It’s exciting that we’ve purchased a place in the Central Adirondacks. The property has a heavily wooded lot that backs up to a natural forest, which means we have incredible yard birding right out our back door. We’re looking forward to spending our summers here and exploring our new birding paradise.
A Bird-Filled Spring and Summer
Our first trip in May was a whirlwind of moving in, but even with limited time, we still managed to see and hear 22 species on the property. We were thrilled to find some of our favorites, including Eastern Phoebe, Blue-headed Vireo, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, and a very vocal House Wren.
Our next visit was in July for a painting project on the exterior of the cottage. We were serenaded for hours by a Red-eyed Vireo that seemed to sing eight hours a day. We’ve always said that the wren family has the most volume per ounce, but the vireo family has the most song per ounce! The quiet was truly noticeable whenever the little bird took a brief nap. Our July list of new yard birds included Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Eastern Screech-Owl, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ovenbird, Chipping Sparrow, and a Dark-eyed Junco.
The Quest for Harold the Moose
While we were there in July, we read a local article in the Adirondack Explorer by Gary Lee about a moose named “Harold” who is often seen at Helldiver Pond in the Moose River Plains. Eager to see our first moose in the Adirondacks, we were up at 5:30 a.m. to get there at sunrise. Apparently, several other people read the same story, as there was no place to park, and at least 20 people were standing around looking for Harold. While the moose was a no-show, we did see a Common Loon on the pond and a Ruffed Grouse on the drive in.
Our most recent visit was in September, a well-timed trip to escape Hurricane Irma back in Florida. Fall migration was underway, and our yard was busy with new birds, including Black-throated Green Warbler and American Redstart. It’s a reminder that we need to work on our birding-by-ear skills before we return next year! Other good birds included a Brown Creeper and a Swainson’s Thrush, along with the ever-present Black-capped Chickadees and Juncos.
We also visited the previous owner of the property, who is a fellow nature lover. She told us a lot of history about the area and suggested a hike to Eagle Cliffs. It was a short 20-minute hike that rewarded us with outstanding views of Fourth Lake and a few notable birds, including Cedar Waxwing and a Hairy Woodpecker. We tried to find Harold one more time, but were again unsuccessful. We did get a great consolation prize, though: two American Woodcocks!
We’ll keep looking for Harold, and you’ll be the first to know when we finally see our first moose in the Central Adirondacks of New York.
Trip Summary:
Trip Birds: 39
Life Birds: 0
Next up: Costa Rica
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