American Woodcock. Image by Anthony Macchiarola.
Putnam Highlands Audubon Society
Winter 2024 Newsletter
Local Birding Stories, Sightings, and Upcoming Events
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Upcoming Events
March Bird Walk at Croton Point Park
Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 AM
Croton Point Park, Croton-Harmon
As winter transitions to spring, join us for our annual March trek to Croton Point Park to look for early spring migrants, such as Killdeer and Osprey, and lingering wintering oddities. Click here to read about our 2022 walk to Croton Point Park.
Please note that registration is required for this event.
Appreciating New York's Rich Diversity of Bats
Saturday, April 13 at 3:00 PM
Desmond-Fish Public Library, Garrison
Ashley Meyer, a biologist with the New York State Department of Environment Conservation, whose recent field work surveyed wintering bats in abandoned mines of Fahnestock State Park, will describe a variety of bat species, where and how they live, which are endangered and threatened, and why.
Please check back for a registration link from the Desmond-Fish Public Library website as the date approaches.
April Bird Walk at Little Stony Point
Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 AM
Little Stony Point, Cold Spring
Spring migrants will be in full song and fresh plumage! Join us to see birds migrating along the Hudson River. A wide variety of birds can be seen on this walk, including Cerulean Warbler.
Please note that registration is required for this event.
Yellow-throated Warbler. Newburgh Waterfront, Orange County. Image by Anthony Macchiarola.
Notable Sightings:
Images from Notable Sightings
Dickcissel. Carmel High School, Putnam County. Image by Anthony Macchiarola.
Barnacle Goose. Lake Gleneida, Putnam County. Image by Anthony Macchiarola.
Glaucous-winged Gull. Hudson River, Dutchess County. Image by Anthony Macchiarola.
Hammond’s Flycatcher. Rockland Lake State Park, Rockland County. Image by Anthony Macchiarola.
Western Tanager. Patterson, Putnam County. Image by Anthony Macchiarola.
Great Cormorant. Dockside Park, Cold Spring. January 2024. Image by Jon Erickson
Golden Eagle. Dutcess County. Image by Anthony Macchiarola.
Notable Sightings:
All of the notable sightings listed here were compiled using eBird.org. eBird is a fantastic website that allows to you to find birds and places to go birding (both locally and while travelling somewhere new), as well as a way to keep track of your bird lists and photos. All of the data you input into eBird contributes to science and to the conservation of birds and their habitat. We encourage everyone to join eBird (it is free, you just need to create an account) and record all of your bird sightings there. And remember, eBird is not just for notable sightings! Please visit ebird.org/about to learn more and to sign up. And visit https://ebird.org/region/US-NY-079?yr=all to see Putnam County’s eBird page.
If you are not registered on eBird yet and you have a notable or interesting bird sighting in Putnam County, we would love to hear about it! Please let us know about your notable sightings, and include any documentation (such as photos, which are strongly encouraged to confirm a rare bird sighting) by emailing us at: PHASbirds@gmail.com
Black-headed Gull. PHAS January Bird Walk at Point Lookout State Park. Image by Jon Erickson .
January Bird Walk
Short-eared Owl. PHAS February Bird Walk at Shawangunk Grasslands NWR. Image by Jon Erickson.
February Bird Walk at Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge
On Saturday, February 24th, Putnam Audubon held its annual February bird walk at Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge in Wallkill, New York. This is another one of our annual winter trips where we venture away from Putnam County. The wildlife refuge is an extensive protected grassland, which holds unique and many threatened bird species at all times of the year. In the winter months; the grassland is known for the diversity of raptor species, finding mice in the tall grasses. Two of the most sought-after raptor species that seek out this grassland are the Rough-legged hawks and Short-eared owls. These are always targets when we host our annual February bird walk at the grasslands. We always hold this walk in the late afternoon for the best opportunity to get views of Short-eared owls. The grasslands, once again, did not let the group down. The day started with a few board members getting to the grasslands early. From there, we drove to Galeville Park, which allows a view of a different grasslands section. It took us 45 minutes to locate a recently reported and long-staying Loggerhead strike. Loggerhead shrike formerly nested in New York State but now is certainly a rare sighting at any time of the year. This sneaky individual perched on snags low above the tall grasses and flew around, hunting. We watched it successfully catch, at least one insect. After some decently accommodating views, we drove back to the large parking lot at the grasslands to meet the rest of the group. From 3:30 to 5:30, the group aligned on the edge of the grasslands and watched over for any signs of movement through the observation. We had great looks at Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, American kestrel, and bald eagle, both vulture species, and our two targets, the rough-legged hawk and short-eared owl. It wasn’t till 4:58 on the dot that our first Short-eared Owl appeared. This one was enjoyed by several others and provided unbelievable views to the group. One bird even perched really close to the group. For a few group members, these were their first ever short-eared owls. We have been very fortunate with some great grassland trips and hope we continue this luck next year.
eBird list: Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge
Great Shearwater. Image by Arabella Pajoohi.
Birding While at Sea: 24 Hours on the American Princess Cruise
By Arabella Pajoohi
Arabella will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Annual Dinner, scheduled for March 23 at the Taconoic Outdoor Education Center.
The black night sky slowly took on the first hints of blue as the sun emerged, casting varying shades of pink and orange over the horizon. As we emerged from our slumber and took our places on the deck of the American Princess Cruise, the first birds of the day came into view: frisky Wilson’s Storm Petrels (the house finches of the sea), swooping, swallow-like, across the waves followed shortly thereafter by a Band-rumped Storm Petrel. Although the Band-rumped preferred to distance itself from our boat and remain obscured from great views, the frisky Wilson’s Storm Petrels allowed for fantastic photographic opportunities. Great Shearwaters glided across the glassy and still depths of the ocean, albatross-like, with the occasional Cory’s (Shearwater) in tow. The Shearwaters, both Great and Cory’s, classified in the family “Procellariidae”, summer in the North Atlantic and tend to forage in flocks. On that day, they stayed true to this behavior by feeding close to our boat on fish and squid being thrown overboard. Soon thereafter, the acrobats of the ocean, Wilson’s Storm Petrels, again appeared and remained at our side, or should I say starboard and port.
For much of the morning, our avian sightings remained largely unchanged: Wilson’s Storm Petrels, Cory’s Shearwater, and Great Shearwater. Then, we had our first cetacean spotting of the day; a pod of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins took turns surfing in the waves of our boat, a silvery calf leaping with them. After crossing under our boat multiple times, these highly social cetaceans continued to entertain us with aerial feats and then, deciding that they had had their fill of play, continued on their travels.
A cry went up, suddenly: Long-tailed Jaeger! We frantically dashed from port to stern, stern to starboard, and every way we could. Some of us, including me, dashed up the stairs to the top deck for photos as the Jaeger flew over. It was thrown some chum, which it happily gobbled and then flew away, chum dangling from its beak. Shortly thereafter, the lure of chum being too irresistible, the Jaeger returned, and we once again dashed about frantically, seeking glimpses. What a sight we must have been to it, and to all creatures out there; at this point, each time it flew over, we ran about, clasping the railings for footing, running and shuffling along while trying to be mindful of our gear and one another.
Suddenly, a shorebird flew over us, uttering a cry. It turned out to be a Whimbrel!! For a bit, all was quiet, and then the ocean had another rare treat in store for us: “White-faced Storm Petrel!” We watched as the White-faced flew in, bouncing off the waves as if the ocean itself were one mighty trampoline. After the White-faced departed, the Wilson’s Storm Petrels flew in once again, dashing about and careening over the waves, followed by a pod of Common Dolphins and then Bottlenose. Soon thereafter, Sperm Whales and Pilot Whales captured our attention, both pods accompanied by calves.
Two Common Terns standing side by side on a floating log amid a patch of Sargassum floated by, with the Terns using the log as a rest stop where they could preen and stretch. Sargassum, also known as a floating hydrophyte, or free floater, floats freely through the ocean and supports a large diversity of marine life, including more than 100 species of fish, more than 100 species of invertebrates, and four species of sea turtles. Migratory birds, such as the Common Tern, often use Sargassum mats to feed from, and perhaps this was the case here as well.
