This weekend’s adventure to the North Fork of Long Island started at the Newark Airport. We hit some traffic on the George Washington Bridge through NYC, but things went pretty smoothly across Long Island.
We stopped at Belmont State Park in search of our first target bird, the Barnacle Goose. This goose had been reported intermittently since the beginning of December. However, the presence of numerous Canada Geese and the cloudy conditions made locating it very challenging. Although we did not find the Barnacle Goose, we did spot a life bird for New York: the Gadwall. Additionally, we saw Mute Swans, Mallards, and Downy Woodpeckers.
Orient Beach – North Fork
Knowing that Saturday would be wet by noon, we decided to get an early start. The temperature was 42 degrees, with winds gusting at 20 to 30 miles per hour—conditions that can be challenging for Floridians. We headed out for some car birding at Orient Beach Park, the easternmost point on the North Fork. Despite the weather, we made our way to the surf and observed a variety of seabirds, including 100 Greater Scaup, a Long-tailed Duck, three species of scoters, and a Common Eider. On our way back, a group of about 20 Snow Buntings flew into the dunes about fifty feet from us, which was a major highlight of the day. Additionally, there’s a classic lighthouse just offshore from Orient Point.
We visited the 67 Steps, where we spotted two mute swans riding the waves. Our next stop was Inlet Pond County Park, an Audubon park known for its beautiful woodland birds and feeders located near the entrance. Although it started to rain while we were there, it didn’t bother us much, and we enjoyed watching the usual birds at the feeders. The wooded trails lead out to the seashore and salt ponds. Along the way, we also saw a Red-bellied Woodpecker, a House Finch, and a Northern Cardinal.
Greenport, Long Island
After returning to town, we enjoyed a delicious sandwich at Sterlington Deli and then spent some time birdwatching at Southold Town Beach. The highlight was spotting ten Common Goldeneyes and a Great Black-backed Gull. Next, we visited Linz Winery, one of the many up-and-coming wineries on the North Shore. The knowledgeable tasting host served us some very nice red and white wines. After a well-deserved nap, we ventured out to Orient Point despite experiencing extreme weather conditions, hoping to catch anything we might have missed earlier. On our way back, we came across oysters for sale in a cooler by the roadside, tempting us even though we had no knife to open them. Fortunately, we found a solution at the Bait & Tackle House in Greenport, which offered a discount on oysters by the dozen if you shucked them yourself.
On Sunday morning, we stopped at Goldsmith Beach, where we spotted a Hooded Merganser and a Northern Mockingbird. We then decided to visit Belmont State Park in hopes of seeing the Barnacle Goose, which had been sighted there on Friday. A guy with a scope gave us some encouragement, but unfortunately, we didn’t see it. It turned out to be a trip without any lifers.
Point Lookout
Point Lookout is a must-visit eBird hotspot. We began our journey at Nickerson Beach Park and walked a mile to Jones Inlet, passing jetties teeming with a variety of birds. Among the highlights were Horned Grebes, Red-throated Loons, Brants, and a life bird for New York—a Harlequin Duck—all feeding around the jetties. On the rocks, we spotted a mix of shorebirds, including Black-bellied Plovers, Sanderlings, and Dunlins. Although we didn’t find the Razorbills we were hoping to see, we still encountered an impressive array of birds.
The last stop on our way to Newark Airport was Fort Wadsworth, which offers excellent views of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. While there, we spotted our target bird, the Great Cormorant, perched on the pilings of a long-lost pier down the beach.
Trip Birds: 49 Year Birds: 39 NY Life Birds: 2 Life Birds: 0
Next Up: Myakka State Park
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