Breezy Point with David Spawn, 1/27/2024

Registrar: Matthew Fischer
Participants: 15
Weather: Overcast, with cloud cover 70-100%; temperature 44-45°F; light N-NE breeze; humidity: 84–92%
Bird Species: 41

As in past years, we started the Breezy Point trip at Fort Tilden, which was a very productive meeting place. While gathering in the parking lot, we noticed multiple Brown-Headed Cowbirds mixed in with the European Starlings. From the beach, we saw a good number of Long-Tailed Ducks, both of the loon species we were expecting, each of the three expected scoter species, some Sanderlings, and a couple of Bonaparte’s Gulls; we even had some distant views of Razorbills. On the way back to our cars, we saw some Horned Larks in the ballfields and a Peregrine Falcon perched on the Marine Parkway Bridge.

What was meant to be quick bathroom break at Jacob Riis Park turned out to be quite special, as we saw a pair of Lesser Black-Backed Gulls in the parking lot.

Our walk down the Breezy Point 4×4 Trail was challenging at times due to partial flooding, but the group stuck together and helped each other make it through to the beach. Along the way, we were rewarded with quick views of an Orange-crowned Warbler and excellent closeups of an American Pipit. On the beach we once again saw the Long-Tailed Ducks, loons, scoters, and Sanderlings. Arriving at the jetty, we had incredible views of Razorbills and a Purple Sandpiper tucked away in the rocks. On the walk back, we saw Great Cormorants, as well as starfish, whelks, and other shellfish.

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
American Black Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Sanderling
Purple Sandpiper
Razorbill
Bonaparte’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Great Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Northern Flicker
Peregrine Falcon
American Crow
Horned Lark
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
American Pipit
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orange-crowned Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Governors Island with Annie Barry, 1/15/2024

Registrar: Nick Dawson
Participants: 13
Weather: Overcast, cloudy, 26°F, southwesterly wind
Bird Species: 30

Birding in January in Manhattan is tough. It’s cold, it’s windy, and it’s seldom tougher to find birds. At this time of year, Governors Island is one of the more promising spots to visit, and luckily Annie Barry leads an annual walk there for the Linnaean Society. Annie has been birding on Governors Island for the past two decades, starting long before the birding community at large got wise to the wonders of the place, so her knowledge and expertise is invaluable.

January is a good time for a variety of gulls and is during what people call “weird duck season,” so on a winter day on Governors Island, you have a chance of seeing Bonaparte’s Gulls and Common Goldeneye, two great birds for New York County, and maybe even some Purple Sandpipers at Picnic Point.

On this particular day, when the 26 degree temperature felt a lot colder due to the wind chill and our proximity to the water, Annie’s hardy, hearty bunch of Linnaean birders sadly didn’t see any of those species, but nevertheless enjoyed tromping around the island, warmed by each other’s company and the simple pleasure of observing birds. Like a Great Black-backed Gull wrestling with its breakfast. Or a couple of Great Cormorants hanging out with their Double-crested kin. Or an American Kestrel actively hunting against the backdrop of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Sometimes you can miss all your target birds and just have a great time anyway.

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mallard
American Black Duck
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
House Sparrow
House Finch
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal

Croton Point Park and Shawangunk Grasslands N.W.R. with Julien Amsellem, 1/13/2024

Registrar: Nick Dawson
Participants: 17
Weather: (Croton) Overcast clouds Temperature: 50 – 58°F; Wind: Mostly calm – strong breeze; Wind Direction: SW – S; Cloud Cover: 90 – 100%; Humidity: 68 – 90% (Shawangunk) Broken clouds Temperature: 40 – 43°F Wind: Moderate breeze – gale Wind Direction: W Cloud Cover: 75% Humidity: 53 – 58%
Bird Species: 40

Some birding trips are miraculous simply because they happen at all, and that was the case with Julien Amsellem’s walk at Croton Point Park and Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge. For a start, it’s a walk that for the past three years Julien had been prevented from leading by a number of unfortunate circumstances. And in the lead-up to the trip this year, the weather forecast made it look like this trip might be washed out altogether.

