Back to Nature

I apologize for the previous rant. Now back to nature...

Ron and I took a trip up to Sterling Forest to scout out some locations for an upcoming Audubon trip. One of our target species was Golden-winged Warbler and we weren’t disappointed.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) in flight

(Photo credit - Rob J)

We located the first golden-winged at a stop next to a small pond on East Mombasha Road. It was singing from the top of an oak tree. There were at least two at the powerline cut near the NYU apartments. Finally, we located one while we were walking the trails at Blue Lake.

Other highlights from the day included a Cerulean Warbler, both species of cuckoo and several Yellow-throated Vireo. It seemed like there were Indigo Buntings at the edge of every field or meadow within the park. The Cerulean Warbler was performing a very peculiar song. Rather than the usual ascending phrases this bird was singing a shortened descending song. On East Mombasha Road we watched a Ruby-throated Hummingbird collecting fluffy material from dried flowers. It looked weighed down as it flew with a billful of white, downy material into a stand of conifers on the north side of the road.

Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

Birdfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

Wild Blackberry (Rubrus spp.)

(Photo credit - Rob J)

-Click to learn more about NY Wildflowers-

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Sterling Forest, NY, 5/31/2005
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Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Wild Turkey
Black-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Alder Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Golden-winged Warbler (E. Mombasha Road, Ironwood Road, Blue Lake.)
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Cerulean Warbler (Ironwood Road.)
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler (Indian Hill, Ironwood Road.)
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch

Other common species seen or heard:
Canada Goose, Mallard, Rock Pigeon, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, American Robin, Northern Cardinal and Red-winged Blackbird

Six-spotted Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata)

Eupeodes (spp.)

Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) imm male

(Photo credit - Rob J)