This is the season of the year when talking heads and other self-proclaimed experts review the past year and develop their Top Ten list, you know, top ten songs of the year, top movies, top news events. Well, I am declaring myself an expert on my monthly BirdWalks. (Who better?) I have reviewed them all and will now enlighten you with my choices for the best and the worst.
First, let me explain that I lead a BirdWalk on the first Saturday of each month to a local nature area. Each month we visit a different location. If you would have joined us on all of our walks and seen all of the birds you would have tallied 116 species of birds. Some walks were better than others.
It doesn’t get any better than our New Years Day Bird Walk to Greenwich Point Park. Balmy weather buoyed the spirits of the large group eager to begin the year with a pleasant stroll in a lovely natural setting. We found around 35 species of birds but the best sighting was a pack of frolicking “Polar Bears”. Thank Ernie Hammer for the photo of the polar bears as well as the shot of a Long-tailed Duck (you can see why it is called “long-tailed)
A good time was had by all. In fact, so many participants have asked if I was going to do it again next year that I will. My 2nd Annual New Years Day BirdWalk to Greenwich Point Park will take place on Sunday, January 1, 2012.
In February 2011, although an ice storm cancelled the EagleFest, we did find Bald Eagles
A rainy, misty day made March’s walk at Pelham Bay Park rather soggy. But we were able to add Long-eared Owls and Mo
nk Parakeets to our year list.
Rockerfeller State Park in April yielded E. Bluebirds and Pileated Woodpecker
May at Larchmont Reservoir and June at the Marshlands Conservancy added more species.
4th of July weekend at Pepsico World Headquarters was a glorious sunny day enjoyed by all participants.
August is considered the dog of days of birding and East Rumbrook Park lived up to the reputation but did offer a good look at a Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
In September, I timed our visit to the Butler Hawk Watch to match the peak of Broad-winged Hawk migration.
And we timed it perfectly. That day almost 10,000 migrating hawks were counted.
Nothing memorable appeared at Harts Brook Park in October but Crestwood Lake in November allowed good looks at many wintering ducks while few winter ducks were seen at Larchmont Reservoir in December.
After extensive review, I vote for New Years Day at Greenwich Point Park as the best BirdWalk of 2011!
Join us again on New Years Day, January 1 2012 to get the new year off to a great start.
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