Shawangunk Grasslands 7 June Debbie Martin and I (Sy Schiff) visited at the site this morning, received some info when we arrived and quickly found the HENSLOW'S SPARROW. The DICKCISSEL was a bit further along the path into the grasslands near the blind. Both birds were singing in full sight and very cooperative. Several sparrows flew up and dove into the grass as we walked and were probably GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, heard briefly but not seen. A WILLOW FLYCATCHER was singing along the edge in the trees.
As we were walking out, a pair of vultures flew by very high in the air, one of each, TURKEY and BLACK. BOBOLINK were every where, almost all males, except for a very cooperative female with a caterpillar in its bill. It is presumed the missing females are on nests. EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were singing but only a single one showed. Red-winged Blackbirds were also in fair numbers. . One male AMERICAN KESTREL was resting in a bare tree, in the grass land, A pair of SAVANNAH SPARROWS rounded out the morning as we approached the parking lot. A PURPLE MARTIN house, seen from the paring lot had a pair of birds clinging to the outside. Not a grassland bird, but a nice addition for the day. A note: the place is gorgeous and impeccably maintained. The wildflowers are stunning. You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this place. Sy -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
