Author: sprattm

My work with Sandy Alexander occasionally brings me to the corporate headquarters in Clifton, NJ. I’m proud to say I work for the best multi-channel marketing company so please contact me if you need any marketing collateral for your business. Our color capabilities are unsurpassed and we can help with brand consistency across multiple formats including direct mail, offset, digital, and wide format printing.

When visiting Clifton, NJ, I always get up early to head over the Richard DeKorte Park which has beautiful boardwalks and an incredible view of the New York City skyline. This time of year is great for waterfowl which included eight species of duck, three mergansers – Common, Red-breasted and Hooded, and Mute Swan. Also five mostly northern sparrows – White-crowned, White-throated, Dark-eyed Junco, Song, and my favorite, American Tree Sparrow which we rarely see.

After work on Friday, we arrived at the hotel in Midtown Manhattan at exactly the same time. Amazing because I took the train from Newark and Mike flew up from Florida after working a half-day. Following a really nice dinner at the R Lounge, and watching a light snowfall on Times Square, we hit the sack early to rest for the busy weekend ahead.

Saturday morning we drove through Central Park, which looks beautiful covered in fresh snow as did the beach at our first stop, Point Lookout. Here we found a mixed raft of Brant and Long-Tailed ducks, while on the beach were at least 20 American Oystercatchers. Next stop was Jones Beach State Park where we found more ducks, a few Black Scoters, and various shorebirds. Missed out on the reported Snowy Owl that was apparently chased away by a photographer with no birding etiquette.

Lunch was some really good New York pizza and then came a stop at the Suffolk County Park to see 75 Ruddy ducks and a pair of Mute Swans. Driving on to West Hampton Beach we ended up at Cupsoque Park where we scoped the marsh area finding American Black Ducks, Dunlin, and several types of Gull. We also had very good views of a seal swimming close to us along the inlet. One more stop at the Shinnecock Inlet for Common Eider and Red-breasted Merganser just before sunset.

We checked into our room at the Inn Spot on the Bay located in Hampton Bays. Very nice accommodations with an excellent waterfront view.   They also have an awesome restaurant on site and we enjoyed a fine meal before hitting the sack early once again. Birders have to get up early you know, just like the birds do.

Long Island

Sunday morning we headed out to Montauk Point which is the easternmost point on the south fork of Long Island. We had stunning views from atop the cliffs on a clear, crisp morning. Below in the relatively calm waves were Surf, Black and White-winged Scoters.  In the nearby woods, we found American Robins and American Tree Sparrows. The lighthouse at Montauk is one of the most impressive we have ever seen. During a quick stop at Lake Montauk Inlet, we found two Great Cormorants, a bird that is rarely seen in Florida. At our next stop in Napeague Harbor, we saw more Common Eiders, Mergansers, and a pair of Red-throated Loons.

 

 On the way back west we stopped in Riverfront, N.Y. for a delicious lunch at Jerry and the Mermaid. At the marina just outside the restaurant, we lucked into a group of Hooded Mergansers, one of our favorite water birds.

Just before heading to the La Guardia airport, we made our final stop at the Flushing Meadows Park. This is the historic site of the 1964 World’s Fair and some of the original structures are still intact. The lake and grounds here are loaded with Brant, Canada Geese, and Mallards, as well as a few Mute Swans.

Next up: Spring Migration Meets Duck Dynasty

Trip : Total Species:   55  Year Birds:  26  Life Birds: 0

2015 : Year Birds: 160   Life Birds: 5

Here’s the list: 2015 Bird List