We started out very early the next day in -18 degree temperature. After a lousy cup of coffee, we birded Oregon Plains Road and Bigelow Road in Bloomingdale, NY. The area encompasses a bog and cedar woods with sedge marsh and coniferous woods, great habitat for boreal species. Unfortunately, we did not see much bird movement. Pine Siskins, American Goldfinches and a few Black-capped Chickadees, were the only birds that moved around in the area. After a while we decided to head out to look for Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus) and possibly Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni). We visited local feeders at a private residence in the area that we had intelligence on and we picked up both target birds! From the local feeders, we decided to try another set of feeders at the Newcomb VIC. We had success in seeing Evening Grosbeaks again along with lots of Common Redpolls (Acanthis flammea) and another Hoary Redpoll – though no Purple Finches (Carpodacus purpureus) or Pine Siskins (Carduelis pinus).
Joe and I took some time to study the Redpolls and twice we picked out a Hoary Repoll at the feeders among the many Common Redpolls that kept pouring in. Rich and Rob who were on their way back to NYC, decided to try for Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) a bird that Joe had at the VIC on a previous trip and so we joined them donning snow shoes to try the trails. Joe was hesitant and did not seem comfortable with the snow shoes, so after about 5 minutes into the trail, I offered to turn back much to his relief. We departed Newcomb biding Rich and Rob good luck in their Grouse search. Joe and I then tried an area that we were told was good for Boreal Chickadees, but the trail was inaccessible and so we abandoned that plan. We headed back to Bigelow Road where we tried again for species like Boreal Chickadees (Poecile hudsonicus), Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) and Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis). Joe got a lone Gray Jay that flew in to check him out, but I missed getting satisfactory looks as I had walked on ahead on the trail trying to see if the guy I spotted feeding birds in the trail up ahead had Gray Jays. We called it a day soon after and over dinner made plans for our last day before heading home. Next up Day III - homeward bound.
Tags:
Hoary Redpoll, 
Common Redpolls
Evening Grosbeak, 
Boreal Chickadee, 
Gray Jay, 
Adirondacks NY
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