10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2011

It took long enough but I have finally seen an Eurasian Wigeon in my home borough, at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge’s East Pond to be exact. It was nice to add bird number 284 to my Queens life list , though it seems kind of absurd that it has taken so long to see one of the most common of the uncommon ducks in Queens.

Jamaica 178

Jamaica Ducks Geese Wildlife 178

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2012

At the end of a half-morning’s birding I stopped at the south end of the Cross Bay Bridge, just north of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, New York. Though they seem to be learning from other geese and often feed on plain old grass like a Canada Goose.)

New York 183

New York North America Geese Jamaica 183

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2012

Just take a look at some of the pictures I digiscoped in the first two days of May to get an idea of how great a month May is in the Borough of Queens, New York City.

New York City 156

New York City New York 2009 Litter 156

10,000 Birds

APRIL 11, 2011

Long-eared Owl – This is another owl species that was, like most winters, not seen in Queens (though tantalizing second-hand reports of one at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge during the Brooklyn CBC reached me). My long overdue first Queens Snow Bunting and I survived seeing it at Jamaica Bay ! Snow Bunting – Yes!

Jamaica 156

Jamaica Owls 2010 New York City 156

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2012

Meadow Lake was high and there were hordes of gulls and geese to pick through. Back to the east we headed, trying to find access to Jamaica Bay from another vantage, but the National Guard was thick on the ground and it became apparent that we would not find the access we wished.

New York 119

New York Birds New York City Jamaica 119

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2018

That means it is time to look for shorebirds on the East Pond of Jamaica Bay. There are swallows and terns, raptors and geese, ducks and gulls. It is summer and I live in Queens. Blood paid, I entered each morning at the south end of the pond, working my way up the east side with the light shining on the pond from behind me.

Jamaica 101

Jamaica Wildlife Birds Geese 101

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

Corey encountered a bunch of winners, but 24 Common Redpolls at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, in almost the exact same spot he saw them a couple of years ago, feeding on birch inflorescence by the East Pond, were easily his best birds of the weekend. However, I’ll bestow that honor upon my first local Common Grackles of spring.

2011 153

2011 New York Deer Birds 153

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2013

I also spent a bunch of time on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and, as usual, managed to see some birds on workdays. Whether it was hawks , terns , seabirds , wood-warblers , shorebirds , geese , falcons , finches , or songbirds and woodpeckers I was there with my camera. The month ended wonderfully with a blue moon.

2012 142

2012 Czech Republic Hedgehogs Hungary 142

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2018

Waterfowl is defined here as swans, geese, and ducks. Along the way Canada Geese and Brant will be found, and on the bay side of the peninsula Snow Geese , American Black Duck , Mallard , Hooded Merganser , and Common Goldeneye should all be spotted. Most winters Snow Geese are a gimme when birding Queens.

Geese 109

Geese New York City Ducks Jamaica 109

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2013

It made sense to search Edgemere Landfill for a Ross’s Goose because of the thousands of Snow Geese that spent a large portion of their winter there, feeding on the abundant vegetation. Snow Geese at Edgemere in January. Snow Geese at Edgemere in February. … Trips Edgemere geese Queens rarities Ross''s Goose'

Geese 188

Geese New York City New York Jamaica 188

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2019

When I go to Baisley, which is located in the neighborhood of South Jamaica, I know that I am, at the least, going to see at least ten species of waterfowl, a variety of gulls, some sparrows and other songbirds, and perhaps a raptor or two. We don’t have enough photos of Canada Geese on this blog.

Ducks 114

Ducks New York City Geese Canada 114

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Other birds with webbed feet, including ducks and geese, have only three webbed toes; the hallux (which in birds is usually the “hind toe&# and in humans, the “big toe&# ) is free. Feeding Frenzy at Jamaica Bay.Or That is to say, all four of their toes are webbed. What you “know&# is probably wrong!

2011 151

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 151

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2011

Already the birding world is excited by the host of Snowy Owls that have descended upon the United States and Snow Buntings and Snow Geese have been around for weeks. Then Seth and I grew tired of Nassau County and decided to wind up our day back in Queens, at Jamaica Bay.

United States 185

United States Jamaica Birds Owls 185

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 26, 2018

It was almost a month ago that I wondered how many species of ducks, geese, and swans could be found in my home borough of Queens in a single day this winter if I really put forth the effort. If I could just find all three scoters, an eider, and a couple good geese I could make it to twenty-nine species! Gadwall at Baisley Pond Park.

Geese 100

Geese Jamaica Ducks Barn Owls 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2016

Ducks, swans, and geese may initially appear easy to identify. I started out my birding life sitting on Benches 2 and 7 at the Jamaica Bay NWR West Pond, my Peterson’s in my lap, studying Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, and the occasional Pintail. There are a lot of beautiful ducks (and swans, and even some geese) out there.

North America 142

North America Asia Europe America 142

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2012

Nassau County, New York, March 2009 After having fully explored the trail around the West Pond at Jamaica Bay , we four bird bloggers agreed to load up Patrick’s car and head over to Jones Beach to see what kind of birds we could find there and some other locations in Nassau County.

New York 160

New York Butcher Birds Geese 160

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

The Snow Geese at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge will soon be winging their way north, so he spent some quality time with them, his best birds of the weekend. Moved by an unseasonable bout of optimism, I went owl-chasing this weekend and actually encountered what has been a true nemesis bird for me: Northern Saw-whet Owl !

2011 133

2011 Deer Birds Owls 133

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2018

At least Barnacle Geese are named for an arthropod. It is a series of shots of Greater Scaup flying out of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge’s West Pond, of which the image that includes Red-breasted Mergansers is the most interesting. Scaup are so boring that they might be named for a regional term for a place where mollusks live.

Ducks 206

Ducks New Zealand France Germany 206