February went as well as January with rare or uncommon birds showing up around the state, and I was able to see most of them.  An "owl prowl" led by Renee Davis during our "Feathered Frenzy" race produced Great Horned, Northern Saw-whet, and Eastern Screech-Owls!  I was able to get Barred, Short-eared, and Long-eared on other occasions.  Valerie Freer located a Bohemian Waxwing in Grahamsville on February 14th which I was able to see as well.  Red Crossbills were found at Bowman Lake Park in Chenango County.  Geese made a timely appearance with Ed DeBellevue locating a Barnacle Goose at Grumman Pond on Long Island and Greater White-fronted Geese showing up in Clove Lake Park on Staten Island.  February would end with my total being 137 species!  Once again exceeding what I thought possible.
Ruffed Grouse

April got off to a good start with 4 wading birds added to my list:  Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, and Glossy Ibis.  A great day of birding at the Bashakill WMA added 4 more species on April 11th:  Chipping Sparrow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, American Bittern, and Palm Warbler, bringing my year-to-date total to 167.

I returned to New York on 4/26 following a ten day trip to Colorado.   As I expected, the birds had started to move in while I was gone.  The Bashakill was alive with great birds including the first Soras and Green Herons as well as the first real wave of Warblers: Black-throated Green, Black-and-white, American Redstart, Yellow, Common Yellowthroat, Louisianna Waterthrush to name a few! 

Little Blue Heron - Cow Meadow Park, 4/10/04

5/17 - May continues as expected with many new migrants passing through.  We were fortunate enough to have a singing male KENTUCKY WARBLER found at the Bashakill on 5/13 which was my second life bird in New York for my big year!  We had a great "Break 100 Day" on May 15/16 which enabled me to add several new birds for the year as well. My current total is 231 species!

5/24 - May continues to be a productive month.  On 5/19 I was able to get the Sedge Wren in New Paltz as well as several other birds in Orange and Rockland counties.  An overnight Pelagic trip to "Hudson Canyon" (New York waters) from Barnegat Light, New Jersey on 5/22-23 was very productive and added nine new species to my list including my third life bird of the year (in New York) Pomarine Jaeger! I also added another four state birds!

5/31 - May concluded with two more trips to Long Island and a hike up Slide Mountain!  I added my fourth New York lifer when I was able to see the Bar-tailed Godwit at Mecox Bay!  I also increased my New York list by the eleventh new bird when I saw the Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows at Marshland Conservancy.  All these bring my year total to 265 species thus far!!

Bicknell's Thrush - Slide Mountain

6/6 - June is off to a great start.  A group of us took a trip to Shinnecock on 6/2.  We were able to add a number of good birds for the year.  On Saturday, 6/5 I discovered a Mourning Warbler in my yard.   This was a new state bird for me, having evaded me for many years.   Arlene Borko got to see the bird just before we headed to Ithaca to see the Dickcissel, which was very cooperative.  Later that same day, Renee and Edna Davis and I headed for the Adirondacks.  It was a great trip to Ferd's Bog and Springpond Bog.   With the new birds added there, my year total stands at 274!

Dickcissel

7/25 - Following a hiatus from my big year to take a birding trip to Washington State, I got back to pursuing my goal when Ed DeBellevue and I traveled to Jamaica Bay and were able to get some of the first fall shorebirds of the year.  Wilson's Phalarope was a highlight, as well as Western Sandpiper, which was a state bird for me.

7/29 - Half a day off from work and a quick trip to Jamaica Bay today enabled me to add American White Pelican to my list.

American White Pelican - Jamaica Bay

8/28 - Pine Island Turf Nursery is a fabulous birding location for fall shorebirds. The first real influx of birds arrived this week and included at least 10 Baird's Sandpipers, 1 Buff-breasted Sandpiper, 1 American Golden Plover and many of the more common species.

Another trip to Jamaica Bay on 8/28 gave me surprise views of three Seaside Sparrows that were flushed by a foraging Great Egret.  Ed DeBellevue used his expertise with Long-billed Dowitchers to locate one bird in a large flock of Short-billed!  Again excellent diagnostic views!

9/6 - On 9/5, Ed DeBellevue, Renee Davis and I traveled to Dune Road and Shinnecock, Long Island to try for the reported Sandwich Terns at Pikes Beach.  We had a great day and Renee actually added 5 species for the day. The Sandwich Terns were missed, even though they were there at 9 am that same morning.  While searching for some of our other targets with Andy Baldeli, Ed received a call from Hugh McGuiness informing us of a Ruff at Montauk. We all headed off for great views of our new state bird!  The following morning Arlene Borko, Ed DeBellevue and I went to several locations locally.  The first stop was the Bashakill WMA.  As I pulled up, Ed, who was waiting, informed me there was a good mixed species flock right at the parking lot.  I was only out of the car a couple of minutes when a Bay-breasted Warbler flew to the top of a nearby tree.  I was so excited, number 300!!  What a great weekend, I can't help but wonder what great birds still await with four months left to go.

 
12/7 - Renee Davis, Ed DeBellevue and I traveled to Niagara Falls to try for some new gulls for the year.  Renee and I only added California Gull.  Ed added two others as well.  The great news is that Ed is now at 304 species and Renee is at 301 species meaning that they have each successfully completed a "Big Year" as well!  Heading back from Niagara, a stop at Hamlin Beach State Park gave us great views of the Ash-throated Flycatcher there!

Ash-throated Flycatcher

12/24 - Another eventful weekend on 12/19-20!  Our usual group headed to Westchester county to search for a bird found on the Peekskill CBC.  We had great views of a new state bird for us all — Lark Sparrow.  On Monday Arlene and I headed to Manhattan and had great views of the Central Park Boreal Owl!  A lifer for both of us!
 

Boreal Owl - Central Park, NYC

January - 102

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