Birding and Business in New Jersey and New York
My work with Sandy Alexander, a multi-channel marketing company, occasionally brings me to their corporate headquarters in Clifton, New Jersey. I’m proud to work for the best in the business, so if you need any marketing collateral for your business, please don’t hesitate to contact me. We offer unsurpassed color capabilities and can ensure brand consistency across multiple formats, including direct mail, offset, digital, and wide-format printing.
When I’m in Clifton, I always get up early to visit Richard DeKorte Park. The park features beautiful boardwalks and an incredible view of the New York City skyline. This time of year is fantastic for waterfowl, and we saw eight species of ducks, three types of mergansers (Common, Red-breasted, and Hooded), and a Mute Swan. We also found five mostly northern sparrows: White-crowned, White-throated, Dark-eyed Junco, Song, and my favorite, the American Tree Sparrow, which we rarely get to see.
After work on Friday, we arrived at our hotel in Midtown Manhattan at exactly the same time—amazing, since I took the train from Newark and Mike flew up from Florida after a half-day of work. Following a lovely dinner at the R Lounge, where we watched a light snowfall on Times Square, we hit the sack early to rest up for the busy weekend ahead.
A Snowy Weekend on Long Island
Saturday morning, we drove through Central Park, which was beautiful under a fresh blanket of snow. The beach at our first stop, Point Lookout, was also stunning. Here, we found a mixed raft of Brant and Long-Tailed Ducks, and on the beach were at least 20 American Oystercatchers. Our next stop was Jones Beach State Park, where we saw more ducks, a few Black Scoters, and various shorebirds. Unfortunately, we missed the reported Snowy Owl that was apparently chased away by a photographer who lacked proper birding etiquette.
Lunch was some really good New York pizza, followed by a stop at Suffolk County Park, where we saw 75 Ruddy Ducks and a pair of Mute Swans. Continuing to West Hampton Beach, we ended up at Cupsoque Park, where we scoped the marsh and found American Black Ducks, Dunlin, and several types of gulls. We also had great views of a seal swimming close to us along the inlet. One more stop at the Shinnecock Inlet yielded a Common Eider and a Red-breasted Merganser just before sunset.
We checked into our room at the Inn Spot on the Bay in Hampton Bays. The accommodations were very nice with an excellent waterfront view. They also have an awesome on-site restaurant where we enjoyed a fine meal before hitting the sack early once again. Birders have to get up early, just like the birds do!
Long Island
Sunday morning, we headed to Montauk Point, the easternmost point on the south fork of Long Island. We had stunning views from atop the cliffs on a clear, crisp morning. In the relatively calm waves below, we saw 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, NY, for a delicious lunch at Jerry and the Mermaid. At the marina just outside the restaurant, we were lucky enough to spot a group of Hooded Mergansers, one of our favorite waterfowl species.
Just before heading to LaGuardia Airport, we made our final stop at Flushing Meadows Park, the historic site of the 1964 World’s Fair, where some of the original structures are still intact. The lake and grounds were 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
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