Registrar: Lisa Kroop
Participants: 9
Weather: 50°F, sunny, blue skies, breezy – west wind 11 mph
Bird Species: 37
Because of a high probability for rain forecast for Saturday, we postponed our walk to Sunday and were rewarded with a beautiful and birdy day.
We began by walking the path along the salt marsh. The tide was low and the mud flats were exposed, but no birds were to be seen there. Instead, standing out in the distance was a Great Egret shining white in the bright light and an Osprey perched overhead on a large limb over the water, steadily tearing apart a fish. Mallards swam below unperturbed. All of a sudden, seemingly coming out of nowhere, a Peregrine Falcon appeared, swooping, flapping in front of us over the ducks and down to the water, only to fly up and away with nothing to show for it but a lot of agitated birds. One of them was a Belted Kingfisher that flew across the marsh making its characteristic rattling call.
We then turned towards the woods, and within a few steps were focused on tantalizing movements in the leaves that ultimately gave glimpses of a Northern Parula and a Magnolia Warbler, and, down low, a Swainson’s Thrush. As we walked through the Clove, on a path bordered by tall cliffs on one side and very tall, mature trees all around, we could hear woodpeckers drilling, and Carolina Wrens calling loudly. There was a lot of small-bird activity high up in the tree canopy; it was hard to determine the species, but down low along the undergrowth and among the tree trunks we found a busy, second Magnolia Warbler, and further up the trail, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
We made our way to the Overlook, and spent some time looking out at the vista of the Hudson River and the Palisades beyond, searching for raptors. Two Osprey flew by, going south over the river, followed somewhat later by an adult Bald Eagle and a Common Raven. Then we headed down towards Spuyten Duyvil, where we observed and counted a scattered group of Great Blue Herons in the trees and along the shore across from us – there were eight of them. And finally we walked past the same Osprey that we had watched at the start of our walk, this time approaching it from the opposite direction; it had finished its meal and was perched upright, facing us and looking quite content.
Many thanks to Loyan for a wonderful walk, and for being such an informative guide.
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Peregrine Falcon
Blue Jay
Common Raven
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Northern Mockingbird
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk
Eastern Gray Squirrel
