Final Hoorah: Montezuma Day 2 Part 2

After Tschache Pool I headed once again back to view the Red-headed Woodpeckers at their nest cavity.  They were quite aggressive toward the other birds in the area including the dreaded European Starlings (hooray) and this nice Downy Woodpecker keeping to itself, tending to his own nest.  Win some lose some, but I guess for the Red-heads it's lose all.

Later back at Knox-Marsellus but this time on Towpath Rd, I again "Saw the Sora" which was in the exact same place when I last left.  Also continuing was the Virginia Rail in the same stretch of cattails.  104 Caspian Terns were roosting on the flats whereas yesterday yielded a mere 82.
























My trip was definitely a success getting 5/8 of the target species.  After hours and hours of searching, the Wilson's Phalarope I so desperately wanted to see was MIA but little did I know my wait wouldn't be very long. 

Finally after getting home I was able to listen to better recordings of Sedge Wren calls and this is exactly what I heard! Sedge Wren, make that 6/8 and another lifer!  What a way to end the trip.  Listen to the Sedge Wren call: http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/112673/cistothorus-platensis-sedge-wren-united-states-massachusetts-curtis-marantz

Least but not Last: Montezuma NWR Day 2 Part 1

I saw a report from Jay McGowan who had heard the Sedge Wren in the same place as it was reported the previous day at sunrise, so I figured I'd try his tactic to start day 2.  After finding the demarcated sign c64 on East Rd, where the Sedge Wren has been previously heard calling, I walked along the dew soaked grass listening for the wren.  At 6:39, I heard a loud cherk call, but it was a single note and was not confident enough to say that it was my first Sedge Wren.  While looking into the direction of where the possible Sedge Wren had called from, a small bird quickly flew up from the tall grasses and just as quickly back down.  From the blur I had just seen, the only thing definitive was its small size.  Coloration was not an option since the bird was between me the and the rising sun.  Then I heard another single cherk note and at 6:42 another single note.  After looking at nothing but grass for a short while and hearing nothing, I went to the car to listen to Sedge Wren calls.  The recording I had downloaded, was very similar, but at the same time not an exact match.  I was left unsure. 

Before heading to my next stop, Tschache Pool, I noticed a large flock of Bank Swallows roosting on the wires along East Rd.  This picture shows a nice size comparison between the larger Tree Swallow and one of the smallest swallows, the Bank Swallow.

At Tschache Pool, several Common Gallinules were out in the open feeding.

This family of Redheads swam by as well.  It was nice to see this species on breeding grounds after only previously seeing them wintering on Long Island.

The highlight of the morning at Tschache Pool was definitely this recently hatched Least Bittern standing in the cattails for almost two hours.  Note the bird still has some down on its back and head.

Stay tuned for part 2...

Saw a Sora: Montezuma NWR Day 1 Part 2

Before heading slightly to the Northern end of Montezuma in search of Sandhill Cranes, I once again stopped to bird Knox-Marsellus Marsh.  From East Rd, I was able to distinguish the Marbled Godwit feeding on one of the exposed mudflats created from the draining of the pond.  The lighting was terrible and it was actually easier to see the bird's reflection off of the water than to see the bird itself.  I continued slightly further down the East Rd, to where there was an even larger opening and some birders had already gathered.  I inquired of them if they had any crane sightings and they mentioned that they just heard one from where they were standing a few minutes earlier.  I intently listened for a few minutes for the cranes' grunting yodel but couldn't hear anything so I returned to shorebird scanning.  After about 20 minutes of scanning, just as my mom asked "has anyone heard the crane recently?" I heard a deep grunting call and my mom was answered with "I just did" by several birders.  I had my lifer Sandhill Crane, #453, but I still wanted to see them.  After a short while of silence, again we heard the yodel and I looked up to see 2 Sandhill Cranes flying across the pond and landing on the mudflats. 



Since I had now seen the Sandhills, I continued to scan through the shorebirds in search of the Wilson's Phalarope without any luck.  However I managed to watch a White-rumped Sandpiper in flight giving nice views of its white rump.  After a few hours of not turning anything up from East Rd, and not needing to go further north in search of the cranes, I headed back to Towpath Rd to bird from a different perspective on the marsh.  After picking out two Black-bellied Plovers and six Short-billed Dowitchers, I decided to continue slightly further down the road closer to where some of the exposed mudflats which were not visible from any other position.  One other birder followed and I managed to find a juvenile Common Gallinule which was feeding about eight feet in front of a narrow strip of cattails.  I continued to scan for movement along the perimeter of the cattails and saw a fluffy black Common Gallinule chick which was much much younger than the first bird I saw.  Thankfully this little guy had a red bill which allowed for its identification.  While the other birder was trying to get the gallinules, he called out "that's not a gallinule that's a Sora!"  I quickly got on his bird and confirmed the Sora was not what I had been previously looking at.  Little did I know this adult Sora would provide great views for over and hour and a half.  This is the first time I saw a Sora after having hearing one on a family vacation to the Bahamas in the winter.      

