Registrar: Mary Beth Kooper
Participants: 10
Weather: Clear sky, 50 – 71°F, light breeze from the North
Bird Species: 64
We were granted a beautiful day for our Linnaean Society of New York trip to the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge! And from the start, the birds showed up: Within the first few minutes in the parking lot and walking to the viewing platform, we heard and saw our chief grassland targets: singing Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, and Grasshopper Sparrows (singing both song types), along with a lone singing Savannah Sparrow, several pairs of American Bluebirds, and a nearby Killdeer. Grassland bonuses included a busy house of Purple Martins, nesting Tree Swallows, and several pairs of cooperative American Kestrels. As we wandered the grassland trails and then headed to the pond and forest habitat near the park’s entrance, we also got nice views of singing Orchard and Baltimore Oriole, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, House Wren, American Redstart, and Field Sparrow, and heard the sounds of more elusive Blue-winged Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, and Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher. Large raptors were also on hand, soaring above: Both Turkey and Black Vulture, along with Red-tailed Hawk.
After a quick ride through Blue Chip Farms did not yield any extraordinary findings, we were on to our third stop, Liberty Marsh, straddling the NY/NJ border. This vast wetland also provided our target birds… but we had to work a bit harder! An initial scanning of the marsh failed to localize our principal quarry–nesting Sandhill Cranes–but did yield a small family of Wood Ducks, and the eerie cackle of a (hidden) Common Gallinule. A forced march around the Liberty Loop trail yielded several new birds for the day, as we crossed the state line: Swamp Sparrow (giving us a tally of six sparrow species for the day), Indigo Bunting, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Yellow-throated Vireo, along with a much larger family of Wood Ducks. Our spirits rose and fell several times as we sought the elusive cranes and found only Great Blue Herons… until finally, we spotted several rusty blobs far in the distance. Thankfully, at least one rusty blob raised its head to reveal the telltale red forehead and long bill of the Sandhill Crane. As our tired and thirsty group ended back at the Liberty Loop parking lot, we enjoyed a final treat of a pair of Common Gallinules, cooperatively feeding in the low marsh.
Please see the eBird checklist for more details.
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Common Gallinule
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
House Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Grasshopper Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Bobolink
Eastern Meadowlark
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Blue-winged Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Yellow Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Other species
Common ringlet Butterfly
Cottontail Rabbit
Red Admiral Butterfly
Snapping Turtle
White-tailed Deer
