my wife Kirsten and i made a trip down to NYC/LI for the day today for birding. lots of great weather and some nice birds, which are sure signs of spring.
Before departing for points south this AM, we heard two newly arrived woodcock in the swamp/meadow area behind our house, peenting and displaying here in millbrook, dutchess county.
Jamaica Bay offered a good assortment of ducks (no barrow's) and other waterfowl, a peregrine in the marsh, no herons or egrets. we encountered the expected arrivals-osprey, tree swallow, oystercatcher.
off to jones beach west end.... typical and previously reported late winter waterfowl, plus several oystercatchers and three pairs of piping plovers (no leg bands) on the beachfront, and a single phoebe along the ocean parkway.
it was great to be outside with such spectacular weather.
JPA
John Askildsen
Millbrook, New York