Fortunately, though, the walk did indeed take place, although strong winds throughout the day made birding something a challenging proposition. At Croton Point Park, the warm weather of the past few days had meant the departure of Horned Larks, Snow Buntings and a solitary Lapland Longspur, and though a number of sparrow species were evident, a lot of the smaller passerines were hunkered down, to avoid being buffeted by the vigorous winds. Raptors were, however, present and active: both Turkey and Black Vultures, nesting Red-tailed Hawks, multiple Bald Eagles, an American Kestrel, a Northern Harrier and a small Cooper’s Hawk that did its best to make us think it was a large Sharp-shinned. One of the definite highlights was getting great looks at the continuing Red-headed Woodpeckers, who were holding strong by the model airplane field.

For this first portion of the walk, the participants’ ages ranged from 17 to 94, a sign — if one were needed — that birding is an activity that brings all people together, bridges generational divides in a truly special way.

After lunch at Croton (and a brief, unsuccessful attempt to find a Great Horned Owl and the Pine Warbler which is overwintering by the RV campground), the group drove northwest to Shawangunk, where during the winter Short-Eared Owls are all but a certainty at dawn and dusk. Unfortunately, the winds were a major deterrent for the owls, who appeared only briefly and distantly. The consolation prize was, however, more than a dozen more Northern Harriers, hunting low over the grasslands the whole time we were there. Despite the winds and cold and the group not getting the looks we were hoping for of the Shorties, spirits remained high and we wrapped up the trip grateful for a fun and invigorating day of birding.

Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Short-eared Owl
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
European Starling
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Field Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal

Eastport Ponds and Shinnecock Bay with Eileen Schwinn, 1/9/2024

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

Rye Playlands and Environs with Tom Burke and Gail Benson, 12/3/2023

Registrar: MaryJane Boland
Participants: 12
Weather: Clear with temperature in the high 40s but feeling colder because of rain the night before, light wind
Bird Species: 58

After it poured all day on Friday, Saturday was a clear, cool day with sun later in the afternoon, perfect for birding by the water and pleasant for walking.  We visited Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary and Marshlands Conservancy with Tom Burke and Gail Benson, areas where they bird frequently and know what birds to seek.  We missed our pileated woodpecker, but our 58 species were so rewarding that there were no complaints!

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Mallard
American Black Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Winter Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Field Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal

Shirley Chisholm State Park and Jamaica Bay with Peter Dorosh, 11/18/2023

Registrar: Matthew Fischer
Participants: 5
Weather: Scattered clouds, with cloud cover 20-40%; temperature 52–53°F; fresh, strong NW breeze;
humidity: 35–55%
Bird Species: 55

With a rare Gray Kingbird having been spotted at nearby Canarsie Park, our leader, Peter Dorosh, made an executive decision to change our meeting place and attempt to spot the bird. While we were ultimately unsuccessful (and the bird was not spotted there again), we had a great time in this under-birded location. In a small pond, we had great looks at Northern Pintails and juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons and later had close-up views of American Crows mobbing a Cooper’s Hawk.

We then returned to our original itinerary and were immediately rewarded with good views of an Ash-throated Flycatcher and a European Goldfinch mixed in with American Goldfinches and House Finches. We also saw an incredible diversity of waterfowl, including over a thousand Brant, a Green-winged Teal associating with American Black Ducks, plenty of Bufflehead, Red-breasted Mergansers, a Common Loon, and even two Great Cormorants.

Our final stop was the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, where a Peregrine Falcon landed right next to the path and treated us to incredible views and aerodynamic displays. We also saw shorebirds, including Long-billed Dowitchers, Greater Yellowlegs, and Dunlin. Our splendid day ended with views of a local Barn Owl preparing to leave its box for some nightly hunting.

