Crossbills

Male Red Crossbill

After seeing the posts over the last few weeks of Crossbills all over Long Island I decided to join in the fun. I asked Derek Rogers for some info on where to spot them at Hecksher which is close by and headed out Sunday Morning around 9:00. I ran into Derek just outside of Field 5 where he was trying to hunt down an "interesting" sparrow and he informed me that he had heard some crossbills fly over and that it should be a good morning for them.

Female Red Crossbill

 While there were some at Jones Beach, I should be just as successful here. After getting to the section of pines just east of Field 7, a mixed flock of Crossbills alighted on a tree top and then foraged for about 20 minutes... it doesn't get easier than that!

Male White-winged Crossbills and a Female Red Crossbill

Male Red Crossbill

 Aside from the Crossbills, I had plenty of red-breasted nuthatches, but that was the only thing of note.

Female White-winged Crossbill

Male White-winged Crossbill

Male White-winged Crossbill

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

If you are interested in learning more about the birds of Long Island, as well as other information about the flora and fauna of our Island, check out John Turner's book (which features some of my photographs):
Exploring the Other Island: A seasonal guide to nature on Long Island

Fall Colors

Fall Colors on the Peconic River

Fall of course is in full swing and Pine Siskins are everywhere... I haven't seen too many, but I've spent very little time at the beach where they are migrating.  According to one report this morning, nearly 20,000 were seen flying from east to west at Fire Island, quite a spectacle!  

As for me, I took a quick visit to Swan Lake in East Patchogue which is a short drive away and saw several yellow-rumped warblers.  More excitingly, on the lake were at least three pied-billed grebes along with many swans and mallards  Before long Swan Lake will be swarming with winter waterfowl.

I've also taken a few fall-foliage-over-water photos but I seemed to have missed the season's peak colors.  

Common Raven

While waiting for a delivery I was gazing out the window and noticed a very large black bird land on the powerline outside my house - I immediately went and grabbed my camera, convinced that it was a (not-so-Common) Common Raven.  I grabbed a few photos through the living room window and when I went outside I relocated it in a tree across the street (near a neighbors feeder) but didn't have enough lighting for a decent photo.  Please correct me if I'm wrong - but fairly certain this is a Raven (which of course, was not accompanied by other Corvids)