June 9 - Ulster County birding

A return trip to Ulster County this morning was made in order to look for the King Rail which had been reported at the Great Vly Swamp in Saugerties, New York.   I heard about this bird from friend John Haas' blog . 
I was not able to make it here last weekend, and thankfully the bird is still showing itself quite well when it makes its trips across the road.  We saw the bird within minutes of arriving.  As well we saw it quickly a couple of hours later during a return visit.

click to enlarge

We did not see the Sandhill Crane, as that bird evidently departed a few days ago.  Nor did we have enough time to wait for the Mississippi Kite to show in nearby Katsbaan. Although I'm told that bird did re-appear just before noon.

On our way back home we stopped just south of New Paltz.  Here at the junction of Plutarch Road & Weston Road is another swampy area that has been home to some Red-Headed Woodpeckers for a few years now.  We got to see these birds coming & going to their nest, and the bright sunlight made their plumage practically glow. 

Finally a stop at the Celery Farm in Allendale, New Jersey produced an easy to find Alder Flycather, while a Red-Shouldered Hawk floated overhead.

June 2 - Lord Stirling Park & Great Swamp NWR

As I did not have a full day today I went a bit more local by visiting Somerset County's parks.  First up was Lord Stirling and here we saw the target bird of Prothonotary Warbler.  We heard and then had very nice views of this species, formerly known as the Golden-Swamp Warbler, a name I feel better describes this bird.

credit: Laura Meyers

Many of the same breeding birds of the region were seen here:  Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Yellow-Throated Vireo, Chestnut-Sided Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Baltimore & Orchard Orioles, Wood Thrush, Veery, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, and Green Heron.


Later at nearby Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, we heard White-Eyed Vireo and pal Jennifer was able to spot a Yellow-Breasted Chat. We all got fine views of it in our spotting scopes.

 

credit:  Audubon.org

May 26 - Sterling Forest, The 'Gunk, and Clinton Road

When my friends suggested a return trip to this great birding spot today I gladly accepted.  This Orange County hotspot produced the hoped for specialties of Golden-Winged Warbler & Cerulean Warbler, which were seen well, as were many other beautiful species of birds.   The electric-colored birds of Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting, and Scarlet Tanager are just pure eye-candy that anyone can appreciate.

 Other beauties seen were warblers of Prairie, Yellow, Chestnut-Sided, Black-and-White, and Common Yellowthroat.
We also had nice view of Yellow-Billed Cuckoos,  Great Crested Flaycathers, Cedar Waxwings, and the tiny Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher.

Afterward we headed further north to Ulster County's Shawangunk Grasslands.  This was my first visit here since the area was closed last year to remove all signs of the old airfields & to make walking trails in their place.  The grasslands can now hold more wildlife, and will be managed to keep the area from being re-forested.  Here we did not see our target of Upland Sandpiper but we did get on several Grasshopper Sparrows, numerous Bobolinks, several Meadowlarks, a pair of Orchard Orioles, Willow Flycatchers, and Eastern Kingbirds.   
Raptors seen were American Kestrel in splendid plumage and light, Vultures of Black and Turkey, Common Raven, Red-Tailed Hawks and Northern Harrier.

Just before getting back home we stopped at the Newark Watershed's powerline cut along Van Orden Road.  Here we hoped to see if the Golden-Winged Warbler had made a return to this former stronghold. Unfortunately the clear-cutting of brush beneath the powerlines has not yet grown back enough for this species.  We did see Blue-Winged Warblers, Field Sparrows, Indigo Buntings, Prairie Warblers, Chestnut-Sided Warblers, and Ovenbirds.  Perhaps in a few more season the Golden-Wingeds may return.

May 19 - Curlew Sandpiper miss, but Red-Necked Phalarope hit

After hearing the report of a Curlew Sandpiper in southwestern NJ's Heislerville Wildlife Management Area, we took the 2.5 hour ride down to try for it.  Only one of our group got to see this bird today, but we all went home happy.
First up, while searching for the Curlew, I came across a male Wilson's Phalrope.  I was glad to be able to share this sighting with many other birders.  And that karma was reciprocated later when Brian Small put us all on a female Red-Necked Phalarope.  This was my first time seeing the female in breeding plumage and I have to say it's one heckuva beautiful bird.

Credit: http://quantumbiologist.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/red-necked-phalarope.jpg

At nearby spots we saw Orchard Orioles, Blue Grosbeaks, White-Eyed Vireos, and heard Yellow-Breasted Chats. 

We then stopped at Belleplain State Forest where we saw the resident Yellow-Throated Warblers, Worm-Eating Warblers and Hooded Warblers.  Alas, we could not find a Summer Tanager.    I'll have to return later this year to try again for that species

May 18 - Garret Mountain

This morning began with sounds of a Mourning Warbler at the top of Wilson Avenue. In the large Oak above the roadway a very cooperative bird put on quite a show for nearly 15 minutes.  Seeing & hearing this guy at close range, while is was very actively feeding was the highlight of today.

credit: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mourning_Warbler/id

However many other fine looking spring birds showed off their breeding plumage today.  There were Common Loons flying overhead, and Red, White & Blue Tom Turkeys fanning their tails for potential mates. A pair of Green Herons chased each other around Barbour's Pond, at one point scaring up a Black-Crowned Night-Heron, which is a rare bird here.  The Killdeer young have already fledged and were joined on the southern mudflats by a pair of Spotted Sandpipers showing off their namesake spots.
A pair of Yellow-Billed Cuckoos were actively flying about & calling, as were several Great Crested Flycatchers and Eastern Kingbirds.  Vireos were also present with the resident Warbling pairs alongside the Red-Eyed, and even a few Blue-Headeds remain here before heading to their northerly breeding areas.Gray-Cheeked Thrush are now in, joining their Swainson's cousins & the melodious wood Thrushes and Brown Thrashers.

In addition to the Mourning Warbler, we saw Ovenbirds and a Northern Waterthrush. Later Bill and I explored the more remote areas of the park and came up with Nashville and Bay-Breasted Warblers, ad heard Hooded Warbler.  Still present are Northern Parulas, American Redstarts, Magnolias and a few Blackburnians.  Blackpoll Warblers are common now as well as Candas.  We found one Wilsons Warbler to round out the total of  20 species seen today.