Staten Island Trip with Richard ZainEldeen, 2/2/2025

Registrar: Ursula Mitra
Participants: 13
Weather: 21–26 deg F, briefly sunny, mostly overcast and windy
Bird Species: 43

Thirteen of us braved the cold–and it was cold–in order to visit several sites on Staten Island under the expert guidance of Richard ZainEldeen. We began our tour at Wolfe’s Pond Park, where we saw a beautiful Wood Duck drake, a Surf and a White-winged Scoter, Common Goldeneyes and Red-breasted Mergansers.

From there we proceeded to Blue Heron Park Preserve, where we were hoping to see Pileated Woodpeckers. Unfortunately, although we saw lots of evidence of their presence in the form of large, oval-shaped holes in dead trees, we did not see or hear the birds. However, we enjoyed seeing a Raven flyover and a Hairy Woodpecker at the feeders.

Our final stop was at Mount Loretto Unique Area, where we hoped to see the King Eider that had been reported there for some time. This time we were successful and had very close looks at the female bird. We thank Richard for yet another wonderful trip!

Here is the link to the ebird trip report:
https://ebird.org/tripreport/327206


Species Lists

Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
Mallard
American Black Duck
King Eider
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Rock Pigeon
Sanderling
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Horned Grebe
Great Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Northern Mockingbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow8
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal

Breezy Point with David Spawn, 1/25/2025

Registrar: Matthew Fischer
Participants: 18
Weather: A few clouds; temperature 23–27° F; moderate breeze from west; 20% cloud cover; humidity 49–58%. Sunrise: 7:10am; sunset: 5:04pm
Bird Species: 41

As in past years, we started the day at the Fort Tilden area, which was very productive. From the beach we saw Long-Tailed Ducks and each of the three expected scoter species (including a Surf Scoter walking in the surf), and some Sanderlings. On the way back to our cars, we saw some Horned Larks in the ballfields (at the exact same spot we saw them last year) and a perched Cooper’s Hawk.
Our walk down the Breezy Point 4×4 Trail was a lot easier than last year, and we were rewarded with a large flock of Snow Buntings and a perched American Kestrel when we got to the beach. At the jetty, we spotted a Purple Sandpiper and a raft of Common Eider. We saw a Northern Harrier (Gray Ghost) patrolling the dunes and multiple Great Cormorants mixed in with the Double–crested Cormorants.

Species List

Brant
Canada Goose
Mallard
Common Eider
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Rock Pigeon
Sanderling
Purple Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Great Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Cooper’s Hawk
Norther Harrier
American Kestrel
Common Raven
Black Capped Chickadee
Horned Lark
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Snow Bunting
American Tree Sparrow
Dark Eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Yellow Rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Eastport Ponds and Shinnecock Bay with Eileen Schwinn, 1/14/2025

Registrar: Debbie Mullins
Participants: 4
Weather: 20° F with westerly winds at 15 mph
Bird Species: 21

Weather is not always our friend on January birding trips, and this year it certainly was not. The trip was rescheduled for one week later than originally planned to avoid the bad weather that was forecast for January 7, but although conditionshad improved slightly by January 14, it was still a cold and blustery day.

We started at Shinnecock Inlet, hoping to see the King Eider that had been there most of the winter. Unfortunately, the eider rafts were far out in the bay, making it difficult to distinguish a single King Eider from among the hundreds of Common Eiders there.

After battling the wind for an hour, we moved on to Swan Lake, where we saw a nice collection of ducks. Patchogue Lake, however, was almost completely frozen over, and only a few species were visible.

We ended the day at the Atlantic Point Apartments, where Iceland and Glaucous Gulls had been reported recently. We were fortunate to spot a juvenile Iceland Gull on one of the small ponds in the apartment complex, but the Glaucous Gull was not present for our visit.

Species List

Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Common Eider
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Iceland Gull
Common Raven
Carolina Wren

Croton Point Park and Shawangunk Grasslands N.W.R. with Julien Ansellem, 1/11/2025

Registrar: Nick Dawson
Participants: 20
Weather: (Croton) 27–32°F, modest NNW winds, cloudy; (Shawangunk) 32–29°F, light NNW winds, cloudy to snowy to partly sunny.
Bird species: 46

The Croton Point Park-Shawangunk walk led by Julien Amsellem is always an exciting one for Linnaean members, and this was arguably the most rewarding in recent years. As it was snowy early on, there was hope for some of the rarer grassland species at Croton, like Eastern Meadowlark, American Pipit, Horned Lark, Snow Bunting, and Lapland Longspur.

Unfortunately, however, our extended stay on the landfill did not result in the group seeing any of these species. We did, however, get a nice selection for January of New World sparrows (Song, Swamp, Savannah, Fox, American Tree, and Dark-eyed Junco), plus an assortment of raptors, including Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, a Turkey Vulture, a small Cooper’s Hawk trying to masquerade as a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a couple of handsome Red-shouldered Hawks.

