[nysbirds-l] Black Dirt region birds

12/6/20 - Co. Rte. 16 just past Co. Rte. 12 intersection, Minisink, NY 1 Merlin300+ Canada Geese (incl. one melanistic Canada)1 Barnacle Goose3 Barnacle/Canada Goose hybrids - Oil City Rd. parking lot for Liberty Loop Trail, Wallkill River NWR, Pine Island, NY 2 Sandhill Cranes1 Rough-legged Hawk

[nysbirds-l] Black Dirt Region

Yesterday (Jan. 29), I did my now annual Winter Raptor Survey of the Black Dirt Region and Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge. A couple of surprises came in the forms of a Golden Eagle and roughly 10,000 Snow Geese. The Golden was seen toward the northern section of Onion Avenue. I got less tha

[nysbirds-l] Black Dirt Region

I did my now annual winter raptor survey of the Black Dirt region and Wallkill NWR. About 80 raptors of 10 species were recorded, headlined by 10 Rough-legged Hawks. Not a big influx, but there have been worse years. These were widely scattered, with 3 off Pumpkin Swamp Road, 2 off Mission Land Roa

[nysbirds-l] Black Dirt region Friday

The Orange County black dirt was productive Friday; highlights: 9 American golden plovers (2 locations sod farm rte. 12; Turtle bay road -- off rte. 12) 3 buff breasted sandpiper (sod farm) 1 stilt sandpiper (Walkill NWR -- back pond so new jersey if that's relevant) 2 pectoral both Walkill one

[nysbirds-l] Black Dirt Region

Did some casual driving and photography up in the Black Dirt region around Pine Island. tally: 23 Red Tailed Hawks 2 Dark morph Rough Legged Hawks 1 American Kestrel 2 Lapland Longspurs (Missionland Rd) Back home in Harriman I had 2 Rusty Blackbirds at the feeder. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http

[nysbirds-l] Black Dirt Region birds (Sunday 2/23)

On Sunday (2/23), Tim Dunn, Pete Morris, and myself (John Gluth) made the trip up to Orange County to see the birds reported over the past few weeks throughout the Black Dirt Region (BDR). Before heading for the BDR, we made two preliminary stops. We began in River Vale, NJ, hoping to see a st

[nysbirds-l] Black Dirt Region, 9/25

A morning of birding around Walkill NWR (Oil City Rd) and Skinners Lane with Rich Fried and Nathaniel Hernandez was rather fruitful. Though shorebirds were not in the same large numbers as the past few weeks, they were undoubtedly still present. Most shorebirds were observed flying around or ove

[nysbirds-l] Black Dirt Region -- Onions and Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Today we birded Orange County in search of migrating shorebirds. However, we also discovered hurricane Irene had left the black dirt region of Orange County in a sad state of flooding. Most crops were destroyed, farmed fields were transformed into lakes, and some areas are left smelling like