Some Birding and a Spoonbill

    I have been doing my birding here and there when I find the time. I need to start bringing my gear with me to work so I can either on my way in or on my way home, make a short little stop as some of my favorite spots are north of me. 

    I did try some Jamaica Bay birding, but with a very rainy summer, the East Pond was a huge disappointment. Water too deep to expose the mud therefore making it very un-shorebirdy and very un-walkable.

    I did though have a chance today to add a new state bird to my list, a roseate apoonbill, after the one that was here two or so years ago evaded my sight.

Braved the mosquitos at Marine Park and was rewarded with this great-crested flycatcher.

Which craned its neck as it looked eagerly for its next fly.

Maybe a least flycatcher? It made no sound.

Always love a sneaky clapper rail. 

My short walk into the East Pond yielded only a (very) small handful of what is usually there this time of year in ridiculously large numbers...
A lesser yellowlegs

A short-billed dowitcher, doing its thing.

Least sandpiper.

A semipalmated sandpiper who was really showing its ability to overcome...

Little buddy only had one leg! As long as it can feed and fly, the bird will probably do alright. Just a bit more hoppy and bouncy than the rest,

Another visit to Marine Park yielded me a few migrating warblers, including the common, but soon to be missed, common yellowthroat.

Also always dig an exceptionally badass looking yellow-crowned night heron.

This Marine Park Mockingbird is going through molt and looks like they are just doing their best!

In partaking in a spoonbill chase, I also tried out a new park: Bayswater Point State Park. It has a birding trail that I opted to not go too deep into due to mosquitoes, but I did find some little birdy spots outside of the trail.
This great crested flycatcher is looking at you with its good eye, its other eye seemed to be out of commission. Thus, resulting in lots of head tilting.

A red admiral butterfly feeding on some tree sap.

A great Treegret.

Doing some fancy aerial work with the flycatcher was also this handsome Eastern Kingbird.

And at Willow Pond in Hewlett, A roseate Spoonbill.

Looks like a juvenile with its pale plumage and face, took a wrong turn somewhere.

Glad to see them and check them off my state list, bird #323 for New York State.