Birding in Upstate New York

The Haze burning off at Bashakill

(Photo credit - Rob J)

We did some birding around upstate New York yesterday. Most of our time was spent at Bashakill WMA in Sullivan County but we also made a quick stop at Blue Chip Farm. On our way home we also stopped at Harriman State Park and hiked the trails around Doodletown.

Bashakill

(Photo credit - Rob J)

-Click to learn more about Bashakill-

The highlight of the trip was finding a pair of young Barred Owls at Bashakill. We were driving very slowly with the windows opened, listening for birds. Shane stopped when we heard an unfamiliar, high-pitched hissing sound. The two owls were perched in trees right at the edge of the road. We quietly watched them for a moment or two until a noisy, passing pick-up truck flushed them. In addition we tallied eight species of warbler. Warbler watching in early August may seem a little out of sync with the birder’s calendar but, hey, they were there...

Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon ) at Bashakill

(Photo credit - Rob J)

Unidentified Puffballs at Bashakill

(Photo credit - Rob J)

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Eastern Tailed-Blue (Everes comyntas)

(Photo credit - Rob J)

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos ) at Doodletown

(Photo credit - Rob J)

-Click to learn more about North American butterflies-

A field of Queen Ann's Lace at Doodletown

(Photo credit - Rob J)

Wild Raspberries at Doodletown

(Photo credit - Rob J)

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Bashakill (Sullivan county); Blue Chip Farm (Ulster county); Doodletown (Rockland/Orange county), 8/2/2005
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Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Killdeer
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Doodletown.)
Barred Owl (2 juveniles, Bashakill WMA.)
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker (Bashakill WMA.)
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher (Bashakill WMA.)
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo (Bashakill WMA.)
Red-eyed Vireo
Common Raven (Doodletown.)
Tree Swallow (Bashakill WMA.)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Bashakill WMA.)
Cliff Swallow (Bashakill WMA.)
Barn Swallow (Bashakill WMA.)
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Bashakill WMA.)
Eastern Bluebird (Blue Chip Farm.)
Veery
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler (Doodletown.)
Yellow Warbler (Bashakill WMA.)
American Redstart (Bashakill WMA, Doodletown.)
Worm-eating Warbler (Doodletown.)
Ovenbird (Bashakill WMA.)
Louisiana Waterthrush (Doodletown.)
Common Yellowthroat (Bashakill WMA.)
Hooded Warbler (Doodletown.)
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting (Bashakill WMA.)
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole (Doodletown.)
House Finch
American Goldfinch

Other resident species seen (or heard):
Canada Goose, American Black Duck, Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, American Robin, European Starling, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow