Central Park with Ken Chaya, Richard Lieberman, Will Papp, and Kevin Sisco, 4/12/2022

Registrar: Sally Weiner
Participants: 43
Weather: 50-52 F until 11am, with light rain; then rising to 64 F and becoming sunny
Bird Species: 62

Rain began just as everyone was assembling, and it persisted until about 11. This made for challenging conditions, especially for identifying silhouetted birds high in the trees. Starting as usual at Strawberry Fields, the groups made their way to Hernshead, the Upper Lobe, Belvedere Castle and Turtle Pond, the Ramble, Cedar Hill, and the Reservoir. Notable were the large numbers of Northern Flickers, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and Hermit Thrushes.

The weather improved rapidly in late morning, encouraging a few birders to extend the walk into the early afternoon.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Mallard
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Coot
American Woodcock
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Merlin
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
House Wren
Winter Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Brown Thrasher
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco 
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Louisiana Waterthrush
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Photography Focused Workshop in Prospect Park with Tom Stephenson, 4/9/2022

Registrar: Renée Lucier
Participants: 20
Weather: At the start, clearing skies, 50 degrees, wind 9 mph; later, sun in and out, brief rain, hailstorm mid-morning, stronger wind as the day wore on.
Bird Species: 48

We convened at 7:30 am on the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library, where our generous and patient leader, Tom Stephenson, went over some camera basics and photography essentials. We then moved into the Rose Garden in Prospect Park, where we practiced with various settings and people got specific help with their cameras. Within the group there was a wide range of experience and skill levels, but everyone came away with invaluable tips.

After about an hour in the Rose Garden we moved on to the Vale and then further around the Park. We were lucky to see 48 species of birds, including several harbingers of spring and a merlin that was pointed out to us by a young couple with a baby, our group of 20 having walked right by it a minute earlier! Happily, a bathroom break then coincided with a freak hailstorm, so we—and all of our non-waterproof gear—were able to shelter inside until it passed.

After that short delay, we headed back into the Park, where keen-eyed lepidopterists in the group alerted the rest of us to a beautiful Morning Cloak butterfly. A Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was an unexpected find, and a stalwart few stuck around to spot the Least Bittern that was in the area. (I didn’t include this in the species list as most people, including myself, left before seeing it.)

Thanks to all the eager and affable participants and a special hearty thank you to Tom for sharing his time and expertise with us!

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Mallard
American Black Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Merlin
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Louisiana Waterthrush
Palm Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Butterflies 
Morning Cloak

Central Park with Alice Deutsch, Richard Lieberman, Will Papp, Kevin Sisco, and Janet Wooten, 4/5/2022

Registrar: Debbie Mullins
Participants: 43
Weather: Mid-40s to low-50s F; overcast
Bird Species: 63

Forty-three participants were greeted by singing birds and bright flowers on our first spring migration bird walk of 2022. Despite it being early in the season, we saw 63 species, including a Yellow-throated Warbler, two Ring-necked Ducks, a Great Horned Owl, and a Red-throated Loon, birds not commonly seen in Central Park. We split into four groups and visited Strawberry Fields, Hernshead, the Ramble, Belvedere Castle, Turtle Pond, and the Reservoir.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo sp.
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Winter Wren
European Starling
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Louisiana Waterthrush
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Staten Island Conference House with Seth Wollney, 4/2/2022

Registrar: Alice McInerney
Participants: 19
Weather: Sunny, chilly, temps ranged from the mid-30s to the upper 40’s
Bird Species: 68

This trip covered six locations on Staten Island: Conference House Park, Wolf’s Pond Park, Blue Heron Park, Great Kills, Oakwood Beach, and Miller Field. We began at Conference House Park and walked its forest and beach trails. Among the species seen there were Horned Grebes, Red-throated Loons, and Cooper’s Hawks. At Wolf’s Pond Park, we saw thousands of Northern Gannets diving into the sea, providing a spectacular sight. Among the other species seen in this full-day walk were Pileated Woodpecker, Hooded Merganser, Ring-necked Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Merlin, and Killdeer.

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
American Black Duck
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Bonaparte’s Gull
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Merlin
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Tree Swallow
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Brooklyn Coastal Birding with Peter Dorosh, 3/20/2022

Registrar: Amy Simmons
Participants: 17
Weather: High 55/low 46 degrees, partly cloudy, winds 8-10 mph
Bird Species: 60

Many thanks to Peter Dorosh for leading a wonderful tour of coastal Brooklyn. Our trip was originally scheduled for Saturday the 19^th, but due to a forecast of likely rain, we moved the trip to Sunday. While it didn’t end up raining on Saturday after all, Sunday proved to be an even more beautiful day.  Also, our field trip had the distinction of taking place during both winter AND spring, as the March Equinox took place at 11:30 am on Sunday. (Thank you, Peter, for pointing this out!)

We started the trip at 7:45 a.m. at Calvert Vaux Park, where we enjoyed a variety of passerines and waterfowl, including Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Eastern Meadowlark, Horned Grebe, Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, and Long-tailed Duck. This was our most productive location, with a total of 35 species seen or heard by at least one member of the group.  

