Bashakill Marsh & Environs with John Haas, 5/14/2018

Registrar: Dale Dancis
Participants: 8 
Weather: Cloudy am, low 50’s F, 70 F later am and pm
Bird Species: 74

Date Changed from Sunday, 5/13/2018 to Monday, 5/14/2018, due to weather.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Virginia Rail (h)
Common Gallinule
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle (nesting)
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker (h)
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker (h)
Pileated Woodpecker
Acadian Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson’s Thrush
Wood Thrush (h)
American Robin
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush (h)
Northern Waterthrush (h)
Blue-winged Warbler (h)
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cerulean Warbler (h)
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Pine Warbler (h)
Black-throated Green Warbler (h)
Canada Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting

Amphibian
Red Newt

Pine Barrens for Early Spring Butterflies & More with Rick Cech, 4/28/2018

Report: Rick Cech 
Participants: 12
Weather: After early fog, pretty much sunny and mid-60s to lower 70s all day, somewhat breezy from NW. 

After postponing the trip due to exceptionally cold spring weather (4 so NJ species w/latest ever first flight dates), we had a strong outing. Foliage advancing rapidly, though still behind an ordinary year. 

Met at c. 9:00 at Lucille’s and drove straight to Tuckahoe, where PB Azures finally flying – in numbers! A couple of Henry’s left, including a quite-fresh mated pair. Unusual coloring may have reflected late cold temperatures during pre-eclosion period. Along with Blue Corporals, Fragile Forktails now in flight. A pair of loud Prothonatory Warblers were a group highlight, long with multiple singing Pine Warblers. EP had Worm-eating.

Several Falcate Orangetips patrolling in plowed-up fields on 2nd Tuckahoe road. Also a Wild Indigo Duskywing. 

At Dennisville Railroad tracks, no fence lizards still, but a couple of nice Juniper Hairstreaks and another odd-toned enry’s, looked Frosted-like (ambiguous individuals seen at this site before). Also first Juvenal’s DWs. At Lizard Tail, more active. Ran into Jack Miller, who noted that the site had been badly disrupted by power line crews last year (no Linnaean Society of New York trip in 2017). Lots of cricket frogs in new puddles, Eastern Tailed-Blues, one Pearl Crescent, 3-4 Frosted Elfins (seen mainly by others; I saw a probable dart-by amid newly-sprouted Baptesia). Also American Ladies, a couple of azures, another Juniper Hairstreak, and an odd, very worn Monarch-like fly-by we could not identify. Before leaving, we came across a Black Racer eating another, smaller member of its species. 

Next drove up to Warren Grove, arrived c. 2:50. At the patch where Emily and I were lucky a week earlier, we quickly added Hoary, Brown and Eastern Pine Elfins. Mike Freeman photographed a Sleepy Duskywing nearby. Some duplicates turned up as we walked around, but as to new species we only added a lone Northern Azure when driving off. Hessel’s lowland dead. 

Chatsworth still a week or so away from full Sand Myrtle bloom (emerged elfins were nectaring in the meantime on low-growing Pixie). Had Eastern Pine and Brown Elfins, 2 Northern Azures, and a Festive Tiger Beetle. But getting late, and Hessels were not in the cards. Still, in this cold year, 6 out of 5 was NOT BAD.

• Photo montage by trip members: https://rbc-pix.smugmug.com/Nature/Nature-Trip/So-NJ-Spring
• Report and list of 16 species seen PDF

Prospect Park with John Suggs, 4/14/2018

Registrar: Dale Dancis
Participants: 7
Weather: 60’s Fahrenheit, sunny, calm
Bird Species: 50

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Mallard
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant (h)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Coot
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo (h)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tufted Titmouse
Tree Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler (h)
Northern Cardinal

Staten Island Greenbelt with Seth Wollney, 4/8/2018

Registrar: Miriam Rakowski
Participants: 7
Weather: 30’s-40’s Fahrenheit, Sunny, Wind 10 mph
Bird Species: 57

Species Lists

Birds
Snow Goose
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
Green-winged Teal
Bufflehead
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Bonaparte’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Osprey
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Tree Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee (h)
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Brooklyn Southern Coastal Birding with Peter Dorosh, 3/24/2018

Registrar: Kathleen Howley
Participants: 12 plus leader
Weather: 40 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny, slight breeze 
Sites Visited: Marine Park Nature Center, Plum Beach, Floyd Bennett Field
Bird Species: 45

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Northern Shoveler
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Lesser Scaup
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Black-headed Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Snowy Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
American Crow
Fish Crow
Horned Lark
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
House Sparrow
House Finch
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle

Central Park Winter Bird Walk 2 with Richard ZainEldeen, 3/3/2018

Registrar: Kathleen Matthews
Participants: 18
Bird Species: 35

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
American Black Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Coot
American Woodcock (Bryant Park)
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Blue Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
European Starling
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow (h)
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal

Montauk Weekend with Joseph DiCostanzo, 2/24/2018-2/25/2018

Registrar: Dale Dancis
Participants: 8
Weather: Saturday sunny am, cloudy pm, rain late pm, 30’s to 40’s F; Sunday rain, wind, 30’s to 40’s F.
Bird Species: 53

Our journey began at the Coast Guard Station of West End Beaches. At West End 2 we had lovely looks at Horned Larks, Killdeer, ducks and our only sightings of Yellow-rumped Warblers.  At Oak Beach there were close looks at the Red-throated Loon and distant looks at a female Common Goldeneye. At Eastport we were treated to large numbers of Greater Scaup, good numbers of Ring-necked Ducks, American Wigeons and 20 Canvasbacks, plus other duck species and water birds. The Belted Kingfisher and two Merlins were also good sightings. The most interesting sighting made by Joe was a hybrid Redhead/Ring-necked Duck. We proceeded to Dune Road and Shinnecock Inlet. We did not know where to look first. Should we focus on the Snowy Owl flying from pole to pole? Should we direct our attention to the hundreds of Common Eiders accompanied by Surf and White-winged Scoters landing on the sand bar and in the water? Should we enjoy viewing the Common Goldeneyes and Dunlins? The weather was changing. The clouds looked ominous, and the decision was made to go straight to Montauk Point. We arrived there in the wind and rain.  Undeterred by the weather, we went straight to the overhang to view thousands of sea ducks, including all three scoter species, Common Eiders, Long-tailed Ducks and more.

Early Sunday morning we proceeded to Montauk Point in torrential rain and gusty winds.  Besides the afore-mentioned duck species, we enjoyed several sightings of Razorbills. Our energy was renewed after breakfast. The weather made birding difficult, so the leader decided it was time to go to Ditch Plains. Undaunted by the weather, we stood on the beach and observed 15 Bonaparte’s Gulls and—for our grand finale—one Little Gull. At Fort Pond we viewed Red-breasted and Hooded Mergansers. Because of the flooding, rain and wind we could not visit Hook Pond and other sites. Despite the weather our persistence paid off and we had some excellent sightings.

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Northern Shoveler
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Canvasback
Redhead/Ring-necked Duck, hybrid
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Common Eider
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Dunlin
Razorbill
Bonaparte’s Gull
Little Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Great Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Snowy Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Merlin
American Crow
Horned Lark
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

West End Beaches, Point Lookout with Richard ZainEldeen, 1/20/2018

Registrar: Kathleen Howley
Bird Species: 44

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mallard
American Black Duck
Canvasback
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Common Eider
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Black-bellied Plover
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Dunlin
Bonaparte’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Loon
Great Egret
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Snowy Owl
Peregrine Falcon
American Crow
Fish Crow
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
Snow Bunting
Song Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal