Registrar: Theresa Brown
Participants: 8
Weather: Cool, windy, and sunny with some clouds.
Bird Species: 48
Leader Seth Wollney led the participants through the Mount Loretto Unique Area in Staten Island and shared the history of its development. Flying overhead was a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a Cooper’s Hawk, and a Red-tailed Hawk. We also saw a juvenile Bald Eagle, and Seth pointed out the nest. Equally thrilling was the sighting of a Northern Harrier. Overall, it was a good day to see raptors.
Next, we explored the newly opened section of Fresh Kills Park, likely the first birding group to do so. We discovered that it is excellent for viewing sparrows and were able to ID a Chipping Sparrow, a Field Sparrow, a White-throated Sparrow, a Savannah Sparrow, a Song Sparrow, and a Swamp Sparrow. The most exciting sparrow we found was a Grasshopper Sparrow. Despite high winds, we had many good looks because the sparrows frequently perched at the top of the nearby fence.
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
Rock Pigeon
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
Tree Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
American Goldfinch
Grasshopper Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Common Yellowthroat
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Butterflies
Cabbage White Butterfly
Monarch Butterfly
Odonates
European Hornets
Differential Grasshopper
Herps
Red-eared Slider
Mammals
Harbor Seal