After viewing the Sora for around half and hour, the birder I was with decided to leave.  To leave he had to continue slightly further in order to turn around on the narrow road.  I detail this because in the time it took for this birder to do this I gave another glance through my scope at the Sora and standing just beside the Sora was a Virginia Rail!  As he finished turning around, I called him back to now see the rail.  Two rail species in one day is not bad, but even though the sun was about to set, my day was not yet over.  I watched a large family of thirteen Common Gallinules cross the open pond to the adjacent shore.  I just read that Gallinules interestingly usually lay 8 eggs early in the season and another 5-8 later on, as per the ever so reliable but definitely useful Wikipedia.  This accounts for the tremendous variation in the ages of the juvenile gallinules below. 























I heard a yodeling call and moved slightly to my right to see over the high brush to my right and standing right in front of me were these Sandhill Cranes which had flown in much closer.

Stay tuned for Montezuma NWR Day 2...

Montezuma NWR Day 1 Part 1

The birds started getting good at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in Seneca Falls, NY.  After watching the reports come in for over a week, a trip was brewing.  Based on the week's report my targeted birds were: American White Pelican, Marbled Godwit, Solitary Sandpiper, Sora, Sedge Wren, Wilson's Phalarope, Baird's Sandpiper and Sandhill Crane.  After getting amazing directions from Jay McGowan, I left NYC at 5:15 and pulled up to Tschache Pool, my first birding spot of the day, just before 10:30.  I quickly grabbed my gear, and climbed the stairs to the top of the tower.  A couple of birders alerted me to a pair of Trumpeter Swans just visible over the cattails.  Note from the second photo, the bill forms a distinct "V" and is not rounded which would make this dark billed swan a Tundra Swan and not a Trumpeter.  This is only the second time I have ever seen Trumpeter Swans.  The first time was earlier this year out in Eastern Long Island on Upper Lake in Yaphank where a pair used to winter until some stupid guy shot one of them with a shotgun.

Other birds of interest were families of American Coot and Pied-billed Grebe and a Common
Gallinule which gave its loud laughing call.  I have never seen the Coots nor the Pied-bills on breeding grounds, so observing the juvenile birds was a great experience.  This Pied-billed Grebe chick was swimming fairly close by.

Next stop was at Mays Point where a Red-headed Woodpecker nest was recently discovered.  Once again, this was only my second time seeing this species.  A few Purple Martins of various ages were roosting in a tree in back of the woodpecker nest. 






Even though these woodpeckers have to be one of prettiest birds, I did not want to hang around too long since most of my target birds were seen at my next location, Knox-Marsellus Marsh.  After a three minute drive, we bumped our way down the potholed Towpath Rd, until the brush was low enough to see out.  After a quick scan through all of the Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets we found the one "fat egret", or the American White Pelican!  Unfortunately I could not relocate the regionally rare Marbled Godwit.  Other highlights from Knox-Marsellus included high counts of 78 Caspian Terns and over 800 Bank Swallows feeding on the wing over the marsh. 

I decided I would try for the Godwit later and made my way back to the Montezuma Visitor's Center to bird Wildlife Drive.  Since the Purple Martins had already fledged, the "Martin Apartment Complex" was vacant.  The only bird of note was a good one for a Long Island Birder, Solitary Sandpiper which flew across a drainage ditch.  In flight, it is easier to identify because it is superficially similar to Lesser Yellowlegs and juvenile Spotted Sandpiper.  While flying only Solitary Sandpipers have black barring on their white tail. 

Continue to follow my trip with Part 2...

American Avocet @ Jamaica Bay

I decided to bird the East Pond of Jamaica Bay today once again to see if there were any changes since last Thursday.  Overall numbers seem down with a few exceptions but species diversity is up.  Unfortunately last week's Long-billed Dowitcher and Western Sandpiper have moved on.  Below are estimates.  While studying some Semipalmated Sandpipers I ran into Andew Baksh who alerted me to this female American Avocet!  Female Avocets have much more recurved bills while the males are straighter.   

 

Compare this male with above pictures of today's female American Avocet 

35   Black-bellied Plover

75   Semipalmated Plover

1     American Avocet

1     Great Yellowlegs

9     Lesser Yellowlegs

1     Ruddy Turnstone

1     Red Knot

550 Semipalmated Sandpiper (Photo Below)

 

1     Least Sandpiper (Photo Below)

 

24   Stilt Sandpiper
65   Short-billed Dowitcher

Surprise, Surprise: Banded Royal Tern

I was looking through my photos from a trip out to Cupsogue County Park on July 8th and noticed this, a banded Royal Tern!  This is my first discovery of a banded bird other than Canada Geese.  Unfortunately the band number is unreadable in the photos.  However the obvious or maybe not so obvious metal band is visible on this Royal Tern's right leg.  These photos also show just how large they are in comparison with the Ring-billed Gulls.  It was nice to see this Royal Tern in full breeding or alternate plumage since they molt almost immediately after nesting.  For the vast majority of the year they lack the full black cap, just retaining the black shaggy crest.  