Species List
Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Rock Pigeon
American Coot
Long-billed Dowitcher
Greater Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Loon
Great Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night Heron
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Barn Owl (sensitive)
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Peregrine Falcon
Ash-throated Flycatcher
American Crow
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Finch
American Goldfinch
European Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Butterflies
Clouded Sulphur

Mill Creek Marsh with Rick Wright, 11/13/2023

Registrar: Lisa Kroop
Participants: 16
Weather: 36°F – 46°F, sunny, blue skies, no clouds, calm north wind 2 mph
Bird Species: 37 + 2 other taxa

Our walk, postponed from mid-October in the midst of fall migration because of rain, had now brought us to the beginning signs of winter. The Tree Swallows and Chimney Swifts were gone, as well as the transient clusters of migrating birds. Hooded Mergansers were back, joining the large numbers of Green-winged Teal; White-throated Sparrows were spotted and heard singing from the dense vegetation along the trail, and many of the trees and bushes were starting to look bare.

The tide was high on the morning of our walk; the mud flats in the impoundments were gone, and only a few of the remnant stumps of the vanished Atlantic white cedar forest remained barely visible, poking through the surface of the water. Ducks were swimming and dozing along the edges; along with the many Green-winged Teal and Mallards was a group of eight American Black Ducks and a trio of Hooded Mergansers. Many Ring-billed Gulls were floating on the water, and we compared them to the few Herring Gulls that were present. Along the trails Song Sparrows were in abundance, as were quite a few Northern Mockingbirds and Northern Cardinals. Flocks of European Starlings flew by as well as groups of Red-winged Blackbirds, a few of which landed in the nearby trees and included a couple of females.

As the morning warmed we began to see raptors. A Northern Harrier flying away from us allowed us to study its wing beats, and a circling Cooper’s Hawk gave us views of all its angles. Then, as we were starting to loop back, Rick spotted a very large accipiter standing along the path ahead of us. It was instantly spooked and flew off through the trees. We tried to find this tantalizing bird again, and Rick got a second glimpse of it flying along the impoundment-side of the wooded edge, but alas – there was not enough to identify it beyond “Cooper’s Hawk/American Goshawk.”

Just as we were reaching the end of our walk, we paused to observe a Belted Kingfisher perched over the north impoundment. The kingfisher flew off and suddenly a large bird darted in front of us from the left: a Peregrine Falcon, whipping its wings, turning eastward in the direction of the New Jersey Turnpike. And once the Peregrine was gone, the Belted Kingfisher returned to its original perch – a performance that was quite a finale.

Many thanks to Rick for leading us through Mill Creek Marsh and sharing his knowledge about it and the birds that we saw.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
American Black Duck
Green-winged Teal
Hooded Merganser
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Greater Yellowlegs
Great Blue Heron
Northern Harrier
Cooper’s Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk/American Goshawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Peregrine Falcon
Blue Jay
crow sp.
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Gull Identification at Coney Island with Bobbi Manian & Dennis Hrehowsik, 11/11/2023

Registrar: Dom Ricci
Participants: 18 (including leaders & registrar)
Weather: High 40s F, sunny & clear, light wind
Bird Species: 15

After several consecutive weekends of rain, fortune smiled upon a group of Linnaean birders: they were greeted by ideal conditions when they gathered on Veterans’ Day morning at the Coney Island beach. The objective of this outing was educational—to take part in Bobbi & Dennis’s masterclass in gull identification—and there was no shortage of study subjects among the abundant flocks lining the sandy shore. All five of the most frequent local gull species were present: Herring, Ring-billed, Laughing, Great Black-backed, and even two Lesser Black-backed. As we walked back and forth along the beach below the boardwalk, our leaders instructed us on how to analyze the features of each individual bird—its size, plumage and other coloration, and behavior—to determine its species and age. We were also treated to some non-gull sideshows, including a flock of ruddy turnstones scurrying about among the rocky jetties, a common loon preening in the surf, an animated flock of fish crows, and a solitary kestrel surveying its domain from on high. By the time the walk ended around lunchtime, we had all gained a foundation of knowledge to carry forward to our future gull-watching experiences.


Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Mute Swan
Rock Pigeon
Ruddy Turnstone
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
American Kestrel
Fish Crow
European Starling
House Sparrow