” bird for most of us. It was kind enough to allow us good looks as it moved from tree to ground. A Field Sparrow popped up soon after. This being “World Sparrow Day” made it even more enjoyable to see two Tree Sparrows as well as several Song Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos, all on the ground. In the course of the morning, we scoped many lovely ducks and our first and only shorebird species, a pair of striking American Oystercatchers, with their bright red bills.
We moved for lunch to Floyd Bennett Field, where we were welcomed by several American Kestrels perched on posts. Having heard about a Northern Shrike sighting, we waited a short time, hoping to see this rarity, but soon moved on, knowing there were other birds to be enjoyed. These included striking Long-tailed Ducks, some in lovely spring plumage with dark heads and bright pink bills. A first for many were five Great Cormorants, revealing their striking white hip patch.
Species Lists
Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Northern Shoveler
American Wigeon
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Oystercatcher
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Great Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
Accipiter sp.
Red-tailed Hawk
Downy Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
Field Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Pine Warbler
Northern Cardinal
