I started off my birding new year with a trip to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge with two wonderful friends. While cold, the East Pond proved to be the better half to explore today. I was happy that I got to see snow geese, while afar, there were many. Waterfowl were most plentiful with species including American coots (the most I have ever seen at once), Gadwall, Ruddy Ducks, American Wigeon (no Eurasian...), Black Ducks, Hooded Merganser, Red Breasted Merganser, Canada Geese, Mute Swan, Scaup (was not able to get a Lesser/Greater ID, Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Green-wing teal. Also got to see N. Harrier, brown-headed cowbird, house finch, yellow-rumped warbler, throated sparrow, and robin.
After braving the cold, but welcoming the sunshine, this is all I have to show for the time we were out, enjoy!
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I have never seen so many coots at once, there had to easily be close to 100 or so, with lots of American wigeon and gadwall mixed within. A wigeon male can be seen front right. |
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A gadwall glides through the coot group. |
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A male Northern shoveler. |
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...he is a stunner! |
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A flock of house finches flying about on the west side, that did not have much to offer in species diversity or numbers, the East Pond was far more lucrative. |
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We returned to the East side, and found green-wing teal at Big John's Pond. |
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The gadwall is often considered plain among ducks, but I think he is handsome in his own right. A female leads to the left, with the male behind her. |
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Happy to see snow geese, wish we got some closer views, but at least we got a view! Happy New Year! |
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