Shawangunk Grasslands NWR and Wallkill Marsh with Tod Winston, 5/30/26
Registrar: Christina Black
Participants: 13
Weather: Unseasonably cold in the 40s & 50s, with intense wind gusts and occasional sprinkles
Bird Species: 61
Tod Winston led us on an amazing day of birding in several locations, with everyone braced against unusually chilly weather for late May. Our full day of birding began at 7:30 a.m. at the Shawangunk Grasslands, with everyone bundled up against the weather. Happily, even the wind did not deter the birds, with many ably clinging to wildly gyrating reeds and branches throughout the day. Fairly quickly, the group found two of the key targets of the trip—singing and displaying male Bobolinks and nesting Eastern Bluebirds. The small and reedy-voiced Grasshopper Sparrow took a bit longer, with one turning its back to us (and therefore not 100% identifiable) but then, thankfully, another perching nearby a bit later for a view through scopes.
As we made our way down the trail to check the grasslands and its wooded border, we watched Tree Swallows and Purple Martins swoop over the fields and a female American Kestrel repeatedly hovering near her nest box. Other sightings included Red-winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows. An accipiter sped by, not allowing enough time for a Sharp-shinned vs Cooper’s ID. Finally, two Eastern Meadowlarks were also eventually sighted, first after landing in a distant tree and then giving a better view when they melodramatically dashed by us with a flash of yellow. Further down the trail, we spent some time debating the identification of a flirty but silent empid, flycatching in and out of some bushes, without a clear decision between Alder or Willow.
As the main trail quieted down, and with the wind picking up, along with occasional drizzles, the group decided to shift focus and walk up the refuge’s entry road. We had excellent views of the Purple Martin colony, huddled against the cold in their “condos”. Along this road the group also saw Yellow Warblers, American Goldfinches, a Northern House Wren, Chipping Sparrows, and another empid, likely feeding its young. Finally, circling back to the path along the pond, we were treated to a very cooperative Willow Flycatcher that darted back and forth across the water, providing close views when perched.
After attempting lunch in the chilly gazebo, everyone swiftly retreated to their cars for a while to eat and warm up. Then we headed off in a short car caravan through the neighboring Blue Chip Farms property, well timed just as the light drizzle turned to rain. This area did not prove as productive as in previous years, but some participants saw or heard a Downy Woodpecker, Barn Swallows, and an American Goldfinch, mostly from the car.
Liberty Loop in Wallkill Marsh, our final destination of the day, has been in recent years a reliable spot for nesting Sandhill Crane and Common Gallinule. Despite much walking, scanning, and listening, however, we did not detect either of these species, but were ultimately rewarded with a number of other interesting wetland and songbirds. The parking lot platform yielded mostly a large Northern Watersnake slithering through the mild current, and then a flock of 30 peeps fluttering north.
Although the sun was coming out and despite unabating winds, the group decided to walk along the west side of the marsh. One or more Marsh Wrens were heard murmuring, though none popped up from the grasses, and a number of deer, including a fawn, were enjoying the more solid ground of little islands in the marsh. Avian activity picked up along the walkway, with woods on one side and marsh areas with various scrubby trees on the other. Species seen and heard included Wood Thrush, Eastern Warbling Vireos, and Cedar Waxwings; then as we officially crossed into New Jersey, Indigo Bunting, Red-breasted Grosbeak, and Baltimore Oriole were added to the mix. As the view of the marsh area opened up again, scanning for the elusive Sandhill Cranes yielded the sight of 55 feeding Least Sandpipers who were keeping company with three Semi-palmated Plovers and one Dunlin. Occasionally all of them took off at once, swooped around, and came back to rest again. Farther along, a small corner of solid land showed a Wood Duck nest with one or two juveniles and both parents—along with a visiting male Mallard!
Eventually, the group began to head back to the parking lot, passing some Brown-headed Cowbirds, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and a Black-capped Chickadee along the way. Then suddenly a Pileated Woodpecker called, and everyone was rewarded by seeing the male first hop up a tree trunk, followed by landing on the ground on top of a fallen, rotting trunk. He then spent at least 20 minutes intermittently and efficiently hammering open holes and then gorging on termite larvae, while the group watched from a mere 15 feet away. This was one of many highlights of the trip.
Closer to the cars, the Marsh Wren(s) started murmuring again and we were finally rewarded with some brief glimpses—showing a definite contrast in size with our area’s largest woodpecker! Then a Green Heron flew past us and away. Happy with having seen so much, as well as having survived the weather, everyone headed back to the city with new experiences, new year-list birds, and, for a few, some lifers. All in all, we saw 61 species, as listed below.
Species List
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Semipalmated Plover
Dunlin
Least Sandpiper
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Eastern Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Tree Swallow
Purple Martin
Barn Swallow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Northern House Wren
Marsh Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Grasshopper Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Bobolink
Eastern Meadowlark
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Yellow Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
