Registrar: Matthew Fischer
Participants: 15
Weather: Mix of overcast and broken clouds, cloud cover 75–100%; temperature 44–46°F; NW breeze, fresh to strong; humidity 48–56%
Bird Species: 53
Another marathon day of birding with Peter Dorosh. We started the day bright and early at Shirley Chisholm State Park. For many of the 15 participants, this was their first time visiting the park, which opened in 2019. We were immediately treated to multiple rafts of Greater and Lesser Scaup and saw some early American Oystercatchers fly in. It did not take long before Peter captured our first target in his scope, a continuing rarity: an Eared Grebe. After getting the group on it, he explained to us the differences between the Eared Grebe and the nearby Horned Grebes. We were also treated to a Common Goldeneye, Red Throated Loons, and hovering Northern Harriers.
Our second stop of the day was Floyd Bennett Field. There we checked out the North Forty Natural Area, had splendid views of multiple American Kestrels hunting on the derelict runways, and saw a nesting Bald Eagle from the kayak launch. Our third and final stop of the day was Marine Park, where we quickly spotted our second priority target of the day, another continuing rarity: a juvenile Red Headed Woodpecker. We ended the splendid day with a walk on the Salt Marsh Nature Trail.
Species List
Birds
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Common Raven
White-breasted Nuthatch (h)
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Northern Cardinal
