Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Jamaica Bay Winter Walk...

On Sunday, I went out to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, to see if I could unearth anything new. Last week, the West Pond was frozen and again, it was pretty much the same, with even smaller open areas of water. It was very cold around the pond with a fierce wind, coming across the water, but I stuck it out to take a closer look at the Gulls that were hanging out. The Gulls turned out to be the standing species we usually get in Ring-billed and Great-black Backed. Along the trail I picked up White-throated Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, American Crow, Northern Harrier and Song Sparrow. Over in Pumpkin Channel , the tide was low; nevertheless, I walked out to Terrapin point and saw a few American Black Ducks, Buffleheads, Red-breasted Mergansers and some of the afore mentioned species. Around bench 11 out on the West Pond, I found about 6 Northern Pintails which was a nice find and something that I did not see last week. Finishing the loop, I ventured into the North Garden and South Gardens, where I got Robins, Hermit Thrushes, Carolina Wrens, Yellow-rumped Warblers and a Downy Woodpecker. I did not see the Yellow-breasted Chat, that I had seen last week, but that is not to say that it was not there...I may have just missed it. The next time I get out to Jamaica Bay I will have make a stop over at Big John's pond to see if I find anything over in that area. Oh yes...and on the way back home on Crossbay Blvd, I had a flyover of a Great Blue-Heron...could well have been the same one that I saw last week. Share with SociBook.com Bookmark and Share

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