We spent the morning birding Doodletown Road in Bear Mountain State Park. It rained on our way up from LI but cleared just as we arrived at Doodletown. Many of the local breeders were in, including Hooded and Cerulean Warblers and Louisiana Waterthrush. A few migrant warblers were present, but in the minority of birds present. Highlights included a Kentucky Warbler on the Doodletown Trail, west of where Timp Brook passes under the trail. As you walk uphill west of Timp Brook, look for a sign on the right indicating the former location of the Montvale Community Church and bear right. After 100 yards or so a small brook passes under the trail. The warbler was seen and heard on both sides of the trail north of the brook. We had our first empids of the year at Doodletown, with a calling Least Flycatcher near where the Kentucky was found and a calling Acadian Flycatcher south of the main trail some 150 yards in from Route 9.
A highlight of the trip was an excellent view of a female Cerulean Warbler feeding near the ground, one of the first times I ever recall looking down on a Cerulean Warbler. Photo on my flickr site. We made a short visit to Sterling Forest State Park where Golden- winged Warbler was found at the end of Ironwood Road. Definitely a day where quality exceeded quantity. Ken & Sue Feustel http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
