Trip Date: January 2020 | Location: New York
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 into NYC, but the trip across Long Island was smooth.
We began our search at Belmont State Park for a target Barnacle Goose that had been reported intermittently since December. The presence of numerous Canada Geese and cloudy conditions made locating it very challenging. While we didn’t find the goose, we were successful in spotting a life bird for New York: the Gadwall. We also observed Mute Swans, Mallards, and Downy Woodpeckers.
Orient Beach – North Fork
Knowing Saturday would be wet by noon, we got an early start. The temperature was 42°F, with winds gusting at 20–30 mph—conditions that can be quite challenging for Floridians!
We headed to Orient Beach Park, the easternmost point on the North Fork, for some “car birding.” 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. A major highlight occurred in the dunes: a group of about 20 Snow Buntings flew in just fifty feet from us.
We also 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. Even as the rain set in, we enjoyed watching birds at the entrance 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 a delicious sandwich at Sterlington Deli, we birded Southold Town Beach, where the highlight was ten Common Goldeneyes and a Great Black-backed Gull. We took a break to enjoy the local culture at Lenz Winery, then attempted to revisit Orient Point in the extreme weather. On the drive, we found roadside oysters for sale, 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 spotted a Hooded Merganser and Northern Mockingbird at Goldsmith Beach. We made one final attempt for the Barnacle Goose at Belmont State Park with encouragement from a local birder, but it eluded us again. While the trip didn’t yield any new life birds, it was a fantastic winter adventure.
Point Lookout
Point Lookout is a must-visit eBird hotspot. We began at Nickerson Beach Park and walked a mile to Jones Inlet, passing jetties teeming with activity. 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. We also spotted a mix of shorebirds, including Black-bellied Plovers, Sanderlings, and Dunlins.
Our final stop before Newark Airport was Fort Wadsworth, which offers excellent views of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. We successfully found our target Great Cormorant perched on the pilings of a long-lost pier.
Trip Summary:
Trip Totals: 49 species • 2 NY life birds • 0 life birds
See more cold-weather trips in our Winter Birding Hub.
Next Up: Myakka State Park – Chasing a Florida lifer, Snow Goose
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