Registrar: Matthew Fischer
Participants : 7
Weather: Clear sky; Temperature: 60 – 73°F; Wind: Light breeze – gentle breeze; Wind Direction: W – SW.
Bird Species: 67
Esteemed leader Jason Denesevich started us off at Plum Island where we had a Saltmarsh Sparrow and another Ammospiza that we could not identify to the species level. We also had multiple Marsh Wrens, an Eastern Meadowlark, and Semipalmated Plovers.
Afterwards, we explored the rest of the Hook, and it was very productive. We found an American Golden-Plover in a large flock of Black-bellied Plovers and Royal Terns at Spermaceti Cove; a late Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at the Life Saving Center; a Northern Parula, and a couple Black-throated Blue Warblers at Raccoon Alley. Happily, we saw many raptors as well, including two Bald Eagles, seven Cooper’s/Sharp-shinned Hawks, and a Northern Harrier! The 67 species total was one short of our tally last year. But, combined with the list from the previous year, we have seen a staggering 91 species at Sandy Hook, thanks to the expertise of our trip leader.
Species List
Canada Goose
Mallard
American Black Duck
Surf Scoter
Mourning Dove
American Oystercatcher
Black-bellied Plover
American Golden-Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Least SandpiperLaughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Forster’s Tern
Royal Tern
Double-crested Cormorant
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey (American)
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker (Eastern)
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
Eastern Phoebe
Red-eyed Vireo
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Barn Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Marsh Wren
Carolina Wren (Northern)
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Nelson’s / Saltmarsh Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow (melodia/atlantica)
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Parula
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
Northern Cardinal