Reseeing the Past: Long-billed Dowitcher and Western Sandpiper

On Thursday, I planned to bird the East Pond of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and got out to the flats just after 8:00.  Upon arriving on the Pond I noticed the paucity of birds but I after a quick scan to the east revealed a mixed flock of some larger shorebirds including Stilt Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs and Short-billed Dowitchers.  While studying these birds, one dowitcher caught my attention.  It was feeding between two definite griseus subspecies SBDOs.  Immediately I thought Long-billed Dowitcher and not hendersonii due to the bird's longer, straighter bill in direct comparison with the two adjacent Short-billeds.  Size wise, this bird was slightly larger than the other two Short-billeds.  I know bill length and size are not clinching identification marks but these along with a completely dark orange breast which extended to the belly past the legs made me think LBDO even more.  Still thinking LBDO, I continued to observe the dowitcher while I checked my Sibley's field guide.  This bird had white markings on the undertail coverts which is unique to LBDOs.  This bird's supercilium was more evenly bolded when compared to the two Short-billeds along side it.  The supercilium on a Short-billed Dowitcher tends to flare and then disperse as you move toward the posterior of the bird from the lore toward the back of the head.  Also, this bird's primary projections ended before the tail while hendersonii SBSOs have their primaries project just past the tail.  I had myself a Long-billed Dowitcher!  Later in the day I received an encouraging text from my friend, expert shorebirder, birdingdude (http://birdingdude.blogspot.com), Andrew Baksh who had refound and confirmed the Long-billed.    

Just after the Long-billed Dowitcher flew off the pond, a medium sized peep flock landed on the exposed shoreline which I was standing on.  Since the birds were so close, binoculars were the way to best study the peeps.  While scanning the multitude of Semipalmated Sandpipers, a bird with a reddish crown, auriculars and scapulars ran through my field of vision.  Western Sandpiper!  I managed to get a two second look at the this beautiful bird which still retained almost all of its alternate plumage including the White-rumped Sandpiper like arrow shaped streaking down the flanks.  Later on into my scans through the flocks of "Semi-Sands" did manage one actual White-rumped Sandpiper. 

I have in my records that I have seen both Long-billed Dowitchers and Western Sandpipers in Jamaica Bay back when I was between seven and ten years old, but that was a long while ago.  It was nice to re-see these birds and study them well now at 18 years old. 

First Post, First Whimbrels and A Lot of Running

Seeing the reports from "The Whimbrel Spot"on Long Island, Cedar Beach County Park in Southold, and the fact that I have never seen one, Tuesday seemed like a perfect day to give it shot.  Since low tide was around 5:30PM I decided for a late start.  After arriving around 11:30, even though it was high tide I figured it was worth a try.  The first shorebirds of the day were 7 Semipalmated Sandpipers and 4 Least Sandpipers on a few circular flats created by breaks in the marsh grasses.  Upon seeing these peeps, I immediately had hope that the much longer legged Whimbrel might also be around with the tide still high.  Short legs don't usually go well with high water! 

A quick scope scan through the nearby grass revealed nothing.  While making my way down the rocky path, I was met by a flustered Northern Mockingbird which probably defending a nest in one of the small evergreen trees surrounding the trail.  After rounding the corner I immediately saw several large shorebirds on a raised sandbar covered in the same marsh grasses as in the lower area surrounding the bar.  Quickly raising my binoculars three birds standing on the far left became apparent, slightly larger browner birds than the Willets on the right with long obviously decurved bills, that was them.  I had my life Whimbrels, Numenius phaeopus!  Life bird #452.  I immediately went to grab my camera but realized that in my rush to find my life Whimbrels I had left my camera in the car.  I left my scope and sprinted back to the car to grab it.  I got back to my scope and then remembered I again left something in the car, my digiscoping adapter.  Once again I sprinted back to the car, grabbed the adapter and sprinted back to photograph the Whimbrels.  Unfortunately my running had startled the Whimbrels and Willets and they flew off toward the shore line of the beach.  The good new was I was able to see the birds in flight well and was able to confirm the subspecies to be the common hudsonicus and not the rare European subspecies with a white rump patch.  After a few minutes of brisk walking careful not to spook the Whimbrels again, I got to a good viewing point.  A quick glance revealed another two Whimbrels had joined the original three bringing the total to five.  A great day!