For the past several years the tradition has been thanksgiving at my cousin’s place in Maryland, followed by ‘the second night’ with my brother’s wife’s family on that Friday. I mention this because on my way to Maryland, I got the painful birder news no one wants to get when they cannot do anything about it.
The call was from Earic Miller, who having found a Western Tanager some days previously, was calling to ask where I was. “I’m on the road, on my way to Maryland” I responded. “Oh” he said, Peter Reef-heron just relocated the Tanager. Doh! Another attempt, and I had already made a few, would have to wait.
The holiday dinner was a blast as usual, oysters, turkey, and beer. A perfect recipe! After breakfast Friday with family and the ritual family photos, I set off headed back home. En route I was informed of an Ash-throated Flycatcher on Satan Island, and they having just seen the Western Tanager, fellow birders Liz Ardcuckoo, Steve Tanager, and John Gaggle-o-geese were on their way there. I thought how tactically opportune, as I had to pass through Satan Island anyway.
I eventually caught up with them, but they had no luck before nor after my arrival. Not surprised either, as Satan Island only produces about 50% of the time, while other locations have a much better batting average. We all gave up especially me, who had another dinner engagement.
But enticing birds call to me and I made a hail-Mary pass at APEC for the Western Tanager. I met Dunlin Schulman there coincidentally, and we tried as best we could. After 30 minutes of disappointment, I departed as the Tanager did not cooperate, probably eating its own holiday leftovers.
The evenings meal was a noisier but no less enjoyable get together. I was again stuffed, and refrained from partaking in my usual libation so that I could be able to partake in the QCBC field trip scheduled for early the next morning.
Mike Zino’s Petrel did a great job with a large group eager to find what we could at Jones Beach. The weather was exceptionally nice, as was the variety. We had 44 species +/-, and the highlight (for me anyway) was the Pipit found by Steve and John. They called us to get the rest of the group on the bird, and ended a feud I had with another heretofore ‘easy’ bird that I had been having trouble finding this year. Yay! #329 for the year in NYS.
After a short while of additional birding, and a modicum of discussion, I informed Mike and the others that with reports of the Tanager at APEC, I was going to head there. Most of the others did as well. I mean, Western Tanager. Duh.
Upon arrival, I made haste from the parking lot to the bird’s reported location and came upon a group of birders looking at the bird in the scope! Of course putting my eye to the glass as the bird dropped to the ground was ~intended~, but in short order it flew back up to the branches in front of us, and then across the path and into a tree above us and well lit in the sunshine! Yes! #330!!
Of course having mentioned too often my quest for year birds, I precipitated this zeal for birding within Liz and she unceremoniously dragged me off so that we could chase a Ross’s Goose and a Eurasian Wigeon out east a ways.
We dipped on the goose, but the quackster was an easy get at Mill Pond in Sayville. she was pleased to have been the one to spot it, and one would think that this would be enough conquests for one long weekend...
Nope. Liz implored me to join her and Dave LaSagra on a quest upstate for Golden Eagles. Dave needed them for a state bird, while it would be a lifer for Liz. Who knew that her inquiry into where I told her I had seen them easily would require me to accompany them?
As it turns out, for whatever reason, the previously reliable location in Dutchess County had no recent hits as far as eburd was concerned. Liz and Dave colluded to suggest the Franklin Mtn Hawk-watch, and in a moment of weakness I agreed.
Despite snow flurries on the way, and snow on the mountaintop, it proved to be a lovely day. Winding back country roads are a favorite of mine, and the route did not disappoint. What did disappoint was a text message on the way that Dave received from Pete Moorhen, asking him to convey to me the favorable wind conditions at Robert Moses STPK... Pete had already seen two Kittiwakes! Doh! This inability to be in more than one place at the same time is really cramping my style...
We arrived on site, and I drove up to the hawk watch. Of course, the puzzled look on the folks stationed there indicated that we probably should have parked below and walked the rest of the way. No worries they said, and as we unpacked first one Golden Eagle flew by, then another that flew right over our heads, maybe 100-150 feet above. WOW. Best view ever!
I parked the car below, and we enjoyed more birds with the friendly group present. They were a bit surprised we had visited all the way from Long Island. And that we did not stay all that long, as Dave had family to return to, as well as the prospect of getting other stuff on the way back if we didn’t dawdle.
While picturesque, the environment did not necessarily lend itself to overflowing birding opportunities. I suggested specific locations such as the Adirondacks versus this bucolic terrain. Liz and I relayed the birds we had seen on our respective trips; Liz having to add that she had seen Boreal Chickadee, because it had been a miss for me. I told of yet another unsuccessful Spruce Grouse attempt this year, and in response to Dave’s inquiry about them, told Dave that Ruffed Grouse, a potential lifer for him, was very easy up there as a probably bird to cross paths with.
That intel did not quell the ironic pain that befell Dave as we drove a short way away. I spied what appeared to be a road-killed hawk on the side of the road. I circled back for a better look and we discovered it was a Ruffed Grouse! What is more, upon inspection Liz and Dave found the bird was still warm to the touch, meaning we might have seen it alive had we been there moments sooner! Dave told us he had been in this region many times in the past and never saw one, and finally he sees one, but dead. Dems da breaks Dave. At least he had seen the Corncrake before it befell the same fate.
We continued on towards Roscoe where we planned to lunch and to savor a celebratory beer at the Roscoe Beer Brewery. As we got close, Dunlin sent me a text advising of a very interesting Empid ( an oxymoron, no? ) having been found in Central Park. More enticing, was the location was virtually the same as where a Pacific-slope Flycatcher had been found in 2015. Was it another PSFL?
Liz communicated with her on our behalf, and without skipping our requisite beverage and sustenance stop, we plotted our venture. While imbibing, I noticed that I had also missed a call from Bob Prothonotary. He was wondering if I was on my way there already. No, not yet!
The beer was quite good, but time and good sense only permitted enjoying one. I was dismayed to see the GPS telling me the trip would take 2 hours, but we had to head that way anyway, so why not?
Traffic was delightfully non irritating. We arrived on the upper west side, with Liz giving me directions to a parking lot. She had made a reservation with ‘Spot Hero’ and insisted that I not waste time trying to find a spot on the street. Unfortunately when we arrived at said lot, we were waved away with notice that they were full, and that they ‘have no connection to the app’. Great. More like “Spotty and not so Heroic”.
I gave Liz an appropriate glare and then went looking for a spot by the park. On the second block I tried I found one straight away, much as I said I would. Then I gave her another glare. She probably deserves far more looks of disdain.
The intertubes had been disquietingly quiet until about our time of arrival, when we learned that Menachem Goldfinch had relocated the Empid. Yes! Now to navigate our way through the park to the scene of the crime.
We were guided to the correct place by Dave who is unexpectedly very familiar with the park. Works for me! We met Dunlin, and got news that since the recent relocation, no further sightings had been made.
There was a notable collection of birders present, but the group of birders were engaged in what I have unfortunately seen too often: yakking. Multiple birders inevitably degenerate into a group of yakers and stop looking for birds. Hey, this is a rare bird: possibly the third sighting for NY state.
Reasoning that with all the birders standing there, it was best to look elsewhere as they would have been looking instead of talking if the bird was present. Reminds me of 2015 when a Connecticut Warbler showed up downtown at Trinity Church. There was a slew of birders milling about in the rear of the cemetery, but the bird was not there. I decided to go to the other end reasoning that if the bird was present it would have been seen. It took me but a few moments to find it, obviously if it wasn’t where it was being looked for, it was elsewhere. Duh.
I made my way towards ‘the oven’ and was looking for movement. There was lots of it, but comprised of many Juncos and White-throated Sparrows. After a short while Dave walked up and joined me, and very shortly thereafter he yelled out: “There it is!” We got on the bird several times as it flitted from branch to branch to get very short but nice looks. We yelled out to the others and they joined us; many more folks getting a view. Liz got blurry shots, and I didn’t bother bringing my camera, but the accumulated pictures have confirmed what our eyes saw: wing-flicking, short bill, long primary projection, big eye-ring. Hammond’s!
On FB, someone opined: “ I don't see how there can be any disagreement over the ID. This is a textbook Hammond's. Long primaries, short tail rule out Dusky and Gray. It's not nearly green/yellow enough for Pacific-slope/Cordilleran. So with all the Western species ruled out, let's move on to the Eastern ones. Least can be ruled out immediately due to the long primaries. Yellow-bellied is eliminated by the clean white throat. Bold eye-ring gets rid of Willow/Alder. Cute impression, lack of white in the lores and short tail rule out Acadian.” Also here on eburd is a list with a recording http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40767831
I love it when a difficult ID becomes neat and tidy. And lest I forget, this is #419 for my New York State Life list and 331 for the NYS year list!
What an amazing fall! Common Greenshank and Corncrake lifers, and now yet another NYS bird. Yes!
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