After a break for lunch, we drove onward to Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Reserve for what was a truly memorable visit. When we arrived, well before dusk, Short- eared Owls were already active and abundant, putting on a real show. We counted 12 individuals hunting over the grassland, alongside an even greater number of Northern Harriers. The sheer volume of raptors coursing low over the fields, often coming very close, was remarkable, and the photographers in the group got great photos of both species. Also present were a handful of Red-tailed Hawks (including one Abieticola) and a light morph Rough-legged Hawk perched in a tree at the edge of the reserve, distant but well seen by all and a lifer for many in the group. All in all, it was an excellent day of birding.

Species List

American Black Duck
American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Tree Sparrow
Bald Eagle
Black-capped Chickadee
Blue Jay
Brown Creeper
Canada Goose
Carolina Wren
Common Merganser
Common Raven
Cooper’s Hawk
Dark-eyed Junco
Downy Woodpecker
European Starling
Fox Sparrow
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Blue Heron
Hermit Thrush
Hooded Merganser
House Finch
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Harrier
Northern Mockingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Rough-legged Hawk
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Savannah Sparrow
Short-eared Owl
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-throated Sparrow
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Jones Beach and Point Lookout with Joseph DiCostanzo, 12/8/2024

Registrar: Miriam Rakowski
Participants: 20
Weather: 40 degrees F, going to 50, with winds WSW 14 to 25 mph.
Bird Species: 32

The day began with some clouds, but soon turned sunny. As we were always close to the water, it was quite windy. Joe, our leader, asked if we were interested in chasing a rarity—the Sage Thrasher. As it would be a life bird for many, we said yes. There was some concern. as the bird hadn’t been reported for a few days. However, no sooner were we on our way than someone reported spotting it. We waited at the site for a few minutes and the bird soon appeared, giving all of us very good looks for an extended time.

We then went to the Coast Guard Station, where the tide seemed to be receding. There we some many loons and ducks, and one lonely Black Plover. We celebrated our morning sightings, which included lifers for many, by eating lunch.

Our next stop was Point Lookout, where we were hoping to see the Harlequin Ducks and a few other specialties. As  it was windy, the water was very choppy. Happily, we saw at least five Harlequins and many Common Eiders. As we were leaving, having already given up on seeing Purple Sandpipers, we nevertheless took one last look, and there at the jetty, they appeared. A wonderful gift to end a fun day with good birds, and good camaraderie.

Species List

Brant
Canada Goose
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Common Eider
Harlequin Duck
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Killdeer
Black-bellied Plover
Sanderling
Dunlin
Purple Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Common Loon
Red-throated Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Sage Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Mourning Dove
Peregrine Falcon
House Sparrow
Snow Bunting
Song Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler

Rye Playlands and Environs with Tom Burke and Gail Benson, 12/7/2024

Registrar: MaryJane Boland
Participants: 11
Weather: Clear, cold with intermittent wind.
Bird Species: 63

We were a collegial group of 11, happy to be in Westchester after struggling to find enough drivers. We visited three separate areas—Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary, Bowman Avenue Pond, and Marshlands Conservancy—and saw good numbers of many species. The Greater White-fronted Goose was at Bowman Avenue, just as he/she was last year, sleeping but giving good views. Skeins of Canada Geese were constantly going by overhead. This is definitely a trip to do every year.

Species List

Snow Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
Mallard
American Black Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Greater/Lesser Scaup
Surf/Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Purple Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Pied-billed Grebe
Common Loon
Great Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night Heron
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Cooper’s Hawk
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Northern Cardinal

Shirley Chisholm State Park and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge with Peter Dorosh, 11/16/2024

Registrar: Matthew Fischer
Participants : 16
Weather: Few clouds; temperatures 50–57°F;  moderate NW breeze; humidity 41-52%
Bird Species: 64

Always very popular, this year’s trip, led by Peter Dorosh, was at capacity and included several younger birders as well as a South African birder in town on business. At Shirley Chisholm, we walked along Hendrix Creek and enjoyed the waterfowl, including Green-winged Teal, American Wigeons, a Pied-billed Grebe, and a Bufflehead, along with Northern Harriers, an American Kestrel and two Belted Kingfishers. We also saw a Fox Sparrow and multiple Purple Finches, including a very cooperative female. At Penn Dock we saw in the distance a huge chaotic commotion caused by hundreds of Larus-type gulls.
Our next stop was the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. We had lunch by the Visitor Center and then tackled the West Pond. At the breach we had an incredible variety of waterfowl, including majestic Northern Pintails, Hooded Mergansers, and Ruddy Ducks. We also had shorebirds, including Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, as well as Dunlin. We were also treated to a Sharp-shinned Hawk and excellent views of a Bald Eagle—a lifer for many on the trip. Closing out our time at the West Pond, we saw a pair of American Barn Owls, Lesser Scaup, a large flock of American Pipits, and a Eurasian Wigeon with its bold rouge head. Across the street at the East Pond, we had distant views of the long continuing American White Pelican.
While the official agenda was complete at that point, half of the group continued on to the after-party at Floyd Bennett Field, where a Greater White-fronted Goose was spotted. Along with a late Royal Tern, this was the perfect ending for a great day of birding with the legendary Peter Dorosh.

Species List

Greater White-fronted Goose
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Rock Pigeon
American Coot
Lesser Yellowlegs
Greater Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Royal Tern
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Snowy Egret
Great Blue Heron
American White Pelican
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
American Barn Owl <SENSITIVE>
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
American Pipit
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal