Registrar: Mary Beth Kooper
Report by: Tod Winston
Participants: 8
Weather: 65–88 F, light southerly winds
Bird Species: 60
The Shawangunk Grasslands did not disappoint, and our early arrival allowed us to keep cool (for a while, at least) as we enjoyed a chorus of birdsong. The songs of Bobolinks, Grasshopper Sparrows, and Eastern Meadowlark rang out across the fields, and we quickly got good and often close views of all three target species. We also got great views of a bunch of cavity-nesting species: Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, and House Wren. Overhead and in the distance, raptors included American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk (which also treated us to a close-up), a high-flying Northern Harrier, both Turkey and Black Vultures, and Bald Eagle. A walk to the pond and marsh area netted us some new birds: both Baltimore and (young male) Orchard Oriole, Willow Flycatcher, and an elusive Blue-winged Warbler.
Blue Chip Farms sadly provided a lot more European Starlings than bluebirds, but we did witness a kerfuffle over some sort of mangled prey, involving a Common Raven, American Crow, Turkey Vulture, and (ultimately triumphant) Bald Eagle. We also heard the distant song of several Savannah Sparrows, which for reasons unknown were absent at the grasslands.
A final hike around Liberty Marsh in Wallkill River NWR did not net us some sought-after Sandhill Cranes, but our sweating did pay off with Common Gallinule, another Bald Eagle, and the singing of Marsh Wren, Scarlet Tanager, and Swamp Sparrow–plus a nesting Baltimore Oriole. We hoped to turn an ambiguous Empidonax song into an Alder Flycatcher, but it seemed more likely to be a shortened, odd Willow Flycatcher song variant.
All in all, we tallied 60 bird species between the three stops. You can see our eBird Trip Report and Checklists at https://ebird.org/tripreport/58891.
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Common Gallinule
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
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
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
