Registrar: Anne Lazarus & Kristin Ellington
Participants: 10
Weather: Overcast with a high of 55 and a low of 35 degrees, light rain with wind and rain picking up as the day progressed.
Bird Species: 35
During a break between two massive winter storm fronts, ten intrepid birders set out to look for ducks and other waterfowl on the lakes and coastal waters of Long Island. Although not an official part of our trip, most participants started or ended the day in Heckscher State Park, where a rare Mountain Bluebird was posing on the posts alongside the road. Seeing the gorgeous western bluebird was an exciting addition to our day.
At our first official stop along Patchogue Lake in Suffolk County, New York, we began assembling an impressive list of waterfowl. Across two different viewing locations, we spotted an incredible array of ducks, including Blue-wing Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, and Ruddy Duck. In addition to a large group of Canada Geese, Herring Gulls, and Great Black-backed Gulls, we identified was a Pied-billed Grebe and a few American Coot. Additional sightings include a Downy Woodpecker, a Mute Swan, and a Great Blue Heron, the first of the year for many. As we prepared to move on, the thrilling sound of a Belted Kingfisher zipping by reminded us to look for birds with our eyes and ears, not just our scopes.
Our next stop was Swan River in East Patchogue, Suffolk, New York. A noble Cooper’s Hawk greeted us at the Swan River Preserve, which likely was the reason we did not see the much-anticipated Virginia Rail, often seen in that location. However, we got some excellent looks at Green-winged Teal in the cattails. Other highlights include the lovely songs of the Black-capped Chickadee, Song Sparrow, and the Carolina Wren. Across the street, in the larger lake area, we were treated to more wintering ducks, including additional Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Pintail, another Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, and several Hooded Merganser.
As the fog and rain started rolling in at a rapid clip, our final stop was Eastport Lake, where we saw many of those same ducks while adding the American Black Duck, American Wigeon, and Common Loon to our list.
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Loon
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Cooper’s Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Gray Catbird
Mountain Bluebird
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
