Registrar: Debbie Mullins
Participants: 17
Weather: Sunny, wind calm, mid 30’s to mid 40’s F
Bird Species: 74
On the first really cold day of the fall, seventeen enthusiastic birders headed out to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Given the large number of registrations for this trip, the group had to be divided into two small groups to be in compliance with the LSNYC covid guidelines. Joe Giunta led the first group, while Anne Lazarus and Alice Deutsch co-led the overflow group. Despite migration being nearly over, we saw an amazing 74 species of birds!
The day started at the visitor center where we observed multiple sparrow species in the parking lot before even making it onto the hiking trails. In the north garden, passerines were abundant, including a large flock of Pine Siskins feeding on seed heads close to the trail. Looking up, we were treated to exciting views of the continuing American White Pelican circling overhead. Next, we walked out to the “breach” to observe waterfowl on the West Pond. To our delight, a Tundra Swan was spotted close to shore, giving satisfying up-close views.
On the way back to the visitor center, a Sharp-shinned Hawk was seen conducting a vigorous aerial harassment of a Common Raven. On the East Pond, we noted the return of many of our usual over-wintering waterfowl, as well as a few lingering Greater Yellowlegs. A grebe, initially identified as a Horned Grebe, actually turned out to be a much more rare Eared Grebe, and both groups were able to observe the bird.
Species Lists
Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Tundra Swan
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Mourning Dove
American Coot
Greater Yellowlegs
shorebird sp.
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus sp.
Double-crested Cormorant
American White Pelican
Great Egret
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal
