For the 3rd August in a row, I’ve managed to find myself on Paulagics fantastic overnight pelagics. This year they have moved to a new boat, the Brooklyn IV, and a new dock in Brooklyn which is more convenient than the old spot in Freeport. There had been several fantastic pelagics just north and south of us recently, including double-digit … Read More
Gyrfalcon Invasion 2015
As many people are aware of, starting with the winter of 2012/2013, Snowy Owls staged a dramatic and widespread invasion into southern Canada and the northeastern United States, with the biggest numbers during December to February. Gyrfalcons, the other massive arctic raptor, also pushed further south and in larger numbers than usual that winter. Sightings of these almost mythical falcons … Read More
Winter Kingbirds of NYC
Remarkably both a Couch’s and Cassin’s Kingbird have taken up residence less than 15 miles apart from each other in New York City, and are so far successfully overwintering despite the strange, urban locations they are living in. The Couch’s is being seen around Washington Commons Park in the West Village and was first reported to birders on December 25th, but local, … Read More
New York Townsend’s Solitaire Plus More
This past Wednesday, Garrett MacDonald, Andrew Dreelin, and I birded in Madison County, New York. Specifically, we decided to chase some Evening Grosbeaks tending to a feeder near the town of Sheds, as well as a continuing Townsend’s Solitaire in Erieville. My classes didn’t start until 12:20 PM on Wednesday, so we were able to have enough time to try and get … Read More
An Upstate Northern Gannet
Today was just another Friday: wake up late and go to my 11:15 class, relax the rest of the afternoon, read some emails, etc. But at around 3:20 PM, Tim Lenz sent me and some friends a message that there was a Northern Gannet found near Watkins Glen, over on Seneca Lake (Schuyler County). He was already en route with … Read More
The NNY Northern Wheatear
What does it take to drop everything and drive an hour to see a bird? Apparently a Northern Wheatear was enough for me when I got the alert that there was one at the eastern end of Lake Ontario. I’ve seen Northern Wheatears in both Delaware and Pennsylvania, but its been quite a few years. Anyways, as luck would have … Read More
Life Looks – Kirtland’s Warbler
I once had a run in with a Kirtland’s Warbler, a debacle which is described in this post. My first visit to the famed migration hotspot, Magee Marsh, and I just happened to be an hour away on a canoe when hundreds of people were getting face melting looks at a cooperative Kirtland’s Warbler. By the time I made it back … Read More
Willow Ptarmigan – 1st for New York!
Today myself and 8 fellow PA birders embarked on a weekend-long PSO field trip to the southern Lake Ontario shoreline, however our plans took a very unexpected turn when I noticed a forwarded email. It was from Drew, saying that there was a Willow Ptarmigan on Point Peninsula in Jefferson County reported by Eugene Nichols. Obviously we were all quite skeptical of … Read More
Snowy Owls from NY to NJ
It’s no secret that Snowy Owls are almost everywhere this winter. My friends and I went on a 5 day trip for New Years and were able to see 8 different owls without going out of our way! In fact the first bird of the trip was a Snowy I spotted along the Jones Beach Ocean Parkway perched at the … Read More
Gull-tastic Buffalo
Once you’ve tried all the chicken wings, visited some Frank Lloyd Wright houses, and watched the Sabres lose a few hockey games, you might think you have seen all there is to see in Buffalo. Well, guess again weary traveler, because if you can brave the high winds an chilly air, you may just happen across a gull bonanza along … Read More