Long-tailed Jaeger. Image by Arabella Pajoohi.
Other Cory's Shearwater. Image by Arabella Pajoohi.
White-faced Storm Petrel. Image by Arabella Pajoohi.
Wilson's Storm Petrel. Image byArabella Pajoohi.
As the waves quieted, Wilson’s Storm Petrels skimmed the gently lapping waves, and Risso’s Dolphins emerged, their sides painted with what looked like nicks and cuts (don’t worry, this is how their skin appears). Common Dolphins arrived shortly after the departure of the Risso’s, spraying water as they played. Then, the chip note of a small passerine caught the attention of our ears – a Yellow Warbler – followed by a Flycatcher species that remained unidentified. Near the horizon, a Little Brown Bat fluttered and flapped, and then, as Green darners and unidentifiable moths fluttered by, the little bat flew directly over our heads and over the top deck! Bat sightings across the ocean have been recorded since at least 1890, although science is only beginning to understand the migratory patterns of bats across open oceans.
Movement in the distance caught the eye of a trip leader who walkied it to the crew. Technology sometimes fails us when we need it, and in this case, it did just that; the walkie talkie died before the alert went out. The movement in the distance turned out to be Red-necked Phalaropes, an Arctic breeding bird that I have been hoping to see for some time. The ocean and the skies stilled themselves again, and some of used this opportunity to cure our disappointment at missing this species and take a much needed mid-afternoon nap (birding can be exhausting!).
Late afternoon waves brought forth Loggerhead Sea Turtles who peaked their heads up and then disappeared into the depths. Hammerhead Sharks meandered nearby, showcasing their fins and impressive tails, while Wilson’s Storm Petrels accompanied us on our voyage back to shore. As the sun began to set, casting its orange, red, and violet rays across the ocean, city lights greeted us along with the squawks of Lesser-blacked Gulls and Herring Gulls. As we approached shore, Mute Swans appeared on either side of our boat, guiding us to port.
Birding the sea is unlike any other form of birding and experience. As others have written, there is something magical about traveling the open ocean, observing birds who are undertaking what would seem to be improbable feats to survive in what continues to be a more challenging and inhospitable world. That evening, as we returned to Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, the ocean presented us with a final gift: a Black-crowned Night Heron, sitting half-hidden in the shadows of the dock, welcomed us back to land and bid us farewell from the seas.
Good birding,
Arabella
Call to Action: Draft Budget Before Congress Would Undermine Environmental Protections
Dear PHAS Board and Members,
Congress is working on a pending budget and some members are trying to gut our environmental priorities—such as opening millions of acres of critical Caribou and Polar Bear habitat to new oil and gas development. Environmental groups are highlighting the importance of a 'clean budget'. Provisions would also gut the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. Please stand up and make a difference! These lands are critical for migratory Caribou herds.
A bipartisan group of Senators and House Democrats have already committed to pass a budget with NO POISON PILL RIDERS and to oppose measures that open the Arctic to new gas and oil development. Make sure they follow through! Tell congressional offices now: no appropriations deal can include concessions of the Arctic's pristine ecosystems. They must pass a budget that excludes any anti-Arctic riders.
Many of us have Congressman Mike Lawler as our representative. His email is lawler.house.gov. Or alternatively, you can go on his website lawler.house.gov, hover your mouse over “Contact” (located on the right navigation bar), then click “Email Me” to send a message directly from the website.
Thank you for your support,
Connie Mayer
PHAS Conservation Chair
Thank you from the PHAS Board of Directors
Sean Camillieri (President), Perry Pitt (Vice-President), Peter Conway (Treasurer), Giannina Santo Cappello (Secretary), Connie Mayer, Kyle Bardwell, Lew Kingsley, Katherine Lukacher, Anthony Macchiarola, Deborah Macleod, Lauren Martin, Steve Rappaport, Pete Salmansohn, Scott C. Silver
Eastern Bluebird. Image by Jon Erickson.