Whiffed Again
You’d think a Yellow-headed Blackbird, which is at least a native American species, if not a common New York species, would be easier to find around here than a Western Reef Heron; but if you were me you’d be wrong. I struck out again this morning at Jones Beach looking for the Yellow-headed Blackbird. If it’s still around next weekend, maybe I’ll try in the afternoon when it’s been a tad more regular.
On the positive side, I did get a chance to take my new scope out for a spin. It’s a Kowa TSN-601 with a 20-60 zoom eyepiece. It gave absolutely gorgeous views of Least Sandpipers, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, Willets, and various gulls. I just wish I could have tried it out on a Yellow-headed Blackbird too. One note: after carrying it around for only about an hour, I’m really glad I sprang for the carbon-fiber legs and paid attention to the total weight when choosing the scope. The 80mm Swarovski’s are gorgeous, but they weigh almost twice as much. By the end of the day, every ounce counts.
Total species count was 39:
- Canada Goose
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Great Egret
- Snowy Egret
- Glossy Ibis
- Osprey
- Semipalmated Plover
- Killdeer
- American Oystercatcher
- Willet
- Least Sandpiper
- Laughing Gull
- Ring-billed Gull
- Herring Gull
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Common Tern
- Forster’s Tern
- Least Tern
- Rock Pigeon
- Mourning Dove
- American Crow
- Fish Crow
- Horned Lark
- Tree Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- American Robin
- Gray Catbird
- Northern Mockingbird
- Brown Thrasher
- European Starling
- Common Yellowthroat
- Eastern Towhee
- Song Sparrow
- Northern Cardinal
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- House Finch
- American Goldfinch
- House Sparrow
Also present were a couple of Dowitcher sp. but I didn’t try to distinguish Long-billed or Short-billed.