Our next stop was Coney Island Pier, where we saw 10 species, including three Northern Gannets and a vocalizing Fish Crow. We were also treated to a pair of Horned Grebes engaged in courtship behavior—the male beginning to show breeding plumage.

From Coney Island, we headed to Plumb Beach, where we added Great Cormorant and (a rather early) Laughing Gull to our species list.

Our penultimate stop was Floyd Bennett Field, where we birded several spots following a break for lunch at the Community Gardens there. Our total for this stop was 33 species, including American Oystercatcher, Killdeer, Great Cormorant, Field Sparrow, and Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Our final destination, the Salt Marsh Nature Center at Marine Park, yielded a total of 26 species for those who were able to stay until 5 pm. New species for the day seen here included Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Greater Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Great Egret, and Osprey.

In all, a great day—not just thanks to the birds, but thanks to an excellent leader and the wonderful camaraderie of such a positive, enthusiastic, and good-humored group of birders!

Species Lists

Birds
Snow Goose
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck 
Greater Scaup 
Long-tailed Duck 
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Northern Gannet
Great Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Tree Swallow
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren (h)
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
Field Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Song Sparrow
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Central Park Winter Walk with Richard ZainEldeen, Alice Deutsch, Will Papp, Kevin Sisco, Ken Chaya and Roy Tsao, 3/13/2022

Registrar: Kathleen Matthews
Participants: 30
Weather: Sunny, 25 degrees, winds 12 mph, “feels like 17”
Bird Species: 37

An ominously cold forecast meant that only 30 of our 58 registrants participated in this walk, but those intrepid birders were rewarded with sunshine, camaraderie, and some lovely, early-spring migrants. Dividing into three groups, we fanned out into Strawberry Fields, then moved to Hernshead, Oak Bridge, and into the Ramble. While in Strawberry Fields, most groups enjoyed the magic of two American Woodcocks in flight. A smaller number of birders, who persevered in the cold beyond the two-hour mark, enjoyed a beautiful Ring-necked Duck along with lingering winter waterfowl at the Jacqueline Onassis Reservoir before calling it quits.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Mourning Dove
American Coot
American Woodcock
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Black Vulture
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
European Starling
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal

New Jersey Meadowlands at DeKorte Park with Rick Wright, 2/26/2022

Registrar: Vicki Seabrook
Participants: 16
Weather: Partly cloudy, mid 30s
Total Bird Species: 33

Once more we were fortunate to have Rick Wright, who guides Bird and Art Tours with Victor Emmanuel Nature Tours and is the author of Peterson’s Reference Guide to Sparrows, lead a walk for Linnaean. DeKorte Park has over three miles of easy walking paths with beautiful views of the surrounding marshes and waters.

The walk began at 2:30 pm with good looks at Northern Harriers, and continued with many other species. Rick pointed out several characteristics about the gulls, sparrows, and ducks that enhanced our ID skills. A very pleasant, easy-going, and educational birding experience.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
Canvasback
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Blue Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher
American Crow
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal

Staten Island with Richard ZainEldeen, 2/19/2022

Registrar: Ursula Mitra
Participants: 15
Weather: 28 degrees F, sunny to overcast, winds SSW 10-20 mph, light snow from time to time
Bird Species: 56

We thank Richard ZainEldeen for leading this wonderful trip to several locations on Staten Island. This was approximately the 120^th trip he has guided for The Linnaean Society of NY in 40 years, an impressive contribution to the Society.

It was cold and slightly windy as 15 participants gathered at Great Kills Park. We met at the second parking lot, where Buffalo Street turns along the ocean beach. From there, we saw Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted and Hooded Mergansers, Common Loon, and Horned Grebes. Since it was high tide, we then focused on the bay side, but returned to the parking lot at low tide later in the day, just to check again for the King Eider that had been reported at that location for some time. Unfortunately, we didn’t see it.

Next we visited Blue Heron Park, a lovely place with a beautiful Nature Center and bathrooms. Behind the Nature Center were feeders that attracted a nice group of birds. Highlights were a Brown Creeper and a Hairy Woodpecker, and two Red-shouldered Hawks flying over. We were also fortunate to glimpse an Eastern Screech Owl (red morph) sleeping in its cavity in the park.

Our next stop, Wolfe’s Pond Park, yielded Killdeer, Dunlin, Sanderlings, Common Goldeneyes, a Ruddy Turnstone—and a Bald Eagle!

We stopped next at Arbutus Lake, hoping to see Ring-necked Ducks—and we succeeded, eliminating the need to go to the Moravian Cemetery (our fallback to find this species). Concluding the trip was an optional visit by five members of the group to the Staten Island Hospital parking lot to see 45 Wild Turkeys (maybe not quite “Wild,” as they seemed fairly tame and paid us no attention, allowing for some very close looks at these magnificent creatures.) Thank you for the tip, Richard!

Overall it was a wonderful outing. A big thank you to everyone for coming and contributing. Good birding!

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
American Black Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Wild Turkey
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Dunlin
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Great Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Eastern Screech-Owl (red morph)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren (h)
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
Dark-eyed Junco
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Mammals
White-tailed Deer