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